SC "Corridor of Shame" schools get 3.5 Million

  

What could be more fitting for our Education blog of the "Corridor of Shame" than an actual article about the Corridor of Shame? As of yesterday it has just been announced that the U.S. Department of Education awarded several middle schools in the South Carolina area $3.5 million for the GEAR UP program! The GEAR UP program stands "Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs". This money is aspired to provide partnerships and services at high-poverty middle schools mostly along the I-95 corridor. The described demographics for the participating schools in the GEAR UP programs are 70% of minority population, above the state average of a typical 36% in schools .Eighty-one percent of the students are on free or reduced lunch when the state average is 60 percent. Only half, 50 percent, of students in the target schools transition from high school to college versus 66 percent statewide. The main goal for the money use is for it to increase the number of low-income students in schooling and make them more prepared to enter and succeed in post secondary education. Will this money be beneficial? Only time will tell!

http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=669127

South Carolina budget cuts target education and health care

Although the budget cuts were passed in June of last year, the new budget proposed by the South Carolina legislature has an lasting impact on education in school systems in South Carolina for the 2011 school year. The budget cut agreed amount is 4.9 billion dollars. Over the past two years, South Carolina has already received more than $800 million in cuts. On April 14, hundreds of people rallied in the capital to oppose further cuts. This seems to of had an impact on the further cutback in spending/budget limit currently. The budgetary cuts are part of a nationwide austerity policy being implemented in states across the country, in hopes of preserving the profits of the wealthy corporations. It was mentioned interestingly that The school board still is deciding how to implement the cuts, which will definitely fall harder on district students who don't posses the same opportunities as other students outside of it. The budget cuts will have an impact on the resources available, which will certainly impact some students in less wealthier areas than others. For more information or to read this article go to www.wsws.org, and click on South Carolina budget cuts target education and health care.