Congratulations to Our 2019 Early Math Grantees

Children First Fund of Chicago Public Schools Foundation - $200,000 over two years

To support expanding the impact of the Elementary Math Specialist program in partnership with DePaul University.

DePaul University - $200,000 over two years

To expand the Elementary Math Specialist Program, designed to provide elementary school teachers with the knowledge, confidence, and tools for teaching mathematics to young children.

Governors State University - $100,000

To support sustained professional development centered on mathematics to elementary teachers in a high-need public school district through a one-year Elementary Math Specialist Program at Governors State University.

University of Chicago STEM Ed - $277,000 over three years

To provide a cohort of elementary school teachers with the knowledge, confidence, and tools for teaching mathematics to young children through Elementary Math Specialist coursework and to perform a “landscape scan” of Illinois school districts and higher education institutions to further document the need for and interest in two new Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) teaching credentials for elementary school math teachers.

University of Illinois-Chicago - $200,000 over two years

To support the Elementary Mathematics Specialist Program at UIC to support a cohort of 15 teachers selected from low income areas in both the Chicago Public Schools networks as well as South Cook districts.

Academy of Urban School Leadership - $100,000

To support Strengthening Early Math Education and Advancing Teacher Leaders.

Big Shoulders Fund - $100,000

Support for Early Learning Foundations Through Early Education, a project engaging 75-90 educators from 20 Big Shoulders Fund elementary schools in professional development.

Chicago Children’s Museum - $100,000

For Playing with Numbers, a program supporting consistency in the early math learning experiences of kids ages 5 to 7 within the same school teaching teams by providing a structured environment for collaboration between kindergarten and first grade educators.

Decatur Public Schools Foundation - $100,000

To support Creating Math Connections for Educators, a program improving kindergarten readiness in math proficiencies through math instructional pedagogy and reformed attitudes and beliefs towards math instruction.

Erikson Institute - $100,000

For the program, Math All Around Me, so three different early childhood sites receive professional development services, impacting approximately 65 educators and over 175 infants and toddlers and their families.

Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago - $100,000

To help Kohl Children’s Museum (KCM) continue to serve 40 childcare providers through the Early Math Initiative program for home and center-based childcare providers in high-need areas in Cook and Lake Counties and include additional opportunities to engage families.

McKendree University - $100,000

To support the professional development project, READY 4 Math, that focuses on improving the confidence, knowledge, and skills of early childhood educators in rural Illinois to provide effective and ongoing instruction in mathematics to improve their students’ skills and readiness for Kindergarten and beyond.

Teach for America Chicago - $100,000

To recruit a diverse cohort of ECE teachers, execute an effective preparation program, and provide ongoing professional development so pre-K educators become confident and knowledgeable in mathematics instruction and students are Kindergarten-ready in mathematics.

University of Illinois Chicago - $100,000

To rebrand the Math at Home professional development site to Early Math Counts and increase its reach.