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

       FOR RELEASE                           Program Contact: Tom Fagan 401-0039      September 26, 1996                    News Media Contact:                                           Melinda Kitchell Malico (202) 401-1576

21 Montana School Districts to Receive Goals 2000 Grants

An additional grant is expected to go to Missoula County Public Schools for an amount yet to be determined.

School districts 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. Communities in 49 states are benefitting from Goals 2000 funding. Only Virginia is not participating.

Montana became eligible for a new participation option that allows school districts, following state approval, to apply directly to the U.S. Department of Education for grants. Amendments to the Goals 2000 Act, passed in October 1995 under the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 1996, allow for the option.

Many of the state's school district applicants cited the unique challenges faced by isolated rural schools with a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students. Several plan to use their Goals 2000 grants to improve communications among schools, to increase community and parent involvement, and to make better use of technology -- all aimed at raising student achievement.

For example, in the Missoula County Public School District #1, Goals 2000 will fund "Every Student a Reader," focused on improved reading levels. Another program, "Reading Recovery" will offer an extra half day of reading instruction for to students who demonstrate reading difficulty.

In Billings Public School District #2, the Goals 2000 grant will be used to expand community participation and to develop a system for assessing student achievement and reporting the results to the public. The district will assemble a committee consisting of some 30 community representatives who will develop a philosophy and mission statement and a set of long term goals for the district.

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.

President Clinton has requested $491 million for Goals 2000 for fiscal year 1997. If appropriated, these funds will be available July 1, 1997. For 1997, the House of Representatives has voted to cut the president's education budget request by $2.8, billion and eliminate all fourth year funding for Goals 2000. The Senate Appropriations Committee has voted to provide $340 million -- $126 million below the president's request.

Sixty two Goals 2000 grant applications were submitted for Montana school districts. Applications not yet funded will be eligible for future support under Goals 2000. Riley is also announcing awards to districts in New Hampshire and Oklahoma today, states in which local school districts have been given the go ahead to apply.

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