Federal education officials have awarded Kansas $4 million in school improvement grants to help turn around low-performing schools.

The grant for the Kansas Department of Education was announced Monday. The state was one of 13 nationwide to earn the grants, ranging from $26.8 million for Florida to $1.4 million for Delaware.

Kansas is one of six states to receive the money to begin a competition among previously unfunded, low-performing schools in the state. The other seven states are receiving funds for the third year of the school improvement grant program.

Local school districts will make grant applications to the state for a portion of the funds.