Hawaii nets $75 million in education grants
The U.S. Department of Education announced the disbursement of over $21.8 billion in formula grants, including over $75 million for Hawaii. The Hawaii funding breaks down as follows:
- Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to help students living in poverty: $33.71 million.
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B for America’s students with disabilities: $29.91 million.
- Improving Teacher Quality State Grants: $7.92 million.
- Career and Technical Education: $3.87 million.
Formula grant programs are noncompetitive awards based on a predetermined formula and provide funding for a variety of programs.
“Formula funding is critically important to every state and school district as we work together to prepare young children to enter school and every student for graduation,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Federal formula grants combined with Recovery Act funding present an unprecedented opportunity to drive reforms and improvements in our nation’s schools.”
These so-called formula grant programs dispense funds to states on July 1 and Oct. 1 based on congressionally mandated formulas that, depending on the program, take into account such measures as population, poverty rates and enrollment. Formula grants originate from the Education Department’s annual appropriation from Congress and are separate from the $100 billion in stimulus funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
