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Missouri must spend more than $11 million in education grants or lose it

The federal government warns Missouri that they must spend education money or lose it. Megan Clarke has the story.

Missouri has more than 11 million dollars left over from federal education grants from 2002. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must allocate the money before September 30th or it will be sent back to the U.S. Treasury.

Department Director of Public Information Jim Morris says there are a variety of reasons why the money awarded in 2002 has not been spent.

EITHER THEY DON'T CARRY THE PROGRAM FULLY OR THEY SERVE FEWER STUDENTS THAN EXPECTED OR THEY BUY SOME EQUIPMENT THEY EXPECTED TO BUY.

Morris expects the state to allocate almost all the leftover money. But says it may be difficult to spend almost 4 million dollars that's granted for new state testing by the deadline.

Missouri has more than 11 million dollars leftover in education grants. If the state fails to use it, they lose it. Megan Clarke reports.

The federal government warns Missouri to spend 2002 grant money by September 30th or send it back.

Missouri's Department Jim Morris from Missouri's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says the majority will be spent by the deadline, but says it may be hard to spend almost 4 million dollars of grant money for state testing.

Morris says this amount is small in terms of education budgets.

THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS IN QUESTION HERE IN OUR STATE, WHETHER THEY ARE UNSPENT OR WHETHER WE SPEND EVERY SINGLE PENNY ARE REALLY NOT SIGNIFICANT.

Morris says federal grant money makes up about 10% of school district's budgets. The leftover money cannot be used for general operations of schools.

The federal government says that all 50 states have leftover grant money to spend that totals more than 2 billion dollars. Megan Clarke tells us how Missouri plans to spend the grand money.

The federal government warns that Missouri has to spend more than 11 million dollars by September 30th or lose it.

The state's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education spokesman Jim Morris says the majority will be spent on reading programs and student community service. But he says it may be hard to spend almost 4 million dollars on state testing by the deadline.

Morris says this amount is small in terms of education spending.

THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS IN QUESTION HERE IN OUR STATE, WHETHER THEY ARE UNSPENT OR WHETHER WE SPEND EVERY SINGLE PENNY, ARE NOT REALLY SIGNIFICANT.

Morris says federal grant money makes up about 10-percent of a school district's budget. He says the leftover grant money cannot be allocated to general operations of schools.