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

FOR RELEASE

August 17, 1998

Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Washington, and West Virginia have received $8 million in new federal education grants to help raise student achievement under comprehensive, research-driven approaches that strengthen entire schools and make curricula more rigorous, Vice President Al Gore announced today.

The states will receive support under the new Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program. Additional states have applied and are expected to be funded this fall, with all states expected to apply by the June 30, 1999 deadline. Ten states shared in $44 million awarded last month. Total funding for the program is $145 million.

"This country's continued success and future prosperity depend on setting the highest standards for our public schools," Gore said. "We must make the critical investments needed to help our schools reach these standards. Our effort will help support schools and teachers across the country by drawing on reforms that are based on research and 'best practices' to prepare our children and the nation for the challenges of the 21st century."

"These grants will both start and speed up needed schoolwide change in virtually all aspects of school operations in participating schools," U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley said. "They will expand both the quality and scope of reform efforts that enable all children, particularly at-risk youth, to meet challenging academic standards -- and help turn around low-performing schools."

The comprehensive reform program is designed to raise standards and build on other state and local efforts, through Title I and other reform programs. Under Title I, states must set measurable student performance goals and tie them to state content and performance standards.

Riley noted that the demonstration program will help point the way toward more effective use of federal funds for Title I "schoolwide programs" in more than 25,000 high-poverty schools that have a "schoolwide" option for use of Title I funds. States are also encouraged to use comprehensive school reform funds to help improve schools that have been identified as in need of improvement because of low student achievement.

School districts apply to the state on behalf of schools, groups of schools or charter schools, and describe the comprehensive program they will use and the evidence that it will improve student achievement. In funding schools, states may consider factors such as high dropout rates and are encouraged to support both urban and rural school districts throughout the state. Schools must integrate curriculum and instruction; student assessment; professional development; parent involvement and school management -- and bring in help from outside partners with experience in school reform.

While policy makers can select any comprehensive reform program with a successful and rigorous track record, including locally developed approaches, 17 models were specifically included in the legislation as examples. The models range from Success for All, a pre-K-6 program developed by Johns Hopkins University that emphasizes early reading, family involvement and cooperative learning, to the Modern Red Schoolhouse, a K-12 program developed by the Hudson Institute that offers a rigorous curriculum and high standards, emphasizes character, utilizes technology and individualizes student learning plans.

Also coined "Obey-Porter" for the two members of Congress who first introduced the proposal, the legislation provides funds to assist up to 2,900 schools this year, with more than 750 schools likely to benefit during this first round of grants. Participating schools will receive at least $50,000 of comprehensive school reform funds per year, renewable for up to three years.

Most of the program funding -- $120 million -- is being awarded to states under the Title I formula and is targeted to schools with high proportions of children from low-income families. An additional $25 million, from the Fund for Improvement in Education, is available to both Title I and non-Title I schools based on each state's share of school-aged children.

Another $5 million will help local districts and schools identify what works and put those approaches into practice, including $4 million for regional education laboratories and other technical assistance. The Northwest Regional Laboratory has published a catalog of research-based programs as one resource for districts and schools to use as they develop their plans.

NOTE TO EDITORS: More information on individual state grants is available by calling the contact listed below.

HAWAII
Contact: Elaine Takenaka (808) 733-4490 $435,000

MASSACHUSETTS
Contact: Barbara Solomon (781) 388-3300x262 $2.8 million

NEW MEXICO
Contact: Denise Johnston (505) 827-1230 $1.2 million

WASHINGTON
Contact: Carole E. Davis (360) 753-3220 $2.3 million

WEST VIRGINIA
Contact: Suzette Cook (304) 558-7817 $1.3 million

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