2008 NASA K-12 Competitive Grants

Grants to Improve Science Teaching and Learning

NASA K-12 Competitive Grants (K12CG) seek innovate approaches to using NASA-themed content in support of secondary level teaching and learning, with a particular emphasis on high school education. Each funded proposal is expected to leverage NASA's unique contributions in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to enhance students' academic experiences and/or to improve educators' abilities to engage and stimulate their students. Proposed work must be grounded in education research and/or best practices, and incorporate formative, summative, and other evaluations, as appropriate.

Proposals will be considered that use the STEM content of NASA's missions to:

• Develop, promote, or utilize new, innovative, and replicable approaches to improving STEM learning and instruction
• Provide experiences and activities that are grounded in education research or utilize evidence-supported approaches, techniques, and tools
• Build linkages and connections to and from secondary education and higher education and informal education communities.

Awards may be made in the following categories:

• Experiences and activities that support high school level instruction/learning
• Experiences and activities that support middle school or undergraduate level instruction/learning if linked to high school programming
• eEducation, education technology, or electronic dissemination of content
• Professional development for in-service or pre-service educators, related to NASA content and targeting secondary education

Proposals will be accepted from U.S. public secondary schools, school districts, state-based education leadership, and not-for-profit education organizations that support secondary education.

Approximately 6–8 awards will be made, ranging from $750K–1.5M total, for a two-year period of performance.

There is a two-step process for reviewing and selecting proposals:

• Proposers will submit a short Notice of Intent and Preliminary Proposal (NOI/PP) that briefly describes:
  • work to be performed
  • NASA content to be featured
  • audiences to be reached
  • need
  • innovative approaches to be employed
  • estimated costs
  • summary of evidence supporting the methods, techniques, and tools to be used

• The authors of the most promising ideas will be asked to submit full proposals.

The NOI/PPs will be due August 22, 2008. Authors selected to develop and submit full proposals will be notified by September 22, 2008, with final proposals due October 27, 2008.

On-time electronic submission is required for every proposal. Visit NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) for detailed requirements and to submit proposals.