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Board highlights ESSA grant work and urges families to return Free and Reduced Lunch forms
Summary
Board members stressed that federal ESSA funding (Title I–IV) depends on verified counts and urged families to complete free-and-reduced-lunch forms; the district reported 536 returned forms, representing just under 40% of the student population used for funding calculations.
Board members and administrators said the district is actively working on ESSA grant applications (Title I–IV) and urged families to complete confidential Free and Reduced Lunch forms because federal allocations depend on verified participation counts.
One board member explained that ESSA funds — including Title I for intervention salaries and Title II for professional development — are allocated based on the number of students who meet eligibility thresholds and whose forms are returned; if families do not submit paperwork, the district’s reported eligibility numbers fall and ESSA dollars may be reduced.
The district cited that 536 students had completed the forms and qualified for Free and Reduced Lunch in the last reporting cycle, putting the district just under a 40% threshold used for allocation. Board members said forms are available in English and Spanish on the district website and stressed confidentiality of the process.
What’s next: The district will continue outreach with PTOs and community partners to boost form return rates before funding allocations are finalized. No direct funding decisions were made at the meeting; this item was shared to support outreach and grant application efforts.
