SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced a $12.5 million dollar expansion of the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Effective School Program during a visit to the Rosa Duarte Public Elementary School in the Dominican Republic.

This new five-year $12.5 million dollar increase in the USAID Effective School Program will allow an additional 450 public schools to access a full range of programming in reading, writing, math, and school administration. This project is fully supported by the Ministry of Education and will be implemented by USAID partner Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM).

The Effective School Program will train first through fourth grade teachers in improved methodologies and better use of available materials and classroom time. Additionally, it supports improved school management by increasing the capacity of school administrators and the community to participate in the shared responsibility of educating children.

During the visit, Secretary Clinton accompanied by the Dominican Minister of Education, Melanio Paredes and PUCMM Rector, Monsignor Agripino Núñez Collado, and School Principal Sister Victoria Reyes toured the school facilities. The Secretary had the opportunity to meet with teachers and students and important local authorities.

During the initial implementation of the activity, USAID provided for training of more than 3,000 teachers, principals, Dominican Ministry staff, and trainers have been trained and there now exists higher quality math and reading instruction in more than 200 schools, benefitting more than 90,000 students.

Carly Esther Peralta, a second grade student, read a story to Secretary Clinton. This story will be included in the next edition of the Sueños, Fantasias y Más Storybook published by the program.

For more information about USAID, please visit: www.usaid.gov.