Changes to Title I Funding

Since its passing, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (now Every Student Succeeds Act) has provided funding for low-income schools through language present in its Title I.  After failing to lay out a set of rules to update the “supplements not supplants” stipulation for funding, the Department of Education finally handed down its regulations at the end of last month.  These regulations can be complex, but there are two major themes in the fallout.  First is that all districts must ensure that each school gets a baseline of local and state funding before the Title I funds are applied.  This seems like a good idea, but could in the long run create even more bureaucratic headaches for schools looking to use their Title I money.  Secondly, many of the people who wrote the original text for ESSA feel like the Department of Education is overreaching itself with the new funding guidelines.  This disagreement could cause confusion and noncompliance with the new rules, or (even worse) require Congress to create another new set of rules.