RIDES – Mississippi Department of Transportation

Contact: Linda Clifton

Rides was developed by education professors at the University of Mississippi through a grant provided by the Mississippi Department of Transportation

MDOT developed RIDES (Roadways Into Developing Elementary Students), to introduce Mississippi students in kindergarten through sixth grade to careers in the transportation while improving math and science skills with hands-on activities. The program has a component of integrated lessons that incorporates other subject areas such as art, music and reading. Nine elementary schools participated in training during the summer of 2004. In 2005, 149 teachers from across the state attended the two-day training. They each received two large trunks of resource materials and a curriculum that was aligned with state and national standards in math and science. The program was updated in 2006 to include seventh and eighth grade standards; more than 244 teachers were trained that summer. Training continues each summer and to date, over 1,000 teachers in the state of Mississippi have attended the training, serving over 25,000 students annually.