Governor McDonnell Announces Virginia College Partnership Laboratory School Planning Grant Application

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that institutions of higher education can begin submitting applications for $600,000 in the Virginia College Partnership Laboratory School Planning Grants. These grants will be awarded to public institutions of higher education in Virginia that operate a teacher education program approved by the Virginia Board of Education. 

The planning grants will enhance teacher education and training as part of the governor's "Opportunity to Learn" agenda to improve K-12 education and will provide more flexibility, innovation and autonomy outside the traditional public school system with the creation of Lab Schools. This flexibility will help ensure that students have the opportunity to attend a school that best fits their individual learning style, while learning from quality teachers. 

"College partnership laboratory schools will give public school students new opportunities to learn in a challenging environment, taught by great teachers from Virginia's universities. These planning grant funds, which I included in my budget and the General Assembly approved, will move the process forward and encourage institutions to open Lab Schools in the Commonwealth." McDonnell said. "Teachers are the front line in Virginia's efforts to improve the outcomes for students in our schools and to create the educated, skilled and capable workforce of tomorrow." 

"It's our goal to award competitive grants that will facilitate and expand innovative and evidence-based practices, programs and strategies which significantly improve K-12 achievement and improve teacher and school leader effectiveness," Secretary of Education Laura Fornash stated. "We hope the grants will help applicants identify tools that they can use and generate promising lab school partnership models." 

Grant materials are available beginning Nov. 1. The grant period for the 2012 Virginia College Partnership Laboratory School Application Planning Grants will be from April 15, 2012 to Sept. 15, 2012 

In order to be considered for selection, applicants must submit a complete response. The application materials may be mailed, hand-delivered or commercially delivered to the following address. In addition, one copy of the proposal must be submitted via emailed to education1@governor.virginia.gov. 

Physical and Mailing Address:

Secretary of Education Laura W. Fornash
Office of the Governor
Patrick Henry Building1
111 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219 

Decisions about award amounts take into consideration a number of factors including the amount of available funds, the number of applications recommended for funding, and the amounts requested in the recommended applications. In the event that the total amount requested in the applications recommended for funding exceeds the total amount of available funding, awards will be adjusted to accommodate the difference. 

            For more information about the grants, visit: http://www.education.virginia.gov/

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