Friday News Roundup: Week of April 6-10

At Ed Money Watch, we discuss and analyze major issues affecting education funding. In our Friday News Roundup, we try to highlight interesting stories that might otherwise get overlooked. These stories emphasize how federal and state policy changes can affect local schools and districts.

Schools Chief Seeks Additional Title I Funds

Struggling to Make Ends Meet, Schools Move Away from “Need Blind” Admissions

Federal Money May Help Save Struggling State Pre-K Programs

California Officials Promise to Spend Stimulus Funds as Directed

Schools Chief Seeks Additional Title I Funds
Paul Vallas, the Superintendent of the Recovery School District in New Orleans, has requested that federal education officials reverse a decision that reduced Title I funding for the district from a projected $39 million to an actual $673,000. The distribution was based on outdated 2007 census figures that undercount the percentage of low-income students in the district that qualify for Title I funds-the census data put the percentage at 30, while the district estimates it at 83. Vallas would like to use the extra money to help students catch up, especially because many of his students missed a year of school after being evacuated from New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. He says an agreement between the Commerce Department, which oversees the Census Bureau, and the Department of Education would allow the federal government to modify the formula for New Orleans. Because it is recovering from a natural disaster, Vallas doesn’t think the adjustment would set a precedent for other districts to request more stimulus funds. More here.

Struggling to Make Ends Meet, Schools Move Away from “Need Blind” Admissions
Over the past couple of years, a handful of private colleges and universities have moved toward “need blind” admissions policies that require institutions to make admissions decisions without regard for the ability of students and their families to cover the cost of tuition. But given the recent financial crisis, schools are being forced to reconsider these policies. Though none of these schools have officially recanted on the policy, some are making quiet shifts to avoid admitting new students who can’t pay full tuition. For example, schools know that early decision applicants tend to be wealthier than others, and international students are not always covered under “need blind” admission policies. By admitting more of these students, institutions can fill their incoming classes with fewer students that will need aid while maintaining their “need blind” policies. More here.

Federal Money May Help Save Struggling State Pre-K Programs
As consensus began to develop over the importance of early education in the past few years, several states added free pre-kindergarten classes to traditional K-12 offerings. According to a report released this week by the National Institute for Early Education Reaserch at Rutgers University, from 2002 to 2008, spending on pre-K programs at the state level almost doubled from $2.4 billion to $4.6 billion. However, given recent financial struggles, states have had to contemplate ending these programs or halting expansion. The good news for these programs is that President Obama has made pre-K programs a priority. Per President Obama’s request, Congress has raised funding for Head Start and Early Head Start drastically in the stimulus package. Using these new federal funds will hopefully allow states to continue expanding access to free high quality pre-K programs. More here. Read the report documenting pre-k trends here. View coverage on our sister blog, www.EarlyEdWatch.org.

California Officials Promise to Spend Stimulus Funds as Directed
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his education secretary, Glen W. Thomas, have promised to use federal stimulus funds for education, rather than to backfill the state’s looming budget gap. According to a letter released this week, the funds will be distributed quickly to districts, and will focus on preventing teacher layoffs. Some in the state worry that the funds will be used as promised, but will be followed with a round of heavy cuts in state funds, effectively undermining the intent of the stimulus money. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has made clear that any states that misuse or undercut stimulus dollars will essentially make themselves ineligible for the second round of funds that will be distributed later this year. More here.

Briefly Noted

• Seattle schools prepare for additional cuts.
• Struggling Detroit schools face layoffs and closings.
• Education Department cancels PLUS loan auction.
• Students struggle to pay high-cost student loans.