Womans Club offers scholarships

According to a Warren Times Observer article, the Warren Woman's Club will offer scholarships this year. Four merit-based scholarships for students who will be enrolled in post-secondary education next year are available. Three $650 scholarships are offered through the Woman's Club, and the club is supervising a Bridge Club one-time memorial scholarship in the amount of $655 in honor of Marian King. Applications are available at the county's public high schools, the Warren-Forest Higher Education Council, the Woman's Club, and by visiting www.warrenwomansclub.org. Applications must be received by March 15. Contributions to the Marian King Scholarship or the Woman's Club Scholarship are welcome.

Dollar General Adult Literacy grants

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is accepting applications for its Family Literacy and Adult Literacy Grants Programs.

Family Literacy Grants provide funding to family literacy service providers. The foundation uses the federal government's definition of family literacy when reviewing grant applications. Organizations applying for funding must have the following four components: adult education instruction, Parent and Child Together Time (PACT), children's education, and parenting classes. The maximum grant amount is $20,000.

Adult Literacy Grants provide funding to nonprofit organizations that provide direct service to adults in need of literacy assistance. Organizations must provide direct literacy-based programs and services that focus on one or all of the following adult literacy issues: adult basic education, general education diploma preparation, or English as a second language. The maximum grant amount is $20,000.

Applicants must be a qualified 501(c)(3) organization, a K-12 private or public school, a college or university, or a public library. Organizations must reside in and provide direct service within Dollar General's 35-state market area and must be located within twenty miles of a Dollar General store.

Visit the Dollar General Web site for complete program guidelines, eligibility quiz, and store locator.

Entertainment Software Association Foundation Offers Grants for Youth Programs

[From Philanthropy News Digest] The Entertainment Software Association Foundation is dedicated to supporting positive programs and opportunities that make a difference in the lives of America's youth. The foundation seeks to harness the collective power of the interactive entertainment industry to create positive social impact in its communities. The foundation supports geographically diverse projects and programs that benefit American boys and girls of all races and religions.

To be eligible for funding, an applicant must be a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization; seek funding for a specific project or program that is or will be implemented or available nationwide or at a minimum in two or more states in the United States; serve American youth between the ages of 7 and 18; and provide programs and services that utilize technology and/or computer and video games to educate America's youth and young adults.

The grant application deadline is April 15, 2010, for projects to be implemented in 2011. Proposals received after April 15 will be considered for the subsequent funding cycle. Applications are accepted year-round and are reviewed annually in May/June. Final decisions are made in July/August for the following calendar year. First-time awardees can receive grants of up to $50,000 each.

For more information and application, visit the ESA Foundation Web site.

Recover Act Education jobs

On Jan. 30, the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board released job numbers showing that Recovery Act education funding played a significant role in stabilizing the nation's economy and in staving off a major fiscal crisis in 2009.

For the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2009, grant recipients reported over 300,000 education jobs, such as teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors. In total, the Department of Education funding supported approximately 400,000 positions including corrections officers, public health personnel, and construction workers. These numbers are consistent with the data submitted in October during the first round of Recovery Act reporting.

The consistency of these jobs numbers reflects the steady and profound impact of Recovery Act funding that is being used to fill over $40 billion in projected state education budget shortfalls for FY '09 and FY '10. State and local budgets remain strained, but the second round of ARRA reporting makes clear that most school systems throughout the country would be facing more severe fiscal situations without this funding.

President's Education Budget Signals Bold Changes for ESEA

President Obama's 2011 education budget signals a bold new direction for federal K-12 education policy with more competitive funding, more flexibility and a focus on the reforms likely to have the greatest impact on student success.

All told, the president's budget includes $49.7 billion for the Department of Education's discretionary programs, an increase of $3.5 billion over fiscal year 2010. The budget also includes $173 billion in loans, grants, tax credits and work-study programs to help students go to college.

The proposed budget includes a $3 billion increase in competitive funding for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the largest increase ever requested for programs under the 1965 law. This includes $1.35 billion to continue Race to the Top, $500 million for the Investing in Innovation Fund, more money for school turnarounds, charters, school safety and programs around preparing, retaining, and rewarding effective teachers and leaders. See the full story here.

Race to the Top: Phase I

Forty states, including Pennsylvania, submitted applications to compete in Phase 1 of Race to the Top. Those 41 applicants are listed here. (Today was the deadline for submitting those applications.)

Also today, President Obama announced plans to expand Race to the Top and requested $1.35 billion for the program in his FY 2011 budget. See the White House press release and blog post about the announcement. Listen to a conference call during which Secretary Duncan discussed Race to the Top with reporters, or read the transcript.

Disability Education grant comments sought

Public comment is invited regarding the Department of Education's (Department) proposed grant application under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA-B). The annual grant application provides assurances that the State's policies and procedures in effect are consistent with the Federal requirements to ensure that a free appropriate public education is made available to all children with a disability from age 3 to 21, including children who have been suspended or expelled from school. The current policies and procedures are available for viewing at http://www.education.state.pa.us (go to ''Programs,'' go to ''Special Education,'' go to ''Funding Sources,'' go to IDEA-B Policies and Procedures 2009). Written comments will be received until April 30, 2010.