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

For Release                                          Contact:  Kathryn Kahler September 2, 1994                                              (202) 401-3026

CONNECTICUT, LOUISIANA, OKLAHOMA, RHODE ISLAND, GUAM, PUERTO RICO RECEIVE GOALS 2000 EDUCATION REFORM GRANTS

Four additional states, Guam and Puerto Rico will receive federal funds to develop comprehensive, statewide school improvement plans, U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley announced today, bringing the number of approved applications so far to 21.

The awards are under the new Goals 2000: Educate America Act, signed by President Clinton March 31. States receiving grants are: Connecticut, $940,237 Louisiana, $2,014,752; Oklahoma, $1,129,049; and Rhode Island $433,762. Guam received $47,455 and Puerto Rico, $2,324,848. "About two-thirds of the states have already applied to be a part of this effort to bring high standards to all students,"Riley said. "Goals 2000 marks a new beginning as communities and states join together in a common commitment to create safe, disciplined classrooms and to improve teaching and learning for all students."

"As we begin a new school year, I encourage families across the country to work with teachers and school officials in a concerted effort to revitalize American education,"Riley said. Under Title III of the new law, the states and communities within the states will have the opportunity to develop and implement comprehensive school improvement plans to:

set challenging academic and performance standards that establish what students should know and be able to do in core subjects such as math and English;
increase parent involvement;
integrate technology into their school improvement efforts;
develop assessments that measure how well students are doing;
offer training and professional development that equip teachers to provide high quality instruction consistent with the high standards the state adopts;
improve the governance, accountability and management of the state's education system;
encourage local reforms that promote a community-based approach;
meet the needs of school-aged children who have dropped out of school;
coordinate reform efforts with school-to-work and vocational education programs.

In applying for Goals 2000 funds, states were asked to describe how school improvement plans will be developed through a broad-based panel and through outreach strategies involving parents, educators and communities members; how subgrants will be made to communities for local reform, professional development activities and pre-service teacher education; and how plans to use technology to improve teaching and learning will be developed.

Each state's share of $91.5 million in fiscal year 1994 funds is calculated on a formula based on allocations under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. To assist states and communities in implementing their Goals 2000 education plans, President Clinton has requested $700 million in the next fiscal year, increasing to $1 billion in subsequent years.

The Goals 2000 law requires that at least 60 percent of the first-year funds go to local education agencies and individual schools, with the percentage increasing to at least 90 percent in future years.

The states named today join Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Washington in receiving first-year Goals 2000 funds. Riley said additional awards are expected shortly.