Crothersville Community Schools will receive a $338,639 grant through Indiana’s innovations fund grant competition, state Department of Education officials announced last Wednesday, Feb. 15.
Dr. Tony Bennett, state superintendent of public instruction, recognized 10 schools, school corporations, non-profits, and other organizations, selected to receive a portion of $5 million through Indiana’s innovation fund grant competition. Representatives from all ten winning schools and organizations attended the event at Herron High School, Indianapolis.
“It’s certainly a wonderful opportunity for us,” David Schill, principal at Crothersville High School said of the grant. “We will use it for a resource center for our students to use and it will compliment our early college credit program.”
Crothersville High School offers a college credit-based program for juniors and seniors to earn college credits before graduating high school.
“This grant competition reflects well the new role of the state department of education,” Bennett said. “Our mission is to set high expectations for schools and to hold them accountable for delivering results. Beyond that, we aim to get out of their way and support their successful efforts. These grants will help support the great things happening in our schools and communities by funding what works.”
The fund, created in the 2011 session of the Indiana General Assembly, aims to support path-breaking initiatives to improve student achievement. In its first year, the program received 231 applications from schools and other organizations.
The applications were reviewed at the state’s education department where reviewers judged the applications based on positive student impact and innovation.
This is the first year for the competitive grant program, and the DOE received 231 applications from schools and other entities hoping to receive funding for their programs. A total of $121,780,533 was requested, with a target impact of nearly one million Hoosier students.
Schools receiving innovations awards include:
•Herron High School (Indianapolis): $438,350
•Warsaw Community Schools: $439,534
•La Casa de Amistad, INC (South Bend): $114,260
•Greater Clark County Schools: $280,743
•Wilson Education Service Center: $251,248
•Crothersville Community Schools: $338,639
•College Summit: $197,416
•Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation: $44,000
•Teach for America: $236,572
•North Montgomery Community Schools: $109,238
