October 20, 2026

Dear Select Charter School Administrators:

New and Expanding Charter Schools 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, 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 direct-funded eligible for a Title III EL Student Program Subgrant in fiscal year (FY) 2026–27. The preliminary per-pupil amount in FY 2026–27 is $135.70.

All eligible LEAs must apply annually for a Title III EL Student Program subgrant on CARS. 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 used. 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 programs and, as a condition of funding, must keep copies of the assurances on file.

Eligibility and funding status may change once the actual data is reported and certified via the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). If this occurs, eligibility and funding status may change from direct-funded eligible to consortium-eligible status. LEAs need to confirm their “Census Day” data submitted/certified in CALPADS and only use that data to determine eligibility. If the LEA eligibility falls below the $10,000 threshold based on the actual data, the LEA will be required to form or join a consortium by December 15, 2026, to participate in the Title III EL Student Program subgrant. The COA is available on the CDE Title III Consortium Application web page at https://www2.cde.ca.gov/title3coa/logon_el2627.aspx. Information regarding program requirements 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.

ESSA LEA Plan Requirement

All LEAs applying for ESSA funds must locally maintain an annually 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 will 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 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 questions regarding the Title III EL Student 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 questions regarding fiscal reporting of expenditures of 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 to LEAs, 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