Governors Association makes grants to 13 states.

The National Governors Association's (NGA) Center for Best Practices has selected 15 states to receive grants to support statewide summits designed to improve student achievement through tutoring, mentoring, organized sports, dance, art activities or community service. Arizona, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming will each receive $10,000 from the NGA Center, with support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and The Wallace Fund, to conduct state summits on extra learning opportunities. Summits will be held between this fall and next spring.

The goal of the grants is to provide school-age children with recreational, academic and developmental opportunities that supplement the learning that takes place during a typical school day. Extra learning opportunities may occur during any time outside the regular school day. "Offering students extra learning opportunities creates a robust education environment," says John Thomasian, director of NGA's Center for Best Practices. "With support from their colleagues in other states and national experts, these states will take another step toward providing their students with the tools necessary to succeed."

A national review panel chose the states based on each governor's commitment to extra learning opportunities s and the summit objectives. At each summit, a range of state and local partners will develop an agenda for improving the quantity and quality of extra learning opportunities in the state. Summits will emphasize state and local collaboration opportunities that strengthen links between extra learning opportunities, improved student academic performance and positive youth development. For more information about NGA and the Center for Best Practices, go to www.nga.org.