Title III, Part A: Snapshot

All federally-funded program costs must be:
 

(1) Reasonable:  consistent with prudent business practice and comparable current market value;
(2) Necessary:  required to carry out the intent and purpose of the Title IV, Part A program; and
(3) Allocable:  chargeable or assignable in accordance with relative benefits received.

In addition, costs must be aligned with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and adequately documented and budgeted within the grant.

Supplement vs. Supplant: Title III, Part A funds, under Section 3115(g) of ESSA, must be used to supplement the level of Federal, State, and local public funds that, in the absence of such availability, would have been expended for programs and services for English learners (ELs) and immigrant children and youth and in no case to supplant such Federal, State, and local public funds. Recipients may not use those funds to pay for services that, in the absence of Title III funds, would be necessary to be provided with other Federal, or State, or local funds.

States, districts, and schools are required to provide core language instruction educational programs and services for ELs. This requirement is established based on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and its implementing regulations, as interpreted by the Supreme Court of the United States (including the Supreme Court’s ruling in Lau v. Nichols), and based on other significant case law (including Castañeda v. Pickard), the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974, and other Federal, State, and local laws. Therefore, the use of State or subgrantee Title III funds to provide core language instruction educational programs, including providing for the salaries of teachers who provide those core services for ELs is prohibited. These programs and services are required to be provided by States and districts regardless of the availability of Federal Title III funds.

Title-Specific Expenditures

English Language Acquisition and Academic Content Instructional Programs:

Allowable Uses of Grant Funds

Unallowable Uses of Grant Funds
  • Developing and implementing new English language acquisition and content instructional programs
  • Improving and enhancing existing English language acquisition and content instructional programs
  • Bilingual program development and implementation
  • Pre-K, summer, and extended day programs; educational weekend/afterschool/extended day programs
  • Bilingual teacher/tutor salaries (when supplemental to core programming)
  • Upgrading curricula, instructional materials, educational software
  • Concurrent or dual enrollment programs (tuition, fees, books, and instructional materials)
  • Targeted programs for Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE), ELs with disabilities, or refugee students
  • Academic, college, or career counseling
  • Educational field trips (buses and admission)
  • Equitable services for private school ELs
  • Core services for ELs, including ESL-endorsed teacher or EL coordinator salaries
  • Intake and assessment of ELs
  • Entertainment activities

 

Professional Development (PD):

Allowable Uses of Grant Funds

Unallowable Uses of Grant Funds
  • ESL instructional coaching
  • Courses towards ESL endorsement for staff
  • Specialized PD regarding ELs for ESL teachers, general education teachers, administrators, and other school staff
  • Stipends and/or substitutes for staff PD
  • Educational consultants
  • PD supplies and materials
  • Conference costs that meet state and federal guidelines
  • Travel costs for allowable grant activities, including lodging and meals (out-of-state travel requires prior LEA approval)
  • Minimum, core PD necessary to provide an effective English language acquisition and content instructional program for ELs
  • PD costs related to training teachers to administer the state-required English language proficiency assessment (ACCESS for ELLs) or a proficiency screener, including stipends and/or substitutes
  • Food or complete meals (when hosting PD events)

  

Parent, Family, and Community Engagement:
 

Allowable Uses of Grant Funds

Unallowable Uses of Grant Funds
  • Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Coordinator/Liaison
  • Partnerships with community organizations to improve student outcomes and/or supports to families
  • Home visits
  • Events to seek community input on general education and Title III programming
  • ESL classes for parents
  • ESL/content instructional materials for home use
  • Training activities designed to assist parents and families to become active participants in the education of their children
  • Guest speakers for engagement events
  • Light refreshments, transportation, and childcare to improve accessibility of engagement events
  • Translation/interpretation for Title III-specific engagement events
  • Activities and supplies
  • Translation/interpretation of general communications to parents, enrollment documents, parent handbooks, ILAPs, IEPs, assessments, or other documents not directly related to Title III activities
  • Food or complete meals for social activities, gatherings, or meetings during non-meal periods (only allowable if provided during parent trainings that occur during a meal period)
  • Ceremonies, banquets, and celebrations

 

Immigrant Children and Youth Subgrant

Allowable Uses of Grant Funds

Unallowable Uses of Grant Funds
  • ESL classes for family members
  • Parent, family, and community engagement coordinator/liaison
  • Parent orientation or trainings related to their children’s educational and extracurricular programming
  • Recruitment and/or support of teachers with specific training in educating immigrant students
  • Supplemental tutoring
  • Student mentoring program
  • Academic or career counseling
  • Instructional materials, software, and technologies
  • Programs to orient students to the American school system and/or civics
  • Community partnerships to connect families with social services and other non-academic supports 
  • See all unallowable costs listed under general Title III grant funds