Educational Policy and Leadership Grants

Title:  Policy and Systems Changes for Improved Health - 9/1/2020 "Battling the Bottleneck: Increasing Capacity for ASD Diagnosis within Primary Healthcare Across WI"

Grant Amount: $504,117.00

Principal Investigator: Amy Van Hecke; Collaborator: Mary Carlson

Description: Significant racial and geographic disparities exist in the timely diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder; late diagnosis has lifelong impacts. We will address systemic barriers to the diagnosis of ASD, via studying relevant healthcare and educational systems. We will also increase capacity for ASD diagnosis by training primary care professionals statewide in ASD diagnosis and family navigation.

Grant Title: NSF Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program “Integration of Teaching Co-ops in a Master's of Education Program for STEM Teachers”

Grant Amount: $1.2 million

Principal Investigator: Leigh van den Kieboom, Jill McNew-Birren (Co-Principal Investigator)

Description: 14-month (30-credit) Master's Degree program for new science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers. Scholars engage in teaching experiences based upon the co-operative education internship model used in engineering in order to apply coursework and theory to teaching experiences in grades 6-12 STEM classrooms. Upon completion of the program, students graduate with a Master's in Education and teacher licensure in the State of Wisconsin.

Grant Title: S.M.A.R.T. program - Success in MPS through Academic achievement, Restorative practices, & Therapeutic services

Grant Amount: $758,032

Your Role (Principal Investigator/Co-Principal Investigator): Co-PI

Brief Description: This grant is in collaboration with Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and other community partners to provide Peace Works education and therapeutic services to support students at the new MPS Success Center (a re-envisioning of the behavioral reassignment programs). In collaboration with MPS, the Peace Works staff help students, families and staff in the transition back to their traditional MPS school and provide support and mentoring for students and families during and after that transition. The process also involves research and evaluation on student progress and the impact of these services.

 

Grant Title: 4 Schools Mental Health Initiative

Grant Amount: $250,000

Your Role (Principal Investigator/Co-Principal Investigator): Co-PI

Brief Description: This project is funded by Advocate Aurora Health’s Better Together Fund the aim is to to deliver support services for students struggling with mental health, academic and/or behavioral challenges in two MPS and two charter Milwaukee schools. The 4 Schools model is family-centered and designed to improve resiliency, relationships, and social-emotional outcomes. Research and evaluation includes measuring student progress on mental health and social emotional learning measures, as well as attitudes toward mental health of students and families.

 

Grant Title: American Psychological Association Division 15 Research Grant

Grant Amount: $2,410

Your Role (Principal Investigator/Co-Principal Investigator): PI

Brief Description: This grant is to do longitudinal follow up interviews with a subset of adolescents on their experiences of COVID-19.  These participants completed surveys in the Spring and Fall of 2020, and then were interviewed as part of this grant in the Spring of 2021.  Analyses are ongoing to better understand the impacts and developmental implications of their experiences of COVID-19.

 

Grant Title: Marquette University Advancing Social Equity Research Grant

Grant Amount: $3,000

Your Role (Principal Investigator/Co-Principal Investigator): PI

Brief Description: This project involves holding focus groups with Black and Brown students at MU, UWM, and MATC about how Milwaukee’s racial context influences their experiences on campus. We trained student facilitators, who held discussions within and across these institutions in order to center these students. The project has catalytic potential for further research and connections across institutions.