Pennsylvania Department of Education Awards $64.4 Million to Promote Academic Achievement and Assist At-Risk Students in High-Poverty Schools

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Secretary of Education Ron Tomalis today announced the 57 schools and organizations that will receive a total of $64.4 million as part of the 21st Century Community Learning Challenge Grant.

"The purpose of these grants is to fund the establishment and sustainability of community learning centers that provide educational services to students in high-poverty and low-performing schools," Tomalis said. "The entities which were selected to receive funding from the 21st Century Community Learning Challenge provide educational experiences that complement, supplement and fill-in the gaps of the work being done in the classroom."

The federally-funded grant was established under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

"The community learning centers which applied for funding were required to provide students with a variety of enrichment opportunities that they might not receive at school or at home," Tomalis said. "Applicants provide academic, cultural or artistic activities for children, as well as services to the families of participating students."

The Pennsylvania Department of Education received 119 applications, which were reviewed and scored by a panel that then made grant award recommendations. One of the provisions of the grant was that the awardees had to be representative of the eight geographical regions of the state.

Those chosen to receive the federal funding include: 19 community-based organizations; 17 school districts; 10 charter schools; five intermediate units; three institutes of higher education; and three faith-based organizations.

"Throughout Pennsylvania, there are countless students who are trapped in schools that are not meeting their academic, social and emotional needs," Tomalis said. "Efforts are being made to transform Pennsylvania's educational establishment for the benefit of every student – however change is not occurring fast enough for a generation of students who we are failing. Thankfully, we have organizations and community leaders who willingly continue to support students in their educational endeavors after the school bell rings."

Media contact: Tim Eller, 717-783-9802

Editor's Note: Below is the list of award winners and the total four-year award amount:

Adams County
Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 - $612,000

Allegheny County
Cornell School District - $552,000
McKeesport Area School District - $909,001
Wireless Neighborhoods - $1,401,600
Youth Places/Tides Center Pennsylvania - $1,403,776

Bedford County
Bedford Area School District - $1,058,405

Berks County
Reading School District - $1,434,155

Bucks County
Lower Bucks Family YMCA - $1,499,999
Morrisville Borough School District - $1,497,526
United Way of Bucks County - $1,260,000

Cambria County
Greater Johnstown School District - $1,341,440

Chester County
Widener Partnership Charter School - $629,363

Crawford/Venango County
Titusville YMCA - $1,127,242

Dauphin County
Harrisburg City School District - $1,500,000
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of the Capital Region - $360,000

Delaware County
Chester Community Charter School - $1,497,006
Chester-Upland School District - $1,440,000
Southeast Delco School District - $1,440,000

Erie County
Mercyhurst College - $1,497,745
Perseus House Charter School of Excellence - $473,544

Fayette County
Intermediate Unit 1 - $755,916

Fayette/Westmoreland County
PIC of Westmoreland-Fayette - $1,455,767

Franklin County
Kids Learning AfterSchool - $407,156

Huntingdon County
Mount Union Area School District - $614,223

Indiana County
ARIN Intermediate Unit 28 - $1,228,923

Lancaster County
Lancaster School District - $1,500,000

Lebanon County
Lebanon School District - $1,475,999

Lehigh County
Allentown City School District - $1,454,400
Council of Spanish Speaking Organization of Lehigh Valley - $456,000
Roberto Clemente Charter School - $504,000

Lehigh/Carbon County
Lehigh-Carbon Community College - $633,599

Mercer County
Farrell Area School District - $1,493,720

Montgomery County
Norristown Area School District - $882,000

Northampton County
Bethlehem Area School District - $1,500,000

Northumberland County
Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16 - $1,267,200

Philadelphia County
Allegheny West Foundation - $540,000
Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia - $1,540,709
Church of St. Andrew and St. Monica - $1,007,946
Congreso de Latinos Unidos, Inc. - $1,499,997
Education Works - $1,497,595
Foundations Inc. - $1,494,000
Freire Charter School - $1,218,765
Franklintown Charter High School - $1,494,000
Mastery Charter School-Gratz Campus - $1,463,526
Mastery Charter School-Pickett Campus -$1,466,726
Mastery Charter School-Shoemaker Campus - $1,078,024
Mercy Neighborhood Ministries of Philadelphia - $387,531
Netter Center for Community Partnerships University of Philadelphia - $1,367,999
Pan American Academy Charter School - $461,998
Public Health Management Corporation - $1,500,001
Scholarship in Progress - $1,476,096
The Salvation Army Divisional Headquarters - $468,195
Universal Companies - $1,440,000

Schuylkill County
Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 - $1,247,645

Warren County
Warren County School District - $949,542

York County
YWCA of Hanover - $1,241,999
YWCA York - $1,079,998

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Education