Policy Guidance for Title I, Part A - Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies - April 1996

A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Basic Grants

In most cases the SEA will distribute Basic Grants to eligible LEAs by suballocating each county's allocation (after adjusting for funds reserved for State Administration and School Improvement) to eligible LEAs within that county (see Section II). However, in States in which a large number of LEAs overlap county boundaries, the SEA may apply for permission to allocate the total State allocation (after adjusting for State Administration and School Improvement) to LEAs without regard to the county allocations (see Section I). In States where counties and LEAs are coterminous, the SEA simply adjusts the county allocation to subtract SEA reserves for State Administration and School Improvement (see Section III).

I. Distribution of State Basic Grant Allocation Among Eligible LEAs Within the State Without Regard to County Allocations

An SEA in a State in which a large number of LEAs overlap county boundaries may apply to the U.S. Secretary of Education (Secretary) for authority to make Basic Grant allocations directly to LEAs without regard to counties (Section 1124(a)(2)). If an SEA has requested and received approval from the Secretary, the following steps should be followed to determine LEA allocations. This authority does not apply to Concentration Grant allocations.

  1. Determine amounts and percentages to be reserved by the SEA for State Administration and School Improvement. (See guidance on reserving funds for State Administration and School Improvement.)

  2. Adjust the allocation shown at the end of the county allocation printout for Part D, Subpart 2 funds to reserve funds for State Administration and School Improvement.

    Example
    Part D, Subpart 2 Allocation on Printout $918,747
    Deductions:
        State Administration (1 percent)
        School Improvement (0.5 percent)

            Subtotal

    Amount available for Part D, Subpart 2 Grants


    9,187 1
    4,594 2
    13,781

    $904,966

    1 Percentage must agree with the percentage reserved by the SEA from Basic Grants for State Administration.

    2 Percentage must agree with the percentage reserved by the SEA from Basic Grants for School Improvement.

  3. From the total State allocation for Basic Grants, subtract the following amounts to determine the amount that remains available to distribute directly to LEAs:

    Example
    Total State allocation $99,708,370
    Deductions:

        State Administration (1 percent)
        School Improvement (0.5 percent)
        Part D, Subpart 2

            Subtotal

    Total funds available for LEAs



    (997,084)  
    (498,542)  
    (904,965)1

    1,400,591

    $97,307,779

    1 Amount shown on county printout ($918,747) adjusted to reserve funds for State Administration and School Improvement.

  4. Identify eligible LEAs. To be eligible, an LEA must have at least 10 formula children 1 (not including children in local institutions for delinquent children). If an LEA contains two or more counties in their entirety, the SEA must allocate funds to each county as if each county were a separate LEA.

  5. Add the count of formula children for each eligible LEA in the State (including children from low-income families and children in local institutions for neglected children).

    Reminder: Do not include counts for ineligible LEAs and do not include children in local institutions for delinquent children.

  6. Divide adjusted State allocation (the amount determined under Step 3) by State total formula children in Step 5 to arrive at an amount per formula child.

  7. Multiply the amount per formula child times the number of formula children in each eligible LEA to determine each LEA's Basic Grant allocation.

  8. Compute the hold-harmless allocation for each LEA by subtracting the amount generated by delinquent children in school year 1994-95 from each LEA's 1994-95 Basic Grant allocation and multiplying the balance by 85 percent. Each eligible LEA is guaranteed an allocation that is not less than 85 percent of its 1994-95 Basic Grant allocation, without regard to the amount generated in 1994-95 by children in local institutions for delinquent children.

    Example
    School Year 1994-95 Allocation
    LEA:
        Total Basic Grant allocation
        Amount for delinquent children

                         Subtotal


    School year 1995-96 hold-harmless allocation


    $15,000,000
    - 1,500,000
    13,500,000
    X    .85
    $11,475,000

  9. If an LEA's allocation in Step 7 is less than the hold-harmless allocation in Step 8, increase the LEA's allocation to the hold-harmless amount and ratably reduce the allocation for all other LEAs in the State that are above 85 percent. Repeat this step, if necessary, until all LEAs receive allocations that are equal to 85 percent or more of their 1994-95 Basic Grant allocations (without regard to the amount generated by children in local institutions for delinquent children).
II. Distribution of County Basic Grant Allocations Among Eligible LEAs

    Adjust County Allocations

  1. Determine the total amount to be reserved by the SEA for State Administration and School Improvement (see guidance on State Administration and School Improvement). Add these amounts and subtract from the State's total Basic Grant allocation.

