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RPS staff outline Title I–IV grant allocations for 2025–26, note return of private‑school equitable services to districts
Summary
RPS staff presented draft Title I–IV applications for 2025–26, reporting level funding anticipations and program allocations (Title I ~ $17.5M; Title II $1.4M; Title III supports for multilingual learners; Title IV ~$485K); staff noted equitable services for private schools will be administered by divisions this year.
Richmond Public Schools staff presented draft Title I–IV federal grant applications Monday, explaining how the division plans preliminary allocations and program uses for the upcoming school year.
Sydney Gunter, director of academic programs and supports, said the division uses level funding in its application and that final allocations will be confirmed when state and federal notices arrive later this summer. She gave the Title I summary: “Level funding would be about 17.4, almost $17,500,000,” with personnel and benefits (excluding set‑asides) of about $11,600,000 to fund interventionists, reading and math coaches, graduation coaches and family liaisons.
Gunter noted several set‑asides in Title I: early childhood (VPI) staff support, targeted supports for students experiencing homelessness or family transitions (McKinney‑Vento/CFIT supports), family engagement, and the return of equitable services for private‑school students — a change from previous practice when the U.S. Department of Education used a vendor to manage those funds.
Presenters described Title II allocations (Mr. Rodney Robinson and other staff): “Personnel and benefits is 1,400,000.0, which covers 10 class size reduction teachers, 2 teacher development coaches, an office assistant, and half of the manager salary for the new teacher support,” and noted remaining professional development funds will be drawn from prior‑year carryover where possible.
Title III (multilingual learners) staff said they increased academic supports in the Title III budget to include an instructional platform component and that Title III will continue to cover personnel and professional development to support multilingual learners. Presenters also reminded the board that the division has conducted bilingual recruitment events.
Title IV staff (Cassandra Veil, director of curriculum and instruction) described proposals to expand Panorama (social‑emotional/assessment tools) to high schools, enhance Raptor services for school safety and security, and fund AP for All and STEM supports at middle schools. The presenters said private‑school equitable services will again be included in each Title application; districts must administer those services for eligible private‑school students.
Board members asked clarifying questions about McKinney‑Vento funding, Project Hope and migrant education; staff said they would follow up with the board for details and timelines and noted some national grant policy changes remain possible.
