Editor's note: This story was originally published in the .
Grant School District 110 failed to apply for several federal grants in recent years, leaving nearly half a million dollars in funding on the table, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.
The Fairview Heights school district was in March by the state board of education because it failed to submit certain financial information, such as its fiscal year 2023 and 2024 adopted budgets, in a timely manner.
The state board also cited the district鈥檚 long-term deficit spending, reliance on working cash bonds and failure to apply for several federal grants since fiscal year 2020.
That last factor was concerning to staff and parents who spoke at the district鈥檚 two board meetings since the state board鈥檚 certification.
鈥淒oing right by students is a district who puts students first, fighting for every possible dollar and educational resource available on time,鈥� said Rachel Pehle, vice president of the Grant-Illini Federation of Teachers and social studies teacher at Grant Middle School, at the .
On average, Illinois school districts get more than half of their funding from local property taxes, about a quarter from the state and the smallest percentage from the federal government in the form of 鈥渇ormula grants.鈥� Formula grants are not competitive and school districts that meet predetermined criteria are allocated funds.
The grants flow from the federal government through state agencies 鈥� in Illinois, that agency is the state board of education 鈥� to local school districts. Districts have to apply for them annually.
According to the state board of education, District 110 failed to apply for several of those grants, which totaled $493,147.
The largest chunk of the lost dollars was , which school districts get to improve educational outcomes for students from low-income families.
Superintendent Matt Stines did not respond to requests for comment but has previously said that turnover in the district鈥檚 bookkeeper position from December 2021 to July 2023 led to incorrect bank reconciliations and a 鈥渟nowball effect鈥� of late submission of financial documents to the state.
There were other years and grant programs for which the district didn鈥檛 successfully submit an application, but it was able to carry over its allocation into the following fiscal year and still receive the federal funds.
For example, the district didn鈥檛 apply for its $244,138 allocation of Titles I, II and IV funding in fiscal year 2020, but it was able to carry over that funding and access it in fiscal year 2021 in addition to its 2021 allocation. The district carried over a total of at least $565,000 in federal grant dollars since 2020.
District 110 can still get $571,666 in federal grant funds for fiscal year 2024, according to the state board of education. Since applications are actively underway, the total amount available continues to fluctuate as applications are approved.
The district has submitted the fiscal year 2024 application for its $172,216 allocation through the , for example, and the state board said it approved the application on April 12.
The district also submitted its application for the third and final wave of federal pandemic-era funding for schools, which is referred to as ESSER III or ARP ESSER. The state board of education said it approved the district鈥檚 application for its nearly $1.54 million allocation on April 10.
The district has of its ESSER III allocation, according to the state board鈥檚 ESSER spending dashboard.
At the March board meeting, Stines said the ESSER III dollars are going to purchasing new Chromebooks, providing staff training over the summer on the Orton Gillingham reading curriculum, HVAC upgrades, a new social worker the district hired and other expenditures.
Kelly Smits is a reporter with the , a news partner of 漏 2024 外网天堂.
