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 (202) 401-0039     September 26, 1996              News Media Contact:                                      Melinda Kitchell Malico (202) 401-1576

Oklahoma School Districts Receive Goals 2000 Grants

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.

Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma's participating schools plan to focus their efforts in the three areas of expanding professional development, making better use of technology and increasing parental involvement -- all aimed at raising student achievement.

For example, the Pittsburg County Consortium in McAlester, Okla., will use its Goals 2000 funds to improve technology and increase parental involvement in 10 schools. One teacher in each of the schools will receive advanced Internet training, and then help other teachers learn how to use the Internet as a tool for educational improvement. By bringing the local schools "on line" with the Internet, the consortium will develop new partnerships with parents and community groups and improve community involvement in local education reform efforts.

In Wewoka Public Schools, Goals 2000 will support Project REFORM to improve teaching and learning for students in grades K through 5 at Wewoka Elementary School. The grant will be used to purchase computer equipment, provide connections to the Internet, and provide computer instruction to all students, with additional instruction three times a week to youngsters having difficulty meeting the state's standards in reading, writing, math and science. GOALS 2000 will also fund five parent training sessions on a variety of topics, with a special emphasis on involving the parents of students working to meet the standards. The grant will also fund six professional development training sessions on topics such as integrating writing with core academic subjects and using computer technology.

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. The 1997 appropriations bill is expected to be completed shortly.

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

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