• Special Projects Department

     

    The Special Projects Department administers many state and federal programs and provides a variety of services to the SPUSD and its students. The main purpose of the department is to apply for monies from governmental sources for categorical program funds. A ‘categorical program’ is one that is aimed primarily at specific categories of students or families. The Special Projects Department must determine which programs our district is eligible for, determine how to meet the eligibility requirements, and provide the data necessary to apply for these funds.
     
    The mission of the Special Projects Department, then, is to ensure that all students increase their learning and meet state and district standards by providing support to the school sites in the following areas:
    School plan development process, Student achievement goal setting, Title I program planning and development, Parental involvement workshops, Community Based English Tutoring Program, grant development, School Site Council and English Learner Advisory Committee support, Reclassification and long-term English Learner monitoring, After-School programs, Family Literacy, Technical assistance, Categorical budget development, and Compliance monitoring.
    Because the programs we are involved with are targeted at specific groups, there are many restrictions that apply to their use, which must be monitored by our department. We work with district staff, the schools, and parents to help enhance and improve the educational experience for the students and families served by these programs.

     

    Some examples of Federal categorical programs and their primary use are described below:

     

    Title I, Part A – (Basic Grant)
    Title I, Part A provides supplemental funds to be used to narrow the educational gap between disadvantaged children and other children in areas where the highest concentration of children from low-income families attend school.

     

    Title I, Part C (Migrant Education)
    Funds support high quality education programs for migratory children and help ensure that migratory children who move among the states are not penalized in any manner by disparities among states in curriculum, graduation requirements, or state academic content and student academic achievement standards. Funds also ensure that migratory children not only are provided with appropriate education services (including supportive services) that address their special needs but also that such children receive full and appropriate opportunities to meet the same challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards that all children are expected to meet. States use program funds to identify eligible children and provide education and support services. These services include: academic instruction, remedial and compensatory instruction; bilingual and multicultural instruction, vocational instruction, career education services, special guidance, counseling, testing, health services, and preschool services.
     
    For more information on MIGRANT Education, please click the link below:

    Title III, Part A – (Limited English Proficient)
    This program provides funding for supplementary programs and services for LEP students. Required activities include the provision of instruction and instructional support services related to English language development and academic progress in the core curriculum in a manner that allows LEP students to meet grade level and graduation requirements. Programs must also provide staff development for school staff assigned to LEP student populations. Title III, Part A funds may also be used for a variety of instructional support, curricular development, parental involvement, and related programs activities.

     

    Title III, Part A – (Immigrant)
    This program's funds pay for activities that provide enhanced educational opportunities for immigrant children and youth. These activities may include: family literacy, parent outreach and training, support for personnel including teacher aides, provision of tutorials, mentoring and academic or career counseling, acquisition of curricular materials, software and hardware technology, services directly attributable to the presence of immigrant children (additional classroom supplies, transportation costs, etc.), activities coordinated with community-based organizations, private sector entities and/or institutions of higher learning to assist parents of immigrant children by offering comprehensive community services.

     

    A few examples of State categorical programs and their primary use are described below:

     

     
    After School Education and Safety (Proposition 49)
    This program provides funding for academic and enrichment activities that support constructive alternatives for elementary students after school. The two components included in the ASPIRE program include:
    • an educational and literacy aspect to provide tutoring and/or homework assistance
    • an educational enrichment aspect which may include things like: recreation activities, arts, music, health promotion, community service, career awareness and other activities.