Overview of ESEA
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is federal legislation that addresses education in the United States and it requires local educational agencies (LEAs) to provide equitable services to eligible private school children, teachers, and other educational personnel.
Four Grant Programs Working Together for Impact
- Title I
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Supporting students with the greatest academic needs through:
- Instructional services
- Professional development for educators
- Family engagement
- Title II
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Supporting effective instruction through:
- Professional development for teachers and principals
- Title III
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Supporting English learners and immigrant students through:
- English language instruction
- Family and community engagement
- Professional development
- Title IV
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Supporting academic enrichment and student supports through:
- Well-rounded education
- Healthy and safe environment
- Effective use of technology
Equitable Services for Private Schools Under ESEA
Any LEA receiving ESEA funding for Titles I, II, III, and /or IV must set aside a proportional share of each grant to address the needs of students, staff, and families in private schools. Private schools may choose to participate in equitable services for one or more Titles. The private school does not directly receive the funds, but rather receives services from the LEA. The LEA must work collaboratively with their private school(s) that choose to participate in equitable services to ensure the needs of the private school students, staff, and families are met.
- How Does the Process Work?
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ESEA grants operate on an annual cycle. Each year, usually in early spring, the LEA contacts all the private schools located within its boundaries and invites them to participate in ESEA Title services for the next school year.
If a private school chooses to participate (i.e., receive services), the LEA and private school officials must consult in depth on required topics. Since both bring expertise to the table, consultation is critical for meeting student needs. Private schools must provide student information to LEA staff at the initial consultation meeting so they can calculate the amount of funding available for services to the school. The overall amount may include funds under different Titles of ESEA (Title I, Title II, etc.), and each of these has specific purposes and restrictions.
The LEA gathers student and school data from the private school, calculates available funding, and sets up consultation meetings throughout the school year. Together, private school officials and LEA staff look at any available school data to assess the students’ greatest needs, agree on what kind of services will be provided with the amount of funds available, and decide how services will be evaluated.
The LEA is responsible for providing or contracting for services and maintains control of funds. In other words, the LEA pays service providers and vendors directly and cannot transfer funds to private schools.
- What Might Services Look Like?
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Under each Title, there are multiple allowable uses of grant funds, so services for private school students may vary from school to school. Depending on the Title, services might support eligible students directly, or they might support them indirectly through services for their families or their teachers and other educators. ESEA-funded services might include direct supplemental instruction, professional development for educators, family engagement activities, technology, or other options. Services might take place before, during, or after the school day, on weekends, or during the summer.Roles and Responsibilities
When a private school chooses to participate in any of the ESEA programs, the private school and LEA need to consult with one another to determine equitable services and opportunities. While planning for services, the LEA and private school review available data to assess the needs of the private school students. This needs assessment guides decisions about what services should be provided to most effectively meet the needs of the private school students, their educators, and families.
While implementing services, the LEA and private school should continuously monitor services to ensure things are going as planned, and collect and examine data to determine effectiveness. At the end of the year, the LEA and private school should review data to determine how things went so they can build on successes when planning services for the next school year.
Resource: Providing Services for Equitable Participation Under Equitable Services for Private School Students, Staff, and Families (ESEA)
- LEA Overall Responsibilities
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- Guide the overall process
- Contact private schools within LEA boundaries to invite them to participate, providing enough information to enable an informed decision.
- Set and communicate any necessary deadlines.
- Clearly communicate expectations and responsibilities of private school officials and the consequences for not meeting them.
- Ensure necessary documentation is submitted to DPI. This includes documentation of a school’s declining to participate.
- Collaborate to ensure all eligible students who attend schools outside their resident LEA are identified, communicating with neighboring LEAs and with private schools in neighboring LEAs as needed.
- Guide the overall process
- Private School Overall Responsibilities
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- Ask questions to make an informed choice about participation. If you decline to participate, provide a signature on the appropriate form, so the LEA can demonstrate to DPI that it performed its duties.
- Cooperate with requests and deadlines from all LEAs in which your students reside.
- Communicate your needs clearly to the LEA, and contact the LEA with questions or concerns.
- What can a private school do if an LEA is not providing equitable services?
- Reach out to the LEA
- Contact the Ombudsman
Statutes and Non-Regulatory Guidance
U.S. Department of Education. ESSA - Full Version
U.S. Department of Education. 2016. Equitable Participation and Fiscal Changes
U.S. Department of Education. 2023. Title I, Part A: Providing Equitable Services to Private School Children Teachers and Families
U.S. Department of Education. 2023. Title VIII, Part F of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965:Equitable Services for Eligible Private School Children, Teachers, and Other Educational Personnel, Non-Regulatory Guidance
For questions about this information, contact the Wisconsin’s Private School Ombudsman or Title I and School Support Team.