BOE addresses federal grant applications

SPRING LAKE HEIGHTS — The Spring Lake Heights Board of Education (BOE), led by Business Administrator Matthew Varley, briefly touched on two federal grant applications for the upcoming school year at its Monday, Aug. 26 meeting. 

The first grant, the ESSA (Every Student Success Act) grant, will help fund class pullout programs, Varley said. The programs are designed to meet the specific needs of students that might not be adequately addressed in a general classroom setting.

Class pullout programs can be for students with different statuses, according to the country’s department of education; gifted education, where advanced students might be pulled out for enrichment activities, where they engage in more challenging or creative tasks beyond the regular curriculum; special education, where students with learning disabilities or other special needs may be pulled out to receive targeted instruction, speech therapy or other support services; English Language Learners (ELL), students who are learning English as a second language may be pulled out for focused language instruction, or remedial support, students who need extra help in subjects like math or reading to work in smaller groups or one-on-one with a teacher.

ESSA was signed into law by President Barack Obama on Dec. 10, 2015. Varley said the grant will also assist in paying a teacher’s salary in the district. He did not specify the teacher. 

The second of federal grants is the IDEA-B Individuals with (Disabilities Education Improvement Act) grant, which Varley said “will be for out-of-district tuition for special education students.” 

IDEA was passed in 1975 and supports special education and related service programming for children and youth with disabilities. It was originally known as the Education of Handicapped Children Act. 

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