expanding strategic, formal partnerships among universities with strength in research, universities that train substantial numbers of elementary and secondary school teachers, and the private sector;

combining Department expertise with one or more National Aeronautics and Space Administration Educator Resource Centers;

developing programs to permit current and future teachers to participate in ongoing research projects at National Laboratories and research universities and to adapt lessons learned to the classroom;

designing and implementing course work;

designing and implementing a strategy for measuring and assessing progress under the program; and

developing models for transferring knowledge gained under the pilot program to other institutions and areas of the United States.