Federal Grant Award Summary

The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) awarded the Iditarod Area School District (doing business as Blackwell School) a Project Grant of $954,912 under the Impact Aid program (CFDA 84.041) effective October 1, 2025, with completion targeted for September 30, 2031. This award provides financial assistance to offset lost local property tax revenue resulting from the presence of federally connected children—defined as those living on federal property or having parents employed on federal property or serving on active duty in the uniformed services—within the school district's service area covering eight schools across seven Native villages in the Alaskan interior.

The Impact Aid program compensates eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) for the tax base erosion caused by federal property exemptions from local taxation. The Iditarod Area School District qualifies under Section 7003 of Title VII, which applies to districts with at least three percent or 400 federally connected children in average daily attendance. These funds are intended to replace lost local revenue and support comprehensive K-12 educational services delivery to remote Alaskan communities, particularly Native villages in a 75,000 square mile region where the district operates. Annual payments are computed according to statutory formula and are subject to proration if federal appropriations are insufficient.