Page 37 - The Edge - Back to School 2018

MISALLOCATED SCHOOL FUNDS In addition to misallocating Title I funds to the schools between
scal years 2014 and 2017, ADE essentially shorted its School
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36 Improvement Fund more than $20 million. Rather than rst going

A dra proposal from the U.S. Department of Education through that fund, Swiat explained last year, the money went
suggested there may be “downward adjustments” in Title I grants directly to the schools.
to schools that previously received over-allocations. According to the current plan, the Title I issue must be recti ed
However, Swiat said that is not the case. by the 2021-2022 school year.
e letter goes on to say the state may determine it has If the problem is not “fully corrected” by then or if the state
unneeded school improvement funds and choose to re-allocate department fails to comply with the agreement as currently laid
those dollars to schools that would otherwise see a decline in their out, the state may face some serious consequences.
allocations. According to the dra plan, U.S. Department of Education
In other words, it’s a shell game. e feds understand the state may revoke the state department’s authority to use Title I funds to
will determine those school improvement funds are unneeded and resolve the issue and may even go on to take additional actions, like
distribute them to schools. recovering non-federal funds in the amount of the misallocations.
School improvement funds are Title I dollars set aside for the Swiat said state education representatives will have a call with
lowest performing schools, the bottom 5 percent. federal representatives on August 7 to nalize the plan for Title I.

“We just have to x this.”
— State Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas

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