MSP

National Science Foundation

Directorate for Education and Human Resources

National Science Foundation

http://www.nsf.gov

Math and Science 

Partnership Program

Strengthening America 

by advancing academic 

achievement in 

mathematics and science
About the National Science Foundation

Created by Congress in 1950, the National Science Foundation (NSF) 

is the steward of America’s science and engineering enterprise. The 

Foundation’s role in discovery, learning, and innovation is that of a 

catalyst, seeking out and funding the best ideas and most capable people, 

and making it possible for them to pursue new knowledge, discoveries, 

and innovation.

As an independent federal agency, NSF is tasked with keeping the 

United States at the leading edge of discovery in areas from astronomy 

to zoology. Central to that mission is supporting science and engineering 

education at all levels, so that today’s revolutionary work will also inform 

the training of tomorrow’s top scientists and engineers. 

The Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program is one way NSF 

strives to strengthen America by advancing academic achievement in 

mathematics and science.

MSP
The Math and Science Partnership 

Program at NSF— An Overview

The Math and Science Partnership program at NSF responds to 

a growing national concern — the educational performance of U.S. 

children in mathematics and science. 

Through MSP, NSF awards competitive, merit-based grants to teams 

composed of institutions of higher education, local K-12 school systems, 

and their supporting partners. 

These partnerships develop and implement pioneering ways of advancing 

mathematics and science education for students. They bring innovation, 

inspiration, support, and resources to educators and students in local 

schools, colleges, and universities. 

Participating in MSP benefits the partner organizations as well. Active 

partners cultivate and enhance their own strengths as they contribute to 

their MSP teams. And, their efforts result in better prepared students, 

and, ultimately, a better prepared American workforce. 

MSP OVERVIEW 

K-12 School 

Systems

Institutions 

of Higher 

Education

Business and 

Industry

Informal Science 

Education Organizations 

(e.g., museums)

Community 

Organizations

Others with a Stake in 

Educational Excellence

State Education

Agencies
What Makes MSP Exceptional

The right people...

MSP partnerships concentrate the varied skills of top educators; 

academicians in science, technology, engineering, and 

mathematics; and leaders of business and industry.

Using and developing evidence...

Partnerships must base their work on educational strategies 

that have been shown to be effective. And they fuel the work of 

future educators by studying and evaluating their own efforts, 

and sharing what they learn.

And aiming for large-scale educational change that matters.

When MSP teams talk about “advancing academic achievement 

in mathematics and science,” they are literally talking about 

transforming institutions across the entire spectrum of education 

— from elementary schools to universities.

MSP

“MSP partnerships are made up of people committed to improving 

how we educate all of our students. We realize that, to be successful, we 

must also change ourselves. It is this process of advancement for both our 

systems and the very people within them that enables MSP to find and 

implement the best ways to educate our country’s young mathematics 

and science students.”

– George “Pinky” Nelson, Principal Investigator, North Cascades and Olympic Science Partnership

 Director, Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education, Western Washington University

 Former NASA Astronaut
 & COMPOSITION

MSP GOALS, STRUCTURE, 

MSP Goals

MSP serves students and educators by emphasizing strong partnerships 

that tackle local needs and build grassroots support to:

· Enhance schools’ capacity to provide challenging curricula for 

all students and encourage more students to succeed in advanced 

courses in mathematics and the sciences;

· Increase the number, quality and diversity of mathematics and 

science teachers, especially in underserved areas;

· Engage and support scientists, mathematicians, and engineers 

at local universities and local industries to work with K-12 

educators and students; 

· Contribute to a greater understanding of how students effectively 

learn mathematics and science and how teacher preparation and 

professional development can be improved; and

· Promote institutional and organizational change in education 

systems — from kindergarten through graduate school —

to sustain partnerships’ promising practices and policies.

MSP Structure and Composition

Four components make up the MSP program.

· Comprehensive Partnerships implement change across the 

K-12 continuum in mathematics, science, or both. 

· Targeted Partnerships focus on improved student achievement 

in a narrower grade range or disciplinary focus in mathematics 

and/or science.

· Institute Partnerships develop mathematics and science teachers 

as school- and district-based intellectual leaders and master teachers.

· Research, Evaluation, and Technical Assistance (RETA)

activities assist partnership awardees in the implementation and 

evaluation of their work.
MSP

MSP Partnerships State-by-State

For contact information and additional details about MSP, each 

partnership, and the Research, Evaluation, and Technical Assistance 

Projects that assist them, visit www.mspnet.org. 

