Federal poverty funding drop in Fayetteville changes plans in some schools

Principals and teachers are revamping plans because some schools are losing federal money for disadvantaged students.

Students at Washington Elementary School cannot attend an after-school program at the Boys & Girls Club every Friday, said Principal Ashley McLarty. The school district provided bus transportation to the program and to students' homes afterward. McLarty said a quarterly trip is being considered.

The Fayetteville School District this fiscal year will receive about $2 million, an 8.23 percent decline in Title I money from a year ago.

"We really have to watch the purchase of supplies and instructor fees," McLarty said. "There are no discretionary funds for classroom materials over and above what the district provides."

The cut for Washington amounts to about $20,000, McLarty said. "I'm still grateful because some schools don't receive any additional money but teachers put forth a lot of thoughtful ideas, put together a plan and then can't go forward with it."

The Rogers School District will receive about $86,000 less in Title I money this year than last. The district will receive $4.1 million, according to information provided by the district.

Title I money is used to supplement educational services for disadvantaged students. A school must have at least 40 percent of its students qualify for free or reduced price meals to receive the federal funding.

In Fayetteville, that money pays for nine special literacy teachers; four mathematics curriculum specialists; instructional software; purchased services and materials and supplies. Root and Vandergriff elementaries are the two Fayetteville schools that don't qualify for the federal money. Bellview and Janie Darr elementary schools in Rogers don't receive Title I money.

Fayetteville has lost 16 percent of its Title I money over the past two years, said Christy Jay, director of federal programs for the district.

Greg Rogers, director of agency finance at the Arkansas Department of Finance, explained the drop in Fayetteville's money because of a calculation used at the U.S. Department of Education. The Census Bureau reports poverty information to the Education Department which in turn makes adjustments to the school district allocations.

All school districts in Arkansas will receive less state special purpose money earmarked for professional development for teachers. Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers and Springdale will lose about 38 percent of the amount received a year ago.

The Legislature in 2013 reduced the amount allocated for professional development to offset increases to pay for health insurance, Rogers said. All districts this year will receive professional development money at a level of $26.67 per student. Last year, the amount was $44.45, Rogers said.

The National School Lunch Act program is intended to serve at-risk students with extra academic services, such as tutoring. Fayetteville expects to receive about $2 million; Bentonville, $2.1 million; Rogers, $4.7 million; and Springdale, $7.4 million. The Legislature is expected to take a look at changing the allocation formula during the 2015 session.

Fayetteville will receive $50,000, about $10,000 less than last year, in federal McKinney-Vento Homeless money, Jay said. The money is used to provide a social worker, transportation, materials and supplies, food, clothing and rental assistance to homeless students. The annual Homeless Vigil, sponsored by the High School Student Council supplements the program, Jay said. Bentonville, Rogers and Springdale don't receive funding in that category.

"We can't make up cuts at the building level in Title I funding," Jay said. "Principals have some discretion to rearrange their budgets."

Kristen Scott, principal at Owl Creek School, said reductions mean she and teachers prioritized services, especially assistance for students who are slow readers or need more help in math. A certified literacy interventionist position was cut, Scott said. The instructor took another position at the school.

"The hard part in setting priorities is there is nothing we don't need," Scott said. Her school, with 900 students, has a 60 percent poverty rate. "We're looking at more cuts next year."