Responsibilities

• Grant compliance
• Grant management
• Grant writing/assistance
• Family Engagement in Title buildings

The Grants Department manages the variety of grants received by the district as well as researches additional grants for developing new or supporting existing programs. Partnerships are developed with state and local agencies to provide grant-funded services for students, staff, families, and the community.

Federal Grants

Title I - Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged

The purpose of this Title is to provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close the educational achievement gaps.

Parents Right-to-Know:

In accordance with ESEA Section 1111(h)(6) PARENTS RIGHT-TO-KNOW, the District is notifying every parent of a student in a Title I school that you have the right and may request information regarding the professional qualifications of your child’s classroom teacher. This information regarding the professional qualifications of your child’s classroom teachers including, at a minimum, the following:

1. Whether the teacher has met State qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction
2. Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which the State qualification or licensing criteria have been waived
3. The baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification or degree
4. Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

If at any time your child has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher not highly qualified, the school will notify you.

Title II - Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High-Quality Teachers, Principals, and Other School Leaders

The purpose of Title II is to provide funds to increase student academic achievement by elevating teacher and principal quality through recruitment, hiring, and retention strategies and to hold local educational agencies and schools accountable for improvements in student academic achievement. The three goals of Title II are to:

1. Increase student achievement consistent with the challenging State academic standards;    
2. Improve the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school leaders; 
3. Increase the number of teachers, principals, and other school leaders who are effective in improving student academic achievement in schools; and provide low-income and minority students greater access to effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders.

Title III

The purpose of the Title III grant is to ensure that English Learners attain English language proficiency and meet state academic standards.

Title IV – Student Support and Academic Enrichment

The purpose of Title IV is to improve students’ academic achievement by increasing the capacity of States, local educational agencies, schools, and local communities to:

1. provide all students with access to a well-rounded education;
2. improve school conditions for student learning; and
3. improve the use of technology in order to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students.

Perkins

The purpose of this grant is to develop more fully the academic and career and technical skills of secondary education students who elect to enroll in career and technical education programs, by—

• Strengthening academic and technical skills of students in these programs to meet the Illinois Learning Standards through preparation for high skill, high wage, or high demand occupations in current or emerging professions;
• Promoting the development of services and activities that integrate rigorous and challenging academic and career and technical instruction, and that link secondary education and postsecondary education for participating career and technical education students;
• Providing services and activities designed to develop, implement, and improve career and technical education, including programs of study;
• Providing technical assistance to promote leadership, initial preparation, and comprehensive professional development at the local level that improves the quality of career and technical education teachers, faculty, administrators, and counselors; and

Supporting partnerships among secondary schools, postsecondary institutions, baccalaureate degree granting institutions, area career and technical education schools, local workforce investment boards, business and industry, and intermediaries.

Library Grant

The School District Library Grant Program is designed to help provide additional library books and materials for the students of public schools in Illinois. The state legislature has authorized up to a $.75 per pupil expenditure for qualifying schools.

State Grants

Career and Technical Education Improvement (CTEI)- This grant provides supplemental funds to support the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) grant and other CTE activities. The purpose of this program is to develop the academic and career and technical skills of secondary education students and postsecondary education students who elect to enroll in career and technical education programs, by

• Strengthening academic and technical skills of students in these programs to meet the Illinois Learning Standards through preparation for high skills, high wage, or high demand occupations in current or emerging professions;
• Promoting the development of services and activities that integrate rigorous and challenging academic and career and technical instruction, and that link secondary education and postsecondary education for participating career and technical education students;
• Providing services and activities designed to develop, implement, and improve career and technical education, including programs of study;
• Providing technical assistance to promote leadership, initial preparation, and comprehensive professional development at the local level that improves the quality of career and technical education teachers, faculty, administrators, and counselors;
• Supporting partnerships among secondary schools, postsecondary institutions, baccalaureate degree granting institutions, area career and technical education schools; local workforce investment boards, business and industry, and intermediaries; and
• Providing activities for support, development and implementation of an organized sequence of career and development learning activities for students in kindergarten through eighth grade.