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Safety is everyone’s top priority, so we felt we needed to
add that level and be able to quickly assess a situation
or get students help prior to anything happening
.
— Dr. Stephen Smith, Benton CCSD #47
24
LMMay 2019 Special Edition
Series Conclusion
Southern
Super
Region
...
cont’d.
Enrollment: 4,696 FY18: $2.4 million
Type: 9–12
FY19: $2.3 million
All plans on how to utilize EBF dollars are focused around
students, superintendent Jeff Dosier said. The district
is using EBF to maintain class sizes and update its
instructional materials for students, which were outdated.
Increasing social and emotional supports for students is
also a priority, Dosier added. The district is in the process
of providing additional mental health resources
for students.
Other ways the district is using EBF includes adding two
more sections of AVID at each high school. AVID helps
students with average grades develop higher-level thinking
skills and become better organized. Dollars have also
been used to revitalize the district’s agriculture program
and increased offerings for students interested in pursuing
a career in the medical field, Dosier said.
“We always had big plans and dreams of what it would be
like to offer more, and the evidence-based funding allows
us to say how are we going to do that in the most effective
way to reach the most students efficiently and powerfully,”
he said. But because of years of pro-ration from the state,
Dosier added, some of the dollars were needed to help
balance the budget. “It gives us breathing room, and we
don’t stress as much,” he said.
Belleville TWP HSD #201
Enrollment: 1,159 FY18: $501,856
Type: preK–8
FY19: $333,450
Safety, social-emotional supports and curriculum and instruction
were the areas Benton CCSD #47 focused on with its Evidence-
Based Funding dollars, Dr. Stephen Smith said.
In FY 18, Benton CCSD #47 used EBF dollars to hire a school
resource officer and additional social worker. As a result, Smith
said, the district immediately developed a risk assessment team
to be able to better respond to a crisis.
“Safety is everyone’s top priority, so we felt we needed to
add that level and be able to quickly assess a situation or get
students help prior to anything happening,” he said.
Benton CCSD #47 also hired teachers, purchased new
curriculum and expanded technology.
To address enrollment and scheduling issues, a middle school
math teacher immediately came on board. Seventh grade
Advanced Math and Algebra I at the 8th grade level were added
in 2018-19. Moving forward, the plan is to add another science
and ELA teacher at the middle school for the 2019-20 school
year. The additional science teacher will allow the district to
expand its STEM offerings, including a new robotics class.
In addition, the district used EBF dollars to purchase a new
middle school science curriculum. The reading curriculum is
currently being reviewed and will be updated next school year.
“It became pretty our clear reading curriculum was something
that needed to be addressed,” Smith said. “Our teachers did
what good teachers do when resources are cut. They pulled,
shared, and developed their own. However, it created a situation
where we had some holes. We are now moving toward a
curriculum that is sequential and well aligned in grades K–8.
Benton CCSD #47