A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

About the Low-Performing Schools Initiative

Recent efforts to raise standards for students and to increase accountability in education while investing more resources have led to progress in math and reading achievement. Thousands of schools across the country, however, need additional assistance to increase the achievement of all students. The U.S. Department of Education has launched an initiative to mobilize Department resources to assist states and districts as they work to turn around low-performing schools.

Low-performing schools are a critical concern in American education. Over ten thousand schools nationwide have been identified as not making continuous and sustained progress toward meeting state standards. These schools tend to have high percentages of minority and high-poverty students and are frequently located in rural areas and cities.

The Turning Around Low-Performing Schools Initiative is a Department-wide effort that is based in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. The initiative will coordinate the many Department activities that already support low-performing schools with new activities that focus federal resources on this issue.

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This page last modified February 20, 2002 (sbw)