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Meeting Date:
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6/6/2024 - 6:30 PM
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Category:
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Consent Calendar
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Type:
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Action
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Subject:
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Title IV, Part A Federal Grant
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ACPS 2025 Strategic Plan Goal:
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Goal 2: Instructional Excellence ACPS will ensure that all students have access to and engagement with high-quality instruction. Goal 4: Strategic Resource Allocation ACPS will strategically provide differentiated resources and supports to schools and departments.
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Funding Source or Fiscal Impact (where applicable)
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File Attachment:
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Agenda Item Summary:
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Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) has received a Title IV, Part A grant for the past seven years, with year eight beginning on July 1, 2024. In the first year (2017–2018), ACPS was awarded $81,865.25. The grant's focus was on health and nutrition projects focused on fighting childhood obesity on the west side of Alexandria, where kindergarten body mass index (BMI) data revealed a greater incidence of obesity among our young learners. This funding targeted four elementary schools: John Adams, William Ramsay, James K. Polk, and Patrick Henry K–8 School.
During the second year of grant operations, the funding expanded to $279,476.88. ACPS continued to focus on childhood obesity and funded projects relating to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) enrichment, Fine Arts enrichment, and Special Education (SPED) adaptive equipment. This brought our total elementary schools of focus to eight with the additional funding, adding the following four schools: Samuel W. Tucker, Ferdinand T. Day, Cora Kelly, and Mount Vernon Community School.
This year, our grant funding is currently up to $326,825.73, resulting in our Title IV team expanding our emphasis on STEM improvement in elementary and middle schools. In addition, due to increased funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, the Title IV Student Academic and Health Enrichment funding reduced emphasis on the COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) and other related requests and is prioritizing more funding to academics and health.
We are currently updating our spending plan with division stakeholders. The 12-member Title IV team will work to wisely and effectively execute this grant. Collaborative departments include Teaching, Learning, and Leadership, Facilities and Operations, and School and Community Relations.
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Background:
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This grant has multiple stipulations on how the money can be utilized. In brief, there are two main areas of concern:
1. Well-Rounded Education, including academic enrichment programs like STEM, SPED enrichment, and Fine Arts; and
2. Health and Safety, including physical education, PE/health, and school nutrition services with family cooking classes.
Tentatively, we are continuing with the following programs/initiatives:
Supporting elementary STEM labs and STEM classroom supplies
Expanding support for STEM pilot programming in the middle schools
Supporting science teachers with professional learning for new science equipment, i.e., 3D printers
Providing specialized instruction funding to prepare students for independent living
Expanding the arts with after-school and summer elementary and middle school music, choir, and theater programs
Offering Eat Smart, Move More nutrition and cooking classes to families in targeted communities and Title I schools.
Offering Independent Living for Specialized Instruction—nutrition and cooking classes
Expanding PE/health enrichment programs into our classrooms
2nd-grade swim lessons at the YMCA; and
3rd-grade bicycle lessons.
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Recommendation:
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The Superintendent recommends that the School Board approve the continued use of Title IV, Part A federal grant funding.
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Approvals:
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Recommended By:
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Signed By:
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Dr. Pierrette Finney - Chief Academic Officer
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Signed By:
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Dominic Turner - Chief Financial Officer
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Signed By:
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Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt - Superintendent
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Vote Results:
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| Original Motion | | Member Jacinta Greene Moved, Member Meagan L. Alderton seconded to approve the Original motion 'The Superintendent recommends that the School Board approve the continued use of Title IV, Part A federal grant funding.'. Upon a Roll-Call Vote being taken, the vote was: Aye: 9 Nay: 0. | | The motion Carried 9 - 0 | | | | | Meagan L. Alderton | Yes | | Jacinta Greene | Yes | | Dr. Michelle Rief | Yes | | Kelly Carmichael Booz | Yes | | Tammy Ignacio | Yes | | Christopher Harris | Yes | | Abdel-Rahman Elnoubi | Yes | | Dr. Ashley Simpson Baird | Yes | | Tim Beaty | Yes | |
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