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Pre‑K applications surge; district reports full use of ESSER funds
Summary
Federal programs staff reported steep growth in public pre‑K applications for 2025–26 and confirmed the district has expended all ESSER funds. The report gave school‑level application counts and said redesign funding is decreasing as school performance labels improve.
At the April 8 meeting Sarah Raschel, who presented the federal programs monthly report, told the board the district has received 163 pre‑K applications as of April 7 for the 2025–26 year, up from 93 at the same point last year. Raschel said 96 of this year’s applications are already complete.
Raschel provided school‑level application counts the board asked for: Marthaville 16; Fairview 11; Provencal 33; Magnet 40; and LP Vaughn 63. She described outreach efforts that included daytime registration events, evening family sessions supported by the Rapides Foundation, and active follow‑up by early childhood staff and principals.
Raschel also told the board the district’s redesign grant award for 2025–26 has decreased — a trend she attributed to improved school labels — and that the district and teaching-and‑learning staff have planned to use the award to maintain supports for students and teachers. She said the district has finished spending its ESSER funds: “We spent every dime,” Raschel said, noting that the Department of Education has signaled it will not approve additional ESSER allocations for districts that still hold unobligated funds.
Board members applauded the federal programs team for outreach and application‑processing work. Raschel invited board members to an ongoing parent program and noted the district is continuing targeted enrollment events to increase access to public pre‑K.
