Comments on: CSD Would Receive $1.8 Million From Fed Stimulus Package

By: cranky old timer

cranky old timer — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:22:09 +0000

Hi Runs with Dogs,
I invite you to volunteer at the annual Decatur Season of Giving next December. You will be SHOCKED at the number of needy families who live in our little 30030 zip code. A lot of them are also senior citizens, who don’t qualify for those Title I funds in schools. It’s a sobering reminder — these families were living in poverty before the current fiscal crisis.

By: data data data

data data data — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:37:53 +0000

For those of you who aren’t sure why Decatur qualified for Title 1 funds and other grants that specifically support low-income children and families, here is some food for thought.

At latest count, Decatur’s school system had 2,823 students, 763 of them which qualify for Free and Reduced lunchs. That’s roughly 27% of the total student population. Both Renfroe Middle and Decatur High are slightly higher around 30%. You can see this information here:

http://app3.doe.k12.ga.us/ows-bin/owa/fte_pack_frl001_public.display_proc

To qualify for Reduced lunch your family would have to earn no more than 185% of the federally defined poverty level. And for free lunch your family would have to earn no more than 130% of the federally defined poverty level.

Federal guidelines define poverty for a family of 4 as an income of $21,200. 185% of this equally $39,220 and 130% of this equals $27,560.

Bottom line, there is plenty of need in Decatur and it’s school system.

You can see the rest of Decatur’s school system report card here:

http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=102&SchoolId=45543&T=1&FY=2007

By: ben

ben — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:10:28 +0000

runs with dogs…
I wouldn’t call you “crazy” for not being able to find the answers to your rather simple questions, but it does rhyme with crazy. Title I funds are allocated to schools (primarily) based on the % of kids in attendance that qualify for free/reduced lunch. Maybe those kids aren’t in YOUR neighborhood, but they have been living in Decatur for a long time. It should be noted that the funds are given based on %’ s, so the number of wealthy kids getting yanked out inner-city public schools and going to private schools actually has an effect on whether or not the school gets the extra funding.

Incidentally, why are you hopeful that others are demanding answers on behalf of your tax dollars?

By: MrFixIt

MrFixIt — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:12:50 +0000

If you get free/reduced lunch – you are considered to be living in poverty. CSD also has a lot of special ed students covered by IDEA. I don’t like spending either, but the more CSD gets from the feds the less they have to take from Decatur with an increased millage rate. I pay a lot of federal taxes and see the benefit of very little of it… if we are going to go into massive debt… it’s nice to at least see where the spending lands and to see it spent on kids rather than golden parachutes for Citibank execs.

By: Tarnation

Tarnation — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:59:28 +0000

Runswithdogs:

Not sure, but it may refer to those children who live in the public housing areas downtown. I don’t know the legal definitions but it may include those kids whose parents receive subsidies/assistance ie housing, food stamps, etc.

Can anyone clarify?