The Department of Education announced that Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) Foundation, a national network of free, open enrollment, college-preparatory public schools and Teach for America, a non-profit organization focused on bringing outstanding recent college graduates to teach in public schools, won the $650 million Investing in Innovation federal grant competition.
Receiving $50 million each, these organizations won the largest shares of the federal grant among other competing organizations and institutions. The said federal grant competition was funded by the Congress with the economic stimulus package in 2009 and was opened for application to non-profit organizations and local school districts.
Both KIPP Foundation and Teach for America proposed expansion of their current programs. The Department of Education perceived the organizations’ programs to be successful and effective, which greatly need funding support to help promote, continue, and improve their objectives for the benefit of many American students and the national education system as well.
In scoring the competing proposals, the department said that it gave bonus points to projects that are focused on rural schools and early childhood.
Source:
Dillon, S. The New York Times, August 5, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/05/education/05grants.html?_r=1
