Tuesday, October 5, 2010

U.S. Department of Education Awards $38.8 Million in Safe and Supportive School Grants | U.S. Department of Education

U.S. Department of Education Awards $38.8 Million in Safe and Supportive School Grants | U.S. Department of Education

U.S. Department of Education Awards $38.8 Million in Safe and Supportive School Grants


Contact:
Jo Ann Webb, (202) 401-1576


The U.S. Department of Education has awarded $38.8 million in Safe and Supportive School (S3) grants to 11 states to measure school safety at the building level and to help intervene in those schools with the greatest safety needs. The goal of the grants is create and support safe and drug-free learning environments and to increase academic success for students in these high-risk schools.

“It’s important that we be able to measure school safety,” Secretary Duncan said. “These grants will allow states to do that by surveying the real experts—students themselves.”

Funds may be used by state education agencies to develop measurement systems to assess conditions for learning within individual schools, including school safety, and to make this information publicly available. Using this data, the grant recipients will work in collaboration with participating local educational agencies to improve the learning environment within schools facing the biggest challenges.

The grant program is managed by the Department’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, which supports efforts to create safe schools, ensure the health and well being of students, teach students good citizenship and character, respond to crisis, and prevent drug and alcohol abuse. The office also coordinates the Department’s efforts in these areas with other federal agencies.

A complete list of the 11 grant awards follows: