Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)

FY 2016 Allocations for Title I, Parts A & D

To:	District Title I Director
Copy:	Superintendent or Charter School Leader, School Business Official
From:	Matthew Pakos, Director, School Improvement Grant Programs
Date:	July 15, 2015

This memorandum provides notification of your district's FY 2016 federal Title I allocation amount. Attached is a Microsoft Excel workbook that details district Title I, Part A allocations and district and state Neglected and Delinquent (Title I, Part D) allocations by site. The workbook also contains a 'Four-Year Summary' worksheet summarizing FY 2013 through FY 2016 district Title I, Part A allocations. Eligibility Eligibility requirements for each of the Title I grants are based on federal population and poverty census data for children ages 5 through 17. Please note that the federal poverty calculations differ from the Massachusetts economically disadvantaged definition which uses student participation in one or more of the following state-administered programs: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Transitional Assistance for Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC), the Department of Children and Families' foster care program, and MassHealth (Medicaid). FY 2016 Title I allocations are based on 2013 federal census estimates of poverty, October 2014 caseload counts of children residing in locally operated institutions for neglected and delinquent children, and October 2014 caseload data on the number of children in foster homes. Eligibility criteria for each of the four grants that comprise the Title I allocation are summarized below.

Basic Grant: 10 or more students in poverty, representing 2 percent or higher of age 5-17 population
Concentration Grant: 6,500 students or more in poverty or a poverty percentage of 15 percent or higher for age 5-17 population
Targeted Grant: 10 or more students in poverty, representing 5 percent or higher of age 5-17 population
Education Finance Incentive Grant (EFIG): 10 or more students in poverty, representing 5 percent or higher of age 5-17 population

Adjusting Census Data for Charter and Regional Vocational Schools The U.S. Department of Education determines poverty percentages and district allocations only for cities, towns, and academic regional districts ("regular LEAs") using federal census data, as described above. States must then determine the age 5-17 populations, poverty counts, poverty percentages, and initial allocation amounts for each of the four Title I grants for all charter and vocational schools in the state. Using the town of residence field in the Student Information Management System (SIMS), the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) can identify districts that "send" students to charter and regional vocational schools. Per federal rules, ESE adjusts the census population correspondingly for the sending districts. Poverty counts for charter and regional vocational schools are calculated proportionally using students identified as economically disadvantaged based on participation in one or more of the state-administered support programs described above. Hold-Harmless Provision The Title I, Part A hold-harmless provision limits the reduction of a district's allocation compared to the previous year. The hold-harmless provision is applied separately to each of the four Title I, Part A grants, and is only applicable if a district meets the eligibility requirements for the particular grant. An eligible district's hold-harmless level is determined based on its poverty percentage, as outlined in the following table:

Poverty Percentage	Percentage of FY 2015 Allocation
2 - 14.95%	85%
15 - 29.95%	90%
30% or higher	95%

Grant Applications The FY 2016 Title I grant application (Fund Code 305) is now available on the Department's Grants Management website at FY2016 Grant 305. Although Title I and Title IIA (Fund Code 140 - Improving Educator Quality) grant applications are no longer combined within the same Excel workbook, we encourage districts to plan for use of these funds jointly and apply for both grants within the same timeframe. We also strongly encourage any district that has not yet amended its FY 2015 Title I grant to claim the additional funds we announced on April 24, 2015 to do so when applying for FY 2016 funds. ESE's Title IIA office will email districts an update regarding FY 2016 Title IIA allocations later this week. Use of Funds As a reminder, Title I funds may be used to provide supplemental academic, instructional, and support services for eligible students, professional development activities for staff, support for family engagement activities, and for the purchase of appropriate materials and supplies. Districts should coordinate the use of Title I funds with other federal, state, and local funds, while ensuring that all Title I funds are only used to support activities that are in addition to those that the district would otherwise support through state or local sources. If you have any questions regarding your district's allocation or the FY2016 Title I grant application process, please contact titlei@doe.mass.edu or (781) 338-6230.

FY 2016 Title I, Parts A & D District Allocations

Last Updated: July 15, 2015