CSI LEA – Apportionment Overview

Program Description

The Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) program, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (Public Law 114–95), apportions funds to local educational agencies (LEAs) to improve student outcomes in schools that meet the criteria for CSI. As a condition of funding, the LEA must partner with stakeholders, including school principals and other school leaders, teachers, and parents to locally develop and implement a plan for the school to improve student outcomes. School planning and LEA support and assistance for each school receiving comprehensive support is incorporated into the Local Control and Accountability Plan and School Plan for Student Achievement processes.

Allocations and Apportionments

Under the ESSA, the California Department of Education (CDE) must identify schools in need of additional assistance based on various criteria. This requirement went into effect for the first time in 2018–19. On March 27, 2020, California received approval for a waiver of the school identification requirements of the ESEA, as reauthorized by the ESSA. The waiver addresses accountability and school identification requirements in sections 1111(c)(4) and 1111(d)(2)(C)–(D) and temporarily suspends the state’s federal requirement to identify CSI and other school support categories under the ESSA for the 2020–21 school year. As such, schools will not be identified for or have the opportunity to exit a school support category on the 2020 Dashboard. Schools that were identified as a result of the 2019 Dashboard for CSI will retain their assistance status in the 2020–21 school year. A copy of the full waiver (PDF) is available on the CDE ESSA web page.

In order to continue to provide support to those LEAs with schools that are eligible for CSI, only LEAs with schools that were identified for CSI on the 2019 Dashboard can apply for FY 2020–21 ESSA, Section 1003 funding. Schools are eligible for CSI if they meet one of the following criteria:

• Graduation rate below 68 percent, or
• Not less than the lowest-performing 5 percent of Title I schools.

The allocation funding formula for this subgrant is based on the total number of schools eligible for fiscal year (FY) 2020–21, as identified in the 2019–20 ESSA Assistance Status spreadsheet located on the CDE ESSA Assistance Status Data File web page. The CSI LEA final allocation for FY 2020–21 is based on a rate of $177,547 per eligible school.

The first apportionment is 25 percent of the total LEA allocation and is based on an approved 2020‒21 ESSA CSI LEA Application for Funding in which the LEA has accepted CSI funds. Subsequent apportionments for each subgrant performance period are determined based on claimed expenditures reported by LEAs in the Grant Management and Reporting Tool less prior cumulative payments.

For standardized account code structure coding, use Resource Code 3182, Unrestricted: Locally defined, and Revenue Object Code 8290, All Other Federal Revenue.

Additional information such as school eligibility, program requirements, school support resources, and Frequently Asked Questions are located on the CDE CSI web page. Information such as the subgrant description; statutory authority; allowable and disallowable activities and costs; assurances, certifications, and terms and conditions of the subgrant can be found in the FY 2020–21 ESSA CSI LEA Application for Funding. Information pertaining to approved indirect cost rates for FY 2020–21 is located on the indirect cost rates web page.

Grant Award Identification

The United States Department of Education (ED) grant award number for this funding is S010A200005. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance subprogram number is 84.010A (Title I Grants to LEAs). The funding is appropriated in Provision 6 of Schedule (2) of Item 6100-134-0890 of the Budget Act of 2020 (Chapter 6, Statutes of 2020), as amended by Senate Bill 85 (Chapter 14, Statutes of 2021). The California sub-allocation (pass-through) number is Program Cost Account (PCA) 15438.

Applicable Rules and Regulations

This subgrant is subject to the provisions of Title I and Title VIII of the ESSA, as applicable, and the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) (Public Law 103–382). This subgrant 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; 2 CFR, Part 3485; the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR, Parts 200 and 3474.

Grant Award Period and Special Rules

Under the federal Tydings Amendment, Section 421(b) of the GEPA, any funds that are not obligated at the end of the subgrant award period, July 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021, shall remain available for obligation for an additional period of 12 months, through September 30, 2022.

The project period for the 2020‒21 ESSA CSI LEA subgrant began on February 15, 2021, and ends on September 30, 2022. All FY 2020‒21 funds must be expended by September 30, 2022, and legally obligated within the dates designated and must not exceed the maximum amount allocated to the LEA. No extensions or carryover of this subgrant are allowed.

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 15438), and identify the payment as “Federal Interest Returned.”

Contacts

Program Questions: School Improvement and Support Office, email: SISO@cde.ca.gov

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