Florence Darlington Tech, Florence 1 get federal grants

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded grants to Florence-Darlington Technical College and Florence School District 1 in the amounts of $397,602 and $976,709, respectively.

Florence-Darlington Tech will receive funding under the Strengthening Institutions Program. The purpose of the program is to help eligible institutions of higher education to become self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students by providing funds to improve and strengthen their academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability.

U.S. Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., said, in making the announcemnt, the grant will provide Florence-Darlington Technical College with the funding to expand their Math Hub to include all pre-curricular mathematics courses and transition selected curriculum mathematics courses to the hub.

“This type of investment will lead to lasting, measurable, documented increases in student learning,” Spratt said in a press release.

Florence 1 was awarded the funds under the Teaching American History Grants Program.

“In 2001, I voted to establish the Teaching American History Grant Program and am proud to see it directly benefit a school in my district,” Spratt said. “The grant is designed to raise student achievement by improving teachers’ knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of American history.”

Florence 1 will use the grant to partner with South Carolina colleges and provide professional development for 50 teachers, enabling them to advance their expertise in traditional American history content.

“Supporting secondary and post-secondary education has always been a top priority of mine and I am delighted to see these two schools receive grants,” Spratt said.