Stats that Stick: May 2, 2012

Number of schools in Los Angeles seeking Charter School status: 24

The high-performing L.A. Unified campuses hope to gain funds and flexibility from the move while maintaining most ties with the district. Although many of the schools considered the move in hopes of greater funding, campus officials said they also began to see the benefits of increased freedom over such things as curriculum, testing and schedules.

Millions of dollars Chicago Public Schools must spend on tutoring: 16

Cash-strapped Chicago Public Schools is racing to spend about $16 million in federal tutoring grants by the end of the summer to avoid losing the money in a program plagued by dwindling participation and financial missteps.

Millions of dollars in federal funding available through competitive Head Start grant: 7.6

Some Head Start programs for the first time will have to compete for a share of $7.6 billion in federal funding under a plan aimed at weeding out low-performing preschool centers.

Percent of high school students who graduate in Shelbyville, Indiana:  90

Six years ago, with a graduation rate of 75 percent, Shelbyville was the poster child for the dropout crisis in America. Since then, the community of 18,000 has dramatically shifted its strategy and attitude when it comes to helping students get their diploma. Now, Shelbyville’s graduation rate jumped to 90 percent, but how did they turn things around?