11/25/2024

Budgeting Strategies For Leaders: Can Title I Replace Lost ESSER Funding?

For school and district leaders eligible for Title I funding, the long-standing federal program can be a lifeline as stimulus dollars dry up and wither away. Most school leaders underestimate the flexibility they have with the grant and what they can do with the money. It’s possible for districts to legally “braid” funding streams without violating rules requiring federal money “to supplement, rather than supplant, local education spending.” Unsure about how to do this?

The good news is: If you’ve used ESSER funding for literacy support programs like Lexia®, you have some familiarity with how Title I works. ESSER funds were distributed using the same formula as federal Title I education funding. More resources were allocated to districts with a high percentage of low-income families. These are typically schools with more students of color, Emergent Bilingual students, and other marginalized populations.

With Title I, more than 60% of all traditional U.S. public and charter schools qualify. Schools qualify for schoolwide program funding if at least 40% of students are classified as low income. While Title I allocations vary per state, the billion dollar grant program is worthy of a second look by budget-strapped leaders.

This blog post provides school and district administrators with smart steps to find eligible Title I funding for vital supplemental literacy programs built on the science of reading. The resources can be used for individually targeted or schoolwide literacy initiatives so schools meet the needs of students of all backgrounds—as well as the teachers who support them. 

Closing Achievement Gaps: Why Leaders Need to Get Reacquainted With Title I, Part A

One word: Equity. Title I, Part A is one of the most significant federal programs in the United States to improve education for students, particularly those from low-income families. It helps ensure all children have a more equitable and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments. This means there may be financial assistance eligible to close achievement gaps. 

Title I, Part A requirements allow eligible schools to fund supplemental core curriculum in two distinct ways: Targeted assistance and schoolwide. 

Targeted Assistance

For Targeted Assistance, funds must be used specifically for students at risk of not meeting academic standards. This targeted approach ensures the funds get funneled to where they are needed most, including specific instruction for students struggling to read proficiently.

Schoolwide Programs

Schools with at least 40% of poverty rates often implement a schoolwide program where Title I funds can be used to benefit all students in that school. This model allows for greater flexibility in addressing the needs of the entire student body because the overall quality of the school's educational program will elevate outcomes for all students, including those most in need. However, EdWeek reported only 6% of qualifying schools or districts consolidated (or braided) different “pots” of funding sources. Leaders shy away from using the funds instead of strategically examining, “how can we optimally use these funds to meet the unique needs of students?” 

Supplement Core Literacy Instruction

Whether used schoolwide in eligible schools or for targeted assistance, Title I funds can be used for supplemental literacy instruction because the instruction is essential to student achievement. For most districts, it is difficult to differentiate instruction to meet the wide range of abilities in today’s classrooms. Using supplemental programs based on the science of reading can help educators create personalized learning paths that guide differentiated instruction, minimize preparation time, and maximize instructional time with students. All of this leads to better overall outcomes because school leaders can provide an enriched and accelerated learning program. For instance, Adaptive, Blended literacy programs like Core5 and PowerUp help supplement K–12 core reading curriculum with personalized, explicit, and systematic learning in six critical areas of reading instruction. The embedded Assessment Without Testing® technology automatically adjusts to meet students where they are and provides educators immediate progress data to differentiate for each learning need. The programs satisfy Title I requirements—providing opportunities for all students to meet challenging state academic standards. 

Similarly, Title I-eligible schools must address the needs of all children, particularly those at risk of not meeting state academic standards. For Emergent Bilingual students who are learning English, programs like Lexia English  help support language acquisition with speaking, listening, and grammar practice in core academic subjects.

Maximizing Title I Funds: A Step-by-Step Checklist

Uncertainty using Title I funding stifles new opportunities. It’s reported districts can “wind up in a sort of cruise control where people continue to do things the way they’ve always done them.” This can lead to funds allocated in ways that may not best support your literacy goals.

Effectively using Title I funds requires careful planning and collaboration between school administrators, district leaders, and sometimes state officials. Here are some simple steps to follow:

1. Assess Your Needs

Evaluate the school or district’s most pressing needs. Review assessment data, consider teacher feedback, and identify specific populations not meeting reading, writing and language acquisition standards. Consider that leaders nationwide recently said their top area of Title I spending by far are reading programs with 64% ramping up in science of reading-based programs to combat low performance. Another 26% identified using the funds for English-language programs and 17% for online tutoring or intervention. School leaders work with district administrators to ensure the priorities and programs identified align with district and state literacy goals. 

2. Look for Supplemental Aid

Schools must provide a basic education program through state or local funding; federal funds can’t replace that aid. Title I monies can be used to enhance the curriculum, offering supplemental resources, programs, and services that extend beyond what the school’s budget already covers. Evidence-based literacy programs must be supplemental to what the school is required to provide through state funds. Title I funds can be used to purchase additional materials, hire intervention specialists, or offer after-school tutoring to help students meet grade-level benchmarks.

3. Measure Up

Identify which ways your programs will satisfy Title I requirements. For instance, does the program provide evidence of supporting economically disadvantaged students? Can it help more students meet state standards? Does it effectively increase the amount and quality of time spent learning? Model a checklist like this example. Remember to ask your vendor. They should be able to provide third-party validated evidence for efficacy in essential areas. 

Allowable Uses of Title 1A Funds	Pre-K-5 Core5	6-12 PowerUp	K-6 Emergent Bilingual Learners Lexia English
Provide opportunities for all children, including each of the student subgroups, to meet the challenging State Academic Standards.
Use methods and instructional strategies that strengthen the academic program.
Use methods and instructional strategies that increase the amount and quality of learning time.
Use methods and instructional strategies that provide an enriched and accelerated curriculum.

4.  Remember Your End Goal

Effectively utilizing Title I funds requires foresight, flexibility, and a focus on student outcomes. School leaders who carefully assess their needs, collaborate with district leaders, and avoid supplanting local funds with federal dollars can maximize the impact of Title I funding on student achievement. Products like Core5, PowerUp, and Lexia English show how Title I funds can directly support literacy and language development. But it’s not what you buy—it’s how those resources integrate into the school’s overall strategy for improving specific student outcomes. Ensure your programs offer actionable, real-time data reporting and assessments that accurately depict progress. 

How Are States Using Title I Funds?

Now that you’re ready to maximize your Title I funding, take a look at how other district leaders nationwide have creatively applied their grants*. 

• Sweetwater Union High School District, California: “California state officials have devoted funding for extended learning time, which provides out-of-class enrichment to students at Title I schools, as well as funding for professional development.” 
• The New Jersey Department of Education released a Maximizing Federal Funds resource, and includes a section on using Title I-A Schoolwide programs for RTI/MTSS. 
• The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction released a “Funding Your Plan” guidance with a section on HQIM with Title I, Part A funds. 
• VDOE Awarded $30 Million Grant to Invest in Literacy Support for Students and Schools Most in Need. 
• As ESSER comes to an end, Wisconsin schools decide what programs to keep “Across the state, school districts have found innovative ways to use the federal funds. In Milwaukee Public Schools, a career and technical education innovation lab gave students an opportunity to develop workforce skills.” 
• Illinois Schools Face Financial Cliff as Pandemic Aid Ends—“Across Illinois, major initiatives funded by ESSER dollars include the implementation of social-emotional learning curricula, the construction of new facilities, and the expansion and electrification of bus transportation, according to school administrators who spoke with the Tribune.” 

*source: https://ccsso.org/blog/how-states-are-planning-end-esser

Ready to maximize your Title I funding for literacy programs? Contact Lexia today for a custom strategy to secure and optimize your funds for student success.