A new system to improve skills of some students at Lowther North and South Intermediate schools was approved at a meeting of the Emporia board of education held Wednesday evening in the Mary Herbert Learning Center, 1700 W. Seventh Ave.
Patricia Smiley, director of instruction, explained the Read 180 and System 44 programs and the need for two new certified strategist positions “to really give it a good start.”
Smiley said that the program is one teaching and learning leaders here have looked at for some time.
“It’s not a cheap program, as you can see,” Smiley said. “We were excited to have the stimulus funds to be able to purchase that group.”
The majority of the costs of strategists, licenses and materials will be paid through a total of $893,708 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds the school district will receive during the next two years.
The cost of the strategists will be approximately $59,000 each per year. The one-time cost of licenses is approximately $32,000 for the Read program per building and $17,500 for 20 System 44 licenses per building. Ongoing cost of the technical support plan is estimated at $52,450 per building.
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