BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana has launched a $20 million annual effort to improve poor-performing public schools.
The education department announced Monday it is seeking applications for school improvement grants, with the first deadline set for Sept. 29. The effort stems from an accountability redesign plan to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.
The Advocate reports the plan requires school district officials to devise improvement proposals for schools rated D and F in Louisiana’s accountability system for three consecutive years. The state has 225 public schools repeatedly rated D and F, 17 percent statewide.
State officials will award improvement grants for the best ideas. Schools will get the assistance for three years, financed through a 7 percent set-aside of certain federal education dollars.