District projects lower Title I funds; staff propose adjusted eligibility thresholds
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Summary
Polk County staff told the board that federal and district data shifts mean Title I allocations could decline; staff proposed sliding thresholds (elementary 73%, middle 70%) and noted final counts depend on April survey data and charter openings.
District staff told the Polk County School Board on Feb. 10 that changes in federal funding calculations and local direct-certification counts are likely to reduce Title I Part A allocations for next year and that staff are recommending modest changes to district eligibility thresholds.
Andy Baldwin, senior director for federal programs, said the U.S. budget passed Feb. 3 but state and district allocations can still shift when the Department of Education applies the distribution formula. "In the past, we've been able to roll forward approximately $15,000,000 each year. And this year, we're anticipating we'll only have about $10,000,000 to spend," Baldwin said, attributing the expected decline to lower allocations and higher current-year spending.
Baldwin explained Polk uses direct certification counts for Title I eligibility (students identified through SNAP, homelessness, migrant status and similar indicators) and that the district's percentage of children of low-income families (CLIF) has fallen, reducing Title I shares. Based on current Survey 2 data, he said 111 schools project above the 75% CLIF threshold that would require Title I services. To preserve support for some current Title I schools, staff proposed a district adjustment that would set an elementary threshold at 73% and a middle-school threshold at 70% and allow limited grandfathering where appropriate.
Board members questioned drivers behind the CLIF changes and data reliability. Chair Mister Sharpless noted a steep drop in the CLIF counts and asked whether the district saw a true demographic change or a data artifact; Baldwin and Hyde said final Survey 3 counts in April will be determinative and flagged changes in SNAP eligibility and statewide migrant population shifts as contributing factors.
Baldwin also outlined operational details of Title I use: most schools allocate 90'95% of Title I funds to staffing (reading coaches, interventionists, paraeducators), with other uses including professional time, summer programs and curriculum subscriptions. He reiterated that charter and private-school service obligations are handled according to statute (charters identified the same way and private schools receive an equitable amount of service purchased on their behalf; the district cannot pass funds directly to private schools).
No board vote was taken at the workshop; Baldwin asked the board to use the next two weeks to submit any questions before a formal agenda item.