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What is The Star Schools Program?
The Star Schools Program is one of the largest and most successful public and private partnerships for delivering distance education in the United States and around the world. Since 1988, the Star Schools grants have provided access to technology, telecommunications equipment and instructional programs for more than ten million learners, and provided professional development activities for teachers and administrators in tens of thousands of schools across the United States and abroad. The program has awarded nearly $300 million to 48 projects over 14 years. These projects continue to offer state-of-the-art technology products and services to students across the nation.
How do Star Schools projects work?
The Star Schools projects deliver distance education courses and services using many technologies including satellite delivery systems, open broadcasts, cable, and the Internet.
What services are available from the Star Schools projects?
Through the Star Schools projects, schools have access to instructional programming, including hands-on science and mathematics, algebra, calculus, physics, advanced placement courses, foreign language courses, workplace skills, and life skills programs. Instructional programs serve K-12 students and adult learners, including limited English-proficient students and disabled students. Many projects’ Web sites offer creative and interactive services for students, teachers, and parents. High school completion and adult literacy programs are also available.
Teachers and other educational personnel can participate in teleconferences, online discussion groups, and virtual communities to communicate with colleagues around the world and participate in staff development programs. Classes are also available that are designed to improve parents’ abilities to ensure their children greater success in school.
Does the Star Schools Program make a difference?
Based on the success of its first fourteen years, the Star Schools Program is one of the largest and most effective educational partnerships utilizing the growing number of emerging technologies to make a difference in classrooms across the United States. Evaluation data, documentation, and case studies show that the Star Schools projects have resulted in much greater access of education services for all types of students in a wide range of settings. Students, teachers, and evaluators report of improved instruction, exemplary instructional practices, increased interactivity between students and teachers, and enhanced student interest and motivation. The Star Schools Program does make a difference.
Who administers Star Schools Projects?
The U.S. Department of Education’s Learning Technologies Division awards grants to telecommunications partnerships to operate Star Schools projects. Partnerships include local school districts, state departments of education, public broadcasting entities and other public and private organizations.
Contact:
Jean Tolliver, Program Officer, 202.219.2097
E-mail:
Fax: 202.208.4042
Address: U.S. Department of Education
Learning Technologies Division
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20208-5544
*The 2001-2002 Star Schools Program brochure is available in PDF format.
(PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader.)