Pryce Ensures Education Initiatives in Central Ohio Receive Financial
Boost from Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-Upper Arlington) today announced that the agreement on the fiscal year 2005 Omnibus Appropriations conference report contained funding which she requested for many important education-related projects, initiatives, and programs in Central Ohio. 

“I am pleased that these deserving and important initiatives that benefit students across central Ohio will receive valuable federal resources, without which the projects may not have been realized,” said Pryce. “Better preparing our students for the 21^st Century workforce is a responsibility that we all share. This money will continue to move us closer to that goal.”

The education-related initiatives for which Pryce requested federal support and which received funding from the Omnibus Appropriations Act are:

·        $350,000 for the I KNOW I CAN Foundation

I KNOW I CAN awards Last Dollar Grants for college-bound high school graduates to satisfy financial need unmet by other resources. The maximum award is $1,200 per year for up to five years. This program component helps to ensure equal opportunity and college access for all Columbus Public School students, regardless of their financial background.  Students must reapply each year and maintain a minimum 2.0 G.P.A. To date, I KNOW I CAN has awarded 13,631 grants, totaling $13.4 million dollars

·        $100,000 for the Center of Science and Industry’s (COSI) Inquiry Learning Schools Program (ILS)

The funding will allow the Ohio ILS program to develop a new collaboration with the Texas Center of Inquiry in an effort to combine the best elements of each program to develop and research comprehensive teacher professional development packages for their impact on student performance. During its first two years, the ILS program has reached 1,964 teachers in 25 districts and has directly impacted over 35,000 students.

·        $100,000 for the Ohio School for the Deaf’s VREAL project

This national virtual reality education project is the first step in transforming how classroom instruction is conducted for hearing-impaired students. The objectives are to provide a tailored learning curriculum for hearing-impaired children and adults and enable them to acquire life skills and academic instruction in an environment that uniquely fits their special challenges. The Ohio School for the Deaf has taken the lead in developing this important project and is installing programs in other schools across the    country. Once fully developed, this research and curriculum could have a broad educational impact for all people with disabilities.

·        $150,000 for the Attaining Achievement through Technology program at the Columbus Public Schools

The A²T² Project will support the Columbus Public School district in its efforts to provide all Columbus children with opportunities to benefit from the advances in teaching and learning that technology has created. The project will provide students in the eighth grade, as well as Algebra I and Geometry students with graphing calculators that will allow them to improve math skills. In addition, this complete project will provide teachers with the appropriate professional development and ongoing support to achieve high quality teaching and learning in the classroom.

Congresswoman Pryce represents the Fifteenth District of Ohio, which includes Western Franklin County, Madison, and Union Counties.  She serves as Chairman of the House Republican Conference for the 108th Congress, making her the fourth-ranking member of House leadership.