WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley today said that the U.S. Department of Education has awarded an $883,578 grant to the Des Moines Public Schools through the Teaching American History Grants program.
"These funds will help increase teachers knowledge and appreciation of American history so that they can better educate their students," Grassley said.
Des Moines Public Schools will use the money to strengthen the content knowledge of traditional American history and pedagogical skills of approximately 225 teachers, with preference given to high school and middle school teachers from 14 schools. The Des Moines Public Schools will partner with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and Iowa State University as well as secondary partners such as the Center for Iowa Studies at Des Moines Area Community College, the State Historical Society of Iowa, Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center and Living History Farms.
The Teaching American History Grants program helps increase student achievement by improving teacher's knowledge and understanding of and appreciation for traditional U.S. history. The funds will help LEA's, in partnership with entities that have content expertise, to develop, document, evaluate, and disseminate innovative and cohesive models of professional development.