Federal funds to rain on local schools

Mastery Charter Schools will receive $7.4 million in federal grants over the next five years to add schools and educate more students, officials announced Thursday.

And the Children's Literacy Fund, a Philadelphia nonprofit that provides literacy training and materials for teachers of prekindergarten through third grade, has met conditions of a previously announced federal challenge grant and will receive a $21-million grant over the next five years. The funds will be used to help teachers strengthen children's reading skills.

The awards were among several education-related grants U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah announced Thursday.

The funds for Mastery, a Philadelphia nonprofit which operates seven schools in the city, includes nearly $1.1 million that will be used to attract, reward and support good teachers and principals.

Scott Gordon, Mastery's founder and chief executive, said his organization will use the bulk of the money to add schools and expand from 4,000 to 10,000 students over five years.

Mastery received $1 million from Oprah Winfrey's Angel Network earlier this week.

Federal grants also were announced for:

Philadelphia College Opportunity Resources for Education, which provides college scholarships of up to $2,000 for eligible high school students ($750,000).

Universal Companies to plan programs to help educate and support children in the Point Breeze and Grays Ferry communities and prepare them for careers ($500,000).

The University of Pennsylvania for African language programs ($185,617).

Jewish Employment and Vocational Services to develop an associate degree program for court reporting ($165,000).

Chestnut Hill College for a Center for Environment and Sustainability ($100,000).