Improving America’s Schools Act Consolidated Grant

The intent of the federal Improving America’s Schools Act (ESEA), is to encourage educators to align various reform efforts and create comprehensive solutions for schools and districts in order to meet students’ needs. School districts receive assistance to improve teaching and learning. ESEA also provides resources to help link schools, parents, and communities. Various provisions throughout the bill, including parent-school compacts, encourage increased parental involvement in planning for program development and in sharing responsibility for student performance.

ESEA shifts the focus of Federal education policy from compliance with Federal requirements to emphasis on flexibility to improve teaching and learning coupled with increased accountability for improved student achievement. ESEA completes a comprehensive Federal strategy to support State and local school reform efforts. As part of the overall Federal reform agenda, the ESEA directly supports States’ Goals 2000 frameworks for setting and meeting challenging State standards and will help ensure that all students meet those standards. School districts are required to submit a consolidated plan which describes the overall goals of the district and addresses how each of the following provisions of ESEA supports the goals:

Title II  Professional Development Program

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program focuses on upgrading the expertise of teachers and other school staff to enable them to teach all children in core academic subjects set out in challenging State content standards. This title expands the existing Eisenhower Science and Math programs to include other core academic subjects and supports sustained and intensive high-quality professional development focused on achieving high performance standards.

To obtain specific information on the current availability of funds under this Title, contact Carol Carlson in the Curriculum Office.