A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

Excellence and Accountability in Teaching - April 1997

U.S. Department of Education Programs and Resources

PART A - Formula Grant Programs

INTRODUCTION

The U.S. Department of Education's various formula grant programs provide funds to states, school districts and other local entities throughout the nation, either to provide additional support for underserved groups of children and adults or to help those entities address areas of particular educational need. Generally, each program requires prior submission of a plan or application, and has its own requirements that govern how and for whom funds may be spent. Within these limitations, formula grant programs may provide states, school districts, individual schools and other recipients with promising and immediate sources of financial support that can address -- along with the general need of teachers for high-quality professional development -- the challenges for promoting excellence and accountability in teaching.

Funding formulas and eligibility rules determine the amount of program funds available to recipients (and in the case of entities receiving funds from the state, whether they do so on a formula or competitive basis). For those programs administered by states rather than by the Department of Education, more information on the programs and any special requirements they may have on how funds may be used may be obtained from the state educational agency or, in the case of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act programs, from the state board for vocational education.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

Goals 2000: High Standards and Education Reform
(Goals 2000: Educate America Act, Title III)

Funds awarded to state education agencies and, through subgrants, to school districts are available to help develop and implement comprehensive state and local improvement plans that include strategies for promoting quality professional development. Subgrants from the state education agency to school districts support, among other things, continuing and sustained professional development programs that can increase student learning, and improved teacher education programs, that are consistent with the Goals 2000 state improvement plan. Each state educational agency funds these activities on a competitive, peer-review, basis out of a portion of the Goals 2000 grant that it receives from the Department.

For more information, contact the state educational agency. School districts located in a state that does not participate in the Goals 2000 program may contact:

Thomas Fagan
Goals 2000 Program
600 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20202-6100
Phone: (202) 401-0039
e-mail: thomas.fagan@ed.gov

Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program - State & Local Grants
(ESEA, Title II, Part B)

The Eisenhower Program is the federal government's largest program devoted specifically to supporting state and local efforts to stimulate and provide sustained and intensive high-quality professional development in all of the core academic subjects (but with a priority in mathematics and science). School districts receive funding from states to carry out activities that are consistent with local priorities, and have very wide discretion in determining the activities that will best enable all teachers to obtain the skills and knowledge they need to help all students achieve to high standards. Districts must contribute at least one-third of the cost of their Eisenhower-supported activities from state and local sources, other federal funds (such as Title I), cash, or in-kind contributions. In addition, the state educational agency receives program funds to support special initiatives designed to upgrade the quality of the state's teachers, while the state agency for high education receives funds for competitive subgrants to institutions of higher education and nonprofit private organizations to improve the quality of teacher education and professional development programs. (While the scope of activities that the state agency for higher education may sponsor are quite broad, they do not extend to supporting efforts to recruit talented individuals into teaching.)

For more information, contact the state educational agency or the state agency for higher education.

Helping Disadvantaged Children Meet High Standards: Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies
(ESEA, Title I, Part A)

Title I, the largest federal education program for pre-K through 12 education, has one overriding goal: to improve teaching and learning for low-achieving children in high-poverty schools, to enable them to meet challenging academic content and performance standards. Under Part A of Title I, funds are provided to districts and schools,.based on their number of poor children, to help low-achieving children acquire the knowledge and skills expected of all children. To receive Part A funds, districts must have a plan that includes a strategy the district will use, among other things, to provide professional development for teachers to improve the teaching of academic subjects to enable all children to meet the state's student performance standards. Districts and schools have considerable flexibility in deciding how to use their Title I Part A funds, including the amount of Title I funds they devote to professional development of teachers and other staff who work with disadvantaged students. Moreover, schools with not less than 50 percent of children from low-income families are eligible to operate as schoolwide programs. Doing so permits schools to combine their federal, state and local resources to support comprehensive, schoolwide reform efforts that include professional development for all of the school's teachers.

For more information, contact the state educational agency.

Even Start Family Literacy Program
(ESEA, Title I, Part B)

Even Start provides financial assistance through subgrants from the state educational agency to support programs that integrate early child education, adult literacy or adult basic education, and parenting education into a unified family literacy program. Each program is to include special training of staff to develop the skills necessary to work with parents and young children in the full range of instructional services that the Even Start project would provide. Eligible applicants include school districts in partnership with a public or private nonprofit organization, another public agency, or an institution of higher education.

For more information, contact the state educational agency.

