The National Governors Association last week began accepting applications for the first phase of a grant program designed to help states improve high schools.
Approximately 10 states will receive grants of between $500,000 and $1 million annually for two years to help them develop comprehensive state plans to improve high school graduation and college-readiness rates.
The $15 million for the first phase of the grants comes from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The funds are part of a $42 million program announced by six philanthropies, including the Seattle-based foundation, at the national conference on high schools in February co-sponsored by the NGA. (鈥淪ummit Fuels Push to Improve High Schools,鈥� March 9, 2005.)
A second phase of grants will target efforts to reach priorities of the NGA, such as raising academic expectations and improving teacher and leadership quality.
