According to K-12 Dive, the Trump administration is encouraging states and districts to expand school choice options by using already existing avenues under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), including Title I funds earmarked for low-income school populations. In fact, in a March 31 letter to chief state school officers, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) suggested flexibilities currently available under ESEA Section 1003A and Title I, Part A that could be used to help parents choose such things as advanced coursework and career and technical education courses not available at the student’s school.
About 63% of traditional public schools and 62% of public charter schools were Title I-eligible during the 2021-22 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Title I funding is one of the Education Department’s largest allocations, totaling $17.3 billion in fiscal year 2022 across all states and the District of Columbia.
The USDE is planning to provide an FAQ on using these flexibilities, along with additional guidance on expanding school choice.
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