EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) - The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and Fabens Independent School District were awarded a new grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for their work to strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching practices across Fabens ISD schools, UTEP announced in a news release. The NSF grant totals over $98,000, and the program will run for a full year. UTEP, Fabens ISD awarded NSF grant to strengthen STEM education. The research team includes (top row, L-R): Rodolfo Rincones, Ph.D., UTEP associate professor; Rogelio Segovia, Ph.D., Fabens ISD assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction; Isela Peña, Ed.D., UTEP assistant professor; April Galaviz, Ph.D., Fabens ISD director of federal programs and initiatives; Leticia Arce Miranda, Fabens High School assistant principal; Martin Torres, Fabens ISD interim superintendent; and (bottom row, L-R) Julieta Bañuelas, Fabens ISD T-STEM coordinator and high school teacher; Sandra Bonilla, Fabens ISD middle school teacher; Rebeca Marquez-Retamoza, Fabens ISD intermediate school teacher; and Valeria Reveles-Molina, Fabens ISD elementary school teacher.—photo courtesy of Fabens ISD. UTEP researchers and Fabens ISD educators will identify subjects and coursework in need of improvement by using regional academic data that assesses student performance, according to the news release. UTEP said they will create a targeted academic improvement plan, which includes grant writing mentorship for educators to sustain support for the region. “We are fortunate to have received funding to collaborate and foster new partnerships,” said Isela Peña, Ed.D., assistant professor in UTEP’s College of Education and co-principal investigator (Co-PI) of the NSF grant. “Our goal is to bridge theory and practice by working collectively with P-12 practitioners. Hopefully, we will set a successful foundation for this collaboration model in our region and, maybe one day, nationally.” The initiative is led by UTEP’s Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations (EDLF) within the College of Education and Fabens ISD, according to the news release. UTEP said the team includes faculty from the EDLF department, central office administrators, school leaders and educators from high, middle and elementary schools. “The EDLF department regularly seeks opportunities for collaborative research to help both local districts and UTEP faculty elevate their practices,” said UTEP associate professor and Co-PI Rodolfo Rincones, Ph.D. “However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these relationships have eroded. As educators, we believe that many issues can be solved through communication.” Fabens ISD Interim Superintendent Martin Torres approached Rincones and Peña with the opportunity to collaborate on the NSF grant in the fall of 2023.  Together, they finalized the project design in August, creating a year-long initiative that the department hopes will expand in the future, according to UTEP. “Collaboration is the cornerstone of progress in education,” Torres said. “This partnership with UTEP represents a significant step forward for our district, allowing us to enhance STEM teaching practices and ultimately better serve our students. Together, we are not just investing in resources, but in the future of our community.” “We are proud to provide stipends for teachers, books, materials, and more,” Rincones said. “We are maximizing this opportunity, and we hope that the benefits of this experience will spread throughout the region, raising support for our educators and uniting our communities.”