Low-Income Students Earn $1.5 Million in Bonus Federal Money

Amid the gloom over severe budget problems, officials of the Los Angeles Unified School District have something to cheer about--nearly $1.57 million in “bonuses” earned by some of the district’s low-income students.

The extra dollars went to 52 of the 274 district schools that regularly get federal funds to supplement academic programs for their poverty-stricken students.

To get the added cash, students at the schools had to make significant academic progress, as measured by scores on a widely used test of basic skills and the California Assessment Program.

Thirteen schools reached 100% of their improvement goals this year, the second year the district has received the federal incentive grants. This year’s grants totaled $1,567,250.

Schools get $20, $30, $40 or $50 a student, depending on how much progress the students made. The grants range from $7,040 for 32nd Street Elementary School to $106,950 for Miles Avenue Elementary School. Schools can use their money to enhance educational materials and class offerings and to add to programs such as counseling and health services.

At 102nd Street Elementary School near Watts, one of the schools that reached 100%, officials are crediting a dedicated staff and money for their students’ showing. The school, with 1,085 students from kindergarten through fifth grade, earned $48,300 in so-called Chapter 1 (after the federal entitlement program) incentive grants this year.

The school also gets additional district funds as part of the 10 Schools program, a 4-year-old effort to turn around the academic performance of the Los Angeles system’s lowest-achieving students, most of whom are minorities and nearly all of whom live in poverty.

“Before you deal with the academics, you have to touch some of the emotional and other problems (the students) are going through,” said Linda McClellan, coordinator of 102nd Street’s Chapter 1 program.

McClellan said the school has used its extra funds on counselors, a school psychologist, a full-time school nurse and faculty specialists in instructional programs and bilingual education.

As with others in the 10 Schools program, 102nd Street students attend school for four additional weeks each year, and its teachers get three weeks of added staff development time.

The faculty also has infused language arts skills into every subject area, she said.

“We’re not yet where we should be (in terms of bringing students up to at least average test scores), but at least we’re on our way,” McClellan said. “At least now we’re progressing in every area, and we feel even more positive change has taken place that will not be measureable by test scores.”

Principal Melba H. Coleman, who arrived at 102nd Street four years ago, said she has worked hard to foster a positive attitude among students, faculty and parents.

“Instead of telling people their test scores are terrible, you have to let them share the good things they’ve done,” Coleman said. “Positive reinforcement brings more positive results.”

Other elementary schools that reached their full one-year improvement goals were 112th Street, Miles Avenue, Park Avenue, Ritter, 66th Street, 74th Street, 93rd Street, 97th Street, King, 36th Street, San Pedro Street and Cahuenga.

About 37% of the district’s 625,000 kindergarten-through-12th-grade students attend schools that receive Chapter 1 funds.