The Education Department announced that it will award $150-million to nonprofits and school districts in the second round of grants for school-improvement projects under the Investing in Innovation program. Also known as “i3,” the program will provide the money to groups that can show evidence they will be successful.

The grant amount is down from $650-million last year, when i3 first received money under the federal economic-stimulus program. That money went to 49 groups, including $50-million each to Teach for America, the alternative teacher-training program, and the Knowledge Is Power Program, also known as KIPP, which operates charter schools.

The department said applicants for this year’s grants must focus on one of the following:

• Turning around persistently low-performing schools.
• Supporting effective teachers and principals.
• Helping schools develop high…

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