Improving Student Achievement: What Works and Innovation Fund

The What Works and Innovation Fund, first authorized by the Recovery Act, will support competitive grants to LEAs and partnerships between non-profit organizations and LEAs that have made significant progress in improving student achievement or other areas to scale up their work and serve as models of best practices. The additional $100 million requested for 2010, combined with Recovery Act funds, would support the following:

1. the evaluation of promising new initiatives and approaches to determine if they are suitable for scaling up;
2. expanding the implementation of effective practices across districts and States;
3. supporting the development of "model districts" that use multiple evidence-based strategies to increase student achievement; and
4. leveraging partnerships with the private sector and the philanthropic community to develop, scale up, document, and disseminate best practices for improving student achievement.