ADMINISTRATIVE

The Virginia Department of Education has been notified of 
an allocation of $21,038,247 for the Class Size Reduction 
Program. All of these funds will be distributed to school 
divisions and will be available for official award to 
states on July 1, 1999.  Although the Class Size Reduction 
Program has a separate implementation statue, for the 1999-
2000 school year, the funds for this program are federally 
appropriated through Title VI of the Improving America's 
Schools Act. The funds will be allocated to school 
divisions separate from, and in addition to, the regular 
Title VI grant.

The attached table is a listing by school division of the 
Class Size Reduction allocations. You may note a difference 
between these allocations and the LEA estimates that the 
U.S. Department of Education placed on its website in 
March.  As indicated in Supts. Memo #56, we anticipated 
that adjustments would be reflected in the final 
allocations. There are two major reasons for the 
adjustments in the allocations. First, the U.S. Department 
of Education used 1996-97 enrollment data to calculate the 
estimated amounts.  The guidelines for the grant require 
states to use 1998-99 enrollment in the final calculations. 
Next, there were three school divisions omitted from the 
estimated allocations that had to be included in the final 
calculations.    

The Department of Education will host two technical 
assistance meetings to provide specific instructions on the 
grant application.  The dates and locations are:

May 10, 1999    Department of Education,
                Conference Rooms D and E,
                10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

May 11, 1999    Northside Middle School Auditorium, 
                Roanoke County Public Schools
                10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Directions to these locations are enclosed.  Please return 
the intent form as indicated. The complete application 
package that contains the forms, instructions, and Guidance 
Manual is enclosed. The deadline for submission of 
applications is June 15, 1999.

Please be aware that the U.S. Department of Education is in 
the process of reevaluating the legal and policy 
interpretation of the consortium requirement in Section 
307(b)(2) of the law.  The Virginia Department of Education 
will notify all school divisions of any changes as 
information becomes available.  

Questions regarding the Class Size Reduction Program or the 
enclosed information should be directed to Dianne B. 
Pollard, Specialist, Office of Compensatory Programs at 
(804) 371-7583, or e-mail dpollard@pen.k12.va.us.


PDS:cd

Attachments:    A hard copy of this memo and its attachment
                will be sent to the superintendent's office.

cc:  Title VI Coordinators (Memo Only)

---------------------------------------------------------------

                  Class Size Reduction Program

                 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MEETINGS

                        INTENT FORM

Please check the technical assistance meeting that you plan 
to attend:

_____Virginia Department of Education  (May 10, 1999)
_____Northside Middle School, Roanoke County (May 11, 
     1999)


School Division:    

    _________________________________________

Name and Title of Person(s) to Attend Meeting:

    ______________________________________________

    ______________________________________________

















Please return this form to Dianne Pollard on or before 
MAY 6, 1999

Fax Number:  (804) 371-7347
Address:  Virginia Department of Education
P.O. Box 2120, Richmond, VA  23218-2120





DIRECTIONS


NORTHSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL, ROANOKE COUNTY
6810 Northside High School Road
Roanoke, Virginia

Coming from the downtown area:  Take I-581 North to the 
second Peter's Creek Road Exit.  Go to the first stop 
light and turn right onto Northside High School Road.  
Continue to the end of the road where Northside Middle 
School is located (behind Northside School).  The 
auditorium is a new structure located on the far end of 
the Middle School.

Coming from I-81 South:  Take I-581 South (Roanoke Exit) 
to the first Peter's Creek Road Exit.  Go to the first 
stop light and turn right onto Northside High School 
Road.  Continue to the end of the road where Northside 
Middle School is located (behind Northside High School).  
The auditorium is a new structure located on the far end 
of the Middle School.

Coming from I-81 North: Take I-581 South (Roanoke Exit) 
to the first Peter's Creek Road Exit.  Go to the first 
stop light and turn right onto Northside High School 
Road.  Continue to the end of the road where Northside 
Middle School is located (behind Northside High School).  
The auditorium is a new structure located on the far end 
of the Middle School.

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - JAMES MONROE BUILDING
101 North 14th Street
Richmond, Virginia

Coming from I-64 East or West; and I-95 North: Take I-95 
South to Exit 74B (Franklin Street).  The James Monroe 
Building is on the right of the exit ramp.

Coming from I-95 South:  Take Exit 74C to Broad Street 
East (Route 33).  Make a right turn onto Broad Street.  
Continue to the traffic light at the top of the hill (14th 
and Broad).  Make a left urn onto 14th Street.  The James 
Monroe Building is on your left.

Public parking is located at 15th and Main Streets, 
approximately one block from the Monroe Building.