Danville school district finalizes proposals for funds
DANVILLE – After months of planning, Danville school officials have finalized grant proposals for the $3.6 million in federal stimulus funding that the district is eligible to receive.
On Wednesday, they will present to school board members a proposal for $1.8 million in Title I funds, and one for $1.72 million in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part B and $63,000 in IDEA special-education early childhood funds.
"We plan to have a balance of staff development, learning materials, technology and equipment updates," Superintendent Mark Denman said. And because the district met certain benchmarks for special education, he said, the district can use half of the IDEA money, a little more than $880,000, to rewire Cannon Elementary School.
The Title I funding proposal is due to the state by Nov. 2, Denman said. If it's approved, he added, the district could begin spending the money fairly soon.
"We've been told by other districts that the state may send it back for clarification," Denman said, adding local officials will provide that if necessary. "We want to make sure we get it right and that we make the best possible use of this one-time allotment to the district."
Of the Title I funds, close to $275,000 would be spent to provide on-site training opportunities to teachers, according to Diane Hampel, the district's educational support programs director. Another $269,897 would be spent on materials for core and intervention reading instruction.
And $521,424 would be spent on new technology, including classroom computers and a data and assessment management system. Other funds would go toward parent involvement activities and summer school, among other things.
"We believe these expenditures will support the initiatives we have implemented this year in the elementary reading program," Hampel wrote.
Besides rewiring 85-year-old Cannon, $254,539 of the IDEA Part B money would go toward new technology, including laptops, desktop computers, projection units, whiteboards and other equipment, according to Special Education Director Steve Runyon.
Close to $52,000 would be spent on teacher training expenses; $154,432 would go to curriculum, assessment and intervention materials, scoring and other software and test kits; and $165,630 would be spent on early intervening services, including materials, data management costs, professional development activities for Response to Intervention and the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program.
About $55,000 would be spent to hire an itinerant special-education teacher for the alternative program, and $53,617 would be spent to hire an informational tech support staffer to install and maintain all of the new technology.
Other funds would go toward parent activities, data management and special equipment, among other things.
Also at the meeting, Administrator Tracy Cherry-Hoskins will give the board an update on the alternative education programs, including the move of several classrooms from Fair Oaks to Laura Lee Fellowship House.
Board meeting
The Danville school board will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Jackson Administrative Building, 516 N. Jackson St.
Also on this date
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- Danville man pleads in 2006 shaking death of child
- First Busey loss for 3rd quarter: $283 million
- UI faculty members applaud outgoing leaders
- Lane closure planned on Neil Street for sewer work
- County's bomb-sniffing dog dies
- Man accused of molestation has next court appearance
- Glimpse of new Washington School presented
- Trick-or-treat hours in area communities
- Obituaries