Rockford Public Schools awarded $100,000 foreign language grant

Chinese is just one of the languages offered in Rockford Public Schools’ foreign language curriculum, and now with a large grant in their pocket the school, elementary through high school, will be able to expand the curriculum.

According to excerpts from the story:

Rockford Public Schools' dedication to expanding the system's foreign language program paid off in a big way recently when the school was awarded a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

In a ceremony held at the high school last Thursday morning, Rockford Superintendent Mike Shibler accepted the Foreign Language Assistance Program Grant from Department of Education representative Todd Zoellick.

The $100,000 represents the first installment of a three-year grant, designed to assist the school system with establishing and maintaining its extensive foreign language offerings.

"We received the grant in part because we have a Spanish immersion program in grades one and two and will be adding a year each year through fifth-grade," Shibler said. "Also, we've started teaching Mandarin Chinese to our ninth graders, and will be adding a year of that each year."

Read the complete story here.

Enjoy this story? Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.