Wyandanch officials: 'Race to Top' funding falls short

Among the region's school districts, Wyandanch would appear a prime candidate for federal "Race to the Top" money.

Sixty-three percent of Wyandanch's mostly black and Hispanic students qualify for subsidized lunches because of modest family incomes. And the district's tax base is the weakest on Long Island.

So the $159,616 grant announced last week as Wyandanch's earmarked share of federal school-improvement funding comes as a supreme disappointment. The district faces an estimated $2.4-million shortfall in revenues this year, due to over-optimistic aid projections, along with potential teacher layoffs and cuts in sports teams.

To add to its woes, Wyandanch learned last week that Washington had turned down its application for a separate $11 million-plus grant meant to boost graduation rates.

"We're very disappointed - it doesn't look like the Rangers are riding to our help," said Pless Dickerson, the district superintendent.

The school board president, Denise Baines, said members probably will meet sometime this week to decide their next move. Meanwhile, Baines expressed frustration that some state officials had suggested as recently as two weeks ago that "Race to the Top" funding would help solve Wyandanch's problems.

"I don't trust the state at this point," she said.

Some Wyandanch officials said they had hoped to receive as much as $700,000.

In Albany, state education officials said Wyandanch's share of the earmarked money is decided by formula and the district's relatively small size, 1,900 students, largely governs the amount of assistance it receives. Those officials added that they plan to distribute additional federal cash to school districts in the form of competitive grants, and that districts such as Wyandanch are welcome to apply, though it isn't clear how this would ease the district's current troubles.

Roger Tilles of Great Neck, the Island's representative on the state Board of Regents, noted that "Race to the Top" money could not be used to plug Wyandanch's budget deficit. "But it can be used for things they were looking for in the future, such as professional development for teachers," he said.