Title I, Part A Schoolwide Program

A comprehensive program to improve outcomes for all students in a Title I, Part A school.

A school that receives Title I, Part A funds shall operate one of two programs:

Schoolwide Program (SWP); or
Targeted Assistance School (TAS) Program.

The purpose of a SWP is to improve academic achievement throughout a school so that all students, particularly the lowest-achieving students, demonstrate proficiency related to the challenging State academic standards (Title 34, Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Part 200, Section 200.25[a][1]). The improved achievement is to result from improving the entire educational program of the school (34 CFR 200.25[a][2]).

Participating Students and Services

A school operating a SWP is not required to identify:

Particular children as eligible to participate in a SWP; or
Individual services as supplementary.

Note: Eligible schools are not required to operate a SWP and may choose to remain as a TAS. For more information about the TAS Program, including reporting education services and student program records requirements, please visit the Title I, Part A TAS web page.

Eligibility

According to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Section 1114(a)(1)(A), and 34 CFR 200.25(b)(1), a school may operate a SWP if:

The school receives Title I, Part A funds; and
For the initial year of the SWP:
- The school serves a school attendance area in which not less than 40 percent of the students are from low-income families; or
- Not less than 40 percent of the students enrolled in the school are from low-income families.

A school that does not meet the poverty percentage and serves an eligible school attendance area in which less than 40 percent of the children are from low-income families, or a school for which less than 40 percent of the children enrolled in the school are from such families, may operate a SWP if the school receives a waiver from the State educational agency (SEA) to do so, after taking into account how a SWP will best serve the needs of the students in the school served under Title I in improving academic achievement and other factors (34 CFR 200.25[b][1][iii]; ESSA Section 1114[a][1][B]). Additional information regarding the SWP waiver appears below under the sub-heading below, titled: SWP Waiver Criteria and Process.

Process for Schools Receiving Title I Funds for the First Time

Until a school is able to complete all of the requirements to become a SWP, a school receiving Title I, Part A funding for the first time is required to operate a TAS program. During the first year of operation:

The school will convene a Schoolsite Council (SSC), consistent with California Education Code (EC) sections 65000 or 65001, to assist in conducting the comprehensive needs assessment, provide recommendations related to the school’s Title I program, and participate in the development and approval of the school’s SWP Plan (also known as the School Plan for Student Achievement, or SPSA).
The comprehensive needs assessment must include verifiable state data, consistent with all state priorities as noted in EC sections 52060 and 52066, and be informed by all indicators described in ESSA Section 1111(c)(4)(B).
Once the school and its SSC have developed the SPSA, the local educational agency's (LEA’s) local governing board is required to review and approve the plan prior to the school becoming a SWP.
- The SPSA is a one-year plan that is intended to be developed by the school’s SSC and approved by the LEA’s local governing board or body before or during the school year for which the plan is being implemented. The California Department of Education (CDE) does not mandate the use of the SPSA template or any other school-level planning template.
  - As a convenience, the CDE has developed the SPSA template that, if completed consistent with the provided instructions and implemented with fidelity, meets all federal school planning requirements, as applicable.
  - If an LEA elects to use its own SPSA template, then the LEA must ensure that its template/process addresses all SWP Plan requirements.

Additional information regarding the SPSA is available on the CDE web site:

2023–24 Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), and Title I, Part A - Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP)
For more information on the SPSA template and instructions, please visit the CDE LCAP Resources web page.

Comprehensive Needs Assessment

An eligible school, choosing to operate a SWP, must conduct a comprehensive needs assessment of the entire school that takes into account information on the academic achievement of all students in the school relative to the challenging State academic standards (34 CFR 200.1) and any other factors as determined by the LEA to:

Help the school understand the subjects and skills for which teaching and learning need to be improved; and
Identify the specific academic needs of students who are failing, or are at-risk of failing, to meet the challenging State academic standards (ESSA Section 1114[b][6]; 34 CFR 200.26[a][1]).

The comprehensive needs assessment is based on academic achievement information about all students in the school, including all groups and migratory children, particularly the needs of those students who are failing, or are at-risk of failing, to meet the challenging State academic standards and any other factors as determined by the LEA, and particularly for those students furthest away from demonstrating proficiency, so that all students demonstrate at least proficiency on the State's academic standards (ESSA Section 1114[b][6]; 34 CFR 200.26[a]).

