COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 199

September 30, 2005

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	NASA Explorer Schools (NES) Partnership Program

Schools from across the country are eligible to apply online for an opportunity to partner with the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) in an exciting program designed to bring NASA's mathematics, science, and technology learning to educators, students, and families.  Each year, the NASA Explorer Schools (NES) program establishes a three-year partnership between NASA and 50 school teams, consisting of state certified teachers and education administrators from diverse communities across the country.  During the open application season, the online NES application must be completed in one session.

While partnered with NASA, NES teams will acquire and use new teaching resources and technology tools for grades 4-9 using NASA's unique content, experts, and other resources.  Schools in the program are eligible to receive up to $17,500 (pending continued funding) over the three-year period to purchase technology tools that support science and mathematics instruction.

The objectives of the NES program are as follows:

• increase student interest and participation in science, mathematics, and technology;
• increase student knowledge of careers in science, mathematics, and technology;
• increase student ability to apply science, mathematics, and technology concepts;
• increase the active participation and professional growth of educators in science, mathematics, and technology;
• increase family involvement in student learning; and
• increase the academic assistance for and technology use by educators in schools with high populations of underserved students.

For information regarding the NASA Explorer School program and an application, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov/portal/site/nes/.  The deadline for submission of the online application for NASA Explorer Schools is January 31, 2006.

For more information, contact Bill Williams (w.b.williams@larc.nasa.gov), precollege officer, NASA Langley Research Center, at (757) 864-9728 or Eric Rhoades (eric.rhoades@doe.virginia.gov), science coordinator, Office of Middle and High School Instruction, at (804) 225-2676.

JLD/ER/yba