About Title I, Part A: Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies
Title I, Part A provides financial assistance through state educational agencies to school divisions and public schools with high numbers or percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic content and achievement standards.
School divisions target the Title I funds they receive to public schools with the highest percentages of children from low-income families. Unless a participating school is operating a schoolwide program, the school must focus Title I services on children who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet state academic standards. Schools enrolling at least 40 percent of students from low-income families, or schools who have received a schoolwide eligibility waiver, are eligible to use Title I funds for schoolwide programs that are designed to upgrade their entire educational programs for all students, particularly the lowest-achieving students.
Program Description
This program is designed to improve the education of English Learner (EL) children and youth by helping them learn English and meet challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards. The program also provides enhanced instructional opportunities for immigrant children and youth. Funds are distributed to states based on a formula that takes into account the number of immigrant and EL students in each state.
Types of Projects
States must develop goals for increasing progress in English language proficiency for EL students that measure their success in meeting challenging state academic content and achievement standards. Schools use the funds to implement language instruction educational programs designed to help EL students achieve these standards. Approaches and methodologies used must be rooted in evidence-based research. Local educational agency LEAs may develop and implement new language instruction programs and expand or enhance existing programs. LEAs also may implement schoolwide programs within individual schools or implement systemwide programs to restructure, reform, or upgrade all programs, activities, or operations related to the education of their EL students.
Title IV grant programs are designed to support the comprehensive needs of students in a variety of settings, strengthen family engagement, and bring America’s schools into the 21st century.
- The Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV, Part A) program provides funds for programs and activities to improve students’ academic achievement by increasing the capacity of local school divisions to provide all students with a well-rounded education; improve school conditions for learning; and improve the use of technology in order to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students.
- The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV, Part B) program supports the creation of opportunities for academic enrichment during non-school hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. The program helps students meet state and local standards in core academic subjects, such as reading and mathematics; offers students enrichment activities that complement regular academic programs; and offers literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children.
- The Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) is a component of the federal Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) of 2022 that provides historic funding to support state education agencies, local education agencies, and schools in establishing safe, healthy, and supportive learning opportunities and environments.
Types of Projects
Grant funds supplement the regular school program by meeting the culturally related academic needs of Indian children. Projects help Indian children sharpen their academic skills, assist students in becoming proficient in the core content areas, and provide students an opportunity to participate in enrichment programs that would otherwise be unavailable. Funds support such activities as culturally-responsive after-school programs, Native language classes, early childhood education, reading/math/STEM and/or general academic tutoring, wellness, career and college awareness, improving attendance and graduation rates, American Indian/Alaska Native cultural workshops, and dropout prevention.
Purpose
The purpose of the Migrant Education Program is to design and support high-quality and comprehensive educational programs that provide migratory children with the same opportunity to meet the challenging state academic content and student achievement standards that are expected of all children. In addition, the Migrant Education Program works to ensure that all migrant students graduate with a high school diploma (or complete a General Education Diploma) that prepares them for responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment. Federal funds are allocated by formula to states based on each state’s per pupil expenditure for education and counts of eligible migratory children, age 3 through 21, residing within the state.
Objectives
The objectives of Virginia’s Migrant Education Program are:
- Identify, enroll, and serve all eligible migratory students in the commonwealth;
- Support high-quality and comprehensive educational programs for migratory children to help reduce the educational disruptions and other problems that result from repeated moves;
- Ensure that migratory children who move among the states are not penalized in any manner by disparities among academic content and student academic achievement standards;
- Ensure that migratory children are provided with appropriate educational services (including support services) that address their special needs in a coordinated and efficient manner;
- Ensure that migratory children receive full and appropriate opportunities to meet the same challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards that all children are expected to meet;
- Design programs to help migratory children overcome educational disruptions, cultural and language barriers, social isolation, various health-related problems, and other factors that inhibit their ability to do well in school, and to prepare them to make a successful transition to postsecondary education or employment; and
- Ensure that migratory children benefit from state and local systemic reforms.
It is a priority of Virginia that every child, no matter where they live or what type of school they attend, has a strong, coherent literacy education tailored toward their needs and led by a content-strong, effective teacher. Strong literacy practices and supports will ensure that every child has evidence-based daily literacy instruction, and in turn, will be prepared for their post-secondary hopes and dreams. In order to continue the momentum around evidence-based literacy instruction and ensure sustained, effective implementation for years to come, the VDOE aims to extend and expand literacy efforts in divisions and student groups with the most need. VDOE was awarded funding through the federal Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant to provide a coherent system of supports for both students and educators over the life of the grant.
News & Announcements (Year 3)
VDOE is pleased to announce the 2026-2027 Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) Grant that will provide additional support and funding to ensure schools have expanded structures, tools, capacity, resources, and service providers through family engagement literacy resources for birth through Kindergarten entry and the Literacy Improvement Network.
Beginning with the 2026-2029 grant cycle, eligible school divisions will apply for a three-year grant award, rather than submitting a competitive application each year. This revised process is intended to support sustained implementation of evidence-based literacy initiatives.
Program Description
The IAL program supports high-quality programs designed to develop and improve literacy skills for children and students from birth through 12th grade in high-need local educational agencies (high-need LEAs) and schools. The Department intends to promote innovative literacy programs that support the development of literacy skills in low-income communities, including programs that:
- Develop and enhance effective school library programs, which may include providing professional development for school librarians, books, and up-to-date materials to high-need schools;
- Provide early literacy services, including pediatric literacy programs through which, during well-child visits, medical providers trained in research-based methods of early language and literacy promotion provide developmentally appropriate books and recommendations to parents to encourage them to read aloud to their children starting in infancy; and
- Provide high-quality books on a regular basis to children and adolescents from low-income communities to increase reading motivation, performance, and frequency.