Academically struggling Georgia schools can apply to receive federal school improvement funds from the $16.4 million allotted to the state, the U.S. Department of Education announced Friday.
Since 2009, Georgia schools have received $57.4 million from the federal School Improvement Grant program, set up to provide extra money to the nation’s poorest performing schools.
To get the school improvement funds, schools must apply to the U.S. Department of Education and promise to agree to one of several “turnaround” models that could include the removal of a school’s staff and administrators.
Schools in Georgia, Delaware, Mississippi, Nebraska, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia can apply to tap into this newest pot of school improvement funds.
“We are very pleased that Georgia has received these resources to continue much of the progress that has been made in our current SIG schools,” Georgia Superintendent John Barge said. “More of our lowest performing schools will now be able to use the grant money to implement ideas and strategies that have already helped increase student outcomes for many schools in Georgia.”
Arne Duncan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, said school improvement funds are one way to lift the fortunes of neighborhoods.
“When schools fail, our children and neighborhoods suffer,” Duncan said. “Turning around our lowest-performing schools is hard work, but it’s our responsibility and represents a tremendous opportunity to improve the life chances of children. We owe it to our children, their families and the broader community.”
A school designated by the federal government as a “priority school,” meaning students there have performed below academic expectations and have a low graduation rate, can apply for school improvement funds.
In Georgia, only those priority schools that aren’t already receiving school improvement funds can apply for some portion of the $16.4 million set aside for this state.
Some 38 schools in Georgia meet that criteria.
The Georgia Department of Education is working to let officials at those schools know about the federal school improvement program, but it will be up to those officials to apply for funding.
Last year, a review by the department showed that the school improvement grant program got mixed results in Georgia. Some grant-receiving schools improved their academic performance, but others had worse academic outcomes despite receiving improvement funds.
The review was limited to schools that got improvement funds in 2011 and 2012. Trends in education are typically measured over several years.
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