Wilson Announces Grant over $5.4 Million for Richland School District 2

Today, U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson announced that Richland School District Two has been awarded $5,449,335 through a Magnet Schools Assistance Program Grant by the U.S. Department of Education. This grant will be funded over a 3-year period, with $1,999,719 in funding during the first year."This is terrific news for children in the Midlands, as over 2,700 students will see the positive effects of this funding," said Congressman Wilson. "I want to personally thank the staff of Richland School District Two, and especially Project Director Elaine Delk and Superintendent Steve Hefner. Their efforts are increasing the educational opportunities for our children, and we will continue to work together to make sure these positive steps continue."Richland School District Two's Magnet Schools Assistance Program will establish and operate two new elementary magnets (K-5), one new middle school magnet (6-8), and one new high school magnet (9-12).The goal of ImPACT (Improving Performance through Arts, Communication and Technology) is to reduce minority group isolation at Conder Elementary School, Dent Middle School, and Richland Northeast High School and to prevent minority group isolation at Forest Lake Elementary School. This initiative creates a cultural corridor which will bring a diverse group of students to the schools in the southern end of the district to participate in high-quality academic magnet programs: an arts infusion school at Conder Elementary, a technology-integrated school at Forest Lake Elementary, a media literacy program at Dent Middle, and a stellar, newly-designed convergence media program at Richland Northeast High School.The Magnet Schools Assistance program provides grants to eligible local educational agencies to establish and operate magnet schools that are operated under a court-ordered or federally approved voluntary desegregation plan. The statute defines a magnet school as a public elementary school, public secondary school, public elementary education center, or public secondary education center that offers a special curriculum capable of attracting substantial numbers of students of different racial backgrounds.Magnet programs aim to eliminate, reduce, or prevent minority group isolation in elementary and secondary schools while strengthening students' knowledge of academic subjects and their grasp of marketable vocational skills. The special curriculum of a magnet school attracts substantial numbers of students from different social, economic, ethnic, and racial backgrounds and provides greater opportunities for voluntary and court-ordered desegregation efforts to succeed.###