UM, Missoula Schools Collaborate to Create a 21st Century Learning Environment
MISSOULA – America’s public education system was once seen as a beacon of American democracy. Most Americans regarded public education with a sense of pride. Decades later, that narrative has shifted. Today, there is rising concern that public education in America is not producing students able to compete in a global economy.
“SHAPE P-20 delivered on many levels: increasing high school retention and graduation rates, developing family and community investment and engagement with the school district, teaching relevant skills and promoting professional development for teachers,” Evans said. “But, we never foresaw the greatest outcome of all: The powerful partnership that emerged between the university and the schools.”
SHAPE 2.0 refines the original initiatives from SHAPE P-20 to focus on programs that incorporate cross-cultural studies and an understanding of global issues; STEAM (science, technology, engineering and math, plus arts integration); early intervention for at-risk toddlers and preschoolers; universal design for learning environments and strategies that are flexible for students’ needs; pioneering digital education; and professional learning communities that allow teachers to investigate and improve teaching practices. These programs place the focus on learning, which empowers students and staff to create a globally competitive learning environment in every MCPS school.
The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation’s support will allow SHAPE 2.0 to offer solutions at multiple stages of a child’s education. Not every child comes into high school is ready for IB or the Health Science Academy – but that could change with early intervention programs. Kindergarten Readiness, a program spearheaded by UM Professor Trent Atkins, develops tools for parents of preschoolers who need help with the basics, from ABCs to sitting still at story time. Those tools can significantly level the playing field, so that by the time kids reach high school, they’re likely to embrace – and succeed in – the same projects as their peers.