For the next two weeks, Tennessee elementary and middle school teachers will be receiving additional instruction as a means of  better equipping their students with the math skills necessary to excel in the classroom.

The College of Education is hosting 150 to 200 Metro-Nashville Public School (MNPS) teachers at the Avon Williams Campus in downtown Nashville through the Strengthening Instruction in Tennessee Elementary Schools: Focus on Mathematics (SITES-M) project.

This federally funded professional development opportunity is designed for teachers of elementary and middle schools to help them improve student performance. The project is coordinated by Tennessee State University and the Educational Testing Service. Project participants include Fisk University, LeMoyne-Owen College, Lane College and Knoxville College.

“The teachers that have come to the program will work with TSU professors as well as external consultants to increase their own knowledge of mathematics and bolster their skills at teaching math to their students,” said Dr. Peter Millet, dean of the College of Education.

Objectives of the SITES-M project are based on results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).  The 2009 NAEP Mathematics Assessment shows that African-Americans lag far behind their white counterparts, and that the gap–which begins early–only grows wider as they progress along the educational continuum.  To break this cycle of under prepared African-American students, evidence suggests that society must look to teachers for help.

The program, which is directed by Associate Professor Dr. Trinetia Respress, will also use the connections generated by participating teachers to recruit more students for the College of Education.

“We want to encourage the teachers coming here to further their education with graduate degrees from Tennessee State University,” Millet said.

Tennessee State University has partnered with the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide relief assistance to recent flooding by opening a business recovery center on the Avon Williams Campus in downtown Nashville - the first business recovery center to open in Tennessee.

TSU President Melvin N. Johnson announced the center’s opening during a 1:30 p.m. news conference on Tuesday, May 11. The center, which will open its doors from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, is located in room 200 on the second floor of the TSU Avon Williams Campus.

“We are proud to host the state of Tennessee’s first business recovery center on the campus of Tennessee State University as a starting point for business owners to the gain assistance needed to open their doors again, Johnson said. “We understand that businesses affected by the flooding throughout Middle Tennessee have great economic impact on the city. We are grateful to the SBA, FEMA, the TSU Small Business Development Center and all agencies that play a part in the recovery of our local businesses.”

After touring damaged businesses in downtown Nashville and in the Bellevue community with Mayor Karl Dean, SBA administrator Karen Mills stressed how important it is to offer relief to small businesses. ”The U.S. Small Business Administration is strongly committed to providing the people of Tennessee with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist homeowners, renters, and small businesses with federal disaster loans. Getting our businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA,” Mills said.

Dean estimated that private sector damage from last week’s flooding has been assessed at least $1.56 billion. SBA loans of up to $2 million are available for businesses that have suffered damage, as well as up to $2 million for small businesses that have suffered economic losses.

“Helping small businesses is a vital part in rebuilding Nashville after the flood,” he said in an update on flood recovery efforts during the news conference.

The center can be reached by calling (800) 659-2955. For more information, contact the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or www.sba.gov/services/disaterassistance.