U.S. aid coming to violent schools

0 Comments | Philadelphia Daily News, July, 2008 | by MENSAH M. DEAN deanm@phillynews.com 215-854-5949

A GROUP OF Philadelphia's most violent high schools have been awarded whopping federal grants totaling more than $42 million to help expand educational and employment opportunities for students, the  Daily News  has learned.

In announcing the awards yesterday, President Bush's Department of Labor noted that of the nine high schools chosen to share in $49.5 million in grants, seven are from Philadelphia.

"We are so excited, we worked so hard on this," said Cassandra Jones, the school district's interim chief academic officer.

Jones, who headed up the effort to win the funding, said the money will be used to boost instruction and professional development and to hire mentors for students.

Through partnerships with the private sector, schools also will place...