Grants of up to $40,000 were awarded to 11 state education agencies last week by the Council of Chief State School Officers to help them develop collaborative programs bolstering the academic prospects for for at-risk students.
The grants, which recipients will be expected to match by at least 50 percent, are intended to foster working relationships between the education departments and other state agencies to achieve the objectives contained in CCSSO’s policy statement, “Assuring School Success for Students at Risk.’'
The recipient states, from the 29 that applied, include California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
Most agencies received grants of $40,000, but their matching contributions varied widely.
Vermont matched its $32,200 grant with $18,230. Maryland expects to contribute $130,000 in matching funds.
The majority of states say they will use the money to develop agency policies, regulations, or laws designed to guarantee services to at-risk students.
The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor.--PW
