Who Gets The Most Mentions On Exceptional Delaware

Who gets mentioned the most on this blog?  I’m sure the answer is no surprise to my regular readers.  Jack has been mentioned in 29% of my articles.  And since he reads everything that is written about him (so I’ve heard from quite a few), he must be an avid reader of Exceptional Delaware!  Yes, I went through and counted who was mentioned how many times.  I was surprised by some of them.  Many legislators from the General Assembly appear on this list.  Many folks from the Delaware DOE.  Some are even friends.  Many are enemies (in terms of what I stand for and what they stand for).  20% of these people I have never talked to or communicated with!  One of them has only uttered the words “Hi Kevin” to me once even though I have seen this person several times.  Some hate me, some like me, and some have no clue what to think of me.  But one thing is for sure, I know many of these people very well!  Can you pick out the good guys from the bad guys?  And who do you think will show up on the 2015 Who Shot The Blogger game?

For each person, I put their name and how many articles their names appear in.

Impact Aid: What It Is And What It Is Not

I posted an article yesterday that I believed, based on what parents were telling me, was tied to Senate Bill 94 in Delaware.  I was wrong.  This is a Federal program that gives additional funds for students in areas that are Federal or Native-American lands.  Aside from Dover Air Force Base, is there other Federal or Native American land in the state?  Please let me know.  In any event, the United States Department of Education describes Impact Aid as funding available for these types of lands because local taxes are not collected for them.  From the US DOE website:

Overview

Many local school districts across the United States include within their boundaries parcels of land that are owned by the Federal Government or that have been removed from the local tax rolls by the Federal Government, including Indian lands. These school districts face special challenges — they must provide a quality education to the children living on the Indian and other Federal lands and meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, while sometimes operating with less local revenue than is available to other school districts, because the Federal property is exempt from local property taxes.

Since 1950, Congress has provided financial assistance to these local school districts through the Impact Aid Program. Impact Aid was designed to assist local school districts that have lost property tax revenue due to the presence of tax-exempt Federal property, or that have experienced increased expenditures due to the enrollment of federally connected children, including children living on Indian lands. The Impact Aid law (now Title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA)) provides assistance to local school districts with concentrations of children residing on Indian lands, military bases, low-rent housing properties, or other Federal properties and, to a lesser extent, concentrations of children who have parents in the uniformed services or employed on eligible Federal properties who do not live on Federal property.

Nearly 92 percent of the $1.19 billion appropriated for FY 2003 is targeted for payment to school districts based on an annual count of federally connected school children. Slightly more than 5 percent assists school districts that have lost significant local assessed value due to the acquisition of property by the Federal Government since 1938. Slightly less than $27 million is available for a competitive discretionary construction grant program for which certain Impact Aid-eligible school districts can apply.

The Impact Aid law (now Title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) has been amended numerous times since its inception in 1950. The program continues, however, to support local school districts with concentrations of children who reside on Indian lands, military bases, low-rent housing properties, and other Federal properties, or who have parents in the uniformed services or employed on eligible Federal properties. The law refers to local school districts as local educational agencies, or LEAs.

How do school districts use Impact Aid?

Most Impact Aid funds, except for the additional payments for children with disabilities and construction payments, are considered general aid to the recipient school districts; these districts may use the funds in whatever manner they choose in accordance with their local and State requirements. Most recipients use these funds for current expenditures, but recipients may use the funds for other purposes such as capital expenditures. Some Impact Aid funds must be used for specific purposes. All payments are distributed by wire transfer directly to the bank accounts of school districts.

School districts use Impact Aid for a wide variety of expenses, including the salaries of teachers and teacher aides; purchasing textbooks, computers, and other equipment; after-school programs and remedial tutoring; advanced placement classes; and special enrichment programs. Payments for Children with Disabilities must be used for the extra costs of educating these children.

Impact Aid Program Components

Payments for Federal Property (Section 8002)

Payments for Federal Property assist local school districts that have lost a portion of their local tax base because of Federal ownership of property. To be eligible, a school district must demonstrate that the Federal Government has acquired, since 1938, real property with an assessed valuation of at least 10 percent of all real property in the district at the time of acquisition.

