Page County schools detail grants portfolio: Title programs, school improvement and CS education grants

District staff gave an extended overview of federal and state grant programs supporting Page County Public Schools, including Title I, II, III and IV allocations, school-improvement funds, a community schools award and targeted microgrant money.
Mister Hopkins told the board Title I funding for the current grant year is projected at about $1 million and said the grant typically pays salaries for Title I teachers and assistants. He also said Title 2 funds support staff development and endorsements (iTeach), with a projected FY25 allocation (stated in the presentation as about $137,000). Title 3 funding supports growing English-learners: the division reported roughly 80 English learners this year, up from historically about 50; the speaker said Title 3 funds are tightly restricted and currently estimated at about $5,000 for targeted materials and supplies.
Staff described Title 4 investments in STEM and materials, and said a portion of Title 4 funds has historically shifted toward salary increases required elsewhere in the budget; the presenter said the division set aside about $10,000 for Title 4 activities this year.
The presentation also covered a school improvement (SIG) award that supports targeted schools designated TSI and ATSI (Page Middle and LES were named). Department presenters described investments in professional development and materials tied to those awards and in a Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant that provided $14,000 for early literacy supports at LES and a separate $30,000 award for professional development at Page Middle.
The division reported a community-schools grant that funds family engagement, hygiene closets and after-school resources; the speaker said award letters were pending and that the division has combined multiple awards into nearly $2 million in total grant revenue across several programs over recent years. A microgrant of $10,006.25 was presented to support attendance and family engagement events tied to a pilot cellphone-free initiative.
Separately, Mister Samples and colleagues described an Advancing Computer Science Education (ACSC) grant proposal that would expand K–5 computer science supports, involve 18 teachers and produce exemplar lessons shared on the GoOpenVirginia platform. The ACSC proposal requested a total of $72,351.59 for stipends, substitutes, FICA and classroom materials.
Board members asked clarifying questions about EL staffing, timing of reimbursements and how grant rules differ. Several grants were presented as informational; the board approved one computer-science grant application that required a filing deadline before the next board meeting.