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Board approves 2025–26 consolidated federal grant application as state allocations fall
Summary
Administration reported estimated declines in several federal Title allocations; the board approved the consolidated grant application and authorized district representatives to submit the final application.
The Grand Forks Public Schools board on June 9 approved the district’s consolidated application for 2025–26 federal Title funding after an administration presentation that warned of estimated decreases in several allocations.
Matt Bakke (presenting staff member) told the board that estimated federal allocations were lower across multiple Title programs and that the district’s Title I funding was projected to decline by about $220,000; the district-wide estimate across all federal titles was a $275,000 reduction compared with 2024–25. Title IV (well-rounded, safe and healthy, and technology) was estimated at $389,740 for 2025–26, down from $444,782 in 2024–25 (a decrease of about $55,000). The board approved the consolidated application and authorized Bakke to submit the final application as the district’s authorized representative.
Nut graf: The consolidated application organizes Title I (academic supports), Title II (professional development), Title III (multilingual learner supports) and Title IV (well-rounded, safe/healthy students and technology) funds; administrators emphasized that allocations are formula-driven at the state level, may change when final numbers arrive, and that staffing funded by these grants is often supported by multiple funding streams.
Details presented
- Title I: Bakke said Title I’s purpose is to close achievement gaps and reported school-level allocations with some schools down and some up depending on rank-and-serve formulas tied to free/reduced counts. He cited an estimated $220,000 decrease systemwide in Title I funding compared with 2024–25.
- Title IV: Estimated at $389,740 for 2025–26 (down from $444,782), with required minimums on how funds are used (minimum 20% on well-rounded education and 20% on safe and healthy students, and a 15% cap on spending for devices/equipment). Administrators said reductions would affect staffing such as MTSS coordinators and other positions funded partly by Title IV.
- Title II and Title III: Bakke described Title II as focused on staff professional learning (instructional coaches, mentoring and ML teacher training). Title III funds support multilingual learner (ML) programming and professional development; the district has a full-time ML coordinator but Bakke cautioned Title III allocations remain relatively small compared with needs.
- Homeless and neglected/delinquent set-asides: The district anticipated an estimated $98,000 set-aside for homeless services to cover transportation and basic needs supports and supported positions such as the homeless liaison.
Board response and action
Board members asked technical questions about which allocations were formulaic (Bakke said allocations are determined at the state level and distributed by formula, with Title I rank-and-serve calculations done by spreadsheet), and discussed advocacy around low Title III funding for ML students. After the presentation the board voted to approve the consolidated grant application for 2025–26 and authorized the designated representatives previously approved to submit the final application; the motion passed on a roll-call vote.
The application was approved as an administrative recommendation and will be submitted once final state allocation numbers are received.
