Title I, Part A, Reservations (Set Asides)
Summary
- Professional Development for the Highly Qualified Teacher Requirement
If a local education agency (LEA) has teachers who are not highly qualified, the LEA is required to set aside 5% of its Title I, Part A, allocation to assist these teachers in meeting the HQ requirements, unless a lesser amount is needed. If an LEA can demonstrate a lesser amount is needed, a signed memo from the superintendent must be forwarded to the Federal ProgramsSectionjustifying why a lesser amount is needed. The memo must be approved before the consolidated application can be processed.
- Professional Development for Schools/LEAs identified for Improvement
If an LEA has been identified as “LEA improvement,” the LEA is required to set aside 10% of its Title I, Part A, allocation to be used for professional development in areas directly related to factors that caused the LEA to be identified as “LEA improvement.” If the LEA has schools identified as “school improvement,” each identified school must also set aside 10% of its Title I, Part A, school allocation to be used for professional development in the areas that caused the school to be identified as “school improvement.” The LEA may off-set the 10%requirement by deducting the amount of funds reserved for professional development at the Title I school improvement schools.
- Homeless
Homeless is a required set aside if the LEA has any non-Title I schools. The amount to be reserved is unspecified. This reservation is to be used to serve homeless students who attend non-Title I schools. If all schools in the LEA are Title I schools, then no reservation is required. Homeless students would be served through the Title I schools’ allocation.
- Parental Involvement
Each LEA is required to set aside 1% of its Title I, Part A allocation to be used for parental involvement. (If the LEA’s Title I, Part A, allocation is less than $500,000, the reservation is NOT required.) Ninety-five percent of the reserved amount (1%) must be allocated to Title I schools to be used for parental involvement activities.
- Transportation related to School Choice/School Improvement*
If an LEA has one or more schools identified for school improvement, the LEA must set aside a minimum of 5% for transportation costs related to school choice. If an LEA is not able to offer choice, they must offer Supplemental Educational Services the first year and set aside a minimum of10%.
- Supplemental Educational Services (SES) related to School Improvement*
If an LEA has one or more schools identified for school improvement Year 2 or beyond, the LEA must set aside a minimum of 5% for Supplemental Educational Services.
*NCLB requires an LEA set aside a minimum of 5% for transportation and 5% for SES, up to 20% if needed. A minimum of 10% is required to be set aside for either or both transportation costs and/or SES. If an LEA reserves less than the required 20%, a signed memo from the superintendent must be forwarded to theFederal Programs Sectionjustifying why a lesser amount is needed. The memo should state which fund sources will be used to pay for these services in lieu of Title I. The memo must be approved before the consolidated application can be processed.
Other Notes:
If the LEA is able to demonstrate that after an appropriate time frame,that the set asides are not needed in the activity for which they are reserved, the LEA may submit an amendment for approval to transfer funds from one activity to another.
EXCEPTION: Funds reserved for parenting and the 10% reserved for professional development for LEAs in improvement may not be transferred but must be spent on those particular activities. Funds may be carried over into the next fiscal year. If those carryover funds are not spent in that fiscal year, they will revert back to the state.
An LEA may not carryover more than 15% of Title I funds in any given fiscal year. The LEA may request a waiver to exceed the 15% once every three years.
Please remember that you if you have non-public schools that wish to participate in selected federal programs, you must also reserve funds to be used to provide equitable services to students, teachers, and parents, as appropriate, in non-public schools.