DuPage Regional Office of Education awarded $8M grant from U.S. Department of Education
The DuPage Regional Office of Education, in collaboration with partners at regional offices of education #1, 17, 21, 28, and 50, has been awarded a five-year, $8 million Education, Innovation and Research Mid-Phase grant by the U.S. Department of Education.
Additionally, all involved partners will contribute $800K through in-kind contributions to the project.
The funds will be used to replicate the successful Partners To Lead (PTL) project, which is an evidence-based, innovative program focused on building the capacity of school leaders to engage teachers in efforts to improve teaching and learning.
The new grant will offer support to more than one hundred schools and provide funding to researchers at the American Institutes for Research to rigorously evaluate the project, providing additional insight into effective solutions for persistent educational challenges.
"We are thrilled to receive this generous grant from the US Department of Education," said Dr. Darlene Ruscitti, regional superintendent of DuPage County schools. "I have seen firsthand how the PTL project has empowered principals and administrators to engage teachers and staff more effectively, and I am confident that this newly-funded version of the program, PTL2, will have an even greater impact."
Ruscitti says student success is the goal of all programs initiated by the ROE.
"We want students in DuPage County to reach their full potential, and we do this by fostering academic and social-emotional growth from the top down.
Implementation of the comprehensive processes in the PTL2 project make existing school leadership structures more effective and efficient," Ruscitti said.
The DuPage Regional Office of Education provides supports to school districts throughout DuPage County.
Regional Offices of Education are legislatively created education agencies that assist schools in their region and act as liaisons between school districts and the Illinois State Board of Education. Additionally, PTL2-participating ROEs serve as Leadership Hubs for their educational service area.