WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. George Miller applauded today the release of newly announced federal grants to improve struggling schools in the Bay Area and across California.
Miller (D-Martinez), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, said that the new grants for low-performing schools will boost school quality improvement efforts in his congressional district.
Miller (D-Martinez), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, said that the new grants for low-performing schools will boost school quality improvement efforts in his congressional district.
“Turning around our lowest-performing schools is crucial for our economy, our communities and our students,” Miller said. “Improving our schools in these tough economic times will help put students in Contra Costa County, Solano County and across the state back on a pathway to success.”
Today U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that California will receive nearly $416 million to turn around its persistently lowest achieving schools through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program. These funds are part of the $3.5 billion that will be made available to states this spring from money set aside in the 2009 budget and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The new funds for California schools are being distributed by formula to the state and will then be competed out by the state to school districts. In order for a school district to apply for these funds, it must have a state-identified "persistently lowest achieving" or a Tier III school. Tier III schools are those that have failed to meet Annual Yearly Progress for two years but are not identified as persistently lowest achieving.
In Miller’s district, a number of school districts are eligible to apply for the new grant money: John Swett Unified, Martinez Unified, Mount Diablo Unified, Pittsburgh Unified and West Contra Costa County in Contra Costa County, and Benicia Unified, Fairfield-Suisun Unified, Vacaville Unified, Travis Unified, and Vallejo Unified in Solano County.
Miller pointed out that this is just one more way in which the Recovery Act is helping local schools in his community and across the state. Last year, the Recovery Act helped save tens of thousands of teacher jobs across the state, for example, and invested billions of dollars to help implement school data systems to track student progress.
More information about SIG Grants
Today U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that California will receive nearly $416 million to turn around its persistently lowest achieving schools through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program. These funds are part of the $3.5 billion that will be made available to states this spring from money set aside in the 2009 budget and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The new funds for California schools are being distributed by formula to the state and will then be competed out by the state to school districts. In order for a school district to apply for these funds, it must have a state-identified "persistently lowest achieving" or a Tier III school. Tier III schools are those that have failed to meet Annual Yearly Progress for two years but are not identified as persistently lowest achieving.
In Miller’s district, a number of school districts are eligible to apply for the new grant money: John Swett Unified, Martinez Unified, Mount Diablo Unified, Pittsburgh Unified and West Contra Costa County in Contra Costa County, and Benicia Unified, Fairfield-Suisun Unified, Vacaville Unified, Travis Unified, and Vallejo Unified in Solano County.
Miller pointed out that this is just one more way in which the Recovery Act is helping local schools in his community and across the state. Last year, the Recovery Act helped save tens of thousands of teacher jobs across the state, for example, and invested billions of dollars to help implement school data systems to track student progress.
More information about SIG Grants
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