ESEA Monthly Updates

April 2026

We hope to provide you with helpful information monthly through our monthly updates and office hours. Our updates will often include:

  • General and Title-Specific Updates
  • Friendly Reminders for Planning and Program Implementation
  • Fiscal Corner
  • Professional Learning Opportunities
  • Contact Information
Virtual Office Hours: Tuesday, April 14 at 9 AM (Zoom link is provided through Grants4ME notifications)

GENERAL AND TITLE SPECIFIC UPDATES

Availability of ESEA Federal Programs Preliminary Allocations

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) ESEA Federal Programs team has received the preliminary fiscal year (FY) 2027 estimates of State allocations from the U.S. Department of Education (USED). The estimates are based on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026.

The ESEA Federal Programs team is in the process of calculating preliminary allocations for each School Administrative Unit (SAU). We anticipate preliminary allocations for all Title programs will be released by the end of April and posted to the ESEA’s Fiscal Allocation webpage. Thank you for your patience as our team completes this process.

FY27 Application Training

Our May 12, 2026, ESEA office hours will be dedicated to the FY27 ESEA Consolidated Application Training. During this session, the team will provide guidance on key requirements, timelines, and updates, as well as offer an opportunity to ask questions and receive technical assistance. We encourage all relevant staff to attend to ensure a smooth and timely submission process. The FY27 ESEA Consolidated Application will be available on Grants4ME by June 1, 2026.

Please note that New ESEA Coordinator Training will be provided during our July office hour, July 7 at 9 AM, followed by FY27 ESEA Consolidated Application Training at 10 AM.

Ed-Flex Waiver Program

The Ed-Flex Waiver Program offers Maine SAUs the opportunity for additional ESEA program flexibility in exchange for additional accountability. The Maine DOE’s Ed-Flex application included authority to provide the following types of waivers for SAUs:   

SAUs who are seeking participation in the Ed-Flex Program must complete a form, obtain all required signatures, and complete the public comment process. Ed-Flex Waiver applications and supporting documentation are required to be uploaded to the FY27 ESEA Consolidated Application in Grants4ME for review by Maine DOE. In order to be eligible for approval of an Ed-Flex Waiver, the SAU’s ESEA Consolidated Application must be submitted on time (i.e. by August 1st) and include a Pre-Award Cost Request for any ESEA funding the SAU may need access between July 1st and the SAU’s anticipated substantial approval date. Please note that SAUs who submit the ESEA Consolidated Application late will not be eligible for Ed-Flex waiver(s) or pre-award costs for the current fiscal year.

  • Title I, Part A Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged:  
    • 40% poverty eligibility threshold for Title I Schoolwide flexibility; and  
    • 15% limit for carryover of Title I grant funds   
       
  • Title IV, Part A – Student Support and Academic Enrichment: 
    • Content area funding distribution requirements; and 
    • Limitations on technology infrastructure purchases    

Importance of Public Comment

Public comment under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) plays a vital role in ensuring that education policies reflect the needs, priorities, and lived experiences of students, families, educators, and communities. Public comment is required for the FY27 ESEA Consolidated Application and all types of waivers under the Ed-Flex Waiver Program.  

By inviting feedback, decision-makers promote transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in the development and revision of programs that impact student achievement and equity. Equally important is maintaining strong evidence to support these policies and practices.

Annual CNA and Schoolwide Plan Updates 

As part of an annual process, SAUs should be meeting with a variety of stakeholders to update their district and school Comprehensive Needs Assessments based on most recent available data.  

As part of the ESEA Consolidated Application, SAUs are asked to document the high needs areas of their SAUs and schools, as well as the data sources they used to make those determinations, the names of the stakeholders involved, and dates the updates were conducted on. SAUs must update as much of their CNA as possible, prior to the initial submission of the FY27 ESEA Application, in order determine high areas of need and to generate goals and projects.

