Five Elementary Schools Receive Delaware's First Achievement-Based Financial Awards
Lt. Governor and Secretary of Education Announce Recipients of $150,000 Excellence Awards
(Wilmington, DE.) Lieutenant Governor Matthew Denn and Former Secretary of Education Lillian Lowery announced the first five schools to win the state’s new Academic Achievement Award, for achieving academic excellence with low-income student populations. Each winning school will receive $150,000 in federal Title 1 funds to use in the coming school year.
The winning schools are Pulaski Elementary School, Brookside Elementary School, Kuumba Academy, Woodbridge Elementary School, and Long Neck Elementary School. Each of the five winning schools has among the state’s highest population of low-income students.
The awards were given to schools that had either made outstanding progress in closing the academic achievement gap, or exceeded federal Annual Yearly Progress standards for two consecutive years. The award funds can be used by the winning schools for any purpose allowed by the federal Title 1 statute, and the decisions regarding use of the funds will be made by school-based committees of teachers, paraprofessionals, parents, and administrators. Among the acceptable uses of the funds are salary bonuses for the teachers and staff at the school, and the purchase of books, supplies and equipment for the school.
"This is the state’s first program that provides financial rewards to schools based exclusively on student performance," Denn said. "We believe that teachers and staff whose students show outstanding progress should be recognized for their excellence, and this award program does that."
"The recognition of these extraordinary high-needs schools receiving the State’s Academic Achievement Award is proof that all students can and will show continuous academic growth given the appropriate teaching and learning environment, regardless of their socio-economic status" said Lowery. "Everyone, including the students, teachers, leaders, and the community rallied together to make these schools shine. They have either met the targets under No Child Left Behind or have significantly closed the achievement gap. More importantly, they have all provided a quality education to each and every child"
Governor Jack Markell said "A critical step to strengthening our schools is recognizing what is working best and doing more of it. We're honoring these schools for their specific successes now, but our state will be the long-term winner as a result of these efforts."
The program is funded for this year and next year with 1% of the state’s supplemental Title 1 federal education funds received under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (which is the reason that the award is limited to schools with significant low-income populations). The program will be funded for additional years with funds from the state’s Race to the Top grant.
The winning schools were selected by a five-member committee appointed by the Governor, which included representatives of parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, and school administrators.
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Delaware's Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education
for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.
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Contact Info.
Alison Kepner Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite #2 Dover, Delaware 19901 Phone: (302) 735-4035 Fax: (302) 739-4654 Email: akepner@doe.k12.de.us |
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