Dear Partners and Stakeholders:

Welcome to the first edition of the Office of State Grant and Program Support (SGPS) Newsletter. The SGPS Newsletter is a monthly publication from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (OESE) Office of State Grant and Program Support (SGPS, formerly known as the Office of Formula Grants). SGPS created the newsletter to share information, resources, and updates related to the important work you do to improve educational results for our nation’s children and youth. The newsletter will keep you informed about the work of the seven offices within SGPS, including sharing information about upcoming events, due dates, discretionary grant competition announcements, and resources for you and your districts to use to improve instruction. 

I’ve had the opportunity to interact with many of you since assuming the role of deputy assistant secretary of OESE in April 2019, and I know some of you from my previous positions in the U.S. Department of Education. For those of you who haven’t heard my story, coming to OESE is taking me back to my roots. I started my career as a school district program director in Washington state with responsibility for many Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) programs, including Title I. After relocating with my family to Virginia, I came to the Department to work on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and held many positions in the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) including deputy director, acting director, and acting assistant secretary. Under my leadership, OSEP strengthened its collaboration with OESE to ensure that the Department provided coordinated supports to states and districts related to ESEA and IDEA. I will continue those collaborations and am excited to now have the opportunity to work directly with the dedicated OESE staff members who effectively support your work in states and districts.

Your work is supported by seven offices within SGPS: School Support and Accountability, led by Patrick Rooney; Safe and Supportive Schools, led by Paul Kesner; Rural, Insular, and Native Achievement Programs, led by Patrick Carr; Program and Grantee Support Services, led by David Cantrell; and Impact Aid, led by Marilyn Hall. Although not directly within SGPS, I also oversee Indian Education, led by Angeline Boulley, and Migrant Education, led by Lisa Gillette. These talented leaders ensure that OESE is positioned to support you in implementing ESEA. The newsletter will highlight a different office each month to provide you with in-depth information on the office’s staff, capabilities, and initiatives.

I have two priorities for the coming year—improving communication with grantees, especially the state directors, and strengthening SGPS’s technical assistance and support to states, districts, and schools. I am particularly interested in hearing what you think we can do in SGPS to best support you. To that end, over the next several months we will be coming to program director meetings to hear from you about communication and technical assistance and anything else you would like to share. We are also interested in getting your input on this newsletter: What information is most helpful? Are there regular topics you’d like included? Is the format easy to follow? This initial edition is going to state directors, but please feel free to pass it on to others who you think will be interested. They can then sign up through GovDelivery to receive the newsletter each month.

I hope to meet many of you over the next several months.  Please introduce yourself if I haven’t met you and tell me about the important work that you do! All the very best to you in 2020 and have a productive and fulfilling year! 

Please forward this newsletter to your colleagues! Encourage them to use Subscriber Services to sign up.

The Impact Aid Program (IAP) assists local public school districts that are financially burdened due to the presence of federal activities in their communities. Title VII of the ESEA authorizes assistance to local school districts with concentrations of children who live on Indian lands, military bases and with parents in the uniformed services, in certain low-rent housing properties, or on other federal property.  To a lesser extent, grants are made to local school districts with concentrations of children whose parents are employed on federal property.

Recent appropriations have provided $1.3 billion annually for awards to school districts that educate federally connected children (Section 7003 of the ESEA). Grants are determined by a formula based on an annual count of federally connected school children and several other factors. Approximately 1,100 public school districts apply for these grants annually. 

The payments for federal property program (Section 7002 of the ESEA) is designed to assist school districts that have lost at least 10% of local assessed property value due to the acquisition of property by the federal government since 1938. Congress has provided approximately $70 million annually for this program in recent years.  Section 7002 formula awards are made to approximately 200 local public school districts. 

A very limited construction program provides $17 million annually for construction grants to school districts that are eligible for the larger Impact Aid grant programs (Section 7007).

Visit the Impact Aid Program Website to learn more about the program.

Impact Aid Grant System Portal

In November 2019, the Impact Aid Program launched the new Impact Aid Grant System (IAGS) and portal as a tool for school districts to apply for Impact Aid funds.  Applications for FY 2021 Section 7002 (payments for federal property) and Section 7003 (payments for federally connected children), due Jan. 31, were submitted through the new IAGS.

Visit the portal at https://impactaid.ed.gov/ to see the information and resources available to school districts including links to log into the system to submit or amend an application, request a Core User account, join the 7002 or 7003 Listserv, Ask for Help, view upcoming or recent instructional webinars and many more resources.

