July 27, 2007
Texas Offers Schools $20 Million to Fight Childhood Obesity

The state of Texas is offering public and charter schools opportunity to apply for grants that will total $20 million over two years, to support physical education, nutrition, and fitness programs for middle school students attending schools where enrollment is at least 75 percent economically disadvantaged. The new Texas Fitness Now grant program will be administered by the Texas Education Agency, which will evaluate grant applications and award funds to schools. An estimated 700 schools are expected to qualify for grants of no less than $1,500 each. Described as part of the state's "continued fight against childhood obesity," the grant program is expected to benefit more than 270,000 students.