Federal & State Programs
Overview
TEA Resources by Program
Title I, Part A - Improving Basic Programs
Title 1, Part D- Prevention and intervention programs for children and youth who are neglected, delinquent or at-risk
Title II, Part A - Supporting Effective Instruction
Title III, Part A - English Language Acquisition
Title IV, Part A - Student Support and Academic Enrichment
Title V, Part A - Funding Transferability
Title V, Part B - Rural Education Initiative, or REAP/Subpart 2 - Rural and Low-Income School Program
Title VIII, Part F, Subpart 2 - ESSA Unsafe School Choice Option
ESSA Private School Equitable Services
State Compensatory Education
TEA Federal Program Compliance Division
Grant Compliance and Administration (GCA)
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Federal Fiscal Compliance and Reporting Division: Oversees activities of federal grant programs to ensure they are compliant with fiscal requirements and ensures that the agency is compliant with federal reporting requirements.
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Federal Fiscal Monitoring Division: Monitors the expenditures of federal grant subrecipients to ensure federal funds are used for authorized purposes in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of federal awards.
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Federal Program Compliance Division: Provides state administration and implementation of ESSA programs (Title I, Parts A and D); Migrant; Title II, Part A; Title IV, Part A; Titles V, VI, and VII; and ESSA PNP services).
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Grants Administration Division: Provides centralized administration of all formula and discretionary state-appropriated funds and federal grant funds awarded to TEA; administers all grant funds awarded to subrecipients.
ESSA
On December 10, 2015, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), was signed into law. ESSA is a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). ESSA replaces its predecessor, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB).). ESSA includes provisions that will help to ensure success for all students. It became effective on July 1, 2017.
ESSA offers LEAs greater flexibility for using federal funds to effectively implement comprehensive, districtwide research-based initiatives that maximize student academic outcomes, particularly for those students at risk of not meeting challenging state academic assessment standards.
ESSA renews the U.S. Department of Education's emphasis on comprehensive needs assessments and improvement planning. The new regulations increase LEAs’ responsibilities for monitoring student outcomes, coordinated use of federal funds, and for offering high-quality guidance and technical assistance to schools engaged in continuous improvement planning.
The primary function of ESSA is to close the achievement gap between groups of students by requiring greater accountability and offering increased flexibility and choice. ESSA includes Title I-A, Title I-C, Title I-D, Title II, Title III-A, and Title IV.
Some highlights of ESSA:
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Advances equity by upholding critical protections for high-need students
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Enhanced expectations for college and career preparation
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Ensures that statewide assessments provide information to educators, students, families and communities
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Increases access to high-quality preschool
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Maintains accountability expectations for low-performing schools
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Supports evidence-based interventions
Title I, Part A - Improving Basic Programs
Program Resources
TEA and Statewide Initiative Links
Title I, Part A - Parent & Family Engagement/Region 16 Statewide Initiative
Title II, Part A - Supporting Effective Instruction
The purpose of Title II, Part A is to increase student achievement consistent with the challenging State academic standards; improve the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school leaders; increase the number of effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders who are effective in improving student academic achievement in schools; and provide low-income and minority students greater access to effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders. The intent of the funding is to support educators in their work to improve the overall quality of instruction and ensure equity of educational opportunity for all students.
Program Resources
Allowable and Unallowable Expenditures
TEA Links
Title III, Part A - English Language Acquisition
Title III, Part A aims to ensure that English learners (ELs) and immigrant students attain English proficiency and develop high levels of academic achievement in English.
Program Resources
Budgeting Cost Guidance Handbook (April 2020)
ESSA Compliance Report Resources
Federal Funding Guidance & FAQs
Funding Guidebook (May 2022)
Program-Specific Provisions and Assurances
TEA Links
FAQ's (September 2021)
Title IV, Part A - Student Support and Academic Enrichment
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 0f 2015, established Title IV, Part A, the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant Program (SSAE). The overarching goal of Title IV, Part A, is to increase the capacity of state education agencies, local education agencies (LEAs), campuses, and communities to meet the following three goals:
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Provide all students access to a well-rounded education
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Improve academic outcomes by maintaining safe and healthy students
- Improve the use of technology to advance student academic achievement
Program Resources
USDE - Non-Regulatory Guidance Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants
TEA and Statewide Initiative Links
ESC 14 - Capacity Building Initiative
Additional ESSA Programs TEA and Resource Links
Compliance
The TEA Grant Compliance and Administration department is responsible for managing all discretionary and formula grants, ensuring the agency’s compliance with the fiscal requirements of federal grants, and conducting monitoring and grant reviews of federal grant subrecipients.