State Lead Partner Project Title Type of Partnership Year 

 Targeted T First

 Comprehensive C Funded

 Institute I 

AL Auburn University Transforming East Alabama Mathematics (TEAM–Math) T 2003

 (http://ea.mspnet.org/ or http://team-math.net/)

Birmingham – Southern College The Greater Birmingham Mathematics Partnership: T 2004

 Building Communities of Learners and 

 Leaders in Middle School Mathematics 

 (http://gbmp.mspnet.org or www.bsc.edu/gbmp)

 

AZ Arizona State University Project Pathways: Opening Routes to T 2004

 Math and Science Success for All Students 

 (http://pp.mspnet.org)

 

CA University of California Mathematical Achievement and Collaboration T 2002

Riverside for Teachers and Students (ACTS) 

 (http://mathacts.mspnet.org or http://mathacts.ucr.edu) 

San Francisco State University REvitalizing ALgebra (REAL) T 2002

 (http://real.mspnet.org or 

 http://math.sfsu.edu/hsu/msp/index.html)

University of California FOCUS: Faculty Outreach Collaborations C 2002

Irvine Uniting Scientists, Students and Schools 

 (http://focus.mspnet.org) 

California State University, Teachers Assisting Students to Excel in Learning T 2002

Fullerton Mathematics (TASEL–M) 

 (http://taselm.mspnet.org or http://taselm.fullerton.edu) 

CA Palo Alto Unified School Partnership for Student Success in Science (PS3) T 2003

District (http://ps3.mspnet.org or http://www.pscubed.org) 
MSP PARTNERSHIPS 

CO University of Colorado at Rocky Mountain Middle School Math Science T 2004

Denver and Health Sciences Partnership: 15 Months to Highly Qualified 

Center (http://mms.mspnet.org or http://rmmsmsp.cudenver.edu) 

 FL Florida Atlantic University Standards Mapped Graduate Education I 2004

 and Mentoring 

 (http://smgem.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.math.fau.edu/Teacher/MSP)

GA University System of Georgia Partnership for Reform in Science and C 2003

 Mathematics (PRISM) 

 (http://prism.mspnet.org or http://www.gaprism.org) 

 IN Indiana University Indiana University – Indiana Mathematics T 2002

 Initiative Partnership 

 (http://iu-imi.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.indiana.edu/~iucme)

KY University of Kentucky Appalachian Mathematics and Science C 2002

 Partnership 

 (http://appalachian.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.appalmsp.org)

MA Boston University Focus on Mathematics T 2003

 (http://fom.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.focusonmath.org)

Tufts University The Fulcrum Institute for Education in Science I 2004

 (http://fulcrum.mspnet.org or http://fulcrum.tufts.edu)

University of Massachusetts Boston Science Partnership T 2004

Boston (http://bsp.mspnet.org )

MD University System of Maryland Vertically Integrated Partnerships K–16 (VIP K–16) T 2002

 (http://vipk16.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.scienceinquiry.org) 

University of Maryland UMBC–BCPS STEM Project C 2002

Baltimore County (http://superstem.mspnet.org)

 MI Michigan State University Promoting Rigorous Outcomes in Mathematics/ C 2003

 Science Education (PROM/SE) 

 (http://promse.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.promse.msu.edu/) 

 

MO Washington University St. Louis Inner Ring Cooperative (SIRC): T 2002

 Intervention Case Studies in K–12 Math & Science 

 (http://sirc.mspnet.org or http://www.so.wustl.edu/

 science_outreach/partners/mspabout.html) 

State Lead Partner Project Title Type of Partnership Year 

 Targeted T First

 Comprehensive C Funded

 Institute I 
NC University of North Carolina, North Carolina Partnership for Improving C 2002

General Administration Office Mathematics and Science (NC–PIMS) 

 (http://ncpims.mspnet.org/ or 

 http://ncpims.northcarolina.edu)

Duke University Teachers and Scientists Collaborating (TASC) T 2002

 (http://tasc.mspnet.org or http://tasc.pratt.duke.edu)

NE University of Nebraska – Lincoln Math in the Middle Institute Partnership I 2004

 (http://mim.mspnet.org or 

 http://scimath.unl.edu/MIM/mimgrant.html)

 

NJ Rutgers University New Jersey Math Science Partnership C 2002

New Brunswick (http://nj.mspnet.org/ or http://njmsp.rutgers.edu) 

Merck Institute for Consortium for Achievement in Mathematics T 2003

Science Education and Science (http://consortium.mspnet.org) 

Institute for Advanced Study Math Science Partnership Project: PD3 I 2003

 (http://iaspc.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.admin.ias.edu/ma/current/mspp.php)

 

