By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – A Buffalo charter school is the recipient of a a 350,000 dollar federal grant. The State University of New York Board of Trustees this week approved the grant for the Stepping Stone Academy on East Ferry.
The grant is designed for new charter schools. Stepping Stone opened this past fall. Jeff Perez, with the Charter Schools Institute in Albany, said the grant will help the school develop and implement academic programs.
"It's very difficult to get a school up in the first year. There are a lot of challenges and everything is new," said Perez.
"Charter schools often have different and innovative educational programs. Part of the grant money is going to be used toward professional development of the teachers so they are more effective in operating in an education environment that holds everyone very accountable for progress."
Perez said the grant money is made available through the federal Public Charter School Program.