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Classes begin for most schools in less than a month, and now districts are getting a look at how much in federal grant funding each has been allocated.
Allocation of Federal Grant Funding
“There is a lot of money going into our public schools,” said State Superintendent Ryan Walters.
The state will receive over $300 million in title federal funding. This is a $17 million increase from last year’s allocation.
The $300 million includes Title 1 funding for students in poverty, and IDEA funds for students with disabilities.
“The federal funds that follow individual students, based on poverty levels based on students with disabilities,” said Walters.
Oklahoma City Leads with Highest Allocation
Oklahoma City is topping the list at $27.5 million, followed by Tulsa school districts at $22.3 million. Then, the numbers drop substantially. Putnam City is next on the list receiving just over $9 million dollars.
“The benefit of these funds is they follow the student, and so it really anything related to that student’s education, they can be used on,” said Walters.
Smaller Districts and Funds Utilization
The smaller districts will receive much lower allocations, with six areas receiving less than $30,000. Freedom school district, home to just 39 students, is at the bottom of the list with an allocation of just over $17,000.
“We’re encouraging districts to utilize these funds on reading, on math, this is money that should be utilized for student learning directly,” said Walters.
Allocation to Moore, Edmond, and Norman Schools
Moore and Edmond schools were both allocated around $4.5 million, and Norman isn’t far behind at $3.5 million.
“We’re not going to rest, until we are ensuring every single child gets the education that they deserve,” said Walters.
Lawmakers Concerned About Delay
Many lawmakers have voiced their concerns in the previous weeks, pushing OSDE to release specific district allocations. They say historically, these numbers were available to districts before the end of the school year.
A handful of house members released statements following the release of individual allocations:
- “Historically, it has been available before the end of the school year. This delay meant districts had to defer those decisions at a time when it’s already hard to find quality teachers for our public schools,” said Rep. Andy Fugate (D-OKC).
- “Title 1 dollars help struggling students achieve. These tax dollars help provide reading and math interventions with targeted curriculum, class materials, teachers and staff. I am pleased that school districts can finally start building a budget that will help Oklahoma kids,” said Rep. Melissa Provenzano (D-Tulsa).
- “Federal Title dollars are a vital piece of the public education funding puzzle,” said Rep. Trish Ranson (D-Stillwater).
Next Steps and Competitive Grants
Walters says districts should be receiving the funds in the next few weeks.
“We want to ensure that the money is getting where it’s supposed to go and in a timely, efficient manner,” said Walters.
Walters says he’s hoping to release the numbers for competitive grants the state received in the next few weeks.
Full List of District Allocations
To read the full list of district allocations, click here: https://sde.ok.gov/federal-programs
