UCF's College of Education started 2003 much as it ended 2002 - securing funding for professional development of teachers and strengthening its role as one of the state's leaders in reading and educational reform.

At the end of February 2003, educators had already matched the total funding received in 2002 - $16 million.

Reading and professional development programs continue to be the funding leaders. The Reading Professional Pilot Program better known as FLaRE (Florida's Literacy and Reading Excellence Center) is one of the College's largest initiatives. College of Education Dean Sandy Robinson has received nearly $6 million for FLaRE projects in 2003. She has also received an additional $2.8 million from the state for the "Reading Professional Development Pilot" project. And Professor Mary Little's "Effective Instructional Practices" project received $1 million from the State Department of Education.

The FLARE project puts UCF at the center of the state's emphasis on improving reading skills and comprehension. Housed in UCF's Academy of Teaching, Learning and Leadership, FlaRE is one of several professional development programs for teachers sponsored by the Academy that are designed to benefit approximately 240,000 students in 400 schools in all 67 Florida counties.

A second FlaRE program, Reading First, focuses on increasing literacy levels in K-3 classrooms in certain school districts. Funded as a result of the federal "No Child Left Behind" education law, FLaRE Reading First is a collaboration with the state's Just Read office and the Florida Center for Reading Research at Florida State University.

UCF's College of Education is also a leader in the Florida Online Reading Professional Development project-a program that uses the Internet to help teachers improve reading instruction for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 students. Funded by the Florida Department of Education-and developed collaboratively with literacy and technology experts, school districts, professional organizations, and teacher educators across the state-the project helps teachers learn new ways to teach their students vocabulary and reading comprehension in all areas of the curriculum.

A unique UCF partnership gaining national interest for its approach to developing mathematics, science and technology education is the Lockheed Martin/University of Central Florida Academy for Mathematics and Science. By offering a graduate degree in K-8 mathematics and science, the UCF College of Education provides area schools with teachers ready to bring cutting-edge information to their students. The academy, funded for its first four years by the National Science Foundation, was concurrently endowed through a gift from Lockheed Martin and a matching gift program of the Florida Board of Regents.

The commitment to improving teaching through research is part of the mission of UCF's College of Education. Giving Florida's students the best chance to succeed in an increasingly competitive world is its highest priority.

By redefining the basics, UCF's College of Education is leading the way in the field of educational research-and setting the standard for educational reform throughout the state and around the country.