A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

       FOR RELEASE                                            Contact: Rick Miller     August 8, 1996                                                  (202) 401-1576

Florida Receives 3rd Year Goals 2000 Funds

States that participate in Goals 2000 receive funds to help launch and sustain ongoing school improvement efforts to raise student achievement by setting higher standards, involving parents in schools, bringing technology into the classroom, upgrading teacher training, and building partnerships with business and community groups.

Florida is one of 20 states currently receiving third-year Goals 2000 grants. Under Goals 2000, states that have education improvement plans in place automatically receive third, fourth and fifth year funding if appropriations are available.

"Goals 2000 support is being used effectively in Florida to advance the state's seven education goals under Blueprint 2000," said Riley. "In the Bay District, for instance, Goals 2000 funds are already supporting 14 school projects to improve math, science, technology and communications curricula; to set achievement goals for all students; and to develop better ways to measure student progress. In Gadsen County, Goals 2000 support is helping send skilled math professionals to schools to help local teachers evaluate their own teaching and their school's math program. Goals 2000 provides critical support for local school improvement efforts."

The grant announced today is being made from the fiscal year 1996 appropriations. President Clinton has requested $476 million for Goals 2000 for FY 97, which would provide approximately $20,880,761 for Florida. If appropriated, these funds would be available July 1, 1997. For 1997, the House Appropriations Committee has voted to cut the president's education budget request by $2.8 billion and eliminate all fourth year funding for Goals 2000.

Riley said failing to provide funds would seriously undermine community and state efforts to implement improvements aimed at ensuring that students learn to high standards. "At a time when this initiative is supporting better education in more communities than ever before, the committee has tragically walked away from this critically important effort to raise student achievement in the core academic subjects," Riley said.

Goals 2000 provides resources for local and state education improvements, with flexibility in how states and communities choose to develop and implement their improvement efforts. Riley said the absence of regulations provides states with the latitude to effectively implement their locally designed school improvement initiatives. Schools and local school districts use Goals 2000 funds for a wide range of activities that reinforce their own approaches to helping all students learn the basics and the core subjects.

"Schools all over the country are benefitting from having more control in using federal funds to make their schools better," Riley said.

Florida's first and second year Goals 2000 grants totaled $20,465,616.

States receiving third year funding to date under Goals 2000 are: Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.

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