Latest News and Comment from Education

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Fuzzy SIG process distresses schools | Thoughts on Public Education

Fuzzy SIG process distresses schools | Thoughts on Public Education

Fuzzy SIG process distresses schools

State Board of Ed seeks one-year delay for Cohort II
By Kathryn Baron

The 58 schools expecting to learn if they’ll receive up to $2 million in School Improvement Grants (SIGs) for the fall term may have to wait until next spring for an answer. They may also have to reapply for the program, or just rework their current proposals. Either way, it’s possible the requirements will be more extensive. No one seems to know for sure what’s going on, and they’re hoping for answers when the State Board of Education (SBE) meets tomorrow in Sacramento.

The State Board has three items on its agenda dealing with the SIG program. The most contentious is whether to ask the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for a one-year waiver in allocating money to the schools in Cohort II, those that didn’t make the cut a year ago and are seeking funds for the 2011-12 academic year.

The SBE also wants permission to roll over the funds and combine them with the 2012-13