The U.S. Department of Education has afforded Pennsylvania the opportunity to extend the waiver previously granted under section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) to extend the period of availability of the fiscal year 2013 School Improvement Grant (SIG) funds awarded under Section 1003(g) of the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended, until September 30, 2019.  This request to extend the waiver, submitted pursuant to section 9401(d)(2) of the ESEA, would permit the Pennsylvania Department of Education, in accordance with  criteria the Pennsylvania Department of Education develops, to identify and allow local education agencies with Cohort 4 SIG schools additional time to expend remaining FY13 SIG funds in those schools.

The SEA seeks this extended waiver because some Pennsylvania LEAs have implemented educational programs that have greatly improved the opportunities for their students and have successfully initiated systems to turn around previously low achieving school. The SEA believes that the additional time is in the public interest and will enable qualifying LEAs to ensure that their Cohort 4 schools are able to use remaining FY 2013 SIG funds to support continued full and effective implementation of selected SIG intervention models.

Notice of Approval to Extend FY12 School Improvement Grant (SIG) 1003g Funds Through September 30, 2016.

These schools have been approved on August 31, 2015, to implement the waiver allowing the extension of the use of 2012-13 SIG funds through Sept. 30, 2016.