Hermitage School District

Hermitage School District, a public school district in rural Arkansas, receives federal grants as a prime recipient focused on K–12 education funding and operates as a sub-recipient on additional education and nutrition programs flowing through the Arkansas Department of Education. The district does not hold federal contracts and operates entirely within the federal grant space, with 66% of its recent awards received as a sub-recipient rather than as a prime grantee.

The district's federal footprint centers on education and child nutrition programs. As a prime recipient, Hermitage School District holds five consecutive annual formula grants under the Small, Rural School Achievement Program from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), with awards in July 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and most recently July 2026, running through September 2027. As a sub-recipient, the district administers pass-through funding from the Arkansas Department of Education across a broad portfolio of Title I, special education, teacher quality, McKinney-Vento homeless services, student support and academic enrichment (SSAE), and early childhood special education programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The district also receives federal child nutrition program reimbursement funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Arkansas Department of Education for breakfast, lunch, and after-school snacks served according to federal nutrition standards, and participates in the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program for elementary schools.

Customer concentration is heavily weighted toward education agencies. The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) accounts for 39 awards across the source data, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service for 15 awards, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services for 4 awards, and the USDA Rural Housing Service for 1 award, representing 100% coverage across the recent award footprint. Dollar obligations across all 59 awards total approximately $3 million. Activity was volatile — 8 awards in 2022, 16 in 2023, 10 in 2024, and 9 in 2025 — with only 1 award recorded in 2026 to date. One award is scheduled for completion within the next twenty-four months, indicating limited near-term recompete exposure in the source data window.

The district's funding model is characteristic of rural K–12 education: formula-based direct grants for Title I student achievement and supplemental services, child nutrition reimbursement based on meal claims, and pass-through allocations for teacher professional development, special populations (homeless, migratory, early childhood special education), and school climate and technology initiatives. No federal contractors serve as subs or partners on these awards; funding flows directly from federal agencies to the state education agency to the school district for classroom operations.