Federal Programs

The Federal Programs Office interacts with the United States Department of Education through grant applications, electronic "paperwork," and extensive compliance processes. The work is tedious, difficult, and unforgiving: a misplaced punctuation mark can result can lead to sanctions for the district. However, the motivation to persevere comes from the fruits of the labor: funding for programs that benefit students in need of extra assistance. The Federal Programs Office is led by Mr. Ian R. Farr, Assistant to the Superintendent. A graduate of North Pocono High School, Mr. Farr holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education English from Bloomsburg University, a Master of Science degree in Classroom Technology from Wilkes University, and a Master of Science degree in Educational Leadership with Principal Certification from Wilkes University. Over the course of 20 years, Mr. Farr served as a middle school English teacher, an assistant principal, and a building principal at North Pocono before being named to his current position.

Each federal education program is generally referred to using the section of the federal law that governs it.  The current federal education law, Public Law 114-95 (commonly referred to as the Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA), has nine major sections, labeled Title I through Title IX. Funding opportunities exist in most of those sections; however, North Pocono, based on the demographics of its student population and its track record of delivering quality education, is eligible to apply for a very limited number.