Coupeville adds a math teacher

The Coupeville School District, like all others in the state, is seeing an increase in money from I-728 and it adds up to a new math teacher and more.

The district’s revenue from that source is going from $300 to $375 per student in the next school year.

The school district will receive approximately $425,000. I-728 funds are earmarked for programs that help pay for efforts to reduce class size, provide extended learning opportunities, professional development for teachers, pre-kindergarten support, and facilities improvements that lead to class-size reduction.

Next year’s increase is about $122,000, as the district is budgeted to receive $303,000 in I-728 funds for the current school year.

Each school district in the state received a per-student increase in the state funding source that came about from an initiative voters approved in 2000.

Coupeville is using the extra money to add a math teacher and expand its parent/child home program that benefits preschoolers.

“That creates enough money for us to buy an additional teacher for class size reduction,” Superintendent Bill Myhr said.

A new math teacher will allow the school district to offer higher level classes such as calculus.

The school district also plans to change the parent/child home program from a half-time position to a full-time position.

Myhr said having a full-time employee doubles the number of children served in the program. He said the program will go from six to eight students to 14 to 16 students.

The coordinator visits the homes of selected families with preschool children and works with them to ensure children are prepared for kindergarten.

“It’s a very proactive approach to get to the kids at the front of the system,” Myhr said.

Any money left over will be carried over to the following year, Myhr said.

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