SWP Plan Development

An eligible school, choosing to operate a SWP, shall develop a comprehensive plan (34 CFR 200.26[b]), that is:

Developed during a one-year period, unless the LEA determines, in consultation with the school, that less time is needed to develop and implement the SWP (ESSA Section 1114[b][1]);
Developed with the involvement of parents and other members of the community to be served and individuals who will carry out such plan (ESSA Section 1114[b][2]; 34 CFR 200.26[a][2]);
To remain in effect for the duration of the school’s participation in a SWP and will be monitored and revised as necessary (ESSA Section 1114[b][3]);
Regularly monitored and revised as necessary based on student needs and all students have been provided with opportunities to meet the challenging State academic standards (ESSA Section 1114[b][3]);
Available to the LEA, parents, and the public, and the information contained in such plan shall be in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language that the parents can understand (ESSA Section 1114[b][4]); and
If appropriate and applicable, developed and coordinated and integration with other Federal, State, and local services, resources, and programs (ESSA Section 1114[b][5]);

The SWP plan shall include descriptions of strategies that the school will be implementing to address school needs (ESSA Section 1114[b][7][A]) including a description of how such strategies will:

Provide opportunities for all children, including each of the subgroups of students to meet the challenging State academic standards (ESSA Section 1114[b][7][A][i]);
Strengthen the academic program in the school, increase the amount and quality of learning time, and help provide an enriched and accelerated curriculum, which may include programs, activities, and courses necessary to provide a well-rounded education (ESSA Section 1114[b][7][A][ii]); and
Address the needs of all children in the school, but particularly the needs of those at-risk of not meeting the challenging State academic standards (ESSA Section 1114[b][7][A][iii]).

All activities, strategies, and interventions included in the SWP shall be evidence-based. Evidence-based means the proposed project component is supported by one or more of strong evidence, moderate evidence, promising evidence, or evidence that demonstrates a rationale (34 CFR 77.1[c]).

If programs are consolidated, the SWP plan shall include descriptions of the specific LEA programs and other Federal programs that will be consolidated in the SWP (ESSA Section 1114[b][7][B]).

The SWP school must document how it conducted the comprehensive needs assessment, the results it obtained, and the conclusions it drew from those results (34 CFR Section 200.26[a][3]).

Further, an LEA shall ensure that each SWP plan shall be consolidated into a single plan, known as the SPSA (EC Section 64001[a]). The SPSA shall be developed and approved by the SSC (EC sections 64001[c], and 65000[b]).

Exception

The exception to the requirement is that EC Section 64001(j) allows a single school district or charter school to use its LCAP, with the inclusion of Title I, Part A funded expenditures and adherence to educational partner requirements in EC Section 52062(a) , to meet Federal school planning and educational partner engagement requirements.

SWP Plan Evaluation

In addition, a school operating a SWP must:

Annually evaluate the implementation of, and results achieved by, the SWP, using data from the State's annual assessments and other indicators of academic achievement (34 CFR 200.26[c][1]);
Determine whether the SWP has been effective in increasing the achievement of students in meeting the State's academic standards, particularly for those students who had been furthest from achieving the standards (34 CFR 200.26[c][2]); and
Revise the plan, as necessary, based on the results of the evaluation, to ensure continuous improvement of students in the SWP (34 CFR 200.26[c][3]).

SWP Consolidation of Funds

The SWP may consolidate funds from Federal, State, and local sources to implement the school’s comprehensive plan to upgrade its entire educational program (ESSA sections 1114[a][1], and 1114[a][3][A]-[B]; 34 CFR 200.25[e], and 200.29[a]).

A SWP school that consolidates and uses funds from any other Federal program:

Is not required to meet the statutory or regulatory requirements of that program applicable at the school level; but must meet the intent and purposes of that program to ensure that the needs of the intended beneficiaries (e.g., students, teachers, and parents) of any other Federal programs (34 CFR 200.29[b][1]).
Must meet the requirements of those programs relating to health; safety; civil rights; student and parental participation and involvement; services to private school children; maintenance of effort; comparability of services; use of Federal funds to supplement, not supplant non-Federal funds; and distribution of funds to SEAs or LEAs (34 CFR 200.29[b][2]).
Is not required to maintain separate fiscal accounting records, by program, that identify the specific activities supported by those particular funds; but must maintain records that demonstrate that the SWP, as a whole, addresses the intent and purposes of each of the Federal programs whose funds were consolidated to support the SWP (ESSA Section 1114[a][3][C]; 34 CFR 200.29[d]).

If a school consolidates and uses funds from migrant education, Indian education, and special education in its SWP, the school must meet specific requirements of such programs (34 CFR 200.29[c]).

Use of Funds in a SWP

A school operating a SWP is not required to identify particular children as eligible to participate (34 CFR 200.25[c][1]). A school participating in a SWP shall use funds to provide services that supplement, and do not supplant, the services students would otherwise receive, in the absence of the federal funds, be made available from non-Federal sources for that school, including funds needed to provide services that are required by law for children with disabilities and children with limited English proficiency (ESSA Section 1118[b][1]; 34 CFR 200.25[d]).

However, a school participating in a SWP shall use funds available to supplement the total amount of funds that would, in the absence of the Federal funds, be made available from non-Federal sources for that school (ESSA Section 1118[b][1]; 34 CFR 200.25[d]). The school may use Title I, Part A funds to establish or enhance pre-kindergarten programs for children below the age of six, such as Even Start programs or Early Reading First programs (ESSA Section 1114[c]; 34 CFR 200.25[f]).

