Federal funds to help most vulnerable students and schools
News4Jax | By Steve Patrick | July 15, 2021
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Education is passing along $44 million in federal Unified School Improvement Grant funds to support 149 struggling public schools, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday. The funds will support school improvement initiatives in the lowest-performing 5% of schools in Florida.
Twenty of those schools are in Duval County, one is in Clay County, one in Putnam, one in St. Johns and four in Alachua counties. (Schools listed below)
Teachers at these low-performing schools who have earned highly effective or effective ratings may receive up to $15,000.
Principals may qualify for up to $45,000 for recruitment/retention and performance. One assistant principal from the school may also qualify for $10,000 for recruitment/retention.
Each school will receive up to $100,000 to fund an Early Literacy Coach to support the 2021-2022 adoption of and professional development for the English Language Arts B.E.S.T. Standards.
Each school will receive up to $100,000 to fund a school-based Strategic Initiatives Coach to support the B.E.S.T. Standards adoption. These individuals will continuously review the submission of real-time progress monitoring data to guide instructional support and teacher practices.
Each school will receive up to $30,000 to fund supplemental teacher professional development and instructional materials to support the B.E.S.T. Standards adoption and implementation.
“It can be hard for struggling schools to recruit and retain top talent, and today I’m proud to announce $44 million to address this problem,” DeSantis said in a statement announcing the distribution of federal funding. “I have consistently said that the number one way to create great opportunities for our students is by ensuring they have great teachers. In Florida, we will continue to take a strategic, data-driven approach to make our schools the best in the country.”
Qualifying schools in Northeast Florida
Alachua County: Caring & Sharing Learning School, Idylwild Elementary School, Joseph Williams Elementary School, Lake Forest Elementary School
Clay County: Charles E. Bennett Elementary School
Duval County: BridgePrep Academy, Duval Tiger Academy, Annie R. Morgan Elementary School, Arlington Elementary, Carter G. Woodson Elementary School, George Washington Carver Elementary, Highlands Middle School, J. E. B. Stuart Middle School, Jefferson Davis Middle School, Pine Estates Elementary School, Pinedale Elementary School, Ramona Boulevard Elementary School, Reynolds Lane Elementary School, Rutledge H. Pearson Elementary School, Sallye B. Mathis Elementary School, Southside Middle School, Susie E. Tolbert Elementary School, Timucuan Elementary School, Westview K-8, Young Mens/Womens Leadership Academy At Eugene J Butler
Putnam County: Putnam Edge High School
St. Johns County: The Webster School
LINK: Full list of Florida schools to receive Unified School Improvement Grants
