The $2.7 million Department of Education award is a Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education grant.
Reno, Nev. (January 27, 2206) – DRI’s STEM Education Program was recently awarded a $2.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education. The four-year project will address the need to advance artificial intelligence (AI) and computer science classroom education in grades K-12. To accomplish this, training and resources will be provided to undergraduate preservice educators and those already in the classroom, with a focus on Nevada’s rural communities.
“To be competitive in the future, students need comprehensive instruction on AI and computer science,” said Emily McDonald-Williams, Project Director, and Director of DRI’s STEM Education Program. “This grant allows us to provide educators with professional development training and to create enduring resources that educators across the country can access.”
DRI and the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) will collaborate to create an undergraduate internship program that provides preservice and inservice teachers access to professional learning and applied learning opportunities with newly developed curricula and associated resources. In addition, these institutes will partner to develop virtual learning pathways that lead to a State of Nevada Grades K–12 Introductory Computer Science Education License Endorsement through UNR’s web campus.
DRI will also develop an industry-recognized certification in AI and Computer Science Integrated Instruction, creating additional opportunities to integrate AI and computer science competencies into preservice preparation and inservice professional development. Educators will have access to comprehensive teaching and learning resources on the topics, including standards-aligned Green Boxes – self-contained teaching kits that provide educators with two or more weeks of lesson plans along with all of the supplies necessary to conduct each activity, and associated training modules, to provide teacher preparation programs with sustained support.
In addition to professional development training, 60 Green Boxes covering six AI and computer science topics will be created with content for elementary, middle, and high school education. The Green Boxes provide curriculum, materials, and paired training modules to support teacher instruction and enhance teachers’ capacity to implement AI and computer science education. Undergraduate UNR students will test the Green Boxes and provide input prior to distribution to classrooms.
The grant will culminate in AI education summits in Las Vegas and Reno where educators and stakeholders will be invited to a day of workshops, panels, and hands-on learning.
Over the four-year grant, nearly 1,000 teachers and more than 42,000 K-12 students in Nevada will benefit from the curriculum, materials, and professional development training. In addition, these resources will have an annual post-grant impact of up to 22,000 K-12 students and 240 teachers, sustaining a pipeline of AI and computer science informed teachers and learners.
For more information, please email stemeducation@dri.edu.
About DRI
We are Nevada’s non-profit research institute, founded in 1959 to empower experts to focus on science that matters. We work with communities across the state — and the world — to address their most pressing scientific questions. We’re proud that our scientists continuously produce solutions that better human and environmental health.
Scientists at DRI are encouraged to follow their research interests across the traditional boundaries of scientific fields, collaborating across DRI and with scientists worldwide. All faculty support their own research through grants, bringing in nearly $5 to the Nevada economy for every $1 of state funds received. With more than 600 scientists, engineers, students, and staff across our Reno and Las Vegas campuses, we conducted more than $59 million in sponsored research focused on improving peoples’ lives in 2025 alone.
At DRI, science isn’t merely academic — it’s the key to future-proofing our communities and building a better world. For more information, please visit www.dri.edu.
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