Delahunt Announces Federal Funding For Plymouth Public Schools

08/07/2008

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bill Delahunt today announced that the Plymouth Public School System is being awarded a $1,553,640 grant by the United States Department of Education for improving academic achievement.

“I want to commend Plymouth School officials for their success in securing this significant federal grant that promotes innovative approaches to learning at a time when town budgets are stretched thin,” Delahunt said. “This program will allow our teachers in the Plymouth North and South High Schools better prepare students for college by giving them individual academic support in a smaller learning environment.”

The funds are available through the federal Small Learning Communities Program, a federal initiative that promotes smaller, innovative and more productive learning environments in our schools. The funds will be targeted to Plymouth North and South High Schools.  The purpose of this grant is to provide funds to help eliminate achievement gaps and not only support struggling students who are below grade level to “catch up” by the end of the 10th grade but also assist all students to succeed in their academic coursework. The program will also increase the number of students who successfully graduate and enter two-year and four-year colleges. 

Delahunt wrote a strong letter of support for the proposal in February.  This grant will support the continuation of an existing program at both schools where all students receive individual academic support in the 9th and 10th grade. The program will expand to include 11th and 12th grade students by creating theme based “academies” in Math, Science and Technology; Global Communications and Business; Humanities and the Arts; and Health and Human Services.

In addition to offering advisors and transition coaches to students in the ninth grade, the schools will now require students to complete personal plans for progress, community service projects, and a senior project. In this program all students will have access to job shadowing, internships, and college level courses.   Finally, the schools will require all students to graduate with at least some college credit, earned either through dual credit or Advanced Placement coursework.

The funding falls under the Department of Education’s Smaller Learning Communities Grant Program. It is designed to encourage large high schools to undertake research-based strategies in developing and implementing smaller learning environments.

 

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