Rhode Island to receive a $33M education grant

PROVIDENCE, R.I.

Federal officials said Rhode Island will receive a $33 million grant to support state education jobs.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a statement released Wednesday that the money will "keep hundreds of teachers in the classroom" this academic year.

Duncan said Rhode Island was one of the first states to seek a share of the $10 billion education fund used to aid jobs in school systems across the country. He said the application was approved within a few days.

The money is distributed to states by a formula based on population figures.

States can distribute the money to school districts based on its own primary funding formula or their relative share of federal Title I funds targeting disadvantaged students.