PHILADELPHIA The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education and School of Engineering and Applied Science have been awarded $300,000 from the GE Fund to improve studentsmath skills in two West Philadelphia elementary schools and to open up new career opportunities.

The curriculum at the Penn-assisted elementary school, which has not yet been named, and the Henry Lea Elementary School will be adapted one year at a time so that at the end of the three years eighth-graders will be ready for algebra.

Some features of the grant include an annual summer institute where teachers prepare for the school year, a year-long professional development study group that focuses on major mathematical concepts, regular classroom and school-based mentoring and assessment of student work and academic support, including career exploration. The curriculum for grades 6, 7 and 8 will also prepare students for entrance into the Philadelphia school district selective high schools.

The program invests in students from inner-city neighborhoods to give them the education needed to succeed in high-tech business, engineering and information-technology careers.

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The GE Fund (www.gefund.org), the philanthropic foundation of the General Electric Company, invests in improving educational quality and access and in strengthening community organizations in GE communities around the world. All told, GE, the GE Fund and GE employees and retirees contributed over $100 million to community and educational institutions last year.