The purpose of the program is to provide grants to State educational agencies (SEAs) and subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to increase student achievement consistent with the challenging State academic standards; improve the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school leaders; increase the number of teachers, principals, and other school leaders who are effective in improving student academic achievement in schools; and provide low-income and minority students greater access to effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders. Local-level activities include but are not limited to: 

Newly authorized under subpart 1 of Title IV, Part A of the ESEA is the Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) program. The SSAE program is intended to improve students’ academic achievement by increasing the capacity of State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and local communities to:

• Provide all students with access to a well-rounded education;
• Improve school conditions for student learning; and
• Improve the use of technology to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students.

The Impact Aid Basic Support Payments help local school districts that educate federally connected children. These may be the children of members of the uniformed services, children who reside on Indian lands, children who reside on Federal property or in federally subsidized low-rent housing, and children whose parents work on Federal Property. In general, to be eligible for assistance a local school district must educate at least 400 such children in average daily attendance, or the federally connected children must make up at least 3 percent of the school district’s total average daily attendance. 

School districts use Impact Aid for a wide variety of expenses, including the salaries of teachers and teacher aides; purchasing textbooks, computers, and other equipment; after-school programs and remedial tutoring; advanced placement classes; and special enrichment programs. Payments for Children with Disabilities must be used for the extra costs of educating these children.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a landmark federal law that ensures educational rights and stability for students experiencing homelessness. First enacted in 1987, this crucial legislation removes barriers to education by guaranteeing immediate school enrollment for eligible students, even without typically required documents, allowing students to remain in their school of origin despite changes in their housing location, providing transportation assistance to maintain school stability, ensuring access to all school programs and services for which students are eligible, and requiring schools to have local liaisons who support homeless students and families.

Under the Act, students are considered homeless if they lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This includes families sharing housing due to economic hardship, those living in shelters, motels, cars, or campgrounds, and unaccompanied youth. To request more information, please complete the GCSD Federal Program Feedback form below and a district representative will reach out to assist you.