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MUSTO LAUDS REPORT ON SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY
BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
HARRISBURG, February 1, 2005
– State Sen. Ray Musto (D-14:
Luzerne/Carbon/Monroe), newly appointed
Democratic Chair of the Senate Education
Committee, joined Governor Ed Rendell at a
press conference today outlining the early
success of the Education Accountability
Block Grant program and praising school
districts on their use of the grants.
“It is very encouraging to find
that the Block Grants are helping students
throughout Pennsylvania,” Musto said. “It
is a very successful program.”
The Education Accountability Block Grant
program allocates $200 million a year for
districts to implement research-based
programs to boost student achievement.
“Area school districts have ensured the
success of this program by putting their
share of the $200 million to the best
possible use, expanding early childhood
education and other proven programs,” Musto
said. “In my district alone, more than
20,000 children have benefited from
pre-kindergarten, full-day kindergarten,
class size reduction and other programs.”
More than $2 of every $3 in block grants has
been spent on early childhood education
programs, including quality
pre-kindergarten, full-day kindergarten and
class-size reduction in the early elementary
grades.
Musto said that in the first year of the
program:
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2,995 children were enrolled in
pre-kindergarten programs;
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50,849 children were receiving full-day
kindergarten;
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18,700 children benefited from reduced
class sizes in kindergarten through 3rd
grade;
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18,632 struggling students received
tutoring to catch up with their peers;
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508,257 students will make greater
learning gains because their teachers
engaged in more professional education
and receiving help from teacher coaches;
and 369,999 students benefited from
social and health services, science and
applied knowledge programs, initiatives
aimed at improving the performance of
student subgroups, and other educational
investments that are proven to help
increase achievement levels.
“By allocating funds to support programs and
education for young students today, we
provide them with the necessary tools to
lead them, successfully, into the future,”
Musto said.
Of the 500 applications received for 2004-05
funding, the category “Quality Full-day
Kindergarten Programs” received the most
applications. Of the 293 applications for
“Quality Full-day Kindergarten Programs,” 97
applications were to establish new full-day
programs. The remaining applications were
to maintain or expand existing programs.
All together, 432 school districts applied
to invest in early childhood programs.
Other funding requests included literacy and
math coaching, improving the performance of
student subgroup performance, and reducing
class size in grades K through 3.
“I am confident that school districts will
continue to use the block grants to
dramatically increase the achievement of
students in my district and statewide,”
Musto said.
In Carbon the following School Districts
were awarded grants:
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Jim Thorpe Area School District,
$131,423 – used to fund Quality Full Day
Kindergarten
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Lehighton Area School District, $290,527
– used to fund Quality Full Day
Kindergarten, K-3rd Grade Class Size
Reduction, Social and Health Services,
and Performance of Student Subgroups
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Palmerton Area School District, $247,779
– used to fund Performance of Student
Subgroups, Professional Education, and
Research Based Improvement Strategies
(District Specific)
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Panther Valley School District, $243,444
– used to fund K-3rd Grade Class Size
Reduction, Social and Health Services,
Science and Applied-Knowledge Skills,
and Professional Education
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Weatherly Area School District, $79,910
– used to fund Quality Full Day
Kindergarten
The following school districts in Luzerne
County also received Block Grants:
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Crestwood School District, $252,040 –
used to fund Quality Full Day
Kindergarten
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Dallas School District, $133,541 – used
to fund K-3rd Grade Class Size
Reduction, Tutoring Assistance, and
Professional Education
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Greater Nanticoke Area School District,
$326,872 – used to fund Quality Full Day
Kindergarten and Social & Health
Services
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Hanover Area School District, $274,019 –
used to fund Quality Full Day
Kindergarten
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Hazleton Area School District, $990,356
– used to fund Quality Full Day
Kindergarten
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Lake-Lehman School District, $232,265 –
used to fund K-3rd Grade Class Size
Reduction, Social and Health Services,
Science and Applied-Knowledge Skills,
and Professional Education
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Northwest Area School District, $186,579
– used to fund Quality Full Day
Kindergarten and Tutoring Assistance
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Pittston Area School District, $335, 157
– used to fund Quality Full Day
Kindergarten
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Wilkes Barre Area School District,
$758,276 – used to fund Quality
Pre-Kindergarten and Quality Full Day
Kindergarten
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Wyoming Area School District, $253,747 –
used to fund Quality Full Day
Kindergarten
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Wyoming Valley West School District,
$665,027 – used to fund Quality Full Day
Kindergarten and Science &
Applied-Knowledge Skills
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