NY SUNY College at Brockport SUNY–Brockport College and Rochester City T 2002

 (SCOLLARCITY) Math and Science Partnership: 

 Integrative Technology Tools for Preservice 

 and Inservice Teacher Education 

 (http://scollarcity.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.brockport.edu/cmst) 

University of Rochester Deepening Everyone’s Mathematics Content T 2002

 Knowledge: Mathematicians, Teachers, Parents, 

 Students & Community 

 (http://dmc.mspnet.org/)

Hofstra University The MSTP Project: Mathematics Across T 2003

 the MST Curriculum 

 (http://mstp.mspnet.org or http://www.hofstra.edu/

 Academics/SOEAHS/tec/tec_mstp.cfm) 

City University of New York Math and Science Partnership in New York City T 2004

 (MSPinNYC) (http://mspnyc.mspnet.org) 

 

OH Stark County Educational Stark County Math and Science Partnership T 2002

Service Center (http://stark.mspnet.org or http://www.sparcc.org/msp) 

Cleveland Municipal School District Cleveland Math and Science Partnership T 2002

 (http://cleveland.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.cwru.edu/artsci/csm/CMSP.html)

 

OR Oregon State University Oregon Mathematics Leadership Institute Partnership I 2004

 (http://ormath.mspnet.org or http://omli.org)

PA La Salle University The Mathematics and Science Partnership T 2003

 of Greater Philadelphia (MSPGP) 

 (http://mspgp.mspnet.org or http://www.mspgp.org) 

State Lead Partner Project Title Type of Partnership Year 

 Targeted T First

 Comprehensive C Funded

 Institute I 
PA University of Pennsylvania Penn Science Teacher Institute I 2004

 (http://sti.mspnet.org/ or 

 http://www.sas.upenn.edu/PennSTI/)

Allegheny Intermediate Unit Southwest Pennsylvania Math Science Partnership C 2003

 (http://swpa.mspnet.org/ or http://www.aiu3.net/MSC)

 

PR University of Puerto Rico – Puerto Rico Math and Science Partnership C 2003

Rio Piedras (http://puertorico.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.prmsp.org/english/home.htm)

SD Black Hills Special Services PRIME: Promoting Reflective Inquiry T 2002

Cooperative in Mathematics Education 

 (http://prime.mspnet.org/ or http://www.primeproject.org)

 

TX Del Mar College Alliance for Improvement of Mathematics T 2002

 Skills PREK–16 (AIMS)

 (http://alliance.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.delmar.edu/aims) 

University of Texas at El Paso El Paso Math and Science Partnership C 2002

 (http://elpaso.mspnet.org or http://epcae.org/msp) 

Stephen F. Austin State University Texas Middle and Secondary Mathematics Project T 2002

 (http://texas.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.faculty.sfasu.edu/kchilds/nsf2.html) 

William Marsh Rice University The Rice University Mathematics Leadership Institute I 2004

 (http://mli.mspnet.org or http://nsfmli.rice.edu/)

VA National Science Teachers e-Mentoring for Student Success T 2002

Association (http://ementoring.mspnet.org or http://emss.nsta.org/ 

 or http://newteachercenter.org/eMSS)

Virginia Commonwealth University NSF Institute: Preparing Virginia’s Mathematics I 2004

 Specialists (http://vamath.mspnet.org)

 

VT The Vermont Institutes Vermont Mathematics Partnership T 2002

 (http://vermont.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.vermontmathematics.org)

 

WA Western Washington University North Cascades and Olympic Science Partnership T 2003

 (http://cascadesolympic.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.ncosp.wwu.edu)

 

WI University of Wisconsin – Madison System-Wide Change for All Learners and C 2002

 Educators (SCALE) (http://scale.mspnet.org or 

 http://scalemsp.wceruw.org) 

University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Milwaukee Mathematics Partnership: C 2003

 Sharing in Leadership for Student Success 

 (http://milwaukee.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.mmp.uwm.edu)

State Lead Partner Project Title Type of Partnership Year 

 Targeted T First

 Comprehensive C Funded

 Institute I 
MSP

MSP Research, Evaluation, and Technical 

Assistance Projects State-by-State

CA WestED Research on MSP Teacher Recruitment, 2003

 Induction, Retention 

 (http://rir.mspnet.org)

 

DC Council of Chief State Development in Improving Quality of Instruction 2002

School Officers in Mathematics and Science

 (http://ld.mspnet.org or http://www.ccsso.org/

 projects/surveys_of_enacted_curriculum)

National Academy of Sciences Facilitating Mathematics/Science Partnerships 2002

 (http://facilitating.mspnet.org or 

 http://www7.nationalacademies.org/msp) 