Basic Support Payments (Section 8003(b))

Basic Support Payments help local school districts that educate federally connected children. These may be the children of members of the uniformed services, children who reside on Indian lands, children who reside on Federal property or in federally subsidized low-rent housing, and children whose parents work on Federal Property. In general, to be eligible for assistance a local school district must educate at least 400 such children in average daily attendance, or the federally connected children must make up at least 3 percent of the school district’s total average daily attendance. Heavily Impacted Districts that enroll certain percentages of federally connected children and meet other specific statutory criteria, receive increased formula payments under Section 8003(b)(2).

Children With Disabilities Payments (Section 8003(d))

Payments for Children with Disabilities provide additional assistance to school districts that educate federally connected children who are eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). These payments are in addition to Basic Support Payments and IDEA funds provided on behalf of these children. A school district that receives these funds MUST use them for the increased costs of educating federally connected children with disabilities.

Construction Grants (Section 8007)

Construction Grants go to local school districts that educate high percentages of certain federally connected children — both children living on Indian lands and children of members of the uniformed services. These grants help pay for the construction and repair of school buildings. Section 8007(a) provides formula grants to the local school districts based on the number of eligible federally connected children they educate. Section 8007(a) was not funded in fiscal year 2008. Section 8007(b) provides competitive grants for emergency repairs and modernization.

The Exceptional Delaware Top 50

What are the most read articles on Exceptional Delaware?  Some may not surprise you but others definitely will.  I like to do this every six months or so to show my readers what they are reading about the most.  The biggest riser in the last month may or may not shock you, but it is sitting very comfortably in the #4 slot behind the explosive #3 position.  The most recent article to make this list, about Arne Duncan’s resignation, is near the bottom of this list, but keep in mind these are the top 50 out of 1,725 articles I’ve published since June 13th, 2014.  While I was writing this yesterday, Arne’s exit jumped from the #50 to the #46 position in five minutes, so I will wait until this morning to adjust the position.  Okay, time jump here.  It is now the morning, and Arne Duncan’s exit is now in the #17 slot!  I can say I have never received so many Facebook notifications in my life as I have for Arne’s exit.

