The U.S. Department of Education issued guidance to chief state school officers on how states can use their federal formula funds to both expand education choice and turn around failing schools.
The latest Dear Colleague letter focuses on schools identified for support and improvement as a result of low performance, including:
- Comprehensive support and improvement
- Targeted support and improvement due to consistently underperforming subgroups
- Additional targeted support and improvement.
“It’s a top priority for the Trump Department of Education to help turn around underperforming schools and improve student outcomes, while also giving students in those underperforming schools better options,” said Hayley Sanon, acting assistant secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Here’s some background per the Education Department:
- Under ESEA section 1003(a), a State generally must reserve seven percent of its Title I, Part A allocation to award funds to LEAs on behalf of schools to support school improvement activities in schools identified for CSI, TSI, and ATSI.
- These funds can be sent out through a competitive grant process which empowers states to prioritize or incentivize activities and strategies for improving schools that make the most sense for their students and communities.
- Upon receiving notification from the State regarding a school’s identification status as CSI, TSI, or ATSI, a local education agency (LEA) or school must develop and implement a support and improvement plan, in partnership with stakeholders (including principals and other school leaders, teachers, and parents) to improve student outcomes.
- Though students in these underperforming schools are not required to be given a school choice option, states may prioritize sending out 1003(a) school improvement dollars to districts that will both turn around underperforming schools and give students a school choice option.
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The guidance follows previous letters from the Education Department focused on improving parental choice. For instance, last month, the Department reminded school leaders of the Unsafe School Choice Option provision, which requires each state to establish and implement a policy that ensures students in persistently dangerous schools are given the choice to attend a safe public elementary or secondary school, including charter schools.
“The Trump-McMahon Department of Education is committed to ensuring all children can attend a safe school in which they can focus on mastering the reading and mathematics skills necessary for success in school and beyond,” Sanon said at the time.
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