The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education recently issued a letter to all chief state school officers.
This letter provides guidance on how states can use their federal formula funds, allocated under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), to expand education choice and support the turnaround of underperforming schools.
Focus on Underperforming Schools
The primary focus of this guidance is on schools identified for support and improvement due to low performance. These include schools that fall under three categories:
- Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI): Schools that are significantly underperforming overall.
- Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI): Schools with consistently underperforming subgroups of students.
- Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI): Schools that have subgroups that are underperforming compared to others.
The guidance aims to empower states to use federal funds effectively in transforming these schools, ensuring that students have better educational opportunities.
Prioritizing School Improvement and Student Choice
Hayley Sanon, the Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, emphasized the importance of turning around underperforming schools while providing students with better educational choices.
“Every year that a child spends in school is precious,” she said. “Students deserve a choice that best meets their unique needs while leaders undertake the important work of turning schools around.”
The Trump administration has made it a top priority to help improve student outcomes by expanding educational choices, especially for those in struggling schools.
The goal is to ensure that students can attend schools that best meet their needs, while also making efforts to improve the quality of education in underperforming schools.
State Leaders’ Reactions
State leaders have praised this guidance, noting how it can help improve education at the local level:
- Dr. Cade Brumley, Louisiana’s Superintendent of Education, highlighted Louisiana’s success in improving education, attributing it to strategic actions such as expanding school choice. He believes this new guidance will help even more students attend quality schools and give states more control over their educational decisions.
- Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana’s Secretary of Education, also welcomed the guidance, sharing how Indiana has used a competitive grant process for federal school improvement funds. She pointed out that the new guidance empowers the state to focus on the most effective strategies for student success, such as literacy and STEM education, ensuring that more families in Indiana have access to high-quality educational options.
Key Background Information
According to ESEA Section 1003(a), states must set aside seven percent of their Title I, Part A allocation to award funds for school improvement activities in schools identified for CSI, TSI, or ATSI.
These funds can be distributed through a competitive grant process, which allows states to prioritize specific activities and strategies that make sense for their local communities.
Local education agencies (LEAs) or schools receiving these funds are required to create and implement support and improvement plans in collaboration with stakeholders, including principals, teachers, and parents, to enhance student outcomes.
While providing school choice options is not mandatory, states are encouraged to prioritize districts that are both focused on turning around underperforming schools and giving students access to more educational options.
