HP New Initiatives In 1997, HP committed $4-million over five years to a new Diversity in Education Initiative to fund at least four university and K-12 school partnerships that begin or expand effective programs serving African American, American Indian, Latino, and female students. Students in the program will be engaged in science and math from kindergarten to the time they graduate from college. Students and educators will be linked across all grade levels and supported by a number of HP departments, including Philanthropy, K-12 Education, University Affairs, Workforce Diversity, and College Recruiting. In 1997, the following school district received HP diversity grants: Alum Rock (San Jose, CA), in partnership with San Jose State University Los Angeles Unified School District (Cluster #10), in partnership with UCLA Boston Public Schools (Cluster #7), in partnership with Northeastern University El Paso School District (Segundo Barrio), in partnership with the University of Texas at El Paso. How the Partnerships Are to Work. According to preliminary statements released by HP, the obligations of the elementary schools involved in the new initiative are to embrace reform in science and mathematics education use hands-on science to increase student interest and achievement in science The obligations of the middle schools in the program are to prepare all students for algebra, geometry, and college prep courses in high school The obligations of the high schools in the program are to work with middle schools to ensure that students are prepared for algebra and geometry prepare and motivate students to pursue college and technical careers And the obligations of the universities in the program are to work with K-12 schools to prepare all students for engineering conduct K-12 student enrichment programs attract, retain, and graduate significant numbers of under-represented students Program Leadership Training. In 1997, 25 educators from the new initiative completed the National Science Resources Center’s K-8 Science Education Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C. They attended workshops on developing a shared vision of hands-on science and sustaining systemic change models. In November, leaders from all four sites will meet at HP headquarters in Palo Alto for a project management seminar in the context of their project planning. Results Expected. The results HP intends with the Diversity in Education initiative include increasing the number of underrepresented middle- and high-school students who are college-prepared in science and mathematics increasing the number of underrepresented high-school students who are accepted into college engineering or computer science programs increasing the graduate and employment rates for underrepresented engineering and/or computer science students.