Over on my colleague Jason Tomassini’s Marketplace K-12 blog, Jason breaks down the final round of winners announced today in the third wave of the Next Generation Learning Challenges, a grant competition underwritten by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Say that five-times fast.
Whereas Wave I focused exclusively on postsecondary educators, and Wave II focused exclusively on K-12 applicants, Wave III grants focused upon players on either side of the divide who were developing a blended learning solution. Thirteen grants were awarded today in the final round of Wave III grants, bringing the total number of Wave III grants allotted to 30, with 20 grants aimed at middle and high school. Winners receive at least $150,000 in funds.
Jason breaks down the results in far more detail, including the apparent emphasis on charter schools, and the success of applicants from charter battlegrounds like the city of Chicago and the state of Tennessee. He also notes one analyst’s view on the history of charter projects and the Gates Foundation, which also contributes funding to Education Week coverage.