/After-school funding still up in the air

After-school funding still up in the air

A number of districts and schools in Mississippi are still unsure if they will receive federal funding for after-school programs. This is just a month into the schoolyear. Carey Wright, the State Superintendent, stated Thursday that “Everything is on offer,” Wright stated last month that there would be approximately $10 million in federal funding available for this year’s after-school grants. Officials from education announced that after-school programs were being halted due to an accounting error. Federal funds were not allocated for the correct category and it was unclear how much federal funding would be available this year. Wright stated that the department will decide which programs will continue and which will be discontinued based on past student outcomes and the number affected students. Wright said Thursday to reporters that the department was still validating August and July reimbursement requests from districts and schools. This will impact the final amount for school programs this year. She stated that she wanted to ensure that when the department makes a final decision, and says “We have x amount of dollars”, it actually has x number. Wright stated that she expected to have a plan in place by the end next week. After-school programs or 21st Century Community Learning Centers provide academic opportunities after school for students in low-performing and high-poverty schools. They are funded through federal Title IV money. Last year, the programs were used by approximately 29,000 students in the state. Title IV is a section of federal Elementary and Secondary School Act which provides federal financial assistance to specific educational needs.