Durbin Announces Illinois to Receive $22 Million for School Improvement
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the State of Illinois will receive $22,060,358 in funding through the Department of Education's School Improvement Grant program. A total of more than $85 million was awarded to five states that are continuing efforts to turn around their persistently lowest-achieving schools.
“We must ensure that each and every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive no matter where they live and no matter what school they attend,” said Durbin. “Coupled with creative thinking and innovative solutions, today's grant will help turn around the schools that are struggling the most in Illinois.”
According to the Department of Education, with this funding, Illinois will be able to make competitive grants to school districts that demonstrate the greatest need for the funding and the strongest commitment to provide adequate resources that will substantially raise student achievement in their lowest-performing schools. To date, the School Improvement Grant program has invested up to $2 million per school at more than 1,500 of the country's lowest-performing schools. More on today's announcement can be found HERE.