THIS PROPOSAL WILL PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (PD) FOR MAURY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HAMPSHIRE UNIT SCHOOL, AND COLUMBIA STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY TO INCREASE COMPETENCIES IN FOOD, AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND HUMAN SCIENCES (FANH) TO IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES. THESE INSTITUTIONS AND THE RURAL TENNESSEE COMMUNITIES THAT SUPPORT THEM ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO PROVIDING QUALITY FANH EDUCATION THAT PREPARES STUDENTS TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE AND PURSUE POST-SECONDARY TRAINING IN FANH CAREERS. HOWEVER, THE FACULTY LACK THE TRAINING AND BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE ESSENTIAL TO INCORPORATE EFFECTIVE FANH INSTRUCTION IN THEIR STATE MANDATED CURRICULUM. TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM, A PD MODEL THAT WILL BE DELIVERED THAT PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT EMPOWERS FACULTY TO CONNECT FANH CONCEPTS THROUGH PROJECT-BASED LEARNING PEDAGOGY. THE CONFLUENCE THESE COMMUNITY PARTNERS PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO DEEPLY ENGAGE UT EXTENSION WHILE LEVERAGING COMMUNITY AND INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL PD AND BUILD SUSTAINABLE CONNECTIONS TO SUPPORT LONG-TERM INSTRUCTIONAL CHANGE. THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROPOSAL ARE TO: 1) INCREASE TEACHER CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT PROJECT-BASED INSTRUCTION IN FANH SCIENCES; 2) DEVELOP EXTERNSHIPS FOR FACULTY TO ENGAGE WITH EXTENSION, AGRICULTURE, AND INDUSTRY PERSONNEL; 3) IDENTIFY HIGH-QUALITY CURRICULA AND SUPPORTING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES TO INCREASE THE QUALITY OF PROJECT-BASED FANH INSTRUCTION; AND 4) PROVIDE STIPENDS AND COURSE RELEASE TIME FOR GRADE LEVEL AND DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT TEAMS. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS PROPOSAL WILL RESULT IN AN EXEMPLAR MODEL OF FANH INSTRUCTION MEANINGFULLY EMBEDDED IN K-14 CLASSROOMS THAT CAN BE REPLICATED BY OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS THAT SHARE A COMMITMENT TO FANH EDUCATION.