33 schools in the Philadelphia region will share $58.7 million in federal grants

Fifty-seven struggling Pennsylvania schools - most of them in Philadelphia - will share $101 million in federal grants over three years to boost student achievement.

In the region, 33 schools will split $58.7 million.

But the money comes with strings attached.

The schools must adopt one of four reform models that trigger changes such as replacing principals or at least half of their teaching forces, bringing in outside management, or closing schools and transferring students to higher-performing ones.

Schools in the Philadelphia, William Penn, and Southeast Delco districts, plus the Philadelphia Montessori Charter School and the West Philadelphia Achievement Charter School learned Thursday that they would receive between $679,200 (Park Lane Elementary in Darby) and $4.2 million (Lincoln High in Philadelphia).

The Chester Upland School District, which applied for $6 million in grants for two schools, was not awarded any money.

Districts will still be able to apply for an additional $40 million to be awarded this year, Pennsylvania Department of Education spokesman Steven Weitzman said Thursday.

In this round, the Philadelphia School District led the way, with 27 schools receiving grants.

Its six Promise Academies - turnaround schools run by the district, with longer school days and years and mostly revamped teaching forces - all got awards, as did seven Renaissance Schools, failing district schools turned over to charter organizations.

Philadelphia Superintendent Arlene Ackerman said the money would allow the district to accelerate improvements.

"These funds will enable us to bring a number of important initiatives to the district's lowest-performing schools," she said in a statement.

Specifically, the money will help pay for Imagine 2014, Ackerman's five-year plan, which incorporates many of the strategies the grants stipulate.

The School Improvement Grant program began in 2002 and received a major shot in the arm with the one-time addition late last year of $3 billion in stimulus funding.

Thomas E. Gluck, acting Pennsylvania education secretary, praised the awardees in a statement.

"I applaud the schools' willingness to take on this ambitious work and for their commitment to making real changes in schools where too many students are not achieving the progress needed for success," he said.

Earlier this year, New Jersey announced $45 million in grants for 12 schools, including two Camden elementary schools. The state will award an additional $28 million next school year.

These schools in the Philadelphia area received money.

Philadelphia School District

Vaux High: $1.4 million

Sayre High: $2.4 million

Olney West High: $900,000

West Philadelphia High: $2.2 million

Roxborough High: $2.1 million

University City High: $2.8 million

King High: $2.4 million

Frankford High: $2.4 million

Fels High: $3.0 million

Germantown High: $2.6 million

South Philadelphia High: $1.8 million

Gratz High: $1.6 million

Edison High: $3 million

Lincoln High: $4.2 million

Alcorn Elementary: $1 million

Daroff Elementary: $2 million

Smedley Elementary: $948,600

Bluford Elementary: $2 million

Ethel Allen Elementary: $772,500

Harrity Elementary: $2.5 million

Douglas Elementary: $913,800

Clymer Elementary: $1.3 million

Locke Elementary: $1.3 million

Feltonville Intermediate: $776,000

Mann Elementary: $2 million

Clemente Middle School: $1 million

Stetson Middle: $2.7 million

Charter schools

Philadelphia Montessori Charter School: $852,600

West Philadelphia Achievement Charter Elementary School: $892,600

Southeast Delco School District

Academy Park High: $2.6 million

William Penn School District

Penn Wood High: $1.8 million

Park Lane Elementary: $679,200

Penn Wood Middle: $855,000

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