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Survey cards mean Federal aid

  • Published
  • By Provided by Darren Dean
  • Education Program Specialist
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii --  Hawaii's public school students will bring home a Federal census survey card Sept. 8 to be filled out by parents and returned to school the following day. It is extremely important to complete the Federal survey cards and return them promptly to the child's school.

The data collected from these forms, and turned into the Federal Department of Education, determines the funding received by the Hawaii Department of Education. Impact Aid is the Department of Education program that provides payments for a portion of the educational costs of federally connected students. It is intended to replace the tax revenues lost to a community by the double impact of having non-taxable Federal property.

Impact Aid is the only Federal education program where the funds are sent directly to the school district. Parents should keep in mind that Hawaii is a one-district school system. The funds go directly into the school district's general fund for operations such as purchase of textbooks, computers, utilities, and payment of staff salaries.

Additional local impact of Federal funds

Federal survey card results are the only official, current method to determine the military dependent population in a school. Aside from determining the amount of Impact Aid a school district will receive, military dependent population statistics also determine school eligibility for Joint Venture Education Forum funds, in particular textbook, technology, and repair and maintenance funds. The larger the military dependent population, the higher the school ranking on the fund eligibility list. These funds will go directly to the students' schools. For more information about Joint Venture Education Forum funding visit: http://www. pacom.mil/jvef/funding.shtml.

Parents are encouraged to return the completed cards promptly. Nonresponse could result in the loss of millions of dollars in Federal funds that benefit both the military and local communities.