RALEIGH -- North Carolina is one of seven states receiving funding from the federal government aimed at helping improve the lowest-performing schools in the state. North Carolina, along with Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, are all divvying up the money.

North Carolina is getting the biggest chunk of the pie, according to the News & Observer of Raleigh, with $13.5 million. North Carolina State Superintendent June Atkinson says that schools will have to apply for the grant money and that the winners could receive money beginning next school year.

North Carolina has assigned over $140 million in federal school improvement grants to 61 schools in the last three years. Atkinson says that, statewide, there are 118 schools that are consistently low-performing.