MADISON — The leaders of the county’s three school districts met Thursday to explain how crucial federal impact aid is to the success of schools and students.

Federal impact aid is government funding given to school systems who have lost potential funding from a lack of property taxes that would contribute to education. Military parents, as well as parents who work on federal land, are exempt from these local school taxes.

With NASA, Redstone Arsenal and a large military presence in the Tennessee Valley, schools in the area are hurt if they do not receive funds from federal impact aid.

Madison City Schools superintendent Robby Parker touched on the role of impact aid in their school systems and how students benefit directly from this funding.

According to Parker, federal impact aid has helped tremendously by helping Madison City Schools qualify for Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) grants. Parker said Impact Aid has brought $4 million to MCS since it began as a school district in 1998 and $8 million in related Dept. of Defense Education grants since 2010.

The DoDEA grants have brought high quality professional development technology tools, student support programs, content specialists, tutors and counselors to support military-connected students, according to Parker.

Col. Kelsey Smith, Redstone Arsenal garrison commander, emphasized the importance of submitting impact aid forms as a military parent who has submitted the same form over the years.

“As a parent, I believe that it is my job to ensure that I help to affect the school systems that I have been a consumer of, and I certainly appreciate what I have been afforded and what’s been afforded to my children in the past,” Smith said.

Smith also expressed a passion for the work of teachers in helping students learn and prepare for their futures. He also urged parents to instill a love of reading into their children and be present when children need homework help.
The forms are were sent home Thursday and needs to be returned back to each child’s school by Sept. 27.

There is a very brief video tutorial about the form at the end of this video appeal from Parker on its importance. https://youtu.be/FTp31vLblrE