School Board Changes Compensatory Program

Chaíges ií the proposed 1969 Ann Arbor Compensatory Program were unanimously approved last night by the Board of Education. If the program is approved by the Michigan Department of Education, three new components will be added this year: a Kindergarten Project at Mack and Bach schools, a Community Services Project in the Jones Building and funds for evalua; tive testing of children who formerly participated in the projects. The kindergarten project consists of hiring an extra teacher for the kindergarten classes at Mack and Bach. The community services project will nrovide tutoring, funds to cover enrichment course fees and transportation for various community programs. Three components of the 1968 Compensatory Program will be dropped: the After-School Project, the Saturday Enrichment Project and the Summer Language Development Projects. All of these projects served children from the Mack, Bach and Jones School attendance areas. Ivan Bare, director of grant programs for the public schools, said the Summer Language Development Project is being scrapped because of a reduction in federal funds of $9,344 from last year's allocation. "This $9,344 cut made it impossible to design a Summer Project of ... sufficient depth," he said. Bare added there is "some hope" the reduction in federal funds will be restored. If so, the Summer Project may be restored to the program, he said. The program, which will be mainly funded by the federal government under the terms of Trtle I of the Elementary and Secondary Kducation Act, will now be submitted to the Michigan Department of Education for approval. A total of $107,212 is expected to be allocated from federal funds for the program. The Ann Arbor School District will contribute $40,014 for the project, an increase of $383 over last year's contribution. The program, if approved, will begin Sept. 1.