Delta Teachers Academy

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the National Faculty's Delta Teachers Academy program. GAO noted that: (1) it is too early to assess the National Faculty's efforts in establishing the Academy; (2) the Academy encourages participating scholars to become resources for other teachers in their districts; (3) in the Academy's first year of operation, 100 teachers from 40 school districts participated in development sessions held at 10 different sites in the Delta region and at the University of Mississippi; (4) the Academy plans to expand the scope and impact of the program in 1994; (5) the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has provided $2 million for the Academy for fiscal year 1994; (6) about $960,000 will be spent on the National Faculty salaries, wages, fringe benefits, and the program's indirect costs, $384,000 on travel expenses, $556,800 on teachers' honoraria and release time, faculty stipends, publicity, and materials, and $80,000 on USDA administrative costs; (7) the National Faculty has selected the university scholars and most of the teachers and sites for its 1994 sessions; and (8) the National Faculty and the University of Colorado are developing evaluation instruments and procedures for the program and the National Faculty will monitor on-site activities through personal contact with the teachers.