For schoolwide programs, be sure to also conduct school-level needs assessments and update the schoolwide plans for school year 26-27. For schools that want to ensure they have all required schoolwide plan elements, please see the rubric on our website as a reference.

SRSA Application to Open 4/13

SAUs eligible for the Small, Rural School Achievement Program (SRSA, also known as the “Federal Title V”) should have received notification to check their data on the Master Eligibility Spreadsheet and see their estimated allocations. The U.S. Education Department (USED) expects the application window to open April 13th and close on May 18thfor SAUs eligible for SRSA. To support SAUs, USED will be hosting two webinars on the application process:

  • Wednesday, April 15 at 11 AM-12 PM
  • Tuesday, April 21 at 2-3 PM

Both webinars will cover the same material and can be joined by using this Microsoft Teams Webinar Link.

FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

REQUIRED Equitable Services Training for Non-Publics

For SAUs with non-public schools that participate in equitable services, it is an annual requirement for both parties to attend or watch the training provided. The consultation form requires the assurance that the non-public school official has viewed the training to be eligible for equitable services.

Invoicing Aligning with School-level Projects

As SAUs seek reimbursement for FY26 funds please keep this in mind that the majority of ESEA funding in the FY26 application was budgeted in school-level projects. If reimbursement is sought for work done at a school that was not funded in the application, then an application revision will need to be approved to add that school’s areas of high needs, project details, and budget.

FISCAL CORNER

Federal Fiscal Office Hour

The next Federal Fiscal Office Hour is Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 11:30 AM. Please register to join.

 

Invoicing and Approval

Please be mindful of the federal funds the SAU may have to use and continue to invoice timely for these funds. Currently, we are operating on a seven-to-ten-day turnaround for approvable invoice submissions. Once an invoice receives the status of “State Accounting System Paid” in Grants4Me, the SAU may submit additional invoices for that grant.

Available funding and Timelines

The following chart has the ESEA federal grants that are currently available for invoicing. Please note that several grants will close this year. It is recommended that you make a cheat sheet like the one below and set aside some time each month to review the status of your grants and reimbursements. This will mitigate the risk of losing funds that will be ending soon.

  Grant                                                                       Period of Performance

FY 24 ESEA Consolidated Funds

Substantial Approval – 9/30/26

FY 25 ESEA Consolidated Funds

Substantial Approval – 9/30/26*

FY 25 School Improvement Funds

Substantial Approval – 9/30/26*

FY 26 ESEA Consolidated Funds

Substantial Approval – 9/30/27

FY 26 School Improvement Funds

Substantial Approval – 9/30/26*

*These funds are included in the Tydings Amendment Waiver requested by the Maine DOE, which if approved would grant another year to use these funds moving the expiration date to 9/30/27.  

Title I Carryover Funding

Title I carryover funding allows SAUs to retain a limited portion of unspent funds for use in the following fiscal year. However, SAUs with more than $50,000 in Title I allocations (after transfers) may carry over no more than 15% of those funds. To remain compliant and avoid the risk of losing funds, it is important to closely monitor spending throughout the year. SAUs are strongly encouraged to review how much FY26 Title I funding has already been invoiced and ensure that remaining funds are obligated and invoiced in a timely manner. Careful planning and regular tracking will help ensure that, by October 1, 2026, the SAU is not in jeopardy of forfeiting any of its allocated funds. The following is how much Title I funding (after transfers) was allocated to projects and how much is currently remaining as a State.

Allocated

Remaining (as of 4/6/2026)

Percentage Remaining

$59,373,105.72

$41,161,153.39

69%

 

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Professional Learning offered through the Department of Education is a fantastic resource for supporting leadership development for administrators and educators. The Department’s Professional Development Calendar is updated regularly with the latest professional development opportunities.
 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Please remember, the best person to connect with to answer questions related to ESEA Federal Programs is outlined below. They will get you the answer if they do not have it readily available.