Title I, Part A – Apportionment Overview

Program Description

Title I, Part A, Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (Public Law 114–95) funds are apportioned to LEAs to provide supplementary academic support and educational services to students who are failing or most at-risk of failing to meet the state standards in core academic subjects.

Allocations and Apportionments

The California Department of Education (CDE) adjusts LEA allocation amounts throughout the first 12 months of the grant award period.

• Preliminary allocations include adjustments for LEAs that failed to meet the federal maintenance of effort requirement applicable to 2024–25 funding and did not receive an approved federal waiver, pursuant to Section 8521 of the ESSA. Preliminary allocations lack information about new and significantly expanding charter schools.
• Revised allocations incorporate estimated data about new and significantly expanding charter schools and reflect any revisions from the United States Department of Education (ED) to the grant award.
• Final allocations are based on actual current year California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) information for new and significantly expanding charter schools and eliminate funds previously set aside for LEAs without Consolidated Application Reporting System (CARS) and/or lacking an approved Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) Federal Addendum. Funds are redistributed to all eligible LEAs.

Title I, Part A funds are allocated to LEAs through four statutory formulas: Basic Grants, Concentration Grants, Targeted Grants, and Education Finance Incentive Grants. The ED allocates funds to school districts through statutory formulas based primarily on the number of children, ages 5-17, from low-income families, based on annual Census Bureau and Student Per Pupil Expenditure data. For California, ED’s list excludes county offices of education (COEs) and charter schools that do not have geographic boundaries. California uses a census equivalent conversion factor based on CALPADS enrollment and free and reduced-price meal data, ages 5-17, to redistribute federal allocations to COEs and direct funded charter schools.

The CDE apportions Title I Part A funds on a quarterly basis following each federal Cash Management Data Collection (CMDC) period until the period of availability expires. Funds are apportioned quarterly to reduce the time elapsing between receipt and disbursement of funds by LEAs in order to comply with federal cash management requirements. In order to receive an apportionment each quarter, an LEA must:

• Apply for Title I, Part A funds on the 2024–25 CARS. LEAs must certify the FY 2024–25 Application for Funding page by March 31, 2025.
• Complete the ESSA LEA Plan. The LCAP Federal Addendum and CARS will serve to meet the ESSA LEA Plan requirement.
• File CMDC during an open period and meet federal cash management thresholds.

Each LEA’s quarterly payment equals 25 percent of the Title I, Part A allocation minus the cash balance reported in CMDC each respective quarter, minus any funds paid in the same quarter from the balance of any preceding fiscal year funds that have not yet expired.

Example: If a cash balance of -$250 is submitted for an LEA with a yearly entitlement of $500, the calculated apportionment will be 25% of 500 + 250 or $125 + 250 = $375.

An LEA is subject to a maximum payment equal to 25 percent of the award allocation in the first apportionment of each fiscal year. More details on the CMDC, including quarterly windows and reporting deadlines, are posted on the Federal Cash Management web page.

For standardized account code structure coding, use Resource Code 3010, ESEA (ESSA): Title I, Part A, Basic Grants Low-Income and Neglected, and Revenue Object Code 8290, All Other Federal Revenue.

Grant Award Identification

The ED grant award number for this funding is S010A240005. The Assistance Listing subprogram number is 84.010 (Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies). The funding is appropriated in Schedule (2) of Item 6100-134-0890 of the Budget Act of 2024 (Assembly Bill 107, Chapter 22 Statutes of 2024). The California sub-allocation (pass-through) number is program cost account (PCA) 14329.

Applicable Rules and Regulations

This grant is subject to the provisions of Title I and Title VIII of the ESSA, as applicable, and the General Education Provisions Act (Public Law 103–382). This grant is also subject to 34 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200; the Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 76 (except for 76.650–76.662, Participation of Students Enrolled in Private Schools), 77, 81, and 82; the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR Part 200; and 2 CFR Part 3485. Regulations regarding Participation of Eligible Children in Private Schools are found in 34 CFR sections 200.62–200.67.

Grant Award Period and Special Rules

Under the federal Tydings Amendment, Section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions Act, any funds that are not obligated at the end of the federal funding period, July 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025, shall remain available for obligation for an additional period of 12 months, through September 30, 2026, within the limits specified in Section 1127 of the ESSA.

Section 1127 of the ESSA allows LEAs to carry over no more than 15 percent of their Title I, Part A allocations, excluding funds received through any reallocations under Section 1126(c) of the ESSA, for one additional fiscal year, unless they receive a waiver from the CDE or the total allocation is less than $50,000. At the end of the fiscal year, the CDE reviews the amount of Title I, Part A carryover funds for each LEA and issues an invoice to LEAs that exceed the carryover limit and do not receive a waiver.

Pursuant to 2 CFR Section 200.305(b)(9), interest earned amounts up to $500 per year may be retained by the non-Federal entity for administrative expense. Any additional interest earned on Federal advance payments deposited in interest-bearing accounts must be remitted annually. LEAs should forward interest payments for remittance to the ED to:

California Department of Education
Cashier’s Office
P.O. Box 515006
Sacramento, CA 95851

To ensure proper posting of payments, please indicate the program’s PCA number (PCA 14329) and identify the payment as “Federal Interest Returned.”

LEAs have the option to consolidate and use Title I, Part A funds with other federal, state, and local funds for schoolwide programs pursuant to Section 1114 of the ESSA and 34 CFR Part 200, Subpart A, sections 200.25–200.29.

Additional information such as program purposes, eligibility of schools, core elements, components, and benefits of a schoolwide program, are posted on the Title I Schoolwide Program web page.

Contacts

Program Questions: Title I Policy, Program, and Support Office, email: TitleI@cde.ca.gov

Fiscal Questions: Categorical Allocations & Audit Resolutions Office, email: CAAR@cde.ca.gov