POST FALLS - Ponderosa Elementary is one of five Idaho schools and the only one in Kootenai County to receive an extra $20,000 in federal funds for its Title I program aimed at bringing students up to speed in reading and math.

The State Department of Education selected "Showcase Schools" for the 2010-11 school year based on poverty levels and academic scores.

Ponderosa Principal Kathy Baker said state officials earlier told her there would be a "small" award involved, so she was overwhelmed at the amount.

"With our budget realities, 'small' meant to me perhaps a hundred dollars or so," Baker said. "Consequently, I was floored at the amount announced. This will impact children."

Marcia Beckman, the SDE's Title I director, said the "Showcase" program honors schools that have performed well and gives others something to strive for.

"We hold the schools up as good examples," she said.

Of last year's Ponderosa fifth-graders, 98 percent scored at least proficient in reading and 94.5 percent in math. Sixty percent of Ponderosa's students qualify for free or reduced cost meals.

Beckman said it's up to the schools on how they choose to improve their Title I program with the additional money.

"These funds may be used in the same manner and for the same purposes as the district's regular Title I funds," she said.

Baker said Ponderosa has never been the recipient of extra Title I funds.

"The staff has been brainstorming how to best use the funds to continue to impact student learning," she said.

Ideas on how to spend the money include additional staffing, intervention program materials and basic building supplies such as copy and construction paper.

"Copying costs alone ran $13,500 last year," Baker said. "This cost was even after implementing the use of email for family correspondence, using both sides of paper and shrinking masters in half so four pages of materials are fit onto one piece of paper."

Ponderosa is also one of three schools nominated statewide for a "Blue Ribbon" award under a U.S. Department of Education program. While that program is different than the "Showcase" one, Beckman said the same data is used on both.

The school will learn in August if it earns a Blue Ribbon, depending on its latest ISAT scores.