The Elementary and Secondary Education Act

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Updated April 27, 2010

Since 1965, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) has been the federal government’s primary legislative vehicle supporting and influencing K‐12 public education in more than 16,000 local school districts across the country. Periodically “reauthorized” – revised and extended – its 2002 iteration, the “No Child Left Behind Act” ushered in “high stakes testing” and a focus on school accountability among other changes.

What is Title I and How are Funds Used For Preschool?
Even though federal funds make up one‐tenth or less of education budgets in the states, states and school districts rely on the programs and funding streams within ESEA and structure their efforts around requirements within it. Title I of ESEA focuses on education for disadvantaged children and includes preschool services as one of many allowable uses of Title I funds. Preschool accounts for less than two percent of Title I spending.

“Title I Preschool” is not a place; it is a funding stream. Funds are layered with other sources to create or expand early childhood programs in communities, and must supplement not supplant state dollars. Those other sources include federal funds from Head Start, TANF, or CCDF, as well as state dollars through general revenue funds, a school funding formula, taxes or gaming that make a state’s preK initiative possible. At least 11 states report using Title I funds for their state preK initiative either as local match or to offer additional and comprehensive services, to support children with special needs, or to extend the length of the program day.

Title I dollars are sent from the U.S. Department of Education to state education agencies (SEAs), which send the funds out to local education agencies (LEAs) for ultimate disbursement. There are no explicit few reporting requirements for Title I preschool, as a result the best estimate of children served, according to the Center for Law and Social Policy, is from 2003, when 456,492 children received Title I funded early education services.

Some schools in specific areas offer school‐wide Title I services, and in that case any child living in the school’s attendance area may participate in preschool. If the school has a targeted approach to Title I services (that is, not all school‐age children are eligible), then the preschool age children must be determined to be “at risk” to participate in Title I preschool. Title I dollars can be used for programs for eligible children from birth to the age of school entry (as determined by the state or local school district). Children with disabilities and migrant children are eligible.

Funds may be used for professional development for teachers, to rent or lease space in privately owned buildings, and for minor remodeling to make a school space appropriate. Funds may be used toward “comprehensive” services (health, nutrition, other social services) if appropriate, based on a community needs assessment.