Four schools added to federal improvement program

Four Iowa schools have been added to a federal program intended to boost student achievement. State Department of Education consultant Jim Graeber says the four schools will split 280-thousand dollars. Graeber says the program allows the school districts to hire outside consultants to evaluate their weaknesses.Graeber says the consultant money is usually directed to schools with low student test scores or high rates of poverty, which he says often go hand in hand.Graeber says the state hopes the funds will be available to the schools for three years.The new schools bring the total involved in the program to 20. The four new schools are: West Elementary in West Liberty, Fulton Intermediate in Dubuque, Wells-Carey Elementary in Keokuk and Washington Elementary in Council Bluffs.