California Schools to Vie for Grant Funding

$3 billion pot available from legal settlement to boost performance.

Low-performing schools in California have until the end of March to apply for almost $3 billion in grant money to be used for lowering class sizes, providing professional development, and adding more high school counselors.

But of the 1,455 schools that are eligible for the aid available because of a legal settlement, only 500 are expected to receive any money. The grants are available to schools scoring at the lowest levels on the state’s Academic Performance Index, or API, and the schools still will have to apply for the money and make a case for how it would be used.

Despite the hurdles, state education officials are encouraging schools to...