1. Two years ago, the U.S. Department of Education awarded $650 million in Investing in Innovation (i3) grants, but grantees are now having trouble raising the more than $100 million in matching private funds.
  2. Twenty school districts and non-profits are set to share $150 million in the third Investing in Innovation (i3) competition. Eight will win up to $15 million, and 12 will win up to $3 million. No one won the largest “scare up” category worth $25 million, as that would have depleted the allotted funds.
  3. The U.S. Department of Education’s Innovation and Improvement program spent $940 million from 2008 to 2011 on charter schools.
  4. California, Arizona, and Florida collectively received $275 million in federal funds for charter schools between 2008 and 2011.
  5. Out of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009–the stimulus package–$3 billion was earmarked for school improvement grants. $2 million was awarded to each of more than 1,300 of America’s worst schools. Unfortunately, 34% of those schools actually posted lower math scores, while 37% had lower reading scores.