| Under the leadership of former Secretary Richard W. Riley, mathematics has long been a special focus of the U.S. Department of Education. Recognizing the importance of helping our nation's students achieve to high levels, he made mathematics one of the administration's seven priorities. Additionally, in 1997 President Clinton issued a Presidential Directive to the Department and National Science Foundation to work together to devise an action strategy for using Federal resources in support of improving student performance. The result of this joint effort was the creation of America Counts--a mutifaceted Federal initiative that focuses on six strategic areas. |
| America Counts is guided by the following goals: 1) Promote the coordinated and effective use of Federal, State, and local resources. 2) Provide personal attention and additional learning time for students. 3) Build public understanding of the mathematics today's students must master. 4) Support high-quality research to inform best practices of mathematics teaching and learning. 5) Encourage a challenging and engaging curriculum for all students based on rigorous standards. 6) Equip teachers to teach challenging mathematics through high-quality preparation and ongoing professional growth In the Fall of 2001, the University of Washington took up the America Counts Challenge, in an effort to help achieve the first three strategic goals. Since then, the program has partnered with approximately five middle schools in the greater Seattle area. We hope to continue expanding the program in the 2005-2006 school year. |
| The UW acts as the employer of record for students placed as tutors in the public schools and handles the payroll, but the individual schools perform their own screening and background checks, supervise the students on-site, and co-sign the work study timesheets. Students perform tutoring activities in a variety of ways, primarily one-on-one, but also in small groups and in classroom activities, assisting reading support teachers, and helping in after-school and Saturday special classes. |
