Cuomo announces state education awards program

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the launch of a new competitive grants program for the state”™s school districts as part of ongoing efforts to improve student performance and encourage efficient spending practices.

Through the School District Management Efficiency Awards program, up to $75 million in grants will be distributed to school districts over the next three years that are able to trim unnecessary administrative costs while still maintaining a strong academic record.

“This competitive award program will reward school districts that reduce waste and cut through the bureaucracy to provide better education services to our students,” Cuomo said in an April 10 statement.

Per capita education spending in New York state ranks among the highest in the nation, but Cuomo said schools haven”™t been able to translate those dollars into results.

“For years, our state has believed the only way to fix education was to spend more of the taxpayers”™ money but while we spend more than any other state on education, we are still 38th in results,” Cuomo said.

State education dollars are primarily distributed through formula-based grants that don”™t take into account academic performance or sound financial practices.

Under the new program, grants will be awarded through a competitive process, with priority given to those proposals that best demonstrate the implementation of long-term efficiency practices that can be replicated by other school districts.

Applications must be submitted to the state Education Department by June 6. More information is available at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/funding/gc-12-010/.