FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 7, 2005

Isakson, Chambliss Announce Funding for Georgia Leadership Institute

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) today announced that Georgia’s Leadership Institute for School Improvement , through the University System of Georgia, will receive a $326,688 grant to help develop the Rising Stars Leadership Preparation Program.

The Rising Stars Leadership Preparation Program is a performance-based, district-based educational leader preparation program. The Department of Education will distribute the funds. 

The Rising Stars project has been successfully piloted in 2004-2005, and the state of Georgia wants to replicate and institutionalize the program’s core principles and strategic elements statewide to high-need school districts.  The goal is to have 180 newly licensed school leaders prepared to quickly and positively impact student achievement in their home districts by 2008.

“I am pleased to announce this grant for the Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement,” said Isakson. “This funding will enable GLISI to provide leadership development programs to our educational leaders, try out innovative approaches, and research other promising methods to prepare future leaders for our schools.”

“Georgia educators will receive great training through this innovative program,” said Chambliss. “I commend the University System of Georgia and GLISI for administering this educational opportunity for the development of our future leaders.”