2025-2026 Program and Budget Handbook

Title III

The District receives supplemental Title III (federal) funds to provide supplemental direct services to English Learners (ELs). These funds must be used to provide direct services to ELs above and beyond the core program requirements as outlined in the United States Code (USC) and California Education Code (EC). The supplemental funds received from Title III may not be used to supplant the District’s general funds. Title III, Section 3115(g), requires that funds be used "to supplement the level of federal, state, and local public funds that, in the absence of such availability, would have been expended for programs for limited English proficient children and immigration children and youth and in no case to supplant such Federal, State, and local public funds." Title III (7T197) Under the 2015 Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Districts receive supplemental Title III funds to ensure all ELs attain English proficiency, develop high levels of academic achievement, and meet the same challenging state standards as all other students. The Title III funds must be used to supplement language instructional programs for English learners as follows: 1) Increase the English language proficiency

3) Provide activities and strategies that enhance educational programs for ELs, which include parent, family and community engagement. Schools are required to use Title III funds to provide direct services to increase the linguistic and academic achievement of ELs. With the passage of ESSA, state and districts are required to set goals and targets for the performance of ELs in reading/language arts, mathematics and progress toward English language proficiency. One of the multiple measures of the state accountability system is the English Learner Progress Indicator (ELPI) which measures progress of ELs towards English proficiency. The ELPI uses 6 levels to measure progress as follows:

All districts and schools are measured by the California Dashboard accountability measures. In summary, ESSA requires the California Department of Education (CDE) to annually review the performance of each district receiving Title III funds and to monitor district and school-level expenditures to ensure alignment with Title III spending guidelines.

of ELs by providing effective language instructional educational programs 2) Provide effective professional development to teachers, principals,

administrators, other school leaders, and school or community-based personnel.

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