Osseo hopes to use federal money to expand pre-K

The School District wants to focus its stimulus funding on early education and helping children who are struggling with reading and math.

By NORMAN DRAPER, Star Tribune

Last update: May 26, 2009 - 5:24 PM

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The Osseo School District is coming up with some pretty strong ideas about how to use its government stimulus money.

Though no decisions have been made yet, it looks as if the district wants to concentrate the funds on pre-kindergarten programs and helping "those 20 percent of kids who need supplementary help to achieve in reading and math," said Kim Riesgraf, Osseo assistant superintendent for administration.

Many school districts -- including north suburban Anoka-Hennepin, Robbinsdale and Mounds View -- are holding back on approving any plans for using their stimulus funds. Spokespeople for those districts say they're playing it safe, waiting until they're sure what the federal guidelines and restrictions are before committing on how they intend to use the money. But at least one north metro district -- St. Francis -- has already decided to use the money to hire back five elementary school teachers laid off earlier this year.

In the Osseo district, stimulus money, Riesgraf said, could be used to expand the pre-kindergarten program from its current Fair Oaks Elementary School location to two other elementary schools. Or it could be used to expand the program at Fair Oaks, located in Brooklyn Park. Money could also be used to fund staff training, new school materials, and data management, Riesgraf said.

The money in question amounts to $4.7 million. Out of that, $1.9 million is federal Title 1 funding, targeted toward helping low-income kids with their reading and math skills. The remaining $2.8 million must go to school special education programs, used for students whose mental or physical disabilities require services that go beyond the regular classroom setting.

There is some flexibility in the special education funding, though. Since school districts get insufficient federal and state funds to cover their special education needs, they must often pilfer their general funds to pay for the special education services, which are required by law.

So, the federal government is allowing districts to use half of their special education stimulus funds to plug those holes in the general fund budget.

The catch is that the stimulus funds disappear after two years.

"It's a lot of money, so we're trying to make careful decisions," Riesgraf said. "We're trying to make decisions that are sustainable after the money goes away."

The district wants to decide how to use the funds by mid-June, Riesgraf said. School districts must have their 2009-2010 budgets finalized by June 30.

Hundreds of millions of dollars in federal stimulus funds, part of President Obama's plan to revitalize the recession-staggered U.S. economy, are earmarked for Minnesota schools and state colleges and universities. A large chunk of that money is being used by the state, mainly to avoid having to make big cuts in K-12 education this year. Much of the rest of it flows directly to the school districts.

Norman Draper • 612-673-4547

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