Gov. Nathan Deal today announced 12 Innovation Fund grant award winners, a competitive grant program that provides more than $4.1 million to local education authorities and schools to further advance student achievement in Georgia.
 
“These deserving organizations and programs are dedicated to academic achievement throughout Georgia,” said Deal. “I am confident this funding will help give schools and education groups a greater opportunity to focus on STEM development and student growth. Together, we will continue working to ensure every Georgia student is given the tools necessary for academic achievement.”
 
The programs are aligned in the following priority areas: applied learning with a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, development and replication of blended learning school models and birth to age eight language and literacy development models. Grantees will evaluate the effectiveness of their programs and submit their findings to the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. The state will use these findings to determine best practices in STEM education, applied learning, birth to age eight language and literacy development and blended learning.
 
The grant award winners, along with a description of the type of grant awarded, are listed below.
 
Planning Grants
Planning grants will provide each winner up to $10,000 over one year to research and develop an innovative education program aligned with one of the Innovation Fund priority areas.
 
Baldwin County Board of Education
Read Baldwin County
 
Decatur County Schools
Building Personalized Learning Communities in Decatur County
 
Forsyth County Schools
Let’s Get Personal: Meeting Learners Where They Are
 
Rome City Schools – Elm Street Elementary
STEM in 3D – Dream, Design, DO!
 
Rome City Schools – North Heights Elementary
Growing Up Green
 
Whitfield County Schools
Beyond the Classroom
 
Implementation Grants
Implementation grants will provide each winner between $600,000 and $700,000 over two years to pilot an innovative education program aligned with one of the Innovation Fund priority areas.
 
Carroll County Schools
Step into STEM
 
Charles R. Drew Charter School
21st Century Literacy in the Making
 
Lowndes County Schools
BLAST – Boosting Learning Through Authentic STEM Teaching
 
Morgan County Charter School System
STEAM N-RG (Network-Resources for Georgia)
 
Scaling Grants
Scaling grants will provide each winner $700,000 over two years to scale a successful existing program to serve more students, teachers, or leaders.
 
Atlanta Public Schools
Read Right from the Start
 
Bibb County Schools – Westside High School
Westside Flexible High School and Modular Scheduling for Personalized Learning