Agenda Item
G.03. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funds 2009-10 Proposed Ideas for Expenditure (REVISION #2) (Board Governance Policy: OE-10)
Meeting:08/04/2009
Category:G. STUDENT INSTRUCTIONAL MATTERS
Agenda Type:ActionPreferred Date:
Fiscal Impact:Absolute Date:
Dollar Amount:$16,000,000.00Budgeted:Yes
Budget Source:Title I Funds
Agenda Item Content
ECOMMENDATION: Approval of the expenditure of ARRA funds on the following proposed programs: Offset loss in Title I allocation to schools in 2009-10 ($3,500,000); Modified Idea (7) proposal for a lower class size in Grades K-2 at designated schools with a class size of 16.5:1 ($8,899,404) and an associated expenditure of $9,306,015 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding; Training for school site councils and instructional leadership teams in school planning ($760,282); and the adoption of the Idea (10) Proposal to expand/implement Grade 9 student mentoring/leadership and attendance incentive programs in the amount of ($593,707) in ARRA funding.

Approval of one or more proposals to equal total American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Available Funding of $13,753.393.00. (Amount available once required reservations and indirect costs are deducted.)

FISCAL IMPACT: New funding to the district in the amount of $16,000,000.

BACKGROUND: The American Recovery and Reinvestment at (ARRA) funds are intended to provide additional assistance to school districts and schools that have high concentrations of students from families that live in poverty, in order to help improve teaching and learning for students most at risk of failing to meet state standards and to close the achievement gap. The school district and its schools must use their Title I, Part A, ARRA funds consistent with Title I, Part A, statutory and regulatory requirements.

The ARRA provides the San Diego Unified School District with $16 million in new funding for fiscal year 2009-10 for programs under Title I, Part A, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). Of this amount, the total to be reserved for Parent Involvement, Professional Development, and Equitable Services to Private School Students is $2,246,607. Accordingly, $13,753,393 remains for expenditures on educational programs and services to achieve the guiding principles of the ARRA.

The board considered Ideas for Expenditure of ARRA Funds on July 14 and July 21, 2009. On July 21, 2009, the board approved the adoption of Idea (1) proposing the expenditure of $3.5 million in ARRA funds to offset the loss in Title I allocations; and Idea (7) proposing the expenditure of $9 million in ARRA funds for the maintenance of a class size of 15:1 in Grades K-2 at designated schools (the board added Adams and Encanto elementary schools to the number of participating schools for a total of 25 schools).

This report recommends a modification to Idea (7) in that the class size reduction strategy to a student:teacher ratio of would be maintained at 16.5:1, rather than at 15:1 in Grades K-2 at the 25 schools previously approved by the board on July 21, 2009. This slight increase in the student:teacher ratio from 15:1 to 16.5:1 would allow for all 25 schools to be accommodated, as well as to support the need for 5.3 prep time teachers to serve these schools. The cost to implement this project is based on an average teacher salary of $76,719 per FTE. The total cost is $8,899,404 $9,306,015 or $306,015 more than the board previously approved on July 21, 2009.

In addition, this report recommends the adoption of Idea (10) concerning the expansion/implementation of Grade 9 student mentoring/leadership and attendance incentive programs. These programs include: 10 to Succeed, a mentoring/leadership program for Grade 9 boys; the Young Women’s Leadership Development Program, a mentoring/leadership program for Grade 9 girls; and GAME (Good Attendance Means Everything) On!, an attendance incentive program for Grade 9 students. The program and administrative costs required to implement Idea (10) this strategy is $593,707.

This report also recommends the expenditure of $760,282 for training for School Site Councils and Instructional Leadership Teams in School Planning.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides the San Diego Unified School District with $16 million in new funding for fiscal year 2009–10 for programs under Title I, Part A, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). ARRA funds are intended to provide additional assistance to school districts and schools that have high concentrations of students from families that live in poverty in order to help improve teaching and learning for students most at risk of failing to meet state standards and to close the achievement gap.

The school district and its schools must use their Title I, Part A, ARRA funds consistent with the Title I, Part A, statutory and regulatory requirements, including the requirement to provide equitable services to eligible private school students. Uses are to be aligned with the guiding principles of the ARRA:

  • Spend funds quickly to save and create jobs and avert layoffs.
  • Improve student achievement through school improvement and reform, including providing intensive support and effective interventions for the lowest-performing schools.
  • Ensure transparency, reporting and accountability. ARRA funds are subject to additional and more rigorous reporting requirements than would normally apply to grant recipients.
  • Invest one-time ARRA funds thoughtfully, in ways that do not result in unsustainable continuing commitments after the funding expires.

    [Originator/Contact: Brenda Campbell, Executive Director, Federal and Special Programs, Office of the Deputy Superintendent, 619.725.5605, bcampbell@sandi.net]

    ARRA Funds Brd Rpt, Rev #2, 8-4-09.pdf ARRA Rankings, 8-4-09.pdf Title I High Schools 2009-10.pdf 10-to Succeed Program Design, Years 1-3.pdf Student GPA Data.pdf

    Created on 07/22/2009 at 05:41 PM by Jolene Ress. Last update on 08/04/2009 by Josefina Viorato.