Guilford County Public Schools will receive an additional $5.2 million in Race to the Top funding from the U.S. Department of Education. Giving it a total of more than $35.2 million in federal grants to be used in the districts 24 middle schools.
The additional grant will buy 10 tablets per middle school that students can check-out. Parents will also be able to use them while helping children with homework or advance their own learning. It will also support other programs including the Virtual Middle School, serving grades six and seven, and then expanding to the eighth grade after one year. It targets students who are the first in their family to attend college.
Another program is the African American Male Achievement Initiative. It’s developing school teams in six elementary schools to increase academic expectations, produce more culturally relevant curriculum and promote time for teacher planning and collaboration.
Last month, the school district was one of 16 in the nation to win a $30-million Race to the Top grant. This money will fund technical training for students, teachers and principals. It’ll also cover the cost of adding PACE coordinators to the middle schools.
