GR Public Schools lands $400,000 W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant to pilot "blended" instruction model

Sharon Hanks

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has awarded the Grand Rapids Public Schools a one-year $400,000 planning grant to develop a "transformative" education strategy featuring a blend of online and in-classroom teaching method rather than the traditional sit-in-class approach.

Joanne Krell, a foundation spokesperson, says the pilot program is to be targeted for core classes taken by students in grades 4 thru 12 starting next fall. The funds will be used to develop and plan the curricula, train teachers and staff, buy instructional technology and provide support for implementation. The model will feature a combination of teacher-facilitated instruction in the classroom and additional instruction online. The goal is to improve academic outcomes, she adds.

"We think it (the model) has a lot of promise," Krell says. "As you know, the Kellogg Foundation is a big funder of education, so we've had the opportunity to look at several different models -- models that address low achievement, low graduation or high drop-out rates.

"When you think of kids today, their brains are wired for technology, so they could be quite receptive to this type of teaching," Krell adds. "This (shift) should be studied to see if it (is successful and) should be fully implemented."

While the proposed change in class structure has drawn some criticism from parents with school children attending Grand Rapids public schools, online courses continue to grow in popularity at educational institutions nationwide.

Source: Joanne Krell, spokesperson for the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek

Sharon Hanks is innovations and jobs news editor at Rapid Growth Media. Please send story ideas and comments for the column to Sharon at [email protected]. She also is owner of The Write Words in Grand Rapids.