EMMETT, Idaho — At the end of this year, the United States Department of Education will cancel the Full-Service Community Schools Program (FSCS).
FSCS is a funding mechanism for impoverished school districts to finance services such as mental health support, education interventions, juvenile crime prevention, and after-school programs. In Idaho, 22 school districts receive the federal funding including in Caldwell, Emmett, Jerome, Middleton, Mountain Home, Nampa, and many more.
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The United Way of the Treasure Valley, which serves as the grantee for Idaho's FSCS program, attempted to appeal the termination, but that appeal has since been denied by the Department of Education.
In a post to social media, the Emmett School District called the decision "deeply disappointing." Their statement goes on to say: "[The cancellation] will significantly impact the work happening in our schools and community and has a very real, personal impact on staff whose positions are directly affected. Even more difficult to measure is the impact on the many students who rely on these services—supports that will no longer be available to help remove barriers to learning. While some see numbers on a screen, we see the faces of the children and staff these funds serve."
Originally, the district says the grant was intended to last five years, but with the recent cancellation, it will have lasted only two.
Of the $45,945,645 originally awarded to Idaho schools via FSCS, the United Way of the Treasure Valley says roughly $30 million will never make it to classrooms due to the program's early termination.
The United Way of the Treasure Valley was notified of the termination on Dec. 12 via a letter that said the determination was "based on DEI-related elements identified in the project proposal, which the U.S. Department of Education has determined are in conflict with current agency policy and priorities."
Hear the Principal of Carberry Elementary discuss how the funds impact their school
