Dear Select Charter School Administrators:

New and Expanding Charter School Consortium Application for Title III English Learner Student Program Subgrant

Under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Title III, Part A, the California Department of Education (CDE) provides formula subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) that enroll one or more English learner (EL) students. Title III funds are to be used to provide supplementary programs and services to EL students. In addition, a state educational agency shall not award a Title III EL Student Program subgrant in an amount that is less than $10,000 (20 United States Code Section 6824[b]).

The LEAs eligible to receive a subgrant of less than $10,000 must join or form a consortium where the subgrant generated by the participating LEAs collectively equals or surpasses $10,000. Consortium-eligible LEAs apply via the Consolidated Application and Reporting System (CARS) and complete the Consortium Online Application (COA).

Based on the estimated data reported in the 2026 Pupil Estimates for New or Significantly Expanding Charters Report, your LEA is identified as consortium-eligible for the Title III EL Student Program subgrant in fiscal year (FY)2026−27. The preliminary per-pupil amount for English learners in FY 2026−27 is $135.70.

The consortium must select one LEA to be the consortium lead. The consortium lead LEA is the sole subgrantee and administers the subgrant on behalf of all consortium members. The consortium lead LEA collaboratively develops a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with member LEAs. The MOU stipulates how the consortium will meet all the Title III requirements. This is not a pass-through subgrant. The consortium lead LEA may not distribute Title III funds directly to consortium members, but rather provides products and services to consortium members as outlined in the MOU.

Eligibility and funding status may change once the actual data is reported via the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). All eligible LEAs must annually apply for Title III EL Student Program subgrants on the CARS Application for Funding web page. Additionally, using the Title III EL Student Program Subgrant Budget form on CARS, LEAs must provide a program budget showing how the projected subgrant will be allocated to each required area and spent. Information regarding the CARS application process is available on the CDE CARS web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/co/cars.asp.

LEAs must accept assurances that they will comply with the legal requirements and annual reporting responsibilities related to state and federal EL programs and, as a condition of funding, must keep copies of the assurances on file. LEAs serving 73 or fewer eligible students will be required to join a consortium to collectively meet or surpass the $10,000 minimum subgrant allocation.

The COA is available from the CDE Title III Consortium Application web page at https://www2.cde.ca.gov/title3coa/logon_el2627.aspx. A personal identification number (PIN) and generic password is required to access the COA. The unique PIN will be sent via email on the same day as this notification.

Information regarding program requirements and the consortium application process is available on the CDE Request for Applications web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r28/el26rfa.asp. Subgrantee allocations are posted on the CDE Title III English Learner and Immigrant Student Programs web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/ca/titleiii.asp.

All LEAs applying for ESSA funds must locally maintain an updated Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) Federal Addendum as the ESSA LEA Plan. Subgrantee allocations are posted on the CDE Title III English Learner and Immigrant Student Programs web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/ca/titleiii.asp.

All LEAs applying for ESSA funds must locally maintain an updated Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) Federal Addendum as the ESSA LEA Plan. LEAs applying for Title III EL Student Program subgrants for the first time must submit a local governing board or body-approved LCAP Federal Addendum through the CDE LCAP Federal Addendum System at https://www2.cde.ca.gov/lcapfas for CDE review and approval on or before December 15, 2026.

Upon submitting the LCAP Federal Addendum within the CDE’s LCAP Federal Addendum submission system, the CDE will review the LCAP Federal Addendum and work with the LEA to ensure that its LCAP Federal Addendum addresses all required provisions of the ESSA programs for which they are applying for federal education funds. The LEA’s LCAP Federal Addendum must address all required provisions of the ESSA programs for which they are applying by December 15, 2026, in order to receive federal Title III funds for the 2026−27 school year. Edits to the submitted LCAP Federal Addendum may be required prior to receiving approval. Therefore, CDE recommends completing the LCAP Federal Addendum as soon as possible but no later than November 13, 2026.

LEAs are encouraged to review the LCAP Federal Addendum during the LCAP update process, as ESSA funding should be considered in yearly strategic planning.

Requirements and Timelines for Funding Allocations

To be considered for FY 2026–27 ESSA funding allocations, eligible charter school LEAs must complete the following requirements:

• By December 11, 2026, provide the CDE with actual enrollment and eligibility data through the FY 2026–27 CALPADS Fall 1 submission, pursuant to Title 34, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 76.788(b). Data certified through the CALPADS Fall 1 submission will be used to determine funding eligibility and allocations for applicable ESSA programs. Changes submitted after this date will not be used to adjust FY 2026–27 funding eligibility or allocations. Additional information is available on the CDE CALPADS Calendar web page: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sp/cl/rptcalendar.asp.
• By December 15, 2026, submit the FY 2026–27 Consolidated Application (ConApp) through the CARS and certify the Application for Funding for each applicable program in which the charter school LEA elects to participate.

If you have program questions regarding the Title III EL Program, please contact Geoffrey Ndirangu, Education Programs Consultant, Language Policy and Leadership Office, by phone at 916-323-5831 or by email at GNdirang@cde.ca.gov.

If you have fiscal questions regarding Title III EL Student Program subgrants or the application process, please contact Annie Park, Analyst II, Division Support Office, by phone at 916-319-9620 or by email at APark@cde.ca.gov.

If you have questions regarding the allocation of Title III EL Student Program subgrants, please contact Derrick Andrade, Education Fiscal Services Consultant, School Fiscal Services Division, by phone at 916-327-5922 or by email at DAndrade@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

/s/

Alesha Moreno-Ramirez, Director
Multilingual Support Division

AMR:gn