Foundation awards New England school districts $3 million in grants

The 45 states that have fully adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are currently in the process of implementing them. As districts figure out what steps their institutions need to take to be Common Core-ready, some are finding they could use a little financial assistance if they are to successfully implement the CCSS.

In New England, 22 school districts chose to pursue additional funding through the Nellie Mae Education Foundation (NMEF), a charitable organization that is focused on education. The Foundation recently announced that seven school districts have been chosen to receive more than $3 million in grants thanks to Nellie Mae's New Approaches in Urban Districts initiative.

According to a Foundation press release, four districts are located in Connecticut, two are in Massachusetts and one is in Rhode Island. Each of these districts is committed to improving student learning by helping pupils develop skills that will be essential to success throughout their careers. 

"We are proud to work with these districts as they strive to shape the future of learning by implementing more personalized and tailored approaches," said Nicholas C. Donohue, NMEF's president and chief executive officer. "Our hope is that these grants will help these communities reshape educational opportunities to graduate a higher number of students prepared for 21st century success."