HARRISBURG, PA: Governor Edward G. Rendell was joined today by Gail Levin, the Executive Director of the Annenberg Foundation, to announce a grant of $31 million from the Foundation to the Commonwealth to be used for reading and math coaches for teachers in Pennsylvania's most underprivileged school districts. 

"The Annenberg Foundation, in an act of tremendous generosity and dedication to our children, has gone above and beyond the call of duty and come to the service of the children of this state who need it most," the Governor said today.  "If we do not provide our children with a high quality education, our state has no future.  The Annenberg Foundation understands this fact, and continues to exceed even the highest expectations placed upon it by my friends, Leonore Annenberg and the late Ambassador Walter Annenberg."

The grant of $31 million is to be used over 3 years.  Sixty-three school districts will benefit from these grant funds as they are matched with state resources.  Each school building will be able to hire a master's level teacher who has demonstrated expertise in teaching reading or math.  These teacher coaches will observe classroom teachers and train them to use strategies, curricula, and resources to ensure that all students in the classroom are able to keep pace and reach their full potential.

In 1993, Ambassador Annenberg announced the largest private gift ever granted by a foundation to public education - the $500 million Challenge Grant to Improve Public Education - at the White House.  The grant was a magnet that was quickly matched by $600 million from business, other foundations, universities and individuals.  The grant improved educational conditions in 2,400 schools across 35 states. 

While Governor Rendell was Mayor, Philadelphia was fortunate to be a recipient of Ambassador Annenberg's generosity in many venues and projects. Through the national Challenge Grant, Philadelphia received $50 million to fund the Children Achieving Challenge.  Over five years, the match was raised, and combined the funds enabled the roll-out of full day kindergarten for every student in the District - close to 10,000 entering students annually.  The grant also was used to fund staff training, recruit 10,000 volunteers to work in the schools and offer services to augment those provided by teachers and other school staff, improve technology access, extended learning for student who were falling behind, and connections to health and human services for students.

Reading and math coaches will be tasked with the following:

* model successful instructional strategies in the classroom that help teachers target and improve specific practices;

* develop strategies for assisting new and under-performing teachers to gain skill and confidence in the classroom;

* ensure that teachers clearly understand the links between standards, assessments, curriculum, and instruction;

* help school staff assess the effectiveness of instructional strategies by engaging them in analysis and reflection; facilitate ongoing, on-site professional development for teachers in literacy and math based on analysis of student work and achievement data;

* support teachers by brokering instructional needs with principals and the district office;

* and assist teachers and principals in building a professional learning community in which adults value their own and each other's continued learning. 

"This is a major step for public education, and I could not be prouder than to stand with Gail and the Annenberg Foundation to announce it," Governor Rendell said.  "A new day is on the horizon for our children and our future.  If we all work together, we can turn decades of educational dormancy into a future of distinction, and improve the lives of our children and our families."