For Immediate Release
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Contact:Heidi B. Perlman 781-338-3106

29 Communities Receive Planning Grants to Expand Learning Time

MALDEN - Educators in 29 communities have been asked to submit proposals to explore the feasibility of increasing the learning time in their districts by at least 25 percent or 300 hours per year. The Board of Education voted on Tuesday to issue amounts of up to $15,000 to all but six of the 35 districts that applied for the Expanded Learning Time planning grants. This is the second year the state is issuing these grants. "This is an exciting initiative, and calls for districts to rethink everything from how they organize their school day to teaching practices to how they can better engage each student in their learning," said Education Commissioner David P. Driscoll. "This presents a tremendous – and worthwhile - challenge for any district. I look forward to seeing the results in each school." Five of the 14 districts that accepted planning grants in 2005 started the 2006-2007 with their newly expanded schedules. They are: Boston, Cambridge, Fall River, Malden and Worcester. The Board approved $324,000 in planning grants this year, ranging from $4,500 to $15,000. Districts planning for four or more schools received the highest amounts. To qualify for the implementation grants, districts must submit proposals showing that by expanding the learning time they will provide more time for core subjects, student enrichment, professional development and common planning time for teachers. Districts planning to start their new schedules in September of 2007 must submit their preliminary implementation plans by January 19, 2007. Districts planning to start their new schedules in September of 2008 must submit their implementation plans by August 31, 2007. Final decisions for the 2007 start-ups will be made in May, pending Legislative approval. Decisions on the 2008 start-ups will be made in 2008. The districts approved for the planning grants are:
District Grant Award# of schools Start Up
Adams-Cheshire$ 15,0004 2008
Amherst-Pelham $ 10,000 7 2008
Barnstable $ 10,000 2 2008
Boston $ 15,000 4 2007
Brockton $ 10,000 2 2008
Chelsea $ 15,000 4 2008
Chicopee $ 10,000 2 2007
Falmouth $ 10,000 2 2008
Fitchburg $ 10,000 1 2007
Framingham $ 15,000 5 2008
Gardner $ 10,000 1 unsure
Gateway RSD $ 15,000 7 2008
Greenfield $ 15,000 5 2007
Haverhill $ 10,000 2 2008
Hawlemont RSD $ 4,500 1 2008
Lowell $ 10,000 5 2007
Malden $ 10,000 2 2007/08
Methuen $ 10,000 2 2008
New Bedford $ 10,000 1 2008
Northampton $ 15,000 4 2007
Pittsfield $ 10,000 2 2008
Ralph C. Mahar $ 10,000 1 2007
Revere $ 15,000 4 2008
Rowe $ 4,500 1 2008
Southbridge $ 10,000 1 2008
Taunton $ 15,000 4 2008
Webster $ 10,000 3 2008
Westfield $ 10,000 3 2008
Worcester $ 10,000 2 2007
Total $324,000 84  




Last Updated: October 25, 2006



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