Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is the funding component that gives states the necessary financial resources to develop standards-based learning initiatives and programs for English Language Learners (ELLs) in the form of subgrants. These funds are designed to improve the academic outcomes toward English language proficiency and the school districts that benefit from these subgrants must demonstrate positive results on an annual basis.

Required Use of Funds

Support of High-Quality ELD programs

Proposed activities must provide for and support high-quality language instruction educational programs, or English language development (ELD) programs, that are scientifically based and that are effective in increasing English proficiency and Academic achievement in the core academic subjects (Section 3115 (c) (1)).

The LEA must provide high-quality professional development to classroom teachers (including teachers in classroom settings that are not designed for only language instruction educational programs), principals, administrators, and other school or community-based organizational personnel. The professional development must:

-Improve the instruction of ELs;
-Enhance the ability of teachers to understand and use curricula, assessment measures, and instructional strategies for ELs;
-Be scientifically research-based and of sufficient duration and intensity (Section 3115 (c) (2)).

Title III Immigrant Funds

Title III Immigrant funds can be spent on:

Family literacy, parent outreach and training activities designed to assist parents in actively participating in the education of their children;

Support for personnel, including teacher aides who have been specifically trained to provide services to immigrant children;

Provision for tutorials, mentoring, and academic or career counseling for immigrant children and youth;

Identification and acquisition of supplemental curricular materials, educational software and technologies;

Basic instruction services that are directly attributable to the presence in the school of immigrant children and youth: classroom supplies, costs of transportation, etc.;

Other instruction services designed to assist immigrant children and youth: civics education, introduction to educational system, etc.;

Activities coordinated with community-based organizations, institutes of higher education to assist parent of immigrant children and youth by offering comprehensive community services.

Other Allowable Use of Funds

Funds may be used to support additional, supplemental staff (counselor, paraprofessional, etc.) Upgrading program objectives and effective instruction strategies:

• Improving the instruction program for EL students by identifying, acquiring and upgrading supplemental curricula, instruction materials, and educational software;
• Tutorials and academic or vocational education for EL children;
• Developing and implementing and improving elementary school or secondary school language instruction educational programs (may be coordinated with other relevant programs and services);
• Activities that improve the English proficiency and academic achievement of EL children;
• Community participation programs, family literacy services and parent outreach and training activities to EL children and their families;
• Evaluation of ELD programs.

These efforts can be established either exclusively or in concert with parental resource centers that are created to better serve the needs of parents who are eager to become further involved in the education of their children but aren’t sure how to participate effectively.

The Latino Family Literacy Project specializes in training staff to work with Hispanic families. If you’re interested in setting up a webinar for your staff so that they can implement a parent program with strong proven outcomes, please contact us at 1-877-LECTURA.