Education Secretary Announces Student-Centered Grant Awards to Expand Personalized Learning through Course Access, Student-Centered Funding

The following is a press release from the U.S. Department of Education.

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WASHINGTON – Today, September 18, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced new funding for two grant programs focused on meeting students’ unique learning needs and improving student outcomes.

The Expanding Access to Well-Rounded Courses Demonstration Grants Program supports school districts’ efforts to develop distance-learning opportunities, expand their course offerings, and ensure students have access to a broad range of advanced, career or technical, and other courses.

The Well-Rounded Education Through Student-Centered Funding Demonstration Grants Program allows funding to follow individual students so that school districts can allocate resources in a way that provides a customized approach to education that considers individual needs in order to improve academic achievement.

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“For more than 30 years, I’ve advocated not only for funding to follow students but also for students to have access to individualized education options tailored to meet their unique needs,” said Secretary DeVos. “These two grant programs allow school districts the opportunity to do just that. Student-centered education—tailored to unique talents, skills, abilities and interests—is the future. I look forward to seeing positive results for students.”

The Expanding Access to Well-Rounded Courses Demonstration Grants Program provides $9.6 million this year to six state educational agencies to develop or expand and implement models for providing well-rounded educational opportunities through increased course access for all students, including rural, disadvantaged, or those with disabilities. Potential course options that could be added by participating states include those related to the arts, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, computer science, career and technical education and advanced level coursework.

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The Well-Rounded Education Through Student-Centered Funding Demonstration Grants Program provides over $1 million this year to two local educational agencies (LEAs) to demonstrate model programs for providing well-rounded education opportunities through the development and implementation of student-centered funding systems. The goal of the program is to help LEAs develop models for expanding and enhancing delivery of such opportunities for educationally disadvantaged students.

Both grant programs are funded through a required 2% set-aside of funds for technical assistance and capacity building under Title IV, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. 

For more information, please visit the web pages for the Expanding Access to Well-Rounded Courses Demonstration Grants Program and the Well-Rounded Education Through Student-Centered Funding Demonstration Grants Program.