Fort Wayne community schools have received a lot of federal cash to train teachers and create new jobs.
The district is getting a $15 Million grant from the US Department of Education.
That $15 Million is just the beginning.
The grant could top out at over $42 Million over five years.
FWCS is the only district in the state to win money from the grant, and one of the only in the Midwest.
FWCS administrators heard the news late this afternoon.
"This is one that makes you speechless," FWCS Superintendent Dr. Wendy Robinson says.
The district announced it will get $15 Million over two years from the US Department of Education's Teacher Incentive Fund Grant.
Robinson says the money will create jobs.
"Part of what a grant allows you to do is to try things out that you wouldn't have the money to try out in other circumstances. And obviously, if it works, we're going to have to find ways to maintain it," Robinson says.
Robinson says it'll expand summer and yearly training programs, and adding support coaches for both teachers and administrators.
They plan to hire people to run the grant, and pay ten administration interns promoted from the schools.
"And in order for us to keep people motivated and effective, we know that we're going to have to provide extra training, extra support, and that's really the heart of this grant," Robinson says.
The grant could be renewed for up to five years-- and total over $42 Million.
Robinson says that's up to congress, and could change, depending on what happens in the November election.
She expects the program to become self-sustaining down the road.
"One of the things we make sure we do in the FWCS is, if we go after a grant, we want to spend the money on things that at the end of the grant, we have developed capacity to carry it on," Robinson says.
The district is getting a $15 Million grant from the US Department of Education.
That $15 Million is just the beginning.
The grant could top out at over $42 Million over five years.
FWCS is the only district in the state to win money from the grant, and one of the only in the Midwest.
FWCS administrators heard the news late this afternoon.
"This is one that makes you speechless," FWCS Superintendent Dr. Wendy Robinson says.
The district announced it will get $15 Million over two years from the US Department of Education's Teacher Incentive Fund Grant.
Robinson says the money will create jobs.
"Part of what a grant allows you to do is to try things out that you wouldn't have the money to try out in other circumstances. And obviously, if it works, we're going to have to find ways to maintain it," Robinson says.
Robinson says it'll expand summer and yearly training programs, and adding support coaches for both teachers and administrators.
They plan to hire people to run the grant, and pay ten administration interns promoted from the schools.
"And in order for us to keep people motivated and effective, we know that we're going to have to provide extra training, extra support, and that's really the heart of this grant," Robinson says.
The grant could be renewed for up to five years-- and total over $42 Million.
Robinson says that's up to congress, and could change, depending on what happens in the November election.
She expects the program to become self-sustaining down the road.
"One of the things we make sure we do in the FWCS is, if we go after a grant, we want to spend the money on things that at the end of the grant, we have developed capacity to carry it on," Robinson says.
