In addition to its $40 Million budget shortfall, the Hamilton County Department of Education was also facing reduced federal funding for Title I programs next year. According to Lucile Phillips, Director of Federal Programs, the school system was set to receive $531,000 less in Title I funding due to cuts by the U.S. Department of Education. That reduction, however, will be offset by the $7.7 million Hamilton County will receive from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for Title I spending. But what impact will these added stimulus funds have? A total of $186 million in ARRA funds are allocated for Tennessee’s Title I schools, which will be spread among the state’s 136 districts. Hamilton County's $7.7 Million allocation represents the 4th largest amount of funds in the state, and the money can be used to salvage lower pupil-teacher ratios as well as to continue programs such as after school tutoring and Saturday writing academies—at no cost to parents.
Distributing Hamilton County's Title I Funds The ARRA funds must be spent over the next two years. A committee of parents, teachers, administrators and community members will, with the approval of the Title I office, determine how the dollars should be allocated. According to Danielle Clark, HCDE Director of Communications, the funds will be used to increase spending in schools that have the highest population of students living in poverty as well as additional schools with the Title I designation. This year, Hamilton County’s 36 Title I schools put over $6 million toward programs and initiatives aimed at improving education in schools with a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students. The Time Free Press reports that “In order to use the money — called Title I funding — schoolwide, 40 percent of a building’s student population must receive federally supplemented free or reduced-price lunches.” Successes in Local Title I Schools 
Hardy Elementary Saturday Writing Academy Celebration Some schools have already seen measured results from Title I programs. According to Ms. Clark, “The Title I Saturday writing program has been especially successful. It helped Hardy raise its writing scores significantly.” Nearly 98% of Hardy Elementary students come from low-income families. The school received $345,000 in Title I funding in 2008 when the school raised its writing scores to 90% proficient or advanced, up from 49% in 2007. Ms. Phillips adds that writing scores are used to mark the difference between Title I schools and other schools, but writing scores in Title I schools “are up there with any other school in the county.” According to Ms. Clark:
"Title I also helps fund parent coordinators/family partnership specialists who do amazing after school programs through the Office of Family Engagement. The Model Classroom teachers are also a huge bonus to several schools. These teachers teach ½ day and then provide support to other teachers the other ½ of the day – giving the school embedded professional development with an expert in literacy and math in their building who can help other teachers improve their instruction." -Danielle Clark, HCDE Director of Communications
Stimulus Funds Cannot Save the Budget School administrators will not be able to use the additional funds to offset staff reductions made necessary by the district’s $40 million budget shortfall. While the district may use Title I funds to hire additional staff—such as teachers, educational assistants and social workers—the district must first meet state mandates for staffing. “Title I funds cannot be used to meet state mandates,” explains Ms. Clark. “Everything that is done with Title I funds must be supplementary.”
Aaron Collier
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