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Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

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Title IV, Part A - Student Support and Academic Enrichment

This federal program provides supplemental funding to help provide students with a well-rounded education, improve school conditions and improve the use of technology.

Program Information

Generally, the Title IV, Part A (Title IV-A) program funds may be used in a wide range of allowable activities within the three Content Areas listed below:

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE & RESOURCES

Resources:

Well-Rounded Educational Opportunities

Safe and Healthy Students

  • Bullying and Harassment Prevention StopBullying.gov provides information from various government agencies on what bullying is, what cyberbullying is, who is at risk, and how to prevent and respond to bullying.
  • Healthy Students CDC Healthy Schools is a Federal website with numerous resources to assist school districts and schools in creating healthy learning environments, including information related to nutrition, physical activity, obesity prevention, and the management of chronic conditions. There are also professional development and training materials for school personnel.
  • School-Based Mental Health Services Center for School Mental Health strengthens policies and programs in school mental health to improve learning and promote success for America's youth. CSMH advances evidence-based care in schools and collaborates at local, State, national, and international levels to advance research, training, policy, and practice in school mental health.
  • Asthma Management in Schools Environmental Protection Agency  This guide offers valuable information for all school staff, especially school nurses, teachers and maintenance staff, on how to identify and control common environmental factors in schools that may trigger asthma episodes. Download the Managing Asthma in the School Environment document to learn how you can help control asthma at your school and boost student performance.
  • Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices Clearinghouse Launched by the US Department of Education, the Clearinghouse is designed to support students, young children, families, teachers, early childhood providers, faculty, and staff as schools, early childhood education programs, and campuses continue to reopen following closures due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
  • Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports supports schools, districts, and states to build systems capacity for implementing a multi-tiered approach to social, emotional and behavior support.

Effective Use of Technology

  • The National Education Technology Plan 2016 is the flagship educational technology policy document for the United States. The 2016 Plan, Future Ready Learning: Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education, articulates a vision of equity, active use, and collaborative leadership to make everywhere, all-the-time learning possible. The principles and examples provided in the document align to the effective use of technology content area under Title IV, Part A.
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
  • ​All programs and activities funded under Title IV, Part A for both LEAs and eligible non-public schools must be based on identified needs described in the Consolidated ESSA application.
  • LEAs with an allocation of $30,000 or more are required to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment once every three years to examine the needs for:
    • access to well-rounded educational opportunities (WRE);
    • activities to support safe and healthy students (SHS); and
    • effective use of technology (EUT) to improve the academic achievement, academic growth, and digital literacy of all students.

Must an LEA whose allocation is $30,000 or more conduct a separate comprehensive needs assessment for Title IV, Part A purposes? Are there examples of a comprehensive needs assessment?

If the LEA has recently conducted a needs assessment for other programs that corresponds to the three Title IV-A content areas, the LEA may want to consider how best to incorporate the information for the completed needs assessment into the comprehensive needs assessment for the Title IV-A program.

LEAs must also engage in timely and meaningful consultation with a broad range of stakeholders (ESEA section 4106(c)) and may find it helpful to examine relevant data to understand students’ and schools’ most pressing needs, including the potential root causes of such needs.

However, if existing needs assessment processes do not address the content areas included in Title IV, Part A, then a separate comprehensive needs assessment should be conducted to ensure relevant needs are identified for use of funds.

NYSED has not prescribed a comprehensive needs assessment tool that LEAs must use. However, the US Department of Education has developed a needs assessment tool that may be used by LEAs if they wish. The Title IV-A non-regulatory guidance also addresses questions to consider when identifying local needs.

  • LEAs must prioritize Title IV, Part A funds to schools that:
    • Have the greatest needs determined by the LEA; or
    • Have the highest percentage or numbers of low-income children; or
    • Are identified for comprehensive support and improvement under Title I; or
    • Are implementing targeted support and improvement plans under Title I; or
    • Are identified as a persistently dangerous school under Section 8532.
STATUTORY SPENDING REQUIREMENTS
  • LEA requirements regarding use of funds, spending options and funding floors and ceilings include but are not limited to:
    • LEA and school needs
    • LEA’s objectives and intended outcomes
    • Stakeholders’ input
    • Funding floors and ceilings on certain activities-
      • LEAs may not use more than 15 percent of Title IV, Part A EUT funds for purchasing technology infrastructure;
      • LEAs may reserve up to 2 percent of its allocation for direct administrative costs for carrying out allowable activities;
      • LEAs with an allocation of $30,000 or more must:
        • use at least 20 percent of the allocation to support well-rounded educational opportunities;
        • use at least 20 percent to support safe and healthy students;
        • use a portion of funds for the effective use of technology with no more than 15 percent for technology infrastructure; and
        • conduct a comprehensive needs assessment at least once every three years for each content area activities (WRE, SHE, and EUT).
    • LEAs are required to provide equitable services for private school students and teachers under Sections 8501-8304.
FISCAL INFORMATION

Title IV-A Carryover Information

  • LEAs may carry over up to 100% of its Title IV-A allocation from the previous school year’s allocation. (see Carryover Limits)
  • LEAs must meet the statutory spending requirements once for each school year’s allocation.
  • An LEA must continue to meet the previous school year’s statutory spending requirements when accessing carryover funds across content areas as planned for in the previous school year’s approved application.
    • For example, if the LEA’s allocation was $30,000 or more, the LEA must ensure that funds are spent as follows:
      •  minimum of 20% in WRE program activities; 
      • a minimum of 20% in SHS program activities; and
      • a portion in EUT activities. 

Transferability of Title IV-A Funds

  • Up to 100% of an LEA’s Title IV- A allocation may be transferred to another eligible program. (Title I-A, Title I-C, Title I-D, Title II-A, Title III-A, or Title V-B) ​
  • Prior to transferring Title IV-A funds, LEAs must consult with required stakeholders and in-district private schools. ​
  • LEA must provide private school equitable services under the program(s) to which the funds are transferred into based on the total amount of available funds after transfer.
  • If an LEA has an allocation of $30,000 or more, the LEA must do the following prior to transfer funds to another eligible program:​
    • Conduct a Comprehensive Needs Assessment to inform the transfer of funds;​
    • Engage in timely and meaningful consultation with appropriate private school officials;​
    • Provide private school equitable services under the program(s) to which the funds are transferred into based on the total amount of available funds after transfer.​
  • If the transfer results in a final allocation below $30,000, the LEA does not need to follow the statutory spending requirement for distribution of funds across content areas. The EUT 15% special rule still applies.
  • If an LEA transfers funds into Title IV causing the new Title IV allocation to increase to $30,000 or more, the LEA must abide by statutory spending requirements across content areas.

Title IV-A Budget Amendments

When submitting FS-10-A budget amendments, LEAs must ensure that the requested change still meets the Title IV-A statutory spending requirements.

  • LEAs may not use more than 15 percent of Title IV, Part A EUT funds for purchasing technology infrastructure;
  • LEAs may reserve up to 2 percent of its allocation for direct administrative costs for carrying out allowable activities;
  • LEAs with an allocation of $30,000 or more must:
    • use at least 20 percent of the allocation to support well-rounded educational opportunities;
    • use at least 20 percent to support safe and healthy students;
    • use a portion of funds for the effective use of technology with no more than 15 percent for technology infrastructure.
PUBLIC REPORTING

NYSED Title IV Part A Reports