Federal Program Compliance
The links below lead to information for each of the programs that the Federal Program Compliance Division administers.
Fiscal Grant Compliance
The Grant Compliance and Administration (GCA) department is responsible for managing all discretionary and formula grants, ensuring the agency’s compliance with the fiscal requirements of federal grants, and conducting monitoring and grant reviews of federal grant subrecipients.
The Federal Fiscal Monitoring Division (FFM) is responsible for fiscal monitoring of the expenditures of federal grants awarded to subrecipients including school districts, charter schools, education service centers and nonprofit institutions. FFM is a division of GCA. FFM Duties: As a pass-through entity, TEA is statutorily required to monitor the activities of subrecipients as necessary to ensure that subawards are used for authorized purposes, in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the subaward, and that subaward performance goals are achieved.
The Federal Fiscal Compliance and Reporting Division (FFCR) oversees activities to determine whether organizations are in compliance. FFCR is a division of GCA. FFCR Duties: Federal grant programs include fiscal requirements to ensure that grant recipients spend funds in the manner specified by the grant program. If your organization receives funds from federal grant programs, you must adhere to these fiscal requirements.
Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) consists of multiple parts and regulations to govern all federal grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE).
Additional Resources:
Grants
TEA administers grants primarily funded by two sources: federal funds and state funds. Federal grants are funded through legislation passed by the U.S. Congress, while state-funded grants are authorized by the Texas Legislature.
There are two types of grants:
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Formula Grants (Entitlements) - The authorizing statute determines eligibility. Only local educational agencies (LEAs), such as independent school districts and open-enrollment charter schools, are eligible to apply. TEA provides multiple resources to assist LEA's to navigate the grant process.
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Discretionary Grants (Grant Opportunities) - The legislation authorizing the grant gives some freedom, or discretion, to the agency administering the grant. The legislation may define certain elements of the grant program, such as population to be served or services to be provided, while leaving the administering agency and the commissioner of education free to determine other elements, such as eligibility criteria or the amount to be awarded to grantees.
Budgeting Guidance and Forms (TEA)
Budgeting Costs Guidance Handbook
Federal Time and Effort Reporting Guidance Handbook for LEA
Forms for Prior Approval, Disclosure, and Justification
IDEA-B LEA Maintenance of Effort (MOE) Guidance Handbook
IDEA-B Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) Guidance Handbook
Maintenance of Effort (MOE) Guidance Handbook
Maximum Indirect Costs Worksheet
Expenditure Reporting Guidance (TEA)
State Compensatory Education
Under Section 29.081 of the Texas Education Code (TEC), compensatory education is defined in law as programs and/or services designed to supplement the regular education program for students identified as at risk of dropping out of school. The purpose is to increase academic achievement and reduce the dropout rate of these students. The goal of state compensatory education is to reduce any disparity in performance on assessment instruments administered under Subchapter B, Chapter 39 TEC or disparity in the rates of high school completion between students at risk of dropping out of school and all other LEA students (TEC Section 29.081)
Campus and District Improvement Plans
School districts and charter schools with an annual SCE allotment of $750,000 or greater must submit two campus improvement plans to TEA on or before the date that falls 150 days after the final PEIMS midyear collection resubmission date.
Expenditures of SCE funds must do all of the following:
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Support the intent and purpose of the program
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be allowable under statute and guidance; and
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be directly related to specific interventions identified in the appropriate district and campus improvement plans
Campus improvement plans must be reviewed and revised annually. Requirements for plans, including who should be included in the planning process, are found in the TEC §11.251, for district-level planning and the TEC §11.253, for campus-level planning. Submit the district plan only if significant and supporting SCE information is included in the plan.
TEA Resources
Financial
Statute
The Texas Education Code (TEC) §28.0217, relates to satisfactory performance on state assessment instruments and providing accelerated instruction to certain students.
The TEC, §29.081, defines the purpose of the SCE program and the statutory criteria for determining if a student is at risk of dropping out of high school.
The TEC §29.089, allows school districts and charter schools to fund mentoring programs with SCE funds.
The TEC §48.104, provides the method for TEA to calculate school district and charter school allotments and establishes certain additional uses for SCE funds.
19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §61.1027 is related to the eligible student count for the compensatory education allotment.