A secondary school operating a SWP may use Title I, Part A funds to operate dual or concurrent enrollment programs that address the needs of low-achieving secondary school students and those at-risk of not meeting the challenging State academic standards (ESSA Section 1114[e]).

Title I SWP schools should consider the following general criteria when approving activities or expenditures supported with Title I, Part A funds:

The activity/expenditure meets a need identified in the comprehensive needs assessment (ESSA Section 1114[b][6]);
The activity/expenditure is included in the SPSA (EC Section 64001[g][3][C]);
The SPSA has been approved by the local governing board (EC Section 64001[i]);
The SSC annually evaluates and monitors the implementation of the SPSA and progress towards accomplishing the goals (EC Section 64001[g][2][B], and [i]); and
The activity/expenditure has been reviewed, approved, and recommended by the SSC to the local governing board (EC Section 64001[d]).

In addition, SWP schools should consider the following general criteria when approving activities or expenditures supported with Title I, Part A funds:

The activity/expenditure is aligned to meet the challenging State academic content standards (ESSA sections 1112[a][3][B][i], and 1112[b]);
The activity/expenditure is an evidenced-based educational strategy (ESSA sections 1003[b][1][B], 1114[d], and 1115[h]);
The activity/expenditure is reasonable, necessary, and allocable cost to the program (2 CFR 200.404–200.405);
Title I, Part A funds used supplement the funds that would, in the absence of such funds, be made available from State and local sources, and do not supplant such funds (ESSA Section 1118[b][1]);
Title I, Part A funds used are current Federal fiscal year or the subsequent fiscal year (ESSA Section 1127[a]).

Additional information regarding Authorized Use of Title I, Part A funds is located on the CDE Title I, Part A Authorized Use of Funds web page.

SWP Waiver Criteria and Process

A school may submit a SWP waiver request for local governing board approval, if the school meets one or more of the following criteria:

≥25 percent student low income;
graduation rate is below state average;
local governing board recommends that the SWP is the best way to serve the student population;
≥30 percent English Learner student population;
school has been identified for comprehensive or targeted support; or
school has been identified as the lowest five percent of low performing schools.

Note: A school is not required to annually submit a SWP waiver to its local governing board for approval. However, if a school no longer meets the criterion/criteria in its initial SWP waiver request previously approved by the local governing board, the school must resubmit a SWP waiver request for local governing board approval based on the amended criterion/criteria. In addition, the school must receive local governing board approval of the SWP plan.

Once the local governing board approves a SWP waiver request, the school must establish an SSC in accordance with EC sections 65000 or 65001.

In consultation with the SSC, the school must:

Conduct a Needs Assessment.
Develop a SWP Plan.
Obtain the local governing board approval of the SWP Plan.
The LEA will indicate dates of the local governing board approval of the SWP status including the waiver in the Notification of Authorization of SWP form in the Consolidated Application and Reporting System.

Notification of Authorization of SWP Data Collection Form

The Title I, Part A Notification of Authorization of SWP data collection form is used by the LEA to notify the CDE of a school's eligibility and local governing board approval to operate a SWP. This form must be certified annually, whether or not schools are authorized as a SWP school.

For each authorized SWP school, the low-income percent for the current fiscal year must be entered.

Resources

Title I, Part A TAS Program
The TAS Program provides services to improve student academic achievement of eligible students in Title I schools.

LCAP
The LCAP is a tool for LEAs to set goals, plan actions, and leverage resources to meet those goals to improve student outcomes. This page provides resources to support the planning, implementation, and evaluation of an LCAP.

LCFF Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
FAQs regarding the LCFF.

Title 34 CFR Section 200.25 SWP
The National Archives text for SWP programs in general.

Title 34 CFR Section 200.26 Core Elements of a SWP
The National Archives text for core elements of a SWP.

Title 34 CFR Section 200.29 Consolidation of Funds in a SWP
The National Archives text for consolidation of funds in a SWP.

Title 34 CFR 77.1(c) Definitions That Apply to Department Regulations
The National Archives text for definitions that apply to all department regulations.

February 2008 Revised Non-Regulatory Guidance Title I Fiscal Issues: Maintenance of Effort, Comparability, Supplement, Not Supplant, Carryover, Consolidating Funds in SWP Grantback Requirements (PDF)
U.S. Department of Education (ED) non-regulatory guidance regarding the three fiscal requirements related to the expenditure of regular State and local funds that must be met by the LEA. In addition to these three requirements, this guidance addresses fiscal issues concerning the carryover of Title I, Part A funds, consolidating Federal funds in SWPs, and the grantback process.

Non-regulatory guidance about SWP issued in September 2016 by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) (PDF)
ED non-regulatory guidance for supporting school reform by leveraging Federal funds in a SWP.

California School Dashboard and System of Support
California’s accountability and continuous improvement system provides information about how LEAs and schools are meeting the needs of California’s diverse student population.

Needs Assessment and Root Cause Analysis FAQs
FAQs about needs assessments and root cause analysis.

Questions: Rina DeRose | RDeRose@cde.ca.gov

Last Reviewed: Tuesday, February 27, 2024