Read a PDF of our statement here.

Yesterday, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), submitted a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos demanding guidance that sets rigorous standards for how local educational agencies demonstrate their compliance with the “supplement, not supplant” (SNS) requirement of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act. The letter was sent to provide comment on the U.S. Department of Education’s January 2019 Draft Guidance on SNS under Title I, Part A of the ESEA.

LDF urges the Department to make the following changes to the guidance:

  • Emphasize that school districts should demonstrate compliance with the SNS requirement by showing that Title I schools receive as much in state and local funds as the average of such funds received by non-Title I schools;
  • Recommend that school districts act publicly and transparently and include stakeholders in the decision-making process regarding how they allocate funds and demonstrate compliance; and
  • Provide additional suggestions for compliance with the SNS requirement by clarifying that school districts should consider pending desegregation orders and increasing funding to improve school climate.

LDF remains dedicated to ensuring that the U.S. Department of Education holds states accountable as they implement ESSA so that all  students are provided with equitable educational opportunities.

You can read LDF’s letter here.

You can also check out our toolkit for school communities on the Every Student Succeeds Act, ‘Engaging in Education Equity.’

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