Carlisle School District

Carlisle School District, a U.S. local government entity and public school district headquartered in Carlisle, Arkansas, receives federal funding as a grant recipient rather than a federal contractor. The district operates almost entirely as a sub-recipient (82% of recent awards) of pass-through federal education and nutrition grants flowing from the Arkansas Department of Education, with a small footprint of direct prime grants from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The district's federal footprint centers on three grantor agencies. The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education issues direct formula grants under the Small, Rural School Achievement Program (4 prime awards with ultimate completion dates spanning 2024 through 2027). The Arkansas Department of Education serves as the prime recipient and pass-through entity for the vast majority of Carlisle's federal funding — 28 sub-awards across Title I academic improvement, teacher and principal quality enhancement, Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grants, special education services under IDEA Part B and Part C, and federal child nutrition programs administered by the Food and Nutrition Service. Representative sub-awards include Title I funds for qualifying personnel salaries, materials, and after-school tutoring (awarded July 2025); SSAE grants for well-rounded education and technology integration (July 2025); early childhood special education services for children ages 3 to 5 with disabilities, including speech and occupational therapy (July 2025); and recurring federal child nutrition program reimbursements for breakfast, lunch, and after-school snacks (October 2025 and ongoing).

The district has received $1.9 million in combined dollars obligated across all awards over the past five years, with activity concentrated in 2023 (12 awards) and declining modestly thereafter (8 awards in 2024, 7 in 2025, 1 in 2026). One award reaches ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, creating minimal recompete pressure. The district's sub-award model reflects the standard federal education funding pipeline: state departments of education allocate federal grants to local education agencies based on formula-driven allocations and compliance with federal nutrition and special education regulations. Work performed is instructional and support services — teacher salaries, special education therapies, student meals, academic enrichment programs, and technology infrastructure — delivered at Carlisle's schools across the district.