MSAD 60 approves FY27 ESA spending plan, directs Title IV funds to Hansen school

The MSAD 60 Board of Directors voted unanimously on June 4 to approve the district’s FY27 plan for federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESA) funds.

District staff explained the draft plan — posted May 22 and the subject of public notice — follows the district’s long‑standing approach of using Title I funds to support staffing that directly works with students. For FY27 the draft directs Title I resources to support teachers and educational technicians at Hansen School and sets aside required amounts for homeless, foster‑care and family engagement services.

Staff described Title II as targeted to professional development (used historically for literacy and math coaches) and said the new literacy program’s PD costs are included in the program budget; Title III funds, if received, would support English language learner services. The presentation noted Title IV funds are being transferred into Title I to expand Hansen’s schoolwide program; a staff speaker said the Title IV amount being funneled was "about $45,000." The district emphasized it follows federal rules when reallocating funds.

Board members asked how positions and supports are tracked across local and federal funding lines; staff explained the district uses local offsets (including a locally administered fund noted in the transcript) to cover PD and to avoid double‑funding federal grants. One member sought clarity about which positions had historically been locally funded versus funded with federal dollars; staff said most elementary schools maintain similar staffing patterns but funding sources differ.

A motion to approve the FY27 ESA draft plan was moved, seconded and approved by unanimous vote.

Next steps: The approved plan will be posted as adopted and staff will proceed to implement the allocations set out in the FY27 plan. The board asked staff to be prepared to answer additional tracking questions as needed.