Kirkwood gets $150,000 education grant

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Kirkwood Community College will receive a $150,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education as part of the Paraprofessional Preservice Program Improvement Grants Program, Sen. Chuck Grassley  announced Wednesday.

Increased coursework, as well as additional real-life practice, made possible by the grant should help better prepare  students for employment in the early childhood field, Grassley said.

U.S. Department of Education officials said the goal of the program is to enhance and expand current curriculum for preservice education for early childhood paraeducators by incorporating current research, cultural diversity, evidence-based practices, adult learning principles, formative competency-based assessment and technology into the curriculum.