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What is Impact Aid
(Title VIII)?
In response to recent
questions, DOE offers a brief synopsis of the federal Impact Aid
program.
Impact Aid is a direct
grant of federal funds to assist local school districts that have lost
property tax revenue due to the presence of tax-exempt federal property or
that have experienced increased expenditures due to the enrollment of
federally-connected children. Impact Aid provides assistance to local school
districts with concentrations of children residing on Indian lands, military
bases, low-rent housing properties, or other federal properties, or who have
parents in the uniformed services or employed on eligible federal properties.
Most Impact Aid funds
received by school districts, with the exception of payments for children with
disabilities and construction payments, may be used in whatever manner the
district chooses in accordance with local and state requirements.
Major components of the
Impact Aid grant include:
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Federal Property
payments, referred to as Section 8002, to assist local school districts that
have lost a portion of their local tax base because of federal ownership of
property.
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Basic Support
payments, referred to as Section 8003, help local school districts that
educate federally-connected children. These may be children of members of
the uniformed services, children who reside on Indian lands, children who
reside on federal property or in federally subsidized low-rent housing, and
children whose parents work on federal property.
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Children With Disabilities
payments, referred to as Section 8003(d), provide additional assistance to
school districts that educate federally-connected children who are eligible
for services under IDEA. A school district that receives these funds MUST
use them for the increased costs of educating federally-connected children
with disabilities.
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Construction Grants,
referred to as Section 8007, are awarded to local school districts that
educate high percentages of certain federally-connected children – both
children living on Indian lands and children of members of the uniformed
services. These grants help pay for the construction and repair of school
buildings.
If you are interested in
finding out more information about the Impact Aid program, eligibility
requirements, or application procedures, please contact the Impact Aid office
in Washington, DC at 202-260-3858 or visit its website at
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/impactaid/index.html. |
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