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Closing The
Achievement Gap
WORDS & PICTURES: Jessica Schubick
“I’m really proud of the work. I really am. It’s not always easy.” - Elena Garcia
Elena Garcia works to ensure that
the neediest students in Manatee
County can thrive. As the Director
of Federal Programs & Grants for the
School District of Manatee County, she
oversees a variety of entitlement or block
grants awarded to Manatee County
Schools from the Federal Government.
These grants provide for programs and
resources that support educational
opportunities for students experiencing
challenges associated with poverty,
homelessness, second language
acquisition, migration, and immigration.
The rst and largest of these programs is
Title I, Part A. This program supplements
what the School District does for
economically disadvantaged students.
Title I, Part C provides educational
support for migrant students. Title III
supports English language learners (or
ELL students). And Title I provides
programming and support for homeless
and foster care students.
The goal of each of these programs is
to ensure that all children have an equal
opportunity to obtain a high-quality
education. Much of the work done by
Ms. Garcia’s department takes the form
of additional support staff, afterschool
and summer programs for each of these
groups of students. They also make
referrals to other agencies that can provide
additional resources to students and
their families, aside from the educational
resources the School District can provide.
Ms. Garcia’s passion for her work is
obvious. She sees her position as the
perfect t for her personal, professional,
and pedagogical belief systems. She
began her career as a classroom teacher
at a school with a high ELL population in
Hillsborough County. After teaching for