INDIANAPOLIS – Ten educational entities will receive funding for innovative education initiatives, with Warsaw Community Schools receiving almost half a million dollars.
Today at Herron High School in Indianapolis, according to a press release provided by the Indiana Department of Education, Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett recognized the 10 schools, school corporations, non-profits and other organizations selected to receive a portion of $5 million through Indiana’s innovation fund grant competition. Representatives from all 10 winning schools and organizations attended the event at Herron High School.
“We received many quality applications, but those selected to receive funds this year demonstrated the best chance for short- and long-term effects on student success,” Bennett said. “In particular, this year’s recipients demonstrated a commitment to academic rigor, educator effectiveness and school improvement. I am eager to see the positive results for students brought about through these winning programs.”
Among the 2012 innovation fund winners was Warsaw Community Schools, which will receive $439,534. Warsaw’s project will transform an elementary school into a kindergarten to sixth-grade science, technology, engineering and math academy directly linked to the local ecological and economical community. This will incorporate collaborative development of project-based learning, unique partnerships with the community, and projects aligned to the Common Core Standards, according to information provided by the IDOE.
The fund, created in the 2011 session of the Indiana General Assembly, aims to support path-breaking initiatives to dramatically improve student achievement and growth. This is the first year for the competitive grant program, and the department received 231 applications from schools and other entities hoping to receive funding for their programs. A total of $121,780,533 was requested, with a target impact of nearly one million Hoosier students.
“This grant competition reflects well the new role of the state department of education,” Bennett said. “Our mission is to set high expectations for schools and to hold them accountable for delivering results. Beyond that, we aim to get out of their way and support their successful efforts. These grants will help support the great things happening in our schools and communities by funding what works.”
The innovation fund grant competition was open to new, startup programs and those looking to scale up or diversify existing programs. The applications went through a comprehensive selection process, in which reviewers judged the applications based on the potential for positive student impact and overall innovation.
