October 15, 2024

Dear Select County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators:

Title III English Learner and Immigrant Student Programs
Preliminary Allocations, Fiscal Year 2024–25

The California Department of Education (CDE) has posted the preliminary 2024–25 allocation information for the Title III English Learner (EL) and Immigrant Student Program Subgrants. The information can now be accessed from the CDE Title III EL and Immigrant Programs web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/ca/titleiii.asp. Preliminary allocations are fluid and may be revised after March 31, 2025, based on updated information from the United States Department of Education (ED), the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System, the Consolidated Application and Reporting System (CARS), the Pupil Estimates for New or Significantly Expanding Charters, late applicants, and available unallocated and carryover amounts. The preliminary Title III EL per-pupil rate is $130.25. The preliminary Title III Immigrant per-pupil rate is $125.90.

All eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) apply annually, regardless of allocation for the Title III EL and Immigrant Student Program Subgrants funding, on the CARS “Application for Funding” page. Additionally, during the application process, all eligible LEAs (including consortium members) are required to:

• Submit projected budgets on CARS. The projected budget must be aligned with the plans mentioned below.
• Accept assurances that the LEA will comply with the legal requirements related to state and/or federal programs, and as a condition of funding, must keep a copy of the assurances on file.

Information regarding the CARS application process is available on the CDE CARS web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/co/cars.asp.

Important Next Steps:

1) LEA Plan Requirement

Pursuant to Section 1112 (Title 20, United States Code, Section 6312) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), an LEA may only receive a subgrant if the LEA maintains an updated Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) Federal Addendum approved by the State Board of Education (SBE). For LEAs applying for Title III subgrant funds for the first time, they must submit a local governing board or body-approved LCAP Federal Addendum through the CDE LCAP Federal Addendum System at https://www2.cde.ca.gov/lcapfas for CDE review and approval on or before March 31, 2025.

Upon submitting the LCAP Federal Addendum within the CDE’s LCAP Federal Addendum submission system, the CDE will review the LCAP Federal Addendum and will work with the LEA to ensure that its LCAP Federal Addendum addresses all required provisions of the ESSA programs for which they are applying for federal education funds. The LEA’s LCAP Federal Addendum must address all required provisions of the ESSA programs for which they are applying by July 15, 2025, in order to receive federal Title funds for the 2024–25 school year.

Following the CDE’s review of the LCAP Federal Addendum, the CDE will submit the LCAP Federal Addendum to the SBE for approval, enabling the LEA to be eligible to receive ESSA funding.

LEAs are encouraged to review the LCAP Federal Addendum during the LCAP update, as ESSA funding should be considered in yearly strategic planning. Release of funds is also subject to federal cash management criteria and reporting as described on the CDE Federal Cash Management web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/cm/.

2) Expenditure Reporting via CARS

Direct-funded and EL consortium lead LEAs (not consortium members) that receive Title III funds must submit expenditure reports. An LEA should only report for the fiscal year(s) in which it was funded (directly or as the lead of a consortium). The report must reflect the total or year-to-date expenditures. These reports are collected via CARS, at specific intervals during the subgrant period. For additional information, please visit the CDE CARS web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/co/cars.asp.

Each fiscal year subgrant has a 27-month period. The subgrant period for 2024–25 allocations began on July 1, 2024, and will end on September 30, 2026. LEAs are required to expend and/or obligate funds by September 30, 2026. After the 27-month subgrant period ends, subgrantees have an additional 90 days to liquidate (make payment for) any encumbrances. All 2024–25 funds obligated by September 30, 2026, must be liquidated by December 30, 2026. Any unexpended funds must be returned to the CDE.

3) Federal Cash Management Data Collection (CMDC) Program

Title III EL and Immigrant Student Program Subgrant recipients will utilize the Federal CMDC system to demonstrate the cash balance threshold is met. School districts, county offices of education, and direct funded charter schools awarded subgrants under Title III programs must submit the CMDC report for a particular quarter in order to receive an apportionment for that quarter. The CDE will apportion funds to LEAs with a cash balance below the required threshold.

Federal CMDC Schedule

Cash balances are to be reported regardless of the fiscal year in which the funds originated. If an LEA fails to submit the CMDC report for a reporting period, the CDE will not apportion funds to the LEA for that period. The CDE will release funding in the subsequent period if the LEA submits cash balance data that warrants the release.

For additional information, please refer to the CDE Federal Cash Management web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/cm/.

4) Annual Survey for Title III EL and Immigrant Student Program Subgrantees

As a condition of funding, each Title III subgrantee accepts assurances, including the requirement to make reports as needed and enable the state agency to perform its duties. The CDE uses an annual online report to collect data that it is required to report to the ED. The annual report is available from August through September of each fiscal year.

If you have questions regarding the annual survey, contact Emma Chamberlin, Staff Services Analyst, Language Policy and Leadership Office (LPLO), by phone at 916-323-5808 or by email at EChamberlin@cde.ca.gov.

If you have questions regarding Title III EL and Immigrant Student Programs, please contact Geoffrey Ndirangu, Education Programs Consultant, LPLO, by phone at 916-323-5831 or by email at GNdirang@cde.ca.gov.

If you have questions regarding the allocation of Title III EL and Immigrant Program Subgrants, please contact Derrick Andrade, Education Fiscal Services Consultant, School Fiscal Services Division, by phone at 916-327-5922 or by email at DAndrade@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

/s/

Sarah Neville-Morgan, Deputy Superintendent
Opportunities for All Branch

SNM:gn