School division staff told the board Monday that the Virginia Department of Education reallocated roughly $216,000 in previously allocated Title I funds that private schools did not spend in 2024‑25.

Under federal Title I equitable‑services rules, money follows eligible students; RPS staff said the returned funds are being held while each private school is given another opportunity to spend the allocation through May/June. Any amounts not expended by private schools would revert to Richmond Public Schools and could be used for Title I services.

Dr. Shannon McCall, director of Grants Monitoring and Compliance, said the application before the board lists allocations and participating private schools (19 schools were listed in the narrative tab). She told members the district has already completed needs assessments for participating students and that service plans would allocate funds based on the number of participating children identified in each school.

Board members asked when the district will know how much returns to RPS; staff said the first review would occur in May, with a final June reallocation if funds remained unspent. Members also discussed procedures for administering the funds: RPS will manage purchases and contracts for tutoring and other services, staff will monitor expenditures and staff hired to serve private‑school students will be RPS employees with RPS payroll and oversight.

The item was presented as a first read; staff indicated it could move to the consent agenda at the next meeting for approval.