---- VOLUME TWENTY-TWO ---- NUMBER FOUR ----

L OCAL   OPTION   FOR   USE   OF   FEDERAL   EDUCATION   F
UNDS : A PILOT   PROGRAM   FOR   FY 2003, COST   $0.00
By Ray Henson, Superintendent of Schools, Talihina Public Schools

          The following is a synopsis of a pilot program that is being considered in the United States Congress.  It is very possible that this could be of great use to every school district and thus it is our intent to encourage implementation of this program.  As this program continues to develop we may be calling for other Oklahoma superintendents to assist us in the additional push needed to pass this program.

The Request for Appropriations Language:

          For FY 2003, if Congress does not provide at least a 3 percent appropriations COLA increase for a specific ESEA education program, the local school district Governing Board, by resolution, may exercise the option of transferring up to 25% of the funds of any or all other federal ESEA programs for the purpose(s) of the specific program.

          The funds so transferred shall fall under the regulations and accountability of the specific program to which the funds were transferred.

THE RATIONALE:

          This provision allows for the “partial local discretion and the best use ” of federal funds in the years Congressional appropriators are unable to provide at least a minimum 3 percent COLA appropriation increase.

          This provision is especially critical now, when the national economy is down and school district budgets across the country are being cut by state and local funding jurisdictions.

          Truly, all federal and state tax collections actually originate from local sources, so this is in line with the concept of putting the decisions of how to spend the federal funds closer to the source of the funds, the people.

EXAMPLE:

          The Anywhere School District , in accordance with appropriate federal laws, transfers the indicated amount of funds from its 2003 ESEA federal programs allocations to its Impact Aid Allocation, for purposes prescribed by federal law for Impact Aid .

PROGRAM ALLOCATION % TO TRANSFER AMOUNT TO TF Title I Disadvantaged $2,345,543 20% $469,109 Bilingual $ 445,786 25% $111,447 Special Ed, IDEA $ 900,807 10% $ 90,081 Eisenhower Prof. Dev'mt $ 60,200 10% $ 6,020 $676,657

ANNUAL IMPACT AID WORKSHOPS

          The Oklahoma State Department of Education, in cooperation with the Impact Aid Program Office in Washington, D.C. and the Oklahoma Association serving Impacted Schools (OASIS), is conducting their annual Impact Aid Workshops.  The meetings will be:

Thursday, December 12, 2002 1-4 P.M. Meridian Conference Center 737 South Meridian Oklahoma City Friday, December 13, 2002 9-Noon Kiamichi Technology Center 301 Kiamichi Drive McAlester

          Preregistration is not required; however, sign-in will begin 30 minutes before each meeting.

          Representatives from each organization will be available to answer questions and provide assistance with the application process.  Topics to be covered include student surveys, mail-in reviews, field audits, property eligibility, and Indian policies and procedures.

          If your district does not currently receive Impact Aid, but you would like to receive more information on eligibility requirements, please plan on attending.

DID YOU EVER CONSIDER? 1. The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer. 2. Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history: Spades – King David, Hearts – Charlemagne, Clubs – Alexander, the Great, Diamonds – Julius Caesar. 3. Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2nd, but the last signature wasn't added until five years later. 4. What is the only food that doesn't spoil? Honey. 5. What is an activity performed by 40% of all people at a party? Snoop in your medicine cabinet. 6. During Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When one pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase “goodnight, sleep tight.” 7. It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month we know today as the honeymoon. 8. In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when customers became unruly, the bartender would yell at them to mind their own pints & quarts and settle down. This is the source of our phrase “mind your P's and Q's.”