U.S. Education Department Highlights Schoolwide Program Flexibility to Cut Red Tape and Support Students
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Education is urging states to make fuller use of a long-standing Title I option that can let eligible schools combine federal, state and local dollars into a single, more flexible funding stream — a move the agency says could reduce paperwork and help schools target support where students need it most.
In a Wednesday letter sent to every chief state school officer, the department’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education highlighted that state education agencies can approve any Title I school to operate a schoolwide program when it would best serve students, and that schoolwide schools may consolidate funds to carry out a single schoolwide plan.
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Kirsten Baesler said schoolwide consolidation can help local leaders “break down silos” among funding sources and reduce compliance costs. The press release framed the effort as part of a broader push to return more decision-making to states.
The department also pointed to earlier 2025 guidance it has issued on topics including Direct Student Services, unsafe schools, Title I school improvement, equitable services for private school students and Ed-Flex waivers, and said states are invited to seek additional waivers from certain federal requirements.
What parents should know: If your child attends a Title I school, ask your principal or district how Title I funds are being used and whether the school operates a schoolwide program — and participate when the schoolwide plan is developed, since federal rules call for parent and community involvement.
The department noted most Title I schools already operate schoolwide programs, but relatively few consolidate funds with state and local dollars — something it wants states to encourage.
This article was produced by a education parenting today journalist with the assistance of Ai. This is not legal advice. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