1.      US DOE & Arne Duncan Drop The Mother Of All Bombs On States Special Education Rights
2.      My Special Needs Son’s First Day Of Common Core Division & This Is His Homework
3.      Charter School of Wilmington & Discrimination: Student Denied Due Process and Subject To Potential Profiling By Head Of School
4.      Teach For America Rejected & Slammed At Professional Standards Board Meeting Last Night **UPDATED**
5.      Breaking News: Court Rules Smarter Balanced Assessment Violates The U.S. Constitution
6.      Breaking News: Family Foundations Academy Under Financial Investigation With State Auditor @KilroysDelaware @ed_in_de @Apl_Jax @RCEAPrez @GovernorMarkell @DeStateBoardEd @DeDeptofEd @TNJ_malbright @Delawareonline @nannyfat @Avi_WA @wboc @WDEL @nicholedobo @USDoe @ArneDuncan #netde #eduDE #Delaware #edchat
7.      Breaking News: Priority Schools in Christina Will Convert To Red Clay in 2016
8.      Delaware Race To The Top, Hedge Funds & Millions Wasted: The Story of Rodel, Markell, Charters & The Vision Network
9.      Email To Delaware Superintendents and Heads of School re: Parent Opt Out, DE DOE, Governor Markell and Corporate Education Reform
10.  Opt Out Week In Delaware Begins…NOW!
11.  Brandywine Superintendent Holodick Says Parents Can’t Opt Out, Not Your Choice Buddy
12.  Exclusive: Explosive Events At Delaware PTA Parent Opt Out Town Hall Last Night **UPDATED**
13.  Poverty Matters! Smarter Balanced Impact: The Sussex Academy Effect
14.  US DOE Letter To Mark Murphy About Parent Opt-Out, This Is An Empty Threat And Here’s Why…
15.  The Delaware DOE Is Terrified Of The Parent Opt Out Movement
16.  ***UPDATED 10/31/14*** DOE & Arne Duncan Accused of Breaking The Law With IDEA & Special Education by GOP Senate #netde #eduDE @BadassTeachersA @DianeRavitch
17. Breaking News: Arne Duncan Resigning As US Secretary of Education
18.  Senator Lamar Alexander: States Can’t Give Parents The Right To Opt Their Children Out, We Already Own That Right!
19.  DOOM comes to schools in Delaware! Parents, Go To School Board Meetings This Month, and do this… @KilroysDelaware @ed_in_de @dwablog @nannyfat @ecpaige #netde #eduDE
20.  Delaware House Bill 50 Would Allow Parent Opt-Out Of Smarter Balanced & Protect Teachers
21.  New York Superintendent Writes Best Letter Ever: “I Do Not Care…”
22.  Breaking News: DOE Advising Legislators Of Smarter Balanced Results Before Districts and Parents!!!!
23.  Why It Is Necessary To Reveal A High-Profile Source….
24.  The DOE, State Board & Superintendents Want To Get Opt-Out Punishment Into State Code Before January
25.  Christina Referendum Does Not Pass…Cowards Who Voted No Want Children To Suffer
26.  Charter School of Wilmington Leader Dr. Paoli Under Fire In Change.org Petition To Restore Dr. Fleetwood’s Contract
27.  Governor Markell Abusing Power With House Bill 50, Parent Press Conference 3/25
28.  Red Clay & Christina Educators Association Announce Resolution of No Confidence in Mark Murphy, DOE & State Board, Demand Public Election of State Board
29.  February is DOOM, aka Delaware Opt Out Month! How To Opt Your Child Out of Smarter Balanced
30.  Now Providence Creek Academy (Charter School) is in Hot Water With Parents! No Love From DE Charter School Network for Kent County Charters?@KilroysDelaware @ed_in_de #netde #eduDE #edchat
31.  Exclusive: Governor Markell Letter To General Assembly, DOE Freaking Out Over Opt Out
32.  Exclusive: Red Clay & Delaware DOE Letters You Have To See To Believe! Must Read!!!!!
33.  Delaware State Rep. Kowalko and Senator Lawson Sponsor Parent Opt Out Legislation To General Assembly
34.  Charter School Teachers Getting Preferential Treatment at Market Street Village, Discrimination Against Public School Teachers
35.  Smarter Balanced Opt Out Letter For Delaware Parents To Use
36.  US Department of Education Gives A Case For Parent Opt Out of Standardized Testing
37.  Family Foundations Acad. Head of School Sean Moore No Longer Treasurer of Delaware Charter School Network
38.  United States H. R. #2382 Would Allow Parents To Opt Out Of Standardized Assessments Under Federal Law
39.  Breaking News: Delaware Colleges & Universities To Use Smarter Balanced Scores For Acceptance Credentials
40.  The Last Exceptional Delaware Post
41.  Rodel’s CEO Dr. Herdman Sent An Email Re: Rodel Article, My Response & Challenge
42.  Delaware: Email Your State Reps and Senators NOW About Parent Opt Out House Bill in Circulation
43.  Special Education In America: Where is it going? Spread this link all over! Reblog! #netde #eduDE #delaware @usedgov
44.  Breaking News: Delaware DOE To Punish Schools Over Opt-Out Rate w/School Report Card, Did NOT Submit This For ESEA Waiver
45.  Breaking News! Governor Markell Publicly Announces He Will Veto Parent Opt-Out Bill
46.  The Governor Markell FOIA Release: Rodel, Herdman, RTTT, Common Core, and guess who’s coming to town…
47.  **UPDATED 7:35AM, 11/5/14** Providence Creek Academy’s Hot Mess! This Is Why Transparency Is Needed From DE Charters! @KilroysDelaware @ed_in_de @dwablog @ecpaige @nannyfat #netde #eduDE #Delaware
48.  Academy of Dover In Serious Trouble Over Noel Rodriguez’ P-Card Splurges & The Schools $2 Million Dollar+ Judgment
49.  Budget Projections Place Christina In Jeopardy In A Year If Current Trends Continue
50.  The Delaware Battle For Public Education Is America’s War

Back To Work

After six weeks, I am doing something I haven’t done.  Going back to work.  Thanks to my hernia and a surgery, I have been home for the past month and a half.  I haven’t been glued to a bed, but I did have some restrictions which limited my capabilities of performing my essential job functions.  My mind has been ready, but the body needed to heal.  That is now a thing of the past, and I am ready!  I’m sure the DOE is super excited for this.  It’s been a very interesting six weeks, filled with discovery and insight.  On a personal, spiritual, and pain level.

This blog will still post on the weekends, but most likely they will be scheduled posts.  Unless I can squeeze something in at night!  There is one story that’s been brewing for a loooooong time, and it looks like something is going to break very soon on it.  It involves a…. nah, that would be telling.