Courtney Announces Groton Public Schools Awarded $750,000 STEM Grant from Department of Defense
(Norwich, CT) - Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) announced that Groton Public Schools had been awarded a $750,000 grant as a Military-Connected Local Educational Agency by the Department of Defense (DOD). The grant funding will be used to increase Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) comprehension among GPS students.
"This funding is great news for Groton Public Schools, and it will go a long way to bolster their already impressive STEM education initiatives," said Courtney. "Department of Defense dollars are particularly important for towns like Groton where the school system serves a large number of military families. Because military families who live on base do not pay local taxes, schools rely on the federal government for additional funding. I have been a strong supporter of federal support for school districts like Groton and Ledyard to make sure the children of military service members are provided with quality public education, while not forcing local communities to pay the bill."
The DOD grant funding is part of the Grants to Military-Connected Local Educational Agencies for Academic and Support Programs (MCASP) that is intended to strengthen family-school-community relationships and enhance student achievement for military dependent students. MCASP are 5-year grants that aim to strengthen family-school-community relationships and to improve student achievement for military dependent students. Applicants may choose to design their projects with academic goals, military-connected support goals, or a combination of both.
Groton Public Schools also receives funding from the DOD through the Impact Aid program which reimburses school districts for the loss of revenue caused by the presence of nontaxable Federal property, including military installations like Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton and the tribal land. It helps ensure that students who attend schools on or near federal property have access to a quality education.
Last week, Courtney was presented with the Friend of NAFIS Award which celebrates recipients for outstanding contributions to the Impact Aid Program.
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