(dollars in thousands)
| OFFICE | FY 1997 Appropriation | FY 1998 Appropriation |
| Title I | $7.7 billion | $8.02 billion |
| Impact aid | $730 million | $808 million |
| Special education state grants | $3.79 billion | $4.53 billion |
| Immigrant education | $100 million | $150 million |
| Title VI block grant | $310 million | $350 million |
| Eisenhower grants | $310 million | $335 million |
| Vocational education state grants | $1.11 billion | $1.13 billion |
| Migrant education | $9.4million | $9.7 million |
| Educational technology programs | $200 million | $700 million |
| National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) | $32 million | $35 million |
| Head Start | $398 million | $4.30 billion |
| Charter schools | $50 million | $80 million |
| Goals 2000 | $491 million | $491 million |
Guy W. Sims
In fiscal 1997, the Muscogee County, Ga., public schools received $1.38 million in federal impact-aid funds.
Muscogee County Superintendent Guy W. Sims said his 32,500-student district would likely use any additional money for technology, such as wiring schools to use the Internet and buying more computers.
Mr. Sims said impact aid is vital to his district because the nearby Fort Benning Army base takes a tremendous chunk out of the area’s property-tax base. The district may use some impact-aid funds for special education.
“We always are seeing a real critical need of being able to hire enough special education teachers.”
--Guy W. Sims
Superintendent, Muscogee County, Ga.
Jayne W. James
Money in the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund will more than double next year, reaching $425 million. The money is vital to Kansas, which has no state program to pay for computers and Internet connections.
In the current school year, the state’s grant totaled $1.5 million, which was not enough to go around. Only 70 of the state’s 304 school districts received money, either in direct aid or as part of a consortium.
This year, Kansas expects to receive $3 million, said Jayne W. James of the Kansas Department of Education.
“Right now, we have a strong need for the infrastructure. This could not have come at a better time.”
--Jayne W. James
Technology Coordinator, Kansas Department of Education
Allen D. Glenn
The $335 million in the Dwight D. Eisenhower professional-development program will go to colleges of education, as well as school districts.
Under the 1994 law that reauthorized the program, 14 percent of each state’s grant flows to higher education. Many universities also are serving as contractors to school districts. Allen D. Glenn, the dean of the University of Washington college of education, said the program is an important one.
“It certainly allows us to work with schools and districts in professional development. It’s a model that works.”
--Allen D. Glenn
Dean, University of Washington
John Richardson
Sunny Slope Elementary School in Port Orchard, Wash., received about $1,100 in Title VI block grant funds in fiscal 1997.
Principal John Richardson said his 510-student school will use Title VIfunds this year to buy mathematics teaching tools for at-risk students.
Teachers at Sunny Slope have had great success teaching concepts such as fractions with math manipulatives, which are hands-on learning devices, he said.
“Without the money it would mean that we wouldn’t be able to have these things we’ve purchased that really make a difference.”
--John Richardson
Principal, Sunny Slope Elementary School
John C. Brophy
Funding for local grants under Title I will be flat next year. But, for the first time, the program will support specific comprehensive efforts to reform high-poverty schools using models that are proven to work.
The initiative will receive $120 million from Title I and $30 million from the Fund for the Improvement of Education. Calaveras County, Calif., Superintendent John C. Brophy said the funding could support the kind of reform likely to make a difference.
“Just doing a pullout without a very specific set of skills that kids are expected to master ... is a waste of money.”
--John C. Brophy
Superintendent, Calaveras County, Calif.
Jim Dryden
At Youth’s Benefit School, a 1,200-student school in the affluent Baltimore suburb of Fallston, Md., federal dollars account for about 9 percent of the $8,052-per-pupil expenditure on students with disabilities.
Principal Jim Dryden said the 19.7 percent increase in special education state grants for fiscal 1998 will be a great help.
With more federal funding, Mr. Dryden hopes to hire additional special education staff. Youth’s Benefit, which has 174 students receiving services, has four full-time special education teachers and one part-time instructor, as well as one full-time and one part-time speech pathologist.
“The demands and expectations for special education are mushrooming annually, while the resources are trickling.”
--Jim Dryden
Principal, Youth’s Benefit Elementary School
