To be eligible to receive an allocation under the Title IV-A Student Support & Academic Enrichment grant, a local educational agency (LEA) must have received Title I-A funding through an application approved in the prior school year.

Consortiums: LEAs may choose to submit an application as part of a consortium. LEAs seeking to use this option must contact [email protected] for the next steps. Reference: ESSA Sec. 4105 [20 U.S.C. 7115]

FY26 Transferability Guidance

Transferability for ESEA Consolidated grants will be unavailable until 7/1/25 to allow for Maintenance of Effort compliance.

• For LEAs that intend to transfer their full or partial amounts for Title II and Title IV-A, the transfer window will open for three weeks from the date that transfer activity is available in GME.
• All LEAs must have a submitted application turned in on or before Monday, August 18th.
• All LEAs must have received Director Approval for all grants in the ESEA Consolidated application on or before Monday, September 29th. Failure to receive Director Approval by September 29th will result in a forfeiture of funds.

Under the ESEA, LEAs may transfer funds they receive by formula under certain programs to other programs to better address State and local needs. The ESSA amended the transferability authority by changing the programs from and to which an LEA may transfer funds and removing limits on the amount of funds that may be transferred.

This guidance addresses those changes. Except as provided in this guidance, the Guidance on the Transferability Authority remains applicable.

 

PROGRAMS TO WHICH A LEA MAY TRANSFER TITLE IV-A FUNDS

• Title I, Part A     Improving basic programs operated by LEAs
• Title I, Part C     Education of migratory children
• Title I, Part D     Prevention and intervention programs for children and youth who are neglected, delinquent, or at-risk
• Title II, Part A    Supporting effective Instruction state grants
• Title III, Part A   State grants for English language acquisition and language enhancement
• Title IV, Part A   Student support and academic enrichment grants
• Title V, Part B    Rural education (ESEA section 5103(b)). LEAs seeking to use this option must contact Title IV-A staff for the next steps on how to leverage this flexibility.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Is there a limit on the amount of funds an LEA may transfer? No. An LEA may transfer all or a portion of funds it receives under each of the programs listed under T-1, p.39.

2. May an LEA transfer only those funds that are to be used for equitable services to private school students or teachers? No. An LEA may not transfer funds to a particular program solely to provide equitable services for private school students or teachers. Rather, an LEA, after consulting with appropriate private school officials, must provide equitable services to private school students and teachers based on the rules of each program and the total amount of funds available to each program after a transfer. (See ESEA section 5103(e).)

3. What are the responsibilities of an LEA for the provision of equitable services to private school children and teachers with respect to funds being transferred? Excluding Title I, Part D, and Title V, Part B, each program covered by the transferability authority is subject to the equitable services requirements under Title I or VIII, which may not be waived. (ESEA section 8401(c)(5).) Before an LEA may transfer funds from a program subject to equitable services requirements, it must engage in timely and meaningful consultation with appropriate private school officials. (ESEA section 5103(e)(2).) With respect to the transferred funds, the LEA must provide private school students and teachers equitable services under the program(s) to which, and from which, the funds are transferred, based on the total amount of funds available to each program after the transfer.

Title IV-A funds are designed to provide “…programs and activities to support well-rounded educational experiences to all students.” (Section 4104 State Use of Funds – SSAEG – Title IV, Part A). The law stipulates that students' well-rounded education is a civil right and that such activities must be made available to all students. It is best practice to analyze the needs of your LEA through the lens of Title IV-A prior to transferring funds.

How do I transfer funds once the transfer window has opened?

1.    Open the ESEA Consolidated Application
2.    Click on Allocations
3.    Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you will see all of your LEAs grants
4.    Determine the amount of Title IV money you wish to transfer and to which location(s) (e.g., Title I, Title II, etc)
5.    On the “From Title IV-A” line, enter the amount you wish to transfer under your intended grant. Once you save & continue, you’ll see that amount deducted from the Title IV-A column and the same amount added to the other funding total.
6.    Save and continue
7.    Complete the Transferability Section of the application
8.    Finally, amend the transferred funds to the funding source you choose and update your IAPs to reflect budgeted expenditures for all funding sources.  Note: Approved funds transferred to Title I may not be transferred again later in the year.