Migrant Education Program
(ESEA, Title I, Part C)

The Migrant Education Program (MEP) provides supplemental assistance for high-quality programs for students who migrate to enable themselves or a family member to obtain temporary or seasonal agricultural or fishing work. The MEP reduces educational disruptions and other problems that result from repeated moves, helping these children overcome problems that inhibit their ability to meet challenging content and performance standards. Grants are awarded to state educational agencies who in turn make subgrants to school districts and other agencies to provide educational and support services for migrant students during periods in which they reside in the area. Local districts and other operating agencies are responsible for integrating MEP services with services provided by other ESEA and federal programs to meet the needs of migrant students and, subject to State approval, have flexibility in how they do so. To the extent feasible, local MEP projects include appropriate professional development including mentoring for teachers and other school personnel who work with migrant students.

For more information, contact the state educational agency.

Technology Literacy Challenge Fund
(ESEA, Title III, Part A, subpart 2)

The Technology Literacy Challenge Fund provides funds to states, on a formula basis, to help their local districts use technology to strengthen their educational programs. The goals of the Challenge Fund are to provide all teachers with the training and support they need to help students learn by using technology; to provide all schools with modern computers; to connect all classrooms to the information superhighway; and to make effective software and on-line learning resources an integral part of the curriculum in schools. Ninety five percent of the funds a state receives must be awarded to school systems on a competitive basis. For Fiscal Year 1997, the first year of the program, Congress has appropriated $200 million, and the Administration has requested $425 million for Fiscal Year 1998.

For more information, contact the state educational agency.

Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities
(ESEA, Title IV, Part A, subpart 1)

This program supports comprehensive school- and community-based drug education and prevention activities, as well as activities designed to prevent violence. Funds are available to all districts on the basis of school enrollment, with additional funds being made available for districts that the state finds to be "high-need." Districts that use Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities money must assess needs and measure program outcomes, but may implement a broad range of age-appropriate prevention activities, including professional development of school personnel in prevention strategies and curriculum.

For more information, contact the state educational agency or Governor's office.

Innovative Education Program Strategies
(ESEA, Title VI)

Title VI provides funds to permit districts to support activities that encourage school reform and educational innovation. It makes funds available to all districts, through the states, on the basis of school enrollment, with some weighting to districts with particularly high costs. Under this program, districts have the flexibility to use funds for any of the following primary areas: (1) technology related to implementing reform; (2) acquisition and use of instructional and educational material; (3) promising educational reform projects such as magnet schools; (4) programs for at-risk children; (5) literacy programs for students and their parents; (6) programs for gifted and talented students; (7) reform efforts consistent with Goals 2000; and (8) school improvement programs or activities authorized under the Title I program. Title VI funds may be used to support high-quality professional development that is related to any of these areas.

For more information, contact the state educational agency.

Impact Aid
(ESEA, Title VIII)

The Impact Aid program makes formula grants to school districts that serve federally connected students (e.g. military dependents and children living on Indian lands) and to certain school districts containing a significant amount of federal property. In particular, payments made to school districts under sections 8002 and 8003 become part of the school district's general funds, and may be used for any purpose, including professional development and efforts to promote excellence and accountability in teaching.

For more information, contact:

Catherine Schagh
Impact Aid Programs
600 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20202-6244
Phone (202) 260-3858
e-mail: catherine.schagh@ed.gov

Indian Education - Grants to Local Educational Agencies
(ESEA, Title IX, Part A, subpart 1)

The program provides grants to support school districts in their efforts to reform elementary and secondary education programs that serve Indian students in order to ensure that these programs are based on challenging state content standards and student performance standards, and are designed to assist Indian students to meet these standards. Funds are provided to school districts based on their enrollment of Indian children, and may be used to provide professional development for teachers and other school professionals who are new in the Indian community, and all teachers involved in this program who work with Indian children.

For more information, contact:

David Beaulieu
Office of Indian Education Programs
600 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20202-6335
Phone: (202) 260-3774
e-mail: david.beaulieu@ed.gov

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - Grants to States and Preschool Grant Programs (IDEA, Part B)

The IDEA, Part, B provides funds to states and school districts to help pay for the additional costs of services that are needed to enable all children ages three through twenty-one with disabilities, regardless of the level of severity of the disability, to receive a free and appropriate public education and to improve education opportunities. The program makes funds available through state educational agencies to all districts in a state on the basis of their relative number of students with disabilities receiving special education and related services. IDEA, Part B requires districts that receive funds to provide certain basic procedural safeguards for children with disabilities and their parents. It also requires the state to develop, as part of its statewide system, and includes in its application a comprehensive system of personnel development (CSPD) for ensuring an adequate supply of qualified personnel to carry out the purposes of the IDEA, which may include support of this challenge. School district subgrantees must include in their applications to the state procedures for using and implementing the state CSPD as well as comprehensive plans for how the district will address the needs of its disabled students. These plans may include provision for the use of IDEA, Part B funds for professional development activities that will give teachers and other staff the skills that they need to enable their students with disabilities to have increased levels of academic achievement.

