Local educational agencies (LEAs) that receive a Title III Limited English Proficient (LEP) student program subgrant are required to serve EL students enrolled in private schools whenever the administration of a particular private requests to participate in the program.
- Private schools should identify those pupils being considered for participation in the Title III program and administer a Home Language Survey, using the same version as used by the local educational agency (LEA). In addition, an approved language assessment selected by the LEA as a result of consultation with the private school officials should be administered. The LEA is responsible for the oversight and costs of initial identification.
- Approved language assessments include the Bilingual Syntax Measure (BSM), the IDEA Proficiency Test (IPT), the Language Assessment Scales (LAS), the Quick Start in English (QSE), and the Woodcock-Munoz. After consultation between the LEA and the private school, an approved language assessment should be selected and administered. The LEA is responsible for the oversight and costs of initial identification.
- LEAs may not allocate Title III funds directly to private schools but instead must provide services and products to EL students enrolled in the private schools.
- The LEA must develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with each private school that requests to participate in Title III. The MOU, should at a minimum, include a description of the services and/or products to be provided, the estimated costs, and the dates of provision.
- The costs of the products and/or services provided to private schools should be proportionate to the number of LEP students enrolled in the private school and should be "equitable" when compared to the Title III services provided to public school students.
- Funding for private school ELs does not reduce the per pupil amount, however, the LEA is paid in arrears for its services to private school students. For example, if an LEA applies for and receives a subgrant of $10,000 to serve 100 EL students ($100 per EL student reported on the R30-Language Census) enrolled in its public schools and subsequently signs an Memorandum of Understanding to serve an additional ten students in local private schools, an equitable expenditure for the private schools would be approximately $90.91 per EL student in the private schools ($10,000 divided by 110). The subsequent spring, the LEA will submit a report on the ConApp of all private school students served, and will be reimbursed for such services on the following year’s award amount.
CDE Title III FAQs for Private Schools
Title IX, Part E, Uniform Provisions, Subpart 1 - Private Schools, NonRegulatory Guidance (DOC; 1.4MB; 42pp.)
Title IX, Part E, Uniform Provisions, Subpart 1 - Private Schools (Outside Source)
U.S. Department of Education - Private Schools (Outside Source)
