Program Requirements and Guidance

The Title II, Part A requirements are codified in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) section 2101.

Develop a Plan

Each local education agency (LEA) develops and submits a plan to address needs for professional learning, recruitment, induction, and retention activities. There should be a clear connection between identified needs and Title II, Part A activities.

LEAs are encouraged to incorporate the Standards for Professional Learning when developing their plan. In addition to these standards, LEAs will need to consult with private schools.

Rigorous Content for Each Learner

• Equity Practices, including understanding students in their context, focusing on assets and relationships with families and communities
• Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction are high quality and connected
• Professional Expertise for educators that have high standards is based in research, and aligns with their learning

Transformational Processes

• Equity Drivers including identified internal biases and beliefs and working with diverse colleagues
• Evidence, data, and research from multiple sources is leveraged to plan and support professional learning
• Learning Designs are evidence based, include contextualized goals, and are grounded in research
• Implementation is focused on change management, the feedback process, and sustained professional learning

Conditions for Success

• Equity Foundations that create structures to ensure equitable access to learning and sustain a culture of support for all staff
• Culture of Collaborative Inquiry where educators engage in continuous improvement, build collaboration skills and capacity, and share responsibility for improving learning for all students
• Leadership has a compelling and inclusive vision for professional learning, builds educator capacity, and advocates for professional learning
• Resources for professional learning, prioritize equity and impact of investments

Allowable Uses of Funds

Learn more about the guidelines for using your Title IIA grant award. Title II, Part A has 100 percent carryover for one year. LEAs should spend down carryover funds prior to the current year's funds.

The Department of Education (ED) reported that in 2020-21, professional development was the most popular use of Title II, Part A funds at the LEA level. However, nearly all LEAs in the nation (90 percent) funded professional development activities for teachers that were short-term (3 days or less)

Professional Learning must be sustained, intensive, collaborative, job-embedded, data-driven, and classroom-focused. Professional learning funded by Title IIA needs to involve ongoing activities that have a positive impact on student learning.

LEAs are encouraged to review evidence-based practices at:

• Best Practices Clearinghouse: All links have been approved by the Department of Education
• Comprehensive Center Network resource library: LEAs may sort the resources by topic, resource type, state/region
• Evidence-Based PK-12 Programs