New Haven has entered the final round of a federal competition that could bring in up to $17 million to create more “personalized” learning for kids.
New Haven was one of 31 finalists in the latest round of the federal Race to the Top competition, the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) announced Tuesday. Over 200 school districts applied.
The race isn’t over yet: New Haven now enters the final round of the competition. The USDOE plans to pick five to 10 winners by Dec. 31. Each winner will receive between $4 million to $30 million over the course of four years, according to the agency’s press release.
New Haven’s application, submitted in October, asked for $16.88 million to support “personalized learning” for all 6,200 kids in grades 6 to 9. The proposal, called “Engage New Haven,” calls for helping kids learn through cross-disciplinary projects, supported by “multimedia technology,” community mentors and social-emotional supports.
Click here to read the district’s application; click here for a summary.
This is the second time New Haven has applied directly for President Obama’s signature grant competition aimed at spurring school reform. New Haven struck out when it applied last year. Last year, New Haven sought $30 million for a similar plan also called Engage New Haven, covering more kids.
The Obama administration has frequently publicly praised New Haven’s school reform drive, mostly for the way the teachers union has collaborated with management. The praised first translated into money last year, when the USDOE awarded New Haven a $53 million, five-year Teacher Incentive Fund grant—the same amount that New York City received for a school system fifty times its size.
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro sent out a press release Tuesday afternoon praising New Haven officials and rooting for the city in the latest competition.
“I hope the Education Department recognizes the promise of New Haven students and names New Haven as one of the winning applicants,” she wrote.