Example District

Local-Flexibility Demonstration Program in Seattle Public Schools

by Jay Iman

The Local-Flex Demonstration Program represents another tool that the Seattle School District can use in combination with other tools to assist students who are at risk of not meeting State standards and to help schools eliminate achievement gaps in student performance.

There are three major reasons why the Seattle Public Schools elected to apply for local-flex authority:

First, the intent of the Local-Flex Demonstration Program is consistent with the existing Board vision, mission, values and central office and building transformation efforts including decentralized decision-making processes and accelerated school transformation plans.

Second, the focus and intent of the Local-Flex Demonstration Program is in alignment with the commitments of central and building leadership teams and with the expectations and needs of our educational community.

And third, this program provides the District with an opportunity to demonstrate that additional flexibility under these federal programs will in fact result in a higher level of student academic performance than would have been experienced under the discrete purposes and restrictions of each individual federal program.

During our first year, we have experienced real benefits from participating in the Local-Flex Demonstration program:

One, it enhances program stability – that is, it provides a five-year view versus a single or annual view of program strategies and interventions.

Second, the program permits the District to more effectively consolidate and target the use of specific federal funds in ways it could not do under the discrete categorical nature of these funds. It allows a District to better integrate these federal programs with other federal and State special purpose funds not included in the Local-Flex Plan. It increases our ability to target these resources where most needed to meet State Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) targets.

In addition, it allows the District to be more agile and timely in addressing the urgent, emerging and changing needs of schools and staff and students. It gives the District the authority to adjust their strategies and interventions without having to seek prior approval from the State Office of Public Instruction or from the U.S. Department of Education. It also affords private schools with the same level of flexibility in addressing their priority needs.

Finally, it is an incentive for the District to openly address the tough decisions needed in order to meet challenging State student performance standards. It provides our local community with evidence that is a public demonstration of our strong will and commitment to meet the needs of all students, to reduce achievement gaps, and to turn around schools most at-risk of not succeeding.

There are two significant benefits under the Local-Flex Plan that could not be accommodated under the transferability provisions of NCLB.

Number one, greater flexibility in the use and targeting of funds that would not have been possible under the transferability provisions. It allows the District to use these funds to offer services that are not authorized under the four federal programs included in the Local-Flex Plan as funds may be used for any purpose of the NCLB.

Second, it allows the District to adjust above and beyond the dollar allocations for each individual grant and above the 50% transferability provisions for the programs included in the consolidated plan. This is especially important for districts like Seattle where ESEA Title II Part A funds represent more than 75% of the total funds under the four federal programs that are consolidated within our plan.

Like other districts experiencing declining state revenues and increasing costs, the Local-Flex Demonstration Program will help to bring all resources together to effectively assist students meet challenging State standards. Through consolidation, these funds are being used to supplement and enhance District and building efforts directly and effectively meeting the needs of all of our students.

I personally view the Local-Flex Demonstration Plan as an essential element of our District’s Five Year Action Plan for Student Success. It is a program that holds promise for assisting districts of any size to improve student academic achievement. I encourage you to consider participation in this federal program initiative.

Return to Example District

The resources and tools provided on this website are brought to you by The Northeast and the Islands Regional Technology in Education Consortium (NEIRTEC) and its partners in collaboration with the US Department of Education. For more information, contact jnesbit@wested.org.

This page last modified—July 22, 2005.