Roosevelt schools win $1.8M federal grant

The Roosevelt school district, following a failed grant application in 2009, has won a $1.8-million federal award aimed at boosting low student performance there, the state announced Thursday.

Relieved local school officials said the new funding will be concentrated in the district's 700-student high school, which has languished on the state's lowest achievement list for the past 20 years.

Roosevelt is one of seven districts across the state receiving a combined total of $36.5 million in federal School Improvement Grants.

"We're very excited about the chance to bring transformation to our high school," Superintendent Robert-Wayne Harris said. "I can't tell you how much work has gone into this application."

Under federal rules, districts receiving such awards are expected to make substantial changes in their operations -- for example, by replacing school principals. Roosevelt High School already brought in a new principal, Stephen Strachan, from Los Angeles last year.

As a result, local officials said, this year's improvement efforts will focus on carrying out plans already drafted by the current administration.

Those plans include expanding some academic periods of English and math to 80 minutes a day, intensifying teacher training and hiring an assistant principal to monitor improvements.

Roosevelt officials, while expressing appreciation for the grant, noted that the new federal money will only partially replace cuts in state aid. For the current school year, the district is due to lose $1.8 million in regular state aid, as well as a special $6-million state improvement grant. The district's total budget is $84.3 million.

"They take away $6 million, and then they ask you to be creative," said Wilhelmina Funderburke, a school board member.

Albany took control of the Roosevelt district in 2002 -- the state's only school takeover ever.

Control gradually is being returned to a locally elected board, but the state still holds a veto over budgeting and major hiring.