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Jefferson SD 14J outlines how Student Investment Act dollars were used and plans broader stakeholder outreach for next three-year plan
Summary
District staff told the board they spent $141,256.87 of a $232,000 SIA allocation last year on counselors, a community support agent and a student support specialist and said they expect roughly $661,000 for the current school year and will hold town halls and targeted outreach to build a new three-year plan.
Kathy, the district's SIA lead, told the Jefferson School District 14J board on Nov. 8 that last year's Student Investment Act (SIA) funds went to staffing and student supports and that the district will seek broad community input before setting a new three-year plan.
"In the end, we spent $141,256.87 of our $232,000 allotment," Kathy said, adding that those dollars funded “a counselor at the elementary school (half SIA, half Title I), a community support agent to reach Latino families, a student support specialist at the high school and summer school at all three buildings.”
The district's technology director also secured federal Emergency Connectivity Fund support: Superintendent Brad said the district received $99,600 to replace older laptops.
Why it matters: SIA funding is intended to support students who have historically experienced academic disparities. The board must approve any new SIA plan; staff described a series of outreach steps planned for winter and spring to gather input from parents, students, business owners and other stakeholders.
Kathy told the board the district expects roughly $661,000 in SIA funding for the current school year and will again focus on social-emotional supports, targeted academic interventions and stakeholder engagement. "Our job now is to engage as many stakeholder groups as possible," she said, urging the board to watch for town-hall invitations beginning in January.
Board members asked how stakeholders will influence decisions; staff replied that stakeholders provide input but the final plan and budget will come back to the board for a vote. Kathy said the district will analyze historical data and the return on prior investments as part of drafting the plan and will present proposed changes to the board in April or May for formal approval.
The presentation included a summary of lessons learned during the pandemic-era planning cycle: staff emphasized adaptability, the importance of remote supports, partnership work with local providers and ongoing evaluation to determine whether newly funded positions should be continued, changed or replaced.
Next steps: staff will circulate notices of stakeholder meetings starting in January and return proposed SIA allocations and the three-year plan to the board for a vote next spring.
