Gov. Nixon announces grants for new technology to assist students, teachers in Missouri schools
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Gov. Jay Nixon today announced that $4
million in grant funding has been awarded to 14 Missouri school
districts to help fund technology in the classroom and expand
technology-based teaching methods. Recipients were selected from
districts that participated in a competitive application process
administered by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education.
Using federal funds provided by the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, the education technology grant program is
designed to improve instructional strategies and student
achievement through eMINTS (enhancing Missouri's Instructional
Networked Teaching Strategies) or other research-based
instructional models. Most grant recipients will use the funds to
enhance or add new computers and technology to their classrooms, or
for teacher training to allow more students to receive instruction
through technology-based methods.
"Even in the face of tremendous budget challenges, my
administration has made education of Missouri's children a top
priority by fully funding the foundation formula and by providing a
record number of dollars for K through 12 schools in our state,"
said Gov. Nixon. "These education technology grants allow Missouri
to invest even more greatly in our schools. With more than $4
million going to districts across the state, more of our children
will be able to make use of 21st century technology in the
classroom and get instruction from educators skilled in using that
technology."
St. Louis City schools will receive $393,734 in new funding through
the education technology grant program, with two districts in St.
Louis County receiving a total of $368,346. Gov. Nixon announced
the statewide grant awards today during a visit to Carnahan High
School of the Future in St. Louis. Joined by U.S. Rep. Russ
Carnahan and representatives of U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay and
school officials, the Governor toured several areas of the school
in which special technology is utilized in the instructional
process.
Among the technology previewed by Gov. Nixon was a Mac computer
laboratory used for multimedia technology learning, as well as a
Project Lead the Way room which uses Promethean Technology - or
smart whiteboard systems - to assist in the teaching process.
Grants received by St. Louis schools will be used to implement
eMINTS professional development to help teachers use new teaching
strategies enhanced by cutting-edge technologies in the
classroom.
"We must grab onto any advantage we can in educating Missouri's
children, and the technology used by teachers in schools like
Carnahan High School gives us a powerful tool for investing in our
state's human capital," Gov. Nixon said. "Today's grant
awards are a down payment on the training of the next generation of
Missouri workers."
The following districts will receive grant funding in the following
amounts:
| DISTRICT | AMOUNT OF FUNDING |
| Arcadia Valley | $200,000 |
| Blue Springs | $184,346 |
| Cameron | $398,307 |
| Cassville | $399,392 |
| Columbia | $199,989 |
| Eldon | $192,192 |
| Ferguson-Florissant | $184,346 |
| Lebanon | $307,190 |
| Nixa | $196,465 |
| North Kansas City | $396,956 |
| Sedalia | $399,876 |
| Sikeston | $399,488 |
| St. Louis | $393,734 |
| Wellston | $184,000 |
| TOTAL | $4,100,090 |
