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Coconino superintendent says delayed Secure Rural Schools funds will help districts cover payroll; county recommends 90% to schools, 10% to roads
Summary
County staff recommended distributing the late FY24 Secure Rural Schools Title I allocation with a 10% roads / 90% schools split and routing the full 90% directly to districts; Superintendent Cheryl Mango Pageant said the funds will relieve urgent cash‑flow pressures for some districts.
Coconino County officials told the Board of Supervisors on April 20 that delayed Secure Rural Schools (SRS) payments for federal fiscal year 2024 would be distributed promptly and proposed sending the full Title I school share to local districts so they can meet pressing cash needs.
County Manager Andy explained that a reauthorization lapse had delayed SRS funding; the county received the remainder of FY24 funds in March 2026 and recommended a Title I split of 10% for roads and 90% for schools. Superintendent of Schools Cheryl Mango Pageant said she would pursue a streamlined distribution so districts could receive funds immediately, and she stressed the urgency: "some of these dollars right now are going to allow one of our schools to actually meet payroll this summer." The county followed with a proposed timetable for a consent item to authorize the distribution and to open the required 45‑day comment period.
How funds will be allocated: staff proposed a district formula that uses 50% average daily membership (ADM) and 50% acreage for school districts; charter schools would receive allocations based on ADM. The FY24 Title I pool available for local distribution was presented at roughly $2.5 million after required Forest Service and Title III set‑asides.
Why it matters: Several districts told county officials they are facing end‑of‑year cash pressures and could use the one‑time SRS payment to avoid short‑term cash‑flow problems. Staff said they will move promptly to get funds into district accounts while conforming to federal and county comment‑period requirements.
What’s next: The board indicated support for the staff recommendation; county staff will prepare the consent item for the next regular meeting and begin the comment period required for SRS Title III allocations.
