School districts around San Diego County will receive millions of dollars to help with the transition to the newly adopted Common Core Standards, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today.
The new standards are designed to provide students with the "deeper learning, critical thinking and other skills they need to prepare for college and a career,'' according to the state Department of Education.
The San Diego Unified School District, the state's second-largest, will receive nearly $22.5 million, according to a spreadsheet provided by department.
The money can be used to train teachers, buy new materials and purchase technology to help schools adapt to the new standards.
Among other districts, the Chula Vista Elementary School District will get more than $4.6 million; the Escondido Union High School District, around $3.5 million; the Grossmont Union High School District, nearly $3.7 million; the Oceanside Unified School District, $4 million; the Poway Unified School District, $7 million; the San Marcos Unified School District, almost $3.9 million; the Sweetwater Union High School District, $8.1 million; and the Vista Unified School District, almost $4.5 million.
Charter schools within each district were also provided funding.
"The start of a school year is always exciting, but this year is something special,'' Torlakson said. "We're challenging every part of our education system to remodel itself, and, step by step, give students the tools to achieve their dreams. And after years of cuts and turmoil, we're finally able to start making the investments necessary to turn those dreams into a reality.''
The state budget includes $1.25 billion to help districts switch to the news standards, and the $622 million released today represents the first half of distribution. The rest will be sent to the districts next month.
The total amounts to $200 per student, according to the Department of Education.
