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SIG Aid Gives Schools Budget Relief—For Now

Pressures may rise once grants run out

By Andrew Brownstein

For the casual visitor, it's easy to miss that Southeast High School in rural Kansas—once among the lowest academic performers in the state—is in the midst of a profound transformation.

Like many other Kansas schools, the building in Cherokee (population: 722) shows the telltale signs of a suffering economy. Bus routes have been cut, as have supplies. Custodians, secretaries, and cafeteria workers took an eight-day pay cut. During the harsh winters, students bundle up to make it through classes where the temperature hovers at an uncomfortable but cost-saving 68 degrees.

But look deeper,...