Director: Penelope E. Lattimer, Ph.D.
Website: http://riisa.gse.rutgers.edu
The mission of the Rutgers
Institute for Improving Student Achievement (RIISA) is to provide continuous improvement in the
academic achievement of all students through the combined efforts of Rutgers
University and PreK-12 school districts with the engagement of corporate
affiliates and community partners.Three components of the institute
include:
1. Leadership
Developing,
supporting, expanding, and modeling leadership styles to build capacity among
all members of the educational community.
2. Instructional Content and Teaching Expertise
Determining both the necessary understanding of content and pedagogy for
quality teaching and student achievement in language arts literacy, mathematics, science, special education, and the integration of arts education
in these core content areas of learning are the central components of this
important work.
Special emphasis is given to middle level education inclusive of grades
4-8.
3. Middle Grades Network
RIISA's Middle Grades Network is a consortium of
schools and school districts committed to middle level education. The network focuses on effective classroom
practices (including assessment and evaluation techniques) appropriate for
grades 4-8. Special attention is given
continuously to the content areas of: English language arts literacy,
mathematics, and special education. Science education and methods for integrating arts education into
content area instruction are included periodically in the professional
development and instructional coaching provided to participants in RIISA Middle Grades Network workshops.
