Many children across the state will be without after-school programs due to a multi-million-dollar mistake by the Mississippi Department of Education.
Mississippi officials say they only have enough federal money to subsidize after-school programs for a quarter of the students they originally projected to serve.
The Mississippi Department of Education said Friday that because employees mishandled grant money earlier, the state will only be able to spend $5.6 million of the state $14.6 million allotment for after-school programs. The other $9 million will go to reimburse school districts and nonprofit groups for costs they incurred earlier, after employees awarded too many grants.
That means that instead of a program that was projected to reach 29,000 students in 67 school districts, it will only reach 7,000 students in 28 school districts.
In Attala County, the Oprah Winfrey Boys and Girls Club will be impacted, not with its program in Kosciusko, but with its after-school programs in Greenlee and Long Creek. Both of those programs are primarily funded by the 21st Century Grant, which is in its second year.
After consulting with the U.S. Department of Education, Mississippi officials decided to use the reduced amount of money to meet commitments to programs in the fourth and fifth years of their five-year grants. Programs in the second and third years of their grants, where the federal money covered a larger share of operations, will get no money.
State Superintendent Carey Wright said the decrease would pose problems for parents who were counting on the programs and that students who had been enrolled in programs with strong academic content could suffer.
Wright said Mississippi is still trying to figure out how to repay $7.6 million that was improperly spent on the program from federal Title I aid for poor children. Three employees were fired after improperly dipping into that account to make up for overspending from the separate after-school money account.
This cut is completely unacceptable, especially when the state superintendent seems to care less, stating “the part to me we have to keep our eyes on is the school day is when the majority of the work gets done.”
That is the last thing that any parent, most of which are in high-poverty areas, needs to hear after learning that the program they were expecting for their children has been cut.
I agree that the school day is extremely important to teach the curriculum, but after-school programs are vital to help students understand that curriculum. Just look at the local Boys and Girls Club that has a 100 percent graduation rate among its active members.
Monies we spend on after-school programs are some of the best investments that we can make to benefit local children. These programs are vital to help with education, slow down teenage pregnancy and keep kids off the streets in a structured environment.
State leaders need to take the appropriate steps now and do what it takes to correct this matter and if nothing else make sure children across Mississippi aren’t put in this type of situation ever again.
Joseph Brown is the publisher and editor of The Star-Herald. He can be reached at jbrown@starherald.net.
