Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–September 27, 2012. The U.S. Department of Education announced grants totaling more than $14.4 million to support high-quality charter schools in more than 25 communities across the country. As a result of today’s grants, an additional 20,000 students in schools in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, will have access to a quality education in charter schools.
Through this funding, Democracy Prep Public Schools will receive more than $4.1 million for the first two years of a five-year grant, and the KIPP Foundation will receive more than $10.3 million for the first two years of a four-year grant. Both organizations will be able to continue and expand their work in schools that have demonstrated success in improving education outcomes for students.
“High-quality charter schools across the country are making tremendous differences in our children’s lives, particularly children from low-income families,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. “These grants will provide high-quality K-12 educational opportunities to students, preparing them for success in college and careers.”
These charter management organizations have proven records of success in increasing student academic achievement, closing achievement gaps, and achieving results for low-income and other educationally disadvantaged students. They currently serve populations with 85 percent or more students qualifying for free and reduced lunch. Democracy Prep will open or expand 15 schools over the next five years, which will enable nearly 4,000 additional students in New York and New Jersey to receive a quality education. The KIPP Foundation will open or expand 36 schools in 25 different cities around the country over the next four years. An additional 16,000 students will benefit from the expansion. During its five-year grant period, Democracy Prep could receive more than $9.1 million, and over its four-year grant period, the KIPP Foundation could receive more than $22.7 million, contingent upon Congressional appropriations.
The Administration will invest more than $255 million this year to assist in the planning and implementation of public charter schools and dissemination of their successful practices through the Charter Schools Grants Program. The purpose of the program is to increase financial support for the startup and expansion of these public schools, build a better national understanding of the public charter school model, and increase the number of high-quality public charter schools across the nation. More information about the Charter Schools Program is available from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Innovation and Improvement here.
Source: ed.gov
