District briefs board on federal and state grants, flags Title I and IDEA funding declines and school‑nutrition gap
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Summary
Staff told the board Title I allocations are shrinking, IDEA funds will decline modestly next year, and school nutrition faces a structural deficit requiring general‑fund supplementation; district plans targeted interventions and internal reallocations to sustain services.
City Schools of Decatur grant managers updated the board on March 10 about federal and state funding that support instruction, special education and nutrition services, warning of program‑level pressures even as some grant awards rise.
Tiffany Lundy summarized Title I (ESSA) funding: the district receives basic Title I allocations due to its relatively smaller eligible student population; FY26 combined Title I allocations (including transfers) were $336,848 while FY27 projections fell to about $286,320. Staff said declines reflect updated census‑based eligibility metrics and noted the district intends to preserve instruction by using transferability options (moving Title II/A and Title IV/A funds into Title I) and by adopting a school‑based approach to family engagement after eliminating a centralized liaison role.
Special education leaders reported IDEA Section 611 funds (~$967,500 in FY26) will be projected to decrease about 3% to approximately $937,500 in FY27. The district will maintain required set‑asides (including 15% for Comprehensive Coordinated Early Intervening Services where disproportionality exists) and prioritize paraprofessional salaries; three paraprofessional positions will shift from grant coverage to the general fund to sustain services.
School nutrition: Staff said participation revenue has not kept pace with rising food and benefit costs. The school nutrition program faces a projected FY27 deficit of approximately $881,000 that the general fund will need to supplement. Operations options include pricing review, marketing to increase participation, strengthening menu offerings and co‑op purchasing, and evaluating adult sales to grow revenue.
Board members asked for more detail on the drivers of fund reductions, the contingency plans for sustaining services if federal allocation falls further, and the precise dollar shifts to the general fund; staff said they will provide additional breakdowns and incorporate those figures into subsequent budget revisions.
Representative quote: "As Title I funding declines, we will shift to school‑based engagement models and use transferability to protect instructional impact," Tiffany Lundy said.
The board requested follow‑up reports quantifying exact general‑fund supplements and the effect of proposed staffing reallocations on service delivery.
