Neil's Notebook Hawaii receives $75M to promote educational improvement
October 1, 2009
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has announced the distribution of more than $21.8 billion in formula grants to support state-administered programs that support teachers and help students reach high standards.
Formula grant programs are noncompetitive awards based on a predetermined formula and provide funding for a variety of programs, including resources to improve teacher quality, career and technical education, and support for children facing the challenges of living in poverty. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B grant program supports children and students with disabilities from ages 3 to 21.
Hawaii's grant award totals $75.41 million. The formula funding will be provided through the following programs: Title I: $33.71 million; IDEA-B: $29.91 million; Teacher Quality: $7.92 million; Career-Tech: $3.87 million.
"Formula funding is critically important to every state and school district as we work together to prepare young children to enter school and every student for graduation," Duncan said. "Federal formula grants combined with Recovery Act funding present an unprecedented opportunity to drive reforms and improvements in our nation's schools."
The grants are being distributed through the following programs:
These formula grant programs dispense funds to states on July 1 and Oct. 1 based on congressionally mandated formulas that, depending on the program, take into account such measures as population, poverty rates and enrollment. Formula grants originate from the Education Department's annual appropriation from Congress and are separate from the $100 billion in stimulus funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