For more information, contact the state educational agency.

Training Personnel for Education of Individuals with Disabilities - Grants to State Educational Agencies (IDEA Part D, sec. 632)

The IDEA, Part D, provides assistance to states in establishing and maintaining programs to prepare special and regular education, related service, and early intervention personnel to met the needs of infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. State educational agencies are eligible to apply. Funds are provided to support the development and maintenance of the comprehensive system of personnel development (CSPD), as summarized above in the description of the IDEA, Grants to States and Preschool Grant Programs (IDEA, Part B).

For more information, contact the state educational agency.

Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities (IDEA, Part H)

The IDEA, Part H, provides financial assistance to states to develop and implement a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated, multi disciplinary, interagency program of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Through this program, Part H funds are available to states to assist with preparation of teachers, and other service providers to meet high standards, certification and licensing requirements, if the state chooses to use the money that way. Under the program the state grantee develops, as part of its statewide system, and includes in its application a comprehensive system of personnel development (CSPD) for ensuring an adequate supply of qualified personnel to carry out the purposes of the IDEA, which may include this activity. The CSPD must be consistent with the CSPD of the state prepared under part B of IDEA.

For more information, contact the state educational agency.

ADULT EDUCATION

Adult Education Special Demonstration and Teacher Training Projects (Adult Education Act, sec. 353)

States administer two categories of local-level projects: experimental demonstration projects that involve the use of innovative methods, systems, materials, or programs that may have national significance or will be of special value in promoting effective adult education programs; and projects that train professional teachers, volunteers, and administrators, with a particular emphasis on full-time professional adult educators, minority adult educators, and teachers of adults with limited English proficiency, learning disabilities, or serious reading deficiencies. Eligible applicants include school districts, community-based organizations, public and private nonprofit agencies and institutions of higher education.

For more information, contact the state educational agency.

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

Basic Grant

State Programs/State Leadership
(Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act, Title II, Part A)

Under Title II, Part A of the Perkins Act, states may use up to 8.5 percent of their basic state grant for state leadership activities. These activities must include professional development, curriculum development and dissemination, and assessment of programs receiving federal assistance. Professional development may involve vocational teachers and academic teachers working with vocational students, corrections and community based educators and counselors, and in-service and preservice training of teachers in state-of-the-art programs and techniques with particular emphasis on minorities.

For more information, contact the state board of vocational education.

Local Activities
(Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act, Title II, Part C)

States subgrant funds to school districts and other entities to help support secondary vocational education programs that the districts implement either by themselves or in conjunction with an area vocational education school or an intermediate education agency. The amount of Perkins funds that a district is eligible to receive depends on the relative size of its ESEA, Title I, Part A allocations, the number of students with individualized education programs, and the number of students enrolled in schools and adults enrolled in training programs. School districts must submit an application to the state board for vocational education that describes their plans for using program funds in ways that give priority to special populations. Uses of funds may include professional development of vocational instructors and academic instructors working with vocational education students that focuses on integrating vocational and academic instruction.

For more information, contact the state board of vocational education.

Tech-Prep Education
(Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act, Title III, Part E)

Title III, Part E, supports ongoing training to help teachers. Each Tech-Prep Education program must include in-service training for teachers that (1) is designed to train teachers to effectively implement Tech-Prep Education curricula; (2) provides for joint training for teachers from all participants in a Tech-Prep consortium; and (3) may provide such training in weekend, evening, and summer sessions, institutes or workshops.

For more information, contact the state board of vocational education.

SCHOOL-TO-WORK OPPORTUNITIES

State Implementation Grants (School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 (Title II and III)

All states have received School-to-Work Opportunities Development Grants to assist them in planning and developing statewide school-to-work systems. State Implementation Grants are awarded competitively to states to establish comprehensive, statewide school-to-work systems that offer young Americans access to education and training programs designed to prepare them for a first job in a high-skill, high-wage career, and to increase their opportunities for further education. A state receiving a first-year implementation grant passes 70 percent of its School-to-Work Opportunities grant to local partnerships. In the second year, it will pass 80 percent of its grant to local partnerships and in the third year and beyond it will pass 90 percent to local partnerships. The 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are eligible to apply for state grants.

The School-to-Work program also provides special grants for local partnership, for urban and rural partnerships, grants to territories, and development and implementation grants for Indian youth

National School-to-Work Office
400 Virginia Avenue, SW
Room 210
Washington, D.C. 20024
Phone: (202) 401-6222
e-mail: stw@ed.gov

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[Part III: U.S. Department of Education Programs and Resources (Index)]

[PART B - Competitive Grant Programs]