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For Immediate Release
April 11, 2007
ISBE, Arts Council team up to strengthen arts and foreign
language programs
26 school districts to split more than
$625,000 in planning grants
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education
(ISBE), in partnership with the Illinois Arts Council
(IAC), announced today more than $625,000 in planning
grants to strengthen local arts and foreign language programs.
Twenty-six school districts across Illinois will receive
the planning grants that range from $9,000 to $40,000,
depending on the size of district, the scope of the program,
and the level of planning required.
“We’re proud to partner with the Illinois
Arts Council in providing assistance to districts that
want to improve their arts and foreign language offerings.”
said Christopher Koch, Interim State Superintendent. “The
arts and foreign language play a strong role in providing
our students with an overall education and these planning
grants allow school districts to have additional resources
to plan for initiating, expanding, or improving instruction
in the arts or foreign language.”
The Arts and Foreign Language Education Grant Program,
a partnership between ISBE and the IAC, will assist districts
with engaging in a planning process to develop new or
strengthen existing arts and foreign language curricula.
This is the second year for the program which was developed
based on results of a 2005 study revealing broad disparities
in the amount of arts education students receive across
the state. The study found that 20 percent of Illinois
principals reported having no arts program of any kind
in their school.
“The arts are a powerful engine in developing
students' creative faculties, dramatically increasing
their desire and ability to learn,” said Terry A.
Scrogum, IAC Executive Director. “Statewide planning
grants are a significant step toward cultivating long-term
sustainability for arts education programs in the public
schools. This continuing work with the Illinois State
Board of Education aims to empower Illinoisans through
arts and foreign language education to achieve their greatest
potential – both in school and throughout their
lives.”
|
Arts/
Language |
Name of
School District |
Grant |
|
A |
Triopia CUSD 27 (Concord) |
$10,493 |
A |
Kankakee School District 111 |
$40,000 |
|
A |
Winnebago CUSD 323 |
$23,348 |
A |
Peoria PSD 150 |
$40,000 |
|
A |
Springfield PSD 186 |
$40,000 |
A |
Morton West HSD 201 (Berwyn) |
$38,335 |
|
A |
Evanston CCSD 65 |
$40,000 |
A |
Community HSD 218 (Oak Lawn) |
$10,103 |
|
A |
Farrington CCSD 99 |
$20,360 |
A |
Central CUSD 301 (Burlington)
|
$10,000 |
|
A |
Belvidere CUSD 100
|
$20,851 |
A |
Opdyke-Belle Rive Grade School CCSD 5
|
$10,535 |
|
A |
CUSD 303 (Saint Charles) |
$33,045 |
A |
Bronzeville Lighthouse Charter (Chicago)
|
$10,000 |
|
A |
Country Club Hills SD 160
|
$33,004 |
A |
Anna Elementary 37
|
$14,294 |
|
A |
McLean County Unit 5 (Normal)
|
$40,000 |
A |
Harlem CSD 122 (Machesney Park)
|
$40,000 |
|
FL |
Township HSD 113 (Highland Park)
|
$9,000 |
FL |
Barrington CUSD 220
|
$10,000 |
|
FL |
Prairie Grove CSD 46 (Crystal Lake)
|
$25,919 |
FL |
Harvard CUSD 50
|
$20,328 |
|
FL |
Fairfield PSD 112
|
$10,137 |
FL |
Danville School District 118
|
$30,786 |
|
FL |
Meridian CUSD 223 (Stillman Valley)
|
$23,042 |
FL |
Rochelle Township HSD 212
|
$23,325 |
School districts awarded grants demonstrated a great
need for additional funding for their arts and foreign
language programs and the ability to develop successfully
a comprehensive plan to strengthen their arts education
or foreign language programs. Grant recipients also detailed
plans to implement their plans in future years with local
funds.
Implementation grant requests are currently under review
for the purpose of introducing or expanding instruction
in the arts or foreign language and for developing means
of continuing the funded program with local and other
resources after the conclusion of the three year grant
period. Receipt of a Planning Grant is not a prerequisite
to eligibility for implementation funding. However, all
applicants must demonstrate that a comprehensive planning
process has occurred with respect to the program being
proposed.
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