05.27.03

Cantwell Announces $210,000 Federal Award for Technology Learning Program in Clark County

Senator meets with students, faculty at Covington Middle School to see program in action

VANCOUVER, WA – Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) today announced that Clark County would receive $210,000 in federal funds for technology learning programs over the next year. Cantwell made the announcement at Covington Middle School while visiting with students and faculty to see the school’s program in action.

“This federal grant will go a long way towards helping students improve their academic performance in Clark County,” Cantwell said. “I am pleased that Covington Middle School is adopting this innovative strategy to use technology to help students enhance their scholastic achievements.”

The $210,000 will help fund programs such as the “TEENQUEST” after-school program in the Evergreen School District. The TEENQUEST program, which will receive $43,910, provides disadvantaged middle school students with a structured after-school program to enhance their academic and technical skills.

Cantwell authored a key provision of the federal legislation that funds the grant received by Clark County. Working with Senators Jim Jeffords (I-VT) and Mike Enzi (R-WY), Cantwell helped rewrite title II(d) of the No Child Left Behind Act to consolidate and streamline separate competitive grant programs into a single, more efficient program called “Enhancing Education Through Technology.” The consolidation of the programs has resulted in more local school districts receiving federal education technology funds. In addition, Cantwell’s amendment focused the program on training teachers in the use of technology and developing curriculum using technology in the classroom as a learning aid. Under the new program, the state’s funding level under Title II(d) increased by nearly 50 percent, from $5.6 million in FY01 to $8.3 million in FY03.

Cantwell also announced that as a whole, SW Washington will receive $1.138 million over the next two years in Title II(d) funding.

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