Review Agenda Item
Meeting Date: 6/3/2021 - 5:00 PM
Category: Consent Calendar
Type: Action
Subject: Title IV, Part A Grant
ACPS 2025 Strategic Plan Goal:
Goal 1: Systemic Alignment
ACPS will build a culture of continuous improvement and design equitable systems for school and instructional improvement.
Goal 2: Instructional Excellence
ACPS will ensure that all students have access to and engagement with high-quality instruction.
Goal 4: Strategic Resource Allocation
ACPS will strategically provide differentiated resources and supports to schools and departments.
Goal 5: Family and Community Engagement
ACPS will ensure that all families and community members feel welcomed, respected, and valued.
Policy: IA - Instructional Goals and Objectives
Funding Source or Fiscal Impact (where applicable)
File Attachment:
210603_Memo_Title_IV_Part_A_Grant.pdf
210603_Title_IV_Part_A_Grant.pdf
Agenda Item Summary: Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) has been the recipient of a Title IV, Part A grant for the past four years. We will be starting Year 5 on July 1, 2020.
In our first year (2017-2018), we were awarded $81,865.25. The grant's focus was health and nutrition projects to fight childhood obesity on the west side of Alexandria, where kindergarten BMI data revealed a greater incidence of obesity among our young learners. Four elementary schools were targeted with this funding: John Adams, William Ramsay, James K. Polk, and Patrick Henry K-8 School.

During our second year of grant operations, our funding expanded to $279,476.88. We continued our focus on childhood obesity and funded projects relating to Social Emotional Learning, Trauma-Informed Care, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) enrichment, and special education adaptive equipment. We brought our total elementary schools of focus to eight with the additional funding, adding the following four schools to our original four: Samuel Tucker, Ferdinand T. Day, Cora Kelly, and Mount Vernon.

Our grant funding is now up to $340,285.95 – so our Title IV team expanded our emphasis into STEM Improvement in both Elementary and Middle Schools. Due to the COVID-19 shutdowns, our predicted programming for the past year was greatly reworked to repurpose our funding to acquire PPE and other protective supplies to help our nurses be ready for school reopening. Also, we compiled unspent funding to provide added support to STEM, SPED, PE/Health, and Music programming.

We are currently in the process of updating our spending plan with division stakeholders. We involve the following departments in our efforts to wisely and effectively execute this grant: Teaching, Learning and Leadership; Student Services and Equity; Facilities and Operations; and Communications and Community Relations.
Background: This grant has many stipulations on how the money can be used. In brief, there are two main areas of concern:
1. Well-Rounded Education (including academic enrichment programs like STEM, SPED enrichment, and the arts).
2. Health and Safety (including Counseling, PE/Health, PBIS, Nursing, Family Cooking Classes).
Recommendation: The Superintendent recommends that the School Board approve the continued use of Title IV, Part A grant funding.
Approvals:
Recommended By:
Signed By:
Dr. Terri H. Mozingo - Chief Academic Officer
Signed By:
Dominic Turner - Chief Financial Officer
Signed By:
Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr. - Superintendent