Oklahoma To Receive School Improvement Grant

The U.S. Department of Education has announced that Oklahoma will receive a $5.5 million grant to help improve schools that are persistently identified as low performing.

Oklahoma is one of 10 states that will receive School Improvement Grant funding.

The grants was announced Monday by Education Department Secretary Arne Duncan.

"When schools fail, our children and our neighborhoods suffer," Duncan said. "Turning around our lowest-performing schools is hard work but it's our responsibility. We owe it to our children, their families and the broader community. These School Improvement Grants are helping some of the lowest-achieving schools provide a better education for students who need it the most."

According to a news release, the money is awarded to state education agencies to use for grants to local educational agencies that have the greatest needs who make a commitment to use the funding to improve student achievement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.