Finding Funding for Journey North Workshops The No Child Left Behind act (NCLB) includes funding under Title II to prepare and train "highly qualified" teachers and enhance education through the use of technology.* Here are some highlights of this legislation and advice on obtaining funds to bring in or attend a Journey North Workshop. Title II Funds: Improving Teacher Quality State Grants To be eligible for Title II funds, every district must conduct an assessment of teachers' professional development needs and create a local professional development improvement plan. Part A: Improving Teacher Quality State Grants: One use of Title II funds is improving the knowledge of teachers or students in a.) one or more core subject areas they teach, b.) effective "research-based" instructional strategies, c.) use of state standards to improve student achievements. Part D: Enhancing Education Through Use of Technology: These funds can be used for initiatives that provide teachers, principals, and administrators with the capacity to integrate technology effectively into curricula and instruction. Who to Contact in Your District About Using Title II Funds The person who handles professional development (and federal funds) varies from district to district. Contact your department chair, principal, district science supervisor, school or district curriculum coordinator, or your superintendent's office. Plan early! Districts may need to plan for use of funds (including getting substitutes) well in advance of Journey North workshops. Points to Include With Your Funding Request Journey North is an online science, math, and technology project funded since 1994 by Annenberg and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (see overview). Journey North professional development workshops are tied to specific learning standards at both national and state levels. Journey North, which is used in 10,000 classrooms, supports inquiry-oriented student learning and research-validated instructional strategies. Also explain how Journey North can help meet your professional development goals and impact your students. * You can learn more about NCLB and Title II at this Web site: www.ed.gov Overview: Journey North engages students in a global study of wildlife migration and seasonal change. K-12 students share their own field observations with classmates across North America. They track the coming of spring through the migration patterns of monarch butterflies, bald eagles, robins, hummingbirds, whooping cranes -- and other birds and mammals, the budding of plants, changing sunlight and other natural events. Journey North is the nation's premiere "citizen science" project for students. Learn more on the Journey North Web site: www.learner.org/jnorth Copyright 2001-2004 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form