Title IV Training Page

Title IV launchpad icon depicting girl with rocket on back.

Overview

The Title IV, Part A (Title IV-A) Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program (SSAE) is intended to improve students’ academic achievement by increasing the capacity of states, local education agencies (LEAs), schools, and local communities to (1) provide all students with access to a well-rounded education, (2) improve school conditions for student learning, and (3) improve the use of technology in order to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students.

LEAs receiving more than $30,000 must conduct a comprehensive needs assessment and use the results to justify spending requests in all three program areas in the following way:

At least 20 percent for Well-Rounded Education (WRE);
At least 20 percent for Safe and Healthy Schools (SHS); and
A portion for Effective Use of Technology (EUT) with no more than 15 percent of EUT funds being used for technology infrastructure purchases.

LEAs receiving an allocation less than $30,000 can budget funds in any of the three content areas.

Key Terms & Concepts

The table below offers brief details of key terms and concepts pertaining to this program. Use the links to read more detailed explanations and guidance.

Well-Rounded Education (WRE)	Access to a well-rounded education is vital for student development. Exposure to a variety of educational experiences like STEM activities and career exploration, both in school and during afterschool and summer programming, helps young people develop lifelong relationships with learning and set goals for a bright future. Classes in the creative arts can enhance student learning in other areas, including in language development and math. When teachers integrate social-emotional learning into the classroom, they help students develop resilience and skills to achieve their goals.
Safe and Healthy Students (SHS)	In order to achieve their fullest potential, students must be physically, mentally, and socially healthy and feel safe. Ensuring that students have access to safe and supportive learning environments, as well as behavioral, social–emotional, and mental health services promotes student resilience, improves academic performance, and allows children and youth to successfully deal with challenges they may face.
Effective Use of Technology (EUT)	The use of technology has opened a wide array of exciting learning avenues in classrooms–from streaming educational videos to 3D printing to hands-on-robotics. Teachers cultivate digital resources and foster creativity by utilizing learning devices that engage students in all aspects of learning. When designed carefully and thoroughly applied, technology can accelerate, amplify, and expand the impact of effective practices that support student learning, increase community engagement, foster safe and healthy environments, and enable well-rounded educational opportunities. For technology to be truly transformative, educators need to have the knowledge and skills to take full advantage of technology-rich learning environments.
Comprehensive Needs Assessment	A needs assessment, in conjunction with stakeholder engagement, can help local educational agencies (LEAs) think strategically about the programs offered to their students. When LEAs receive $30,000 or more in Title IV, Part A funds, they are required to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has developed a comprehensive needs assessment tool which LEAs can use to support their planning.
Technology Infrastructure	Technology infrastructure includes devices, equipment, software applications, platforms, digital instructional resources, and/or other one-time IT purchases.
Alternative Fund Use Authority (AFUA)	Allows SRSA-eligible LEAs greater flexibility in spending the funds they receive under Title II, Part A and Title IV, Part A to best address their particular needs. Under AFUA, LEAs are able to use their Title II, Part A and Title IV, Part A funds to pay for activities under any of the allowable uses for SRSA grant funds (i.e., activities authorized under any of the following: Title I, Part A; Title II, Part A; Title III; Title IV, Part A; and Title IV, Part B). (Use the Title V Part B Eligibility List in the Additional Information section of this page to determine if this flexibility applies to your LEA.) Eligible LEAs using this flexibility will note that on the ARAC of the Consolidated Application and can use the appropriate AFUA funding source codes in the Title II, Part A and Title IV, Part A budgets in the Consolidated Application
Transfer of Funds	LEAs may transfer Title II, Part A and Title IV, Part A funds into any other Title program for which the LEA has received and accepted an allocation. Transferring funds will reduce the Title II, Part A or Title IV, Part A allocation while increasing the Title allocation of transfer programs within the transfer program budget. LEAs that choose to transfer funds from one program to another would indicate the transfer on the Funds Allocations page of the Consolidated Application. The transfer will impact the LEA’s required Set-Asides, including Parental Activities Set-Aside. When drawing down funds from Grants Fiscal, funds will be requested from the original program.

Eligibility

States allocate funds to LEAs in proportion to their prior-year Title I, Part A allocations. If eligible, LEAs receive a minimum of $10,000.

Allowable Use of Funds

Activities to support well-rounded educational opportunities for students may include, but are not limited to:

STEM programs
Music and art programs
Foreign language offerings
The opportunity to earn credits from institutions of higher learning
Reimbursing low-income students to cover the costs of accelerated learning examination fees
Environmental education
Programs and activities that promote volunteerism and community involvement

Activities to support safe and healthy students may include, but are not limited to:

School-based mental health services
Drug and violence prevention activities that are evidence-based
Integrating health and safety practices into school or athletic programs
Nutritional education and physical education activities
Bullying and harassment prevention
Activities that improve instructional practices for developing relationship-building skills
Prevention of teen and dating violence, stalking, domestic abuse, and sexual violence and harassment
Establishing or improving school dropout and reentry programs
Training school personnel in effective practices related to the above

Activities to improve the use of educational technology in order to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students may include, but are not limited to:

Building technological capacity and infrastructure
Developing or using effective or innovative strategies for the delivery of specialized or rigorous academic courses through the use of technology
Carrying out blended learning activities (must include ongoing professional development for teachers)
Providing professional development on the use of technology to enable teachers to increase student achievement in STEM areas
Providing students in rural, remote, and underserved areas with the resources to take advantage of high-quality digital learning experiences
Providing educators, school leaders, and administrators with the professional learning tools, devices, content and resources to:
- Personalize learning
- Discover, adapt, and share relevant high-quality educational resources
- Use technology effectively in the classroom
- Implement and support school and districtwide approaches for using technology to inform instruction, support teacher collaboration, and personalize learning

IF the LEA qualifies for REAP Alternative Fund Use Authority (AFUA), Title IV funds may be used to pay for activities under any of the allowable uses for SRSA grant funds (i.e., activities authorized under any of the following: Title I, Part A; Title II, Part A; Title III; Title IV, Part A; and Title IV, Part B).

Administrative Caps

Direct administrative costs cannot account for more than two-percent of the grantee’s annual allocation.
The LEA can apply its restricted indirect cost rate to the portion of its subgrant that it does not reserve for administrative costs.

For more information about Direct Program, Direct Administrative, and Indirect Costs visit our guidance webpage.

Stakeholder Engagement

Activities supported with Title IV, Part A funds must be planned through consultation with parents, teachers, principals, other school leaders, special service providers, students, community-based organizations, local government representatives, Indian tribes or tribal organizations that may be located in the region served by the LEA, and charter school teachers and principals; teachers, principals and other relevant stakeholders. The LEA must also engage in continued consultation with these stakeholders to improve supported activities.

Visit these links for more information about ESEA Parent, Family, & Community Engagement Requirements and CDE Stakeholder Engagement Resources.

Key Tasks & Deadlines

Year at a glance image depicting annual calendar.

For details on the tasks and deadlines associated with Title IV, visit the Title IV tab of the Year at a Glance or download the Title IV Tasks PDF

Resources

Guidance

Planning Resources

Title IV, Part A Allowable Uses Planning Resource (PDF)
Title IV LEA Needs Assessment Tool
T4PA Center: In partnership with ED, the T4PA Center works to build capacity at the state and local levels to help ensure Title IV, Part A programmatic success.