• Title IV, Part A: Student Support and Academic Enrichment

    The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015, established Title IV, Part A, the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant Program (SSAE). The overarching goal of Title IV, Part A, is to increase the capacity of state education agencies, local educational agencies (LEAs), campuses, and communities to meet the following three goals:

    1. Provide all students access to a well-rounded education
    2. Improve academic outcomes by maintaining safe and healthy students 
    3. Improve the use of technology to advance student academic achievement

     

    LEA Requirements

    1. LEAs must complete and submit to TEA the ESSA Consolidated Federal Grant Application to receive ESSA Title IV, Part A, program allocations.
    2. An LEA may, if it chooses, apply for funds in consortium with one or more surrounding LEAs and combine funds each LEA receives.
    3. LEAs receiving $30,000 or more shall conduct a comprehensive needs assessment of the access to, and opportunities for, a well-rounded education for all students; school conditions for student learning; and access to personalized learning experiences supported by technology. 
    4. LEAs receiving less than $30,000

    a. are NOT required to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment and

    b. are only required to focus on one of the three Title IV, Part A, content areas: 1) well-rounded education, 2) safe and healthy students, and 3) effective use of technology.

    5.    LEAs may transfer Title IV, Part A, funds to another federal allocation. For guidance, see Non-Regulatory Guidance: Fiscal Changes and Equitable Services Requirements.

    Definitions

     Well-rounded education

    Courses, activities, and programming in subjects such as English, reading or language arts, writing, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, geography, computer science, music, career and technical education, health education, physical education, and any other subject, as determined by the state or LEA

    Accelerated learning opportunities

    Programs and/or exams, such as dual credit, concurrent enrollment, Early College High Schools, and Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams, that provide opportunities for students to earn post-secondary credit while in high school,

    Accelerated learning programs

    Programs that offer post-secondary-level courses accepted for credit at institutions of higher education (including dual credit or concurrent enrollment programs and Early College High Schools) or post-secondary-level instruction and examinations that are accepted for credit at institutions of higher education (including AP and IB programs)

    Professional development

    Strategies for providing educators (including teachers, principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, paraprofessionals, and, as applicable, early childhood educators) with the knowledge and skills necessary to enable students to succeed in a well-rounded education and to meet the challenging state academic standards. For more details: See Texas Education Agency ESSA Provisions and Assurances, pages. 4-5.

     

    Supplement, Not Supplant Requirement

    Supplement, not supplant provisions require an LEA to use state or local funds for all services required by state law, State Board of Education (SBOE) rule, or local policy and prohibit those funds from being diverted for other purposes when federal funds are available.

    Title IV, Part A, funds

    • must supplement—add to, enhance, expand, increase, extend—the programs and services offered with state and local funds;
    • cannot be used to supplant—take the place of, replace—the state and local funds used to offer those programs and services; and
    • are expended to benefit the intended population defined in the authorizing statute, rather than being diverted to cover expenses that an LEA would have paid out of other funds in the event the federal funds were not available.

     

    Preliminary Checklist for Allowable Activities and Use of Funds

    Each LEA must be able to respond appropriately to and maintain documentation of the following:

    • How is the expenditure reasonable and necessary to carry out the intent and purpose of the program and content area(s) of Title IV, Part A?
    • What specific need identified in the comprehensive needs assessment does the expenditure address? 
    • How will the expenditure be evaluated to measure a positive impact on student achievement? 
    • How is the expenditure supplemental other non-federal programs?

     

    If you have any questions, please contact Yarda Leflet, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction, at: yleflet@mfisd.txed.net