In a primary school classroom in Kanawha County in West Virginia. (Lexi Browning | West Virginia clock)
West Virginia will lose more than 25 million US dollars to Federal Education Funding in the coming school year afterwards President Donald Trump’s government Hold back billions In federal funds for after-school and summer programs, literacy for adults and English lessons to ensure that the expenditure matches the priorities of the White House.
The federal funds should be distributed on July 1 Another blow to the districts of the districts across the state.
School districts are already to fight financially Due to the degenerating population in West Virginia and children who leave public schools to exploit them Educational voucher program. Other school systems are under state examination For the way you spent money, including Roane Countywhere the district is exposed to a planned budget deficit in the amount of 2.5 million US dollars due to transfers.
Cabell County released about 100 teachers and employees due to a budget crunch, said Drew Rottgen, treasurer for the school system.
Federal grants had contributed to paying parts of some salaries, professional development and much more. The window for schools to issue a reduction in the armed forces (RIF) for teachers and employees has concluded, so that Rottgen finds out how they should pay for personnel and programs, since the federal funds will not be guaranteed in the next month from the start of school.
“You know every kind of decision we make:” How can we restrict the effects on our students, “he said.” We are looking for alternative sources of financing to see which other money we have available. “
In Ohio County, the now frozen federal dollars had paid a psychiatric consultant.
“We have a consultant that we have available to our students Level three intervention With students who have to deal with things at school, ”said Walt Saunders, director of federal programs for schools in Ohio County.
You also have to cover some teacher salaries about the general funds in the schools, he said that the district could take over a budget surplus this year.
“We had not planned that title II and title IV will disappear. But we have a healthy transmission, and if necessary, we can absorb it,” he said. “We have to cut some trips and professional development from the Title II fund. But we will not shorten our mental health program and we will not enrich our students.”
According to the State Ministry of Education, each district in West Virginia receives several federal grants. The West Virginia Center for Household and Politics Estimates The Federal financing brings more than 350 million US dollars a year to the country’s 55 school districts.
Amon Gilliam, director of the Grund and Secondary School Act, improvement and support for the Ministry of Education of West Virginia, said that the state received the federal benefit concerned for the following programs last year:
- Basic training for adults: $ 3,822,557
- Title II-A, the initiatives for professional development, salaries for people who support educators financed: $ 13,043,347
- Title III-A for the acquisition of English language for students whose homeland is not English: 554,694 USD
- Title IV-A, student support and academic enrichment: 7,694,546 USD
“Title IV-A supports the security of the students, mental health, rounded training and the effective use of technology”. Gilliam said in an e -mail. “Prevent the absence of these funds or considerably the ability of [local education agencies] In order to maintain and increase their capacities in relation to the use of technology in the classrooms, the needs of the students and the possibilities of offering additional learning opportunities for educational learners in West Virginia schools. “
Cabell County had used Title IV money to facilitate for payment School resource official.
“It is disappointing because I think over 150,000 US dollars of this scholarship for our SROs every year, and these are the costs we have to find another source of financing in order to be able to pay for this year,” said Rottgen. “We prioritize the security of the students so that we do not cut off police officers or cut back hours or something … We will find a way to do this work,” said Rottgen.
Elsewhere Marion County expected to be received 800,000 US dollars from the affected grants. Raleigh County had counted on 500,000 US dollars for professional development.
Last week Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Rw.Va., announced that the US Education Ministry will publish part of the frozen money -6 billion US dollars – This is financed after school and in the summer learning programs For students. Capito led a group of republican colleagues to send one letter to the White House office for management and budget for the release of anticipated educational financing. Sen. Jim Justice, Rw.Va .. signed on the letter.
According to the WVDE, West Virginia expected to receive around 7.4 million dollars in the financing of the 21st century learning centers.
“This program supports states in providing high quality learning programs for students for students and enables their parents to work and contribute to the local economy. We should support educational opportunities like this,” said Capito in a statement. “I made it clear [Office of Management Budget Director Russell Vought] And was glad that at my request he was followed up to release these critical means. “
Lawyers General from 24 countries have sued The Trump government to prevent educational financing, but the Attorney General of West Virginia, JB McCuskey, is not in the group. A coalition of school districts Submitted a lawsuit Also over the frozen money.
School officials are confident that the federal money will not be freezing so that they can refund themselves.
“We hope that things will be reset, but we are preparing as if it is a smaller or no amount.” Said Rottgen.
Rhonda Justice, treasurer of Logan County Schools, said: “We are following the approach until the federal government makes a final decision. If necessary, we will re -assign essential program costs for other areas of our budget, as we would like to ensure that the services for our children continue continued.”
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