  2. From the State's total Basic Grant allocation, subtract county allocations for all 85 percent counties. These are the counties as shown on the county allocation printout for 1995-96 that are held harmless at 85 percent (last column on county allocation printout) of their 1994 Basic Grant allocations, without regard to funds generated on behalf of children in institutions for delinquent children.

  3. Ratably reduce the allocation on the printout for all counties above 85 percent to the amount of the State allocation remaining after funds are withheld under Steps 1 and 2. For this purpose, treat the Part D, Subpart 2 allocation shown at the end of the county allocation printout as a county.

  4. Check to make sure that the ratable reduction did not cause additional counties to fall below the 85 percent hold-harmless. Each county, other than Part D, Subpart 2 funds, must receive no less than 85 percent of its 1994-95 Basic Grant allocation, without regard to the amount for delinquent children. Compute the county hold-harmless by multiplying the 1994 county allocation shown on the printout by 85 percent. (Note, the 1994-95 county amounts shown in the county printout factor out children in local institutions for delinquent children.) If a county's allocation in Step 3 is less than the hold-harmless amount in Step 4, increase the county's allocation to the hold-harmless amount and ratably reduce the other counties that are above 85 percent.

  5. Repeat Step 4 until all counties receive allocations equal to 85 percent or more.

    Distribute County Basic Grant Allocations to LEAs Within the County

  6. Identify eligible LEAs. To be eligible, an LEA must have at least 10 formula children (not including children in local institutions for delinquent children).

  7. Add the formula children count (including children from low-income families and in institutions for neglected children) for all eligible LEAs in the county. If an eligible LEA overlaps a county boundary, the SEA must make, on a proportionate basis, a separate allocation to the LEA from the county allocation for each county in which the LEA is located.

    Reminder: Do not include counts for ineligible LEAs and do not include children in local institutions for delinquent children.

  8. Divide adjusted county allocation (determined under Steps 1-5) by the total formula children count (number derived in Step 7) to determine the amount per formula child for the county.

  9. Multiply the amount per child times the number of formula children in each eligible LEA to determine the LEA's Basic Grant allocation.

  10. Compute the hold-harmless allocation for each LEA by subtracting the amount generated by delinquent children in school year 1994-95 from each LEA's 1994-95 Basic Grant allocation and multiplying the balance by 85 percent. Each eligible LEA is guaranteed an allocation that is not less than 85 percent of its school year 1994-95 Basic Grant allocation without regard to the amount generated in 1994-95 by children in local institutions for delinquent children.

    Example
    School Year 1994-95 Allocation
    LEA:
        Total Basic Grant allocation
        Amount for delinquent children

              Subtotal


    School year 1995-96 hold-harmless


    $15,000,000
    - 1,500,000
    13,500,000
    X .85
    $11,475,000

  11. If an LEA's allocation in Step 9 is less than the hold-harmless allocation in Step 10, increase the LEA's allocation to the hold-harmless amount and ratably reduce the allocations of all other LEAs in the county that are above 85 percent. Repeat this step, if necessary, until all LEAs receive allocations that equal 85 percent or more of their 1994-95 Basic Grant allocations (without regard to the amount generated in 1994-95 by children in local institutions for delinquent children).

    Note: If an adjusted county allocation is not sufficient to give LEAs in the county their hold-harmless allocations, the SEA may use funds from the amount reserved from Part D, Subpart 2.

III. Determining Basic Grant Allocations When Counties and LEAs Are Coterminous

Follow Steps 1 through 5 in instructions for adjusting county allocations under II. Distribution of County Basic Grant Allocations among Eligible LEAs.

1 "Formula children" refers to the count of children ages 5 through 17 years of age from low-income families and the number of children residing in local institutions for neglected children that the SEA uses to allocate Basic and Concentration Grant funds to LEAs.
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