Sweetwater County School District No. 2 may have another Title 1 school in Washington Elementary School.
Tuesday night, the school board approved a request to allow Washington Elementary School to move head with an application to make it a Title 1 school.
If approved, this would allow the school staff to use Title 1 funding more flexibly throughout the school, as opposed to the funds only being applicable to Title 1 teachers and programs.
According to principal Anne Marie Covey, one of the biggest hurdles the school needs to cross is achieving a 40 percent free-and-reduced lunch rate amongst the school’s students.
Currently, the school is at 38 percent and would need another four students on the free-and-reduced lunch programs to reach 40 percent.
Covey said the school is reaching out to every family they believe could apply for free-and-reduced lunches.
“We’re going to make every effort to make sure they’re presented the opportunity,” she said.
The proposal was not without opposition, as board member Steve Core questioned why the school is seeking Title 1 designation, believing the school would take funding from Truman Elementary School if the application is approved.
Superintendent Donna Little-Kaumo said the designation would not impact other schools’ Title 1 funding as each school receives its own allocation. The designation would only allow the school more flexibility in using those Title 1 funds. Little-Kaumo said more flexible use of Title 1 funding would help teachers at Washington Elementary improve test scores and student performance.
The proposal was approved by board, with Core voting against it.
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