Federal Grant Award Summary

Sierra Sands Unified School District received a $206,547 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education under the Impact Aid Program (CFDA 84.041, Title VII, Section 7003) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2031. This award supports comprehensive K-12 educational services in Ridgecrest, California, for a military-connected student population. Section 7003 of the Impact Aid Program provides financial assistance to school districts where at least three percent or 400 federally connected children in average daily attendance reside on federal property or have parents employed on federal property or on active duty in the uniformed services, thereby offsetting revenue losses resulting from reduced local tax bases.

The funding supports general instruction, special education, English language learning, school nutrition, career and technical education, teacher training, and technology integration across the district's educational programs. As a direct prime grantee consistently receiving Impact Aid funding, Sierra Sands Unified School District leverages this federal support to maintain critical educational services that would otherwise be constrained by the presence of military installations within its service area that limit local property tax revenues.