The Knoxville Community School District is placing an emphasis on increasing funding for the at-risk prevention program during this legislative session.

Knoxville’s at-risk prevention program is currently capped at 3.2% of their full revenue source, while many schools receive a full 5% for this program. The cap was set in 2013, when the legislative session that year placed a freeze on the revenue source. Superintendent Cassi Pearson tells KNIA/KRLS News that Knoxville Schools and the Iowa Association of School Boards are asking the legislators to reconsider this decision. 

“Unfortunately, we had not asked for the max and we’ve been penalized ever since. So, one of the large advocacy groups, the Iowa Association of School Boards and Knoxville School District are advocating that our legislators go back and create an equitable funding stream for at-risk drop-out prevention, so all schools can go back to asking for the maximum amount.”

Should the legislators overturn the 2013 decision, Knoxville Schools will receive an additional $300,000 a year for the program.