The Migrant Student Information Exchange—A Valuable Resource for States

The Migrant Student Information Exchange (MSIX) is a national electronic database developed to link existing state migrant student record systems. MSIX is used primarily by guidance counselors, school registrars, and Migrant Education Program (MEP) specialists to make effective and timely school enrollment and placement decisions for migratory children. School staff can quickly access migratory students’ previous enrollment records, course history, and assessments to determine the appropriate placement as children travel throughout the nation with their families in search of temporary or seasonal work. The Office of Migrant Education uses MSIX for statistical analysis of the MEP, while at the state level, state MEP directors may run reports from MSIX to assist them in planning for and evaluating their state-specific programs. For additional information, visit the MSIX website or email Patricia Meyertholen at Patricia.Meyertholen@ed.gov.

Indian Education Formula Grants Implementation Study

The Implementation Study of the Title VI Indian Education Formula Grants Program was released in Fall 2019. The two-year study included a survey of 1,300 grantees, an analysis of grantee applications and annual performance reports, and case studies of nine grantees. The statutory purpose of the Title VI grants is to address the unique cultural, language, and education-related academic needs of American Indian/Alaska Native students. The study is provided here, as well as a downloadable PDF, Results in Brief.

New Cohort of Regional Comprehensive Centers

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded the 2019 cohort of Comprehensive Centers, which provide capacity-building services to state education agencies, regional education agencies, local education agencies, and schools that improve education outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, and improve the quality of instruction. Learn more about the work of Comprehensive Centers via their network, including which Comprehensive Center serves your state, and what kind of technical assistance it can provide.

Small, Rural School Achievement Application Update

The U.S. Department of Education’s Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) developed an updated Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) application based on feedback from superintendents and other stakeholders. The application process is simplified to rely on a single platform and can be completed in 30 minutes. Previously, the application required applicants to navigate three sites and took approximately three hours to complete. REAP will offer additional guidance regarding SRSA, as well as more detailed records following completion of the application. If you have questions regarding the SRSA application or program, please check the REAP website or contact reap@ed.gov.

Title IV, Part A State Coordinator National Meeting

On Dec. 9 and 10, 2019, the Title IV, Part A (T4PA) Technical Assistance Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS), hosted an in-person meeting in Crystal City, Virginia, for Title IV-A state coordinators (SCs), their alternates, and other related staff. The purpose of the meeting was to (1) further develop the relationship between OSSS, the T4PA Center, and SCs; (2) promote opportunities for sharing and collaboration among SCs; (3) provide needed information to SCs on behalf of the Department and relevant offices, including commonly asked questions on the Title IV, Part A (Title IV-A) statute; (4) and connect SCs with other federal technical assistance center and resources supporting Title IV-A related content areas. Check out the program page ESSA, Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) Program for more information.

20th Anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act

January was National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and we are excited to share that this marked the 20th anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000. Since the TVPA was passed, there have been many initiatives released to support preventing human trafficking. The Department is working with other federal agencies to observe, throughout 2020, the 20th anniversary of the TVPA. OESE recently convened an intra-agency working group on Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation to implement our goal of increasing awareness of human trafficking and identifying and addressing the trafficking of the most vulnerable student populations. These vulnerable populations include students who are homeless, dropouts, migratory, Native American, and those with disabilities. The Department will continue its efforts to increase awareness about human trafficking by informing stakeholders and providing them with technical assistance and resources on human trafficking and child labor exploitation. Watch for updates to our website, including a dedicated link, which will include the most recent resources and research publications related to human trafficking and child labor exploitation. We will also be presenting several useful webinars on preventing and protecting against human trafficking and child labor exploitation. 

National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators Conference

Join the U.S. Department of Education at the National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators Conference on Feb. 4-7 in Atlanta, Georgia. Presentations will include updates on the Comprehensive Centers, Equity Assistance Centers, Office of Special Education Programs, and more technical assistance support funded by the Department.

National Advisory Council on Indian Education Meeting

The National Advisory Council on Indian Education will meet on Feb.13-14 at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Please register to attend the event virtually or in person.

Migrant Education Program Annual Directors Meeting and New Directors Orientation

The annual directors meeting for state Migrant Education Program (MEP) directors is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3 through Wednesday, March 4, at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. Additionally, the Office of Migrant Education will host a new directors’ orientation on Monday, March 2 for MEP state directors with three years or less experience. For more information, please visit RESULTS.ed.gov. 

FY 2019 STOP School Violence Grant Program

The FY 2019 Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Grant Program is designed to improve school security by providing students and teachers with the tools they need to recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence. Applications are due March 3.

FY 2020 Office of Indian Education Grant Competitions

The Office of Indian Education’s Discretionary Team is preparing for four discretionary grant competitions this fiscal year. Current and potential grantees are invited to create a Federal Register account and set up alerts for upcoming rulemaking notifications for the Professional Development, State-Tribal Education Partnership, Demonstration Grants for Indian Children, and Native American Language programs. The Office of Indian Education is seeking peer reviewers for these grant competitions, especially individuals working in American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities and urban Indian settings. Native language expertise and experience with grant-funded programs or in classrooms serving AI/AN students is highly desired. Interested individuals are invited to email a resume to Indian.Education@ed.gov.