U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced over $52 million to 21 States, the first of $125 million in School Improvement Grants to help turn around low-performing schools. The grants will help States take a greater role in developing and delivering comprehensive leadership and technical assistance to help reform schools and districts that aren't making adequate yearly progress (AYP).

"No Child Left Behind shines a spotlight on schools and holds them accountable for results. School Improvement Grants support the steps States and school districts are taking to improve standards and outcomes in low-performing schools so that our nation's students can succeed in classroom and beyond," said Secretary Spellings.

Under No Child Left Behind, a school is considered in need of improvement if it fails to make AYP for at least two consecutive years. As a result of increased accountability, the number of schools identified for improvement is rising, and the trend demonstrates the growing demand for more comprehensive improvement measures so States and schools can work to address problems before facing restructuring. School Improvement Grants are part of the national effort to bring about educational reform and assist States in fulfilling their responsibility for improving schools, while also providing significant support for school district efforts to ensure that no child is left behind and that all students are reading and doing math on grade-level by 2014.

The U.S. Department of Education will award $125 million in School Improvement Grants this year. The first 21 recipients and grant amounts are listed below. The allocation of funds is based on the Title I allocation for each state.

• Alabama — $1,861,720
• Arkansas — $1,190,751
• California — $16,620,295
• Delaware — $328,808
• Florida — $5,729,854
• Hawaii — $358,793
• Idaho — $431,188
• Indiana — $2,253,964
• Maryland — $1,804,240
• Montana — $361,711
• Nebraska — $527,388
• Nevada — $771,291
• New Jersey — $2,397,833
• Ohio — $4,325,232
• Oregon — $1,259,126
• Pennsylvania — $5,021,980
• South Carolina — $1,814,877
• Tennessee — $1,961,679
• Utah — $576,478
• West Virginia — $796,450
• Wisconsin — $1,936,898

Additional information on School Improvement Grants is available online at http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/
stateletters/schimpfundappl.pdf.

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