Pinellas Superintendent John Stewart is looking at a plan to shift Title I dollars for high-poverty schools away from high schools so middle and elementary schools can get a bigger share.

Stewart's proposal, which he mentioned in a meeting with principals yesterday, is in the early stages and is likely to be discussed at the Dec. 13 school board workshop. It comes about a year and a half after former Superintendent Julie Janssen led a move to redistribute Title I money away from elementary schools alone - where it had gone for years - and instead split it among elementary, middle and high schools.

Board member Terry Krassner, a former elementary school principal, told The Gradebook she applauds Stewart's idea.

"Stretching the dollars K-12 has definitely had a negative impact on the elementary programs," she said. "I think (Stewart) is hearing it from teachers as he’s going out and visiting, and seeing that they don’t have other grant money to go to."