Teaching Matters is pleased to announce that we have advanced to the second round of consideration for a Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC) grant. The Wave Two challenge is to create open source digital content and assessments that will help classrooms meet the new Common Core standards. The NGLC initiative is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Teaching Matters' proposal, "Writing Matters: Improving Online Instruction, Monitoring and Achievement for Urban Students" was one of 40 finalists chosen from a pool of over 200 applicants. Writing Matters maximizes the benefits technology can bring to underserved middle school students in the mastery of writing. The proposed project will enhance the program's technology platform in order to support direct learning and differentiated instruction and to help educators capture and respond to student performance in a more timely fashion.

NGLC is a major initiative of EDUCAUSE. Partner organizations include the League for Innovation in the Community College, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL).

Visit the NGLC website to learn more about the initiative, read a brief description of the Teaching Matters' proposal and see the other finalists.