Two Arlington elementary schools will no longer receive federal Title I funding in the new school year, while another will join the list of those that do.
Abingdon Elementary and Hoffman-Boston Elementary no longer qualify for the program, which supports schools with a high concentration of students in economic need.
Arlington Traditional School, meanwhile, will be added to Title I participation next year.
“A variety of factors” affect schools’ eligibility, which is evaluated annually, said Catherine Ashby, the school system’s assistant superintendent for school and community relations.
Barcroft, Barrett, Campbell, Carlin Springs, Dr. Charles R. Drew and Randolph elementary schools will continue in the Title I program, school-system officials say.
At the June 12 School Board meeting, Dan Burd, a parent of students at Abingdon, said the loss of Title I status would have significant implications.
Federal funding supports four and a half staff positions at the school, which is Arlington’s largest elementary, he said. Additionally, he said that several educators at the school are at risk of losing student loan forgiveness, as one of the requirements is to teach at a Title 1 school.
Burd said Abingdon Elementary, located in the Fairlington community, has held Title I status for two decades.
“There haven’t been any changes to housing or demographics … that would indicate the school is serving a different population than before,” he told School Board members. “Nothing has changed. We just happen to fall short of the threshold this year.”
In a video on the school’s website, Abingdon principal Ed Acevedo said federal funding through the Title I program allowed for “tailored support to achieve equal outcomes” and helped students “develop a passion for learning that lasts through their lives.”
Burd asked school-system leaders to find additional funding to replace what will be lost owing to the change of designation.
Part of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, Title I funnels about $18 billion annually to school systems nationwide. Funds are used to supplement, not replace, other school-system resources.
Each Title I school in the commonwealth submits a plan for how funds will be spent, incorporating input from school staff, parents, community members, teachers and central-office staff. Those plans are then submitted to the Virginia Department of Education for review and approval.
Each school develops and submits a plan to the Virginia Department of Education, allowing Title I funds to be used in a flexible way to benefit the school population.
Plans are jointly developed by school staff, parents, community members, teachers, and central office staff, following federal and state guidelines.
