Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Federal Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bettendorf superintendent warns held federal Title funds and potential Medicare changes could affect programs and staffing
Summary
The Bettendorf Community School District told its board July 24 that several federal Title grants that support instruction and student services remained on hold while Title I funds were released, and that possible federal Medicare/Medicaid changes could threaten roughly $1.2 million in school-year Medicaid reimbursements.
The Bettendorf Community School District on July 24 told the school board that several federal grants that support instruction and student services remain withheld and that a change in federal Medicare/Medicaid rules could reduce the district’s Medicaid reimbursements, potentially affecting programs or staffing.
Superintendent Dr. Morrison said the district has been notified that Title I funds were released but that Title II, Title III and Title IV funds remained on hold. "These funds are critical to the work we do," Dr. Morrison said, explaining Title II supports professional learning and instructional supports, Title III supports English learners (largely routed through the Area Education Agency), and Title IV supports student academic enrichment, career readiness and school-based mental-health therapists.
Dr. Morrison gave board examples of typical annual amounts: Title II funding for the district runs "anywhere from $85,000 to about $100,000 a year," Title IV is "around $30,000 to $40,000 a year," and Title I supports academic interventionists and summer programs the district runs in partnership with Spring Forward. Dr. Morrison said Spring Forward funded opportunities helped about 90 students this year, up from about 50 last year.
The superintendent said withheld funds could force the district either to reduce programs and staff or to shift costs into the general fund. "If funding is eliminated entirely, this could impact a reduction of programs, potentially staff at some point in time," Dr. Morrison said.
Board members also asked about Medicaid reimbursements. Dr. Morrison credited the district’s Medicaid specialist, Horton Bridal, with increasing reimbursements and said the district collected about $1.2 million in Medicaid reimbursements in the most recent school year. She said changes at the federal level to Medicare/Medicaid could have a "detrimental effect" on that revenue stream and thus on the district’s budget.
Dr. Morrison asked trustees to consider advocacy: she said district leaders had circulated a message from the Urban Education Network and suggested contacting congressional representatives to ask for release of the withheld Title funds.
The board did not take action on the funding hold beyond the discussion and request for possible advocacy; the superintendent and staff said they would provide additional information as it becomes available.
