Funding

English learners have unique educational needs that are often supplemented with specialized instruction from teachers trained to support language acquisition. The federal government provides EL funding to states through Title III of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). In addition, 48 states and the District of Columbia provide extra funding for ELs through funding formulas, block grants or reimbursements. Read more

Clare McCann and Jessica Bowen, November 26, 2014

English learners make up a sizeable—and growing—portion of the student population. Yet the federal role in helping states and school districts to teach and support those students remains rather limited. Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act is the primary federal funding source for EL education and is largely inadequate to the need. This issue brief seeks to demystify the funding structure for Title III dollars by highlighting the history of financing for that program and how those funds are distributed to states and localities.