Title IV, Part A – Student Support and Academic Enrichment

What it is...

The purpose of Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (SSAE), is to provide funds to improve students’ academic achievement by increasing the capacity of state educational agencies, districts, and local communities to

• provide all students with access to a well-rounded education (well-rounded education)
• improve school conditions for student learning (safe and healthy students)
• improve the use of technology in order to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students (effective use of technology)

Districts receiving $30,000 or more in SSAE funds must

• conduct a comprehensive needs assessment (satisfied through the district and school planning process)
• spend specific amounts of money in each of the three focus areas
• at least 20 percent of funds to support well-rounded educational opportunities
• at least 20 percent of funds to support safe and healthy students
• a portion of funds to support the effective use of technology (with no more than 15 percent for technology infrastructure)

Districts receiving less than $30,000 in SSAE funds must support at least one of the three focus areas, but no minimum amounts are required. Districts must prioritize the distribution of funds to schools based on one or more factors

• schools with the greatest need, as determined by the district
• schools with the highest numbers of low-income students
• schools identified as Priority or Focus
• schools identified as persistently dangerous

Districts also have the option of transferring the funds into Title I, II, III, or V.

What it can fund...

Title IV, Part A, SSAE funds can be used to support a wide variety of activities that align to the three focus areas. Some examples of allowable uses of funds are

Well-rounded education

• Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs
• Music and arts programs
• Foreign language instruction
• Dual credit or dual enrollment programs
• Industry certifications
• College and career counseling
• Health and physical education programs

Safe and Healthy Students

• Bullying prevention programs
• Dropout prevention
• Restorative justice programs
• Drug and violence prevention programs
• Trauma-informed classroom management
• School-based mental health services

Effective use of technology

• Personalize learning
• Blended learning strategies
• Professional development to effectively integrate technology
• Support for professional learning for STEM, including computer science
• Discover, adapt, and share high-quality resources