California Baptist University will lead a team that will work on revamping curriculum and learning environments for science classes in the Chaffey Joint Union High School District. The partnership will be funded by a $1.35 million grant from the California Department of Education (CDE).

The grant is made available by the California Mathematics and Science Partnership grant program and is administered by the science, technology, engineering and mathematics office at the CDE. The grant's aim is to increase the academic achievement of students by enhancing the knowledge and teaching skills of high school instructors.

CBU is the lead university in the project that also will include University of California, Riverside and Michigan State University. Additionally, the California Science Project, a statewide network for educators, and Concord Consortium, a software company known for its innovative technology, will be part of the collaborative efforts.

Together the group will develop curriculum to help teachers in the subjects of biology, chemistry, physics and earth and space. Furthermore, they will create labs and computer simulations that teachers can use to meet new state standards in science.  

"[The grant will] help teachers have a higher level of content knowledge and also provide more tools for them to make sure they're producing better students," said Dr. Jim Buchholz, CBU professor of mathematics and physics and principal investigator of the grant. He will be working with other CBU faculty from the department of natural and mathematical sciences to develop tools for the teachers.