LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / September 6, 2000

LULING – A total of $4.8 million in grants is expected to boost publiceducation in St. Charles Parish, according to a report presented to the St.Charles School Board Wednesday.

These grants come as dedicated state funding drops and the board is struggling with a dwindling fund balance.

Board member Steve Crovetto said late in the meeting he was concerned with the future of the district’s fund balance. 1999’s income was $66million, but the $67.5 million in spending was balanced by dipping into the fundbalance, leaving only $2 million.

Rachel Allemand, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, and Felecia Gomez, assistant superintendent, detailed the grants applied for and received for the 2000-2001 school term.

“The money does meet very specific needs in the district,” Gomez said, “and offer enhancements.”The grants include: Bell South Power to Teach grant, second year in a two-year program, for technology professional development, $70,000.

State and federal Classroom-Based Technology Funds, for purchase of Dreamwriter word processors and a projection TV, $89,691.

Federal High School Technology Leadership Award, for professional development and stipends to promote career pathways at the high schools, $99,975.

State 8(g) Competitive grant for purchasing laptop computers at Hahnville High School, $27,829.

Federal School-to-Career grant, $34,500.

Carl Perkins Fund for vocational equipment, $78,813.

Under preschool funding, the following grants have been received: Head Start federal funds, $734,967 to serve 300 students.

State early-childhood programs at A.A. Songy and St. Rose, $93,393. State early-childhood programs at Allemands Elementary, $77,900.

Federal early-childhood services and support for children birth to 3-year- olds, $386,958 in start-up funds, and $546,571 for first-year operations to come later.

Special education grants include: Infant/Toddlers with Disabilities, federal funds for summer instruction and evaluation services, $6,418.

Infant/Toddler Child Search, state funds for identification of those with disabilities, $6,851.

Preschool flow-through federal funds, $60,840.

Individual Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) flow-through federal funds, $590,480.

IDEA discretionary federal funds of $60,000.

Extended school year state funding, for a summer program for students with disabilities, $31,259.

Student achievement grants include: Title II science and math federal funds for Project STEP (Standards-based Teaching Extension Program) math staff development, $47,835.

Title I Reading Recovery federal funds for literacy parent centers and two preschool classes, $1,158,916.

Title IV Drug-Free Schools federal funds, $53,832.

Title VI Innovative Education Programs, federal funds for frameworks, writing, brain research, math and questioning techniques, $60,322.

Title VI class-size reduction (Clinton grant) federal funds of $218,913.

Academic Learning Center – 8(g) state funds for after-school tutoring at Carver Elementary, $49,997.

After School program for tutoring and enrichment programs at Landry Middle, $75,000.

Extended Learning Center 8(g) state funds for after-school tutoring at Destrehan High, $98,132.

LEARN for the 21st Century 8(g) federal and state funds for math facilitators, $79,645.

STEP math staff development for grades K-4, $24,995.

Transitional program for overage fourth-graders, $30,148.

Superior Textbooks social studies materials state 8(g) funds, $9,650.

Missoula Children’s Theatre Program, state funding of $4,000.

K-3 reading and math resource teacher for second-graders, $171,603.

Union Carbide Model Schools grant for restructuring, ninth and last year of the program, $150,000.

“There’s a few still pending,” Allemand said.

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