 Building from the Research: Envisioning Quality 2002

 Science Assessments 

 (http://sciassessments.mspnet.org)

 

FL University of South Florida Florida Science and Mathematics Education Summit 2004

 (http://fsmes.mspnet.org)

 

GA Georgia Institute of Technology Alternative Approaches to Evaluating STEM Education 2002

 Partnerships: A Review of Evaluation Methods and 

 Application of an Interorganizational Model 

 (http://sp.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~gk18/STEM)

 

IL Northwestern University Developing Distributed Leadership: Understanding 2003

 the Role Boundary Tools in Developing and Sustaining 

 Leadership for Learning Networks 

 (http://distleadership.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.distributedleadership.org) 

 Distributed Leadership for Middle School Mathematics 2004

 Education: Content Area Leadership Expertise in Practice 

 (http://leadership.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/dls)

State Lead Partner Project Title Year 

 First Funded 
MA Education Development Center Online Technologies to Enhance MSP Teacher 2003

 Quality Programs (http://ot.mspnet.org or 

 http://www2.edc.org/cope_mspreta) 

 Leadership Content Knowledge and Mathematics 2003

 Instructional Quality in the MSPs: A Study of Elementary 

 and Middle School Principals (http://sop.mspnet.org or 

 http://www2.edc.org/CDT/cdt/cdt_tmi.html) 

Harvard University MOSART: Misconception Oriented Standards-based 2004

 Assessment Resource for Teachers 

 (http://mosart.mspnet.org)

TERC Inc. MSPnet : An Electronic Community of Practice 2003

 Facilitating Communication and Collaboration

 (http://mspnet.mspnet.org or http://www.terc.edu/)

MD Westat The Effect of STEM Faculty Engagement in MSP: 2003

 A Longitudinal Perspective 

 (http://esfe.mspnet.org)

 

 

MI Michigan State University Causal Inference in Instructional Workforce Research 2003

 (http://tqqt.mspnet.org or 

 http://www.msu.edu/user/mkennedy/TQQT) 

MI University of Michigan MSP Motivation Assessment Program 2003

Ann Arbor (http://ma.mspnet.org or http://www.mspmap.org) 

 Design, Validation, and Dissemination of Measures of 2003

 Content Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics

 (http://mathknowledge.mspnet.org or 

 http://sitemaker.umich.edu/lmt)

 

NC Horizon Research Assessing Teacher Learning About Science Teaching 2003

 (http://atl.mspnet.org) 

 Knowledge Management and Dissemination for the MSPs 2004

 (http://km.mspnet.org)

NJ Institute for Advanced Study Mathematician Study Group of State Standards 2004

 in Mathematics, Park City Utah, July 21-25, 2004 

 (http://mathstudy.mspnet.org)

 

NY The College Board Redesign of the AP Biology Course, Examination, 2003

 and Teacher Professional Development Experience 

 (http://rapb.mspnet.org)

 

UT Utah State University Building Evaluation Capacity of STEM Projects 2002

 (http://be.mspnet.org or http://www.usu.edu/cbec)

 

WI University of Wisconsin – Madison Adding Value to the Mathematics and Science 2002

 Partnerships Evaluations 

 (http://av.mspnet.org or http://www.addingvalue.org) 

State Lead Partner Project Title Year 

 First Funded 

 & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MSP RESEARCH, EVALUATION, 
MSP Partners

Funded partnerships bring together about 150 institutions of higher education 

with some 450 K-12 school districts and a host of other stakeholders. 

Corporate and business partners include Pfizer, Inc.; Ford Motor Company; 

Texas Instruments, Inc.; Xerox Corporation; GlaxoSmithKline; Progress 

Energy; International Business Machines Corporation; Merck & Company, 

Inc.; Synopsys, Inc.; Agilent Technologies; and Intel Corporation.

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Math and Science Partnership (MSP) Program

National Distribution of Partnership Activity

National Science Foundation

4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230

Tel: 703 292 5111 FIRS: 800 877 8339 TD: 800 281 8749

“Responsibility for preparing our children, and indeed our country, to thrive 

in the 21st century world extends far beyond the classroom. We know that we 

must ensure that America’s children are well prepared for the scientific and 

technological opportunities and challenges of the future. 

With an eye on the future, the Math and Science Partnership Program 

concentrates the power and expertise of higher education institutions, K-12 

school systems, and businesses across the country in a research and development effort to improve our students’ mathematics and science achievement.”

– Dr. Arden L. Bement, Director, National Science Foundation

NSF-05-069