FUNDED BENEFITS AND DISTRICT COSTS:

NNECN is primarily supported with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF). In keeping with NSF's philosophy of school district commitment and sustainability, and the limitations of grant funding, districts are asked to assume some of the reasonable costs of the program. The benefits far exceed the investment districts make in time and financial commitment.

BENEFITS TO MENTOR TEACHERS:

• $1000 mentor stipends each year and stipends for attending summer institutes.
• 100+ hours of high quality professional development as part of a three year carefully designed curriculum of professional skills and knowledge.
• Flexible release time, substitute support.
• A personal collection of professional literature.
• Optional graduate credit.
• Access to state, regional, and national expertise.
• Leadership development.
• Collegial connections across states.
• Access to an extensive lending library of support resources and materials.

BENEFITS TO NEW TEACHERS (MENTEES):

• 80+ hours of content mentoring support from a dedicated and knowledgeable mentor.
• A personal collection of professional literature.
• Access to a wide system of support from other mentors and new teachers.
• Sustained support for induction and certification requirements.
• Participation in a learning community.
• Access to an extensive lending library of support resources and materials.

BENEFITS TO DISTRICTS:

• Unique access to state, regional, and national resources and expertise for the improvement of district-wide standards and research-based mathematics and science teaching and learning.
• Follow up support and feedback from state coordinators of the project.
• Establishment of models and support for school or district wide long term professional development in mathematics and science
• Elimination of the "revolving door syndrome;" retention of well-qualified, successful teachers.

COSTS PROVIDED BY NNECN:

• $1000 for mentor stipends in Year 1, $800 in Year 2, and $600 in Year 3.
• $75/day stipend for mentors' participation in the summer institutes ($375).
• Overnight (double occupancy) and meal costs for mentor teachers' participation in summer institutes and state conferences.
• Overnight (double occupancy) and meal costs for mentees' participation in NNECN conferences.
• A professional collection of books and resources for mentor teachers and mentees.
• 12 days/mentor of flexible substitute release time or paraprofessional support at $75/day or $12/hour for NNECN related activities.

COSTS PROVIDED BY DISTRICTS:

• $200 cost share toward mentor stipends in Year 2 and $400 in Year 3.
• Optional reimbursement for participants' travel.
• Substitutes for mentee teachers, if needed as part of a NNECN activity. (mentors may share substitute allocations with mentees)
• Costs for administrators' optional attendance at summer institutes and state conferences.
• Costs for a mentor teacher and mentee to attend a local, state, regional, or national shared professional conference together (aside from NNECN) at least once during the three years. (optional)
• Mentor reimbursement for graduate credit as determined by district policy.
• Additional resources such as standards-based curriculum materials for new teachers, if needed and agreed upon between teachers and administrators.

Costs for planning, materials development and publication, web site dissemination, facilitation, professional development, staff time, and evaluation for all NNECN related activities are underwritten by the partner organizations and funding from the National Science Foundation and are not passed along to participating teachers and districts.