The federal government recently announced plans to significantly increase spending on K-12 school programs for the 2022 fiscal year.

This is great news for LEA’s and schools, who need the government distributed title funds to support disadvantaged students, provide professional development opportunities for staff, and assist underperforming schools.

There are five primary title funds: Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV, and the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).

Plus, in response to the ongoing pandemic, the new Coronavirus, Aid Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was introduced last year.

All of these programs are tied to the Everyday Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), a federal law that promotes equity in education and defines how funds must be used.

Most Title Funds are governed by four formulas, compiled from national census data.

The Department of Education uses this data to highlight which school districts have the highest need, and the formulas are used to decide on the amount and level of support given.

It’s worth remembering that data compiled from the national census record is applied differently across most title funds, as they all serve a different purpose.

Understanding how each program works can be tricky, and it’s important to familiarize yourself with how state education authorities allocate resources and money.

Seeing as we’re at the start of a new school year, we think now is a great time to take a closer look at how each Title Fund works.

Here’s what we’ll cover:
1. Title I Funding
2. Title II Funding
3. Title III Funding
4. Title IV Funding
5. IDEA Funding
6. The CARES Act