Established in 2003, CONsortium for New Explorations in Coherent Teacher EDucation (CONNECT-ED) is a Consortium of 13 central NJ districts/ independent schools, Rider and Princeton Universities, Raritan Valley Community College, and Bristol Myers Squibb Company dedicated to providing a coherent, sustained system of professional development for K-12 teachers of science and math that models the inquiry approach to teaching/learning, organizes content around the Big Ideas in science and math, and makes concept connections across grade levels and among disciplines.
Rider University serves as lead institution for the Consortium.
CONNECT-ED Timeline
CONNECT-ED Phase I (2003 – present)
Phase I is a two-tiered professional development model organized around the Big Ideas in science and mathematics and the science practices from the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
CONNECT-ED Phase II (2008 – 2011)
Phase II established CONNECT-ED Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in each Consortium district.
CONNECT-ED Phase III (2012 – present)
Phase III aims to expand the Consortium to additional districts to bring the CONNECT-ED approach to more teachers, while continuing to support existing PLCs in partner districts.