McKinley is happy to share that our school qualifies for Targeted Title I funding this year.  Title I provides approximately $200,000 in federal funding for expenditures that help to close the opportunity gap by paying for School Counselor, intervention materials and staff professional development.  

Schools qualify for schoolwide Title I funding (used for all students) when at least 40% of students are considered low-income based on the Free-Reduced Lunch Application, or Targeted-Assistance Title I funding (used to support low-income and at-risk students) when at least 35-39% of students are considered low-income. In 2022-23 McKinley was at 34%, just 1% away from qualifying which led to a decrease of $125,000 in our school budget. In 2023-24 McKinley was at 39%, just 1% away from qualifying for schoolwide assistance, but brought us into the targeted assistance category.  While we are thrilled to have these funds, this year, we need your help to continue to qualify in the upcoming years and to enter the schoolwide category.

To ensure we continue to qualify for Title 1 funding in 2025-26, all families should complete the Free-Reduced Lunch Application. While meals are free for all students, the only way we can qualify for this important funding is if families fill out this application. The Free-Reduced Lunch Application is available at https://www.smmusd.org/Page/4083. Our goal is 100% participation! Please reach out to Michael Muñoz, our bilingual community liaison at mmunoz@smmusd.org if you need assistance completing the form.

Thank you for your help, and thank you for donating to the PTA at www.mckinleypta.com and to the Santa Monica Education Foundation at www.smedfoundation.org.