RISON - The Cleveland County School District learned Friday that it did not receive funding for either the new physical education-gym building or a new security entrance for Rison Elementary under the current state partnership funding cycle.However, there is still a chance the projects could be funded in this current two-year cycle should other school districts be unable to come up with the necessary matching funds to receive the partnership money. Both of Cleveland County’s projects were approved into the partnership program last year, but only a limited number of projects receive funding since the state legislature sets aside only a certain amount of money for the partnership program each cycle. The legislature budget $215,340,489 for the partnership program in this cycle.Under the partnership program, the state pays a portion of the construction costs for approved projects based on the district’s “wealth index.” The wealth index is essentially a factor based on the assessed value of property within a district as well as the household median income and the relative median income of residents within that district. Based on the Cleveland County School District’s wealth index, the state would pay for more than 70 percent of an approved project based its estimated construction costs. Partnership projects are based on two needs: “space” needed for students; and/or projects that will keep students “warm, safe and dry.” Scotty Holderfield, school facilities consultant with the Southeast Arkansas Education Cooperative, said space projects are given first priority in partnership funding. Both of Cleveland County’s partnership projects are considered “warm, safe and dry” projects.According to the partnership funding chart released by the Diivision of Public School Facilities and Transportation, the state’s estimated portion for the cost of the PE-gym building was $2,707,623.36 while...
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