Area schools get big grants for educational excellence programs

Carson City schools will get more than $2 million in grants from the Governor's Commission on Excellence in Education and Douglas County schools more than $1.8 million.

The commission awarded specific amounts to each of the schools in each district based on applications submitted to pay for specific programs designed to improve the quality of student learning.

The grants are part of a package totaling $86.8 million to 464 schools in all 17 school districts as well as grants to the school districts themselves.

Carson City School District's total was just under two-thirds of the $3.2 million sought by the nine schools and the district.

Douglas County's 12 schools and the district itself received three quarters of the $2.4 million for which they applied.

Gov. Kenny Guinn and the 2005 Legislature appropriated a total of $91.9 million to give schools and districts throughout Nevada a chance to propose innovative reading, math and other programs. The only conditions were that the grants would be competitive and at least $22 million statewide had to go for full-day kindergarten programs.

The commission has about $5 million left for a small second round of grants for those schools which either didn't apply or received no award this time. The list of 60 schools whose applications were rejected includes Fritsch Elementary School in Carson City.

Lyon County also did well in the grants process, getting $3.2 million of the $4 million requested. But three schools - Smith Valley elementary and high schools and Fernley Middle School - were awarded nothing.

Churchill County's district and eight schools were awarded more than 85 percent of what they sought - a total of $1.2 million. But Lahontan Valley didn't receive an award, according to the report issued by the Nevada Department of Education early Friday evening.

In western Nevada, tiny Storey County, with just four schools and the district asking for grants, fared worst. The total sought in applications was $731,943 but the commission awarded just $229,304 - 31 percent of the grants sought.

Clark County, with more than 200 schools, received a total of $54 million. Washoe County schools received $15.2 million.

Superintendent of Education Keith Rheault said a total of $150 million was requested statewide, so nearly every request was reduced somewhat. He said he hopes to have the checks in the mail before the end of the month.

-- Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.