Colorado Wins $5 Million School Improvement Grant

Funds will be Used to Turn Around Low-Performing Schools

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet announced that Colorado is one of seven states to win a competitive School Improvement Grant (SIG).  The state will use the $5,024,226 grant to turn around low-achieving schools.  SIGs are awarded to State Educational Agencies (SEA) that then turn them into competitive subgrants for school districts demonstrating the greatest need and the strongest commitment to increasing student achievement.

“While our economy has changed, much of our system of public education remains stuck in the last century,” Bennet said.  “Colorado is blazing a trail of innovative ideas to update and improve its system so all of our kids are prepared for college and the 21st century economy.  This grant will support its efforts to create greater education equality and to close the achievement gap.”

As a former superintendent Bennet has led the fight in the Senate to reform our schools.  In 2012, he joined several of his colleagues in urging the President to continue funding for initiatives like School Improvement Grants that support improving the quality of the education system.  As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Bennet helped pass the Strengthening America’s Schools Act out of committee in June of 2013. The bill reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and fixes No Child Left Behind to help ensure that children graduate college and career-ready.

Other states receiving School Improvement Grants include Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Utah and Washington.