Ms. Carol Lingreen
Team Leader
Title I/School Support/Indian Education,
Oklahoma Department of Education
2500 North Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105-4596

Dear Ms. Lingreen:

We are approving your State’s continued use of its current alternative method
to distribute Title I, Part A Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grant funds to
local educational agencies (LEAs) with fewer than 20,000 total residents. Oklahoma’s alternative method is based primarily on counts of children eligible for free lunch. We originally approved this method in 1999.

The use of an alternative method is authorized in sections 1124(a)(2)(B), 1124A(a)(4)(A), and 1125(d) of the Title I statute. At this time, however, it is not clear whether you may use this alternative method to distribute Title I Education Finance Incentive Grants authorized in section 1125A of the statute. We may regulate in order to give States this flexibility. We hope to make a decision soon and will keep you informed.

This approval, as it applies to Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grants, remains in effect for the duration of the current Title I authorization. However, you must update those portions of the data that change every year in order to use the most current data. If you wish to change your alternative method for distributing Title I, Part A Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grant funds at a later time, please resubmit a request for approval.

Please note that any affected LEA that is dissatisfied with the State’s determination of its grant under your alternative method may appeal that determination to the Secretary. If you have any questions concerning our approval, please contact Jacquelyn C. Jackson, Acting Director, Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs at (202) 260-0826.

Sincerely,
Susan B. Neuman, Ed.D.
Assistant Secretary
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

SEA Policy Letters

June 19, 2002

Honorable Douglas Christensen
Commissioner
Nebraska Department of Education
301 Centennial Mall South
P.O. Box 94987
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4987

Dear Commissioner Christensen:

We are approving your State’s continued use of its current alternative method to distribute Title I, Part A Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grant funds to local educational agencies (LEAs) with fewer than 20,000 total residents. Nebraska’s alternative method would be based primarily on Nebraska’s number of census poor children multiplied by 0.5 and children eligible for free lunch multiplied by 0.5. We had approved this method in 1999.

The use of an alternative method is authorized in sections 1124(a)(2)(B), 1124A(a)(4)(A), and 1125(d) of the Title I statute. At this time, however, it is not clear whether you may use this alternative method to distribute Title I Education Finance Incentive Grants authorized in section 1125A of the statute. We may regulate in order to give States this flexibility. We hope to make a decision soon and will keep you inform.

This approval, as it applies to Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grants, remains in effect for the duration of the current Title I authorization. However, you must update those portions of the data that change every year in order to use the most current data. If you wish to change your alternative method for distributing Title 1, Part A Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grant funds at a later time, please resubmit a request for approval.

Please note that any affected LEA that is dissatisfied with the State’s determination of its grant under your alternative method may appeal that determination to the Secretary. If you have any questions concerning our approval, please contact Jacquelyn C. Jackson, Acting Director, Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs at (202) 260-0826.

Sincerely,
Susan B. Neuman, Ed.D.
Assistant Secretary
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Policy Letters to States

April 10, 2002

Honorable Wayne G. Sanstead
Superintendent
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
600 E. Boulevard Avenue
Department 201
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0440

Dear Superintendent Sanstead:

We are approving your State’s continued use of your current alternative method to distribute Title I, Part A Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grant funds to local educational agencies (LEAs) with fewer than 20,000 total residents. We originally approved this method in 1999.

The use of an alternative method is authorized in sections 1124(a)(2)(B), 1125A(a)(4), and 1125(d) of the Title I statute. At this time, however, it is not clear whether you may use this alternative method to distribute Title I Education Finance Incentive Grants (and you have not requested authorization to do so). We may regulate in order to permit States to apply this small LEA flexibility to the Education Finance Incentive Grants program. We hope to make a decision soon and will keep you informed.

This approval, as it applies to Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grants, will remain in effect for the duration of the current Title I authorization. However, you must update those portions of the data that change every year in order to use the most current data. If you wish to change your alternative method for distributing Title I, Part A Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grant funds at a later time, please resubmit a request for approval.

Under section 1124A(b) of the statute, North Dakota qualifies as a “small” State and may allocate Concentration Grants to LEAs in which the count of formula children exceeds the statewide average percentage or number of formula children. If you decide to use this flexibility provision, you must determine which LEAs qualify for Concentration Grants and make allocations using the alternative data approved above.

Page 2 –> Honorable Wayne G. Sanstead

Please note that any small LEA that is dissatisfied with the State’s determination of its grant under your alternative method may appeal that determination to the Secretary. If you have any questions concerning our approval, please contact Joseph F. Johnson, Jr., Director, Compensatory Education Programs at (202) 160-0826.

Sincerely,
Susan B. Neuman, Ed.D.
Assistant Secretary
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Policy Letters to States

May 20, 2002

Honorable J. Duke Albanese
Commissioner
Maine Department of Public Instruction
23 House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023

Dear Commissioner Albanese:

We are approving your State’s continued use of its current alternative method to distribute Title I, Part A Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grant funds to “small” local educational agencies (LEAs) with fewer than 20,000 total residents. Maine’s alternative method would be based primarily on the use of Free Lunch data. We had approved this method in 1999.

The use of an alternative method is authorized in sections 1124(a)(2)(B), 1125A(a)(4), and 1125(d) of the Title I statute. At this time, however, it is not clear whether you may use this alternative method to distribute Title I Education Finance Incentive Grants authorized in section 1125A of the statute. We may regulate in order to permit States to apply this small LEA flexibility to the Education Finance Incentive Grants program. We hope to make a decision soon and will keep you informed.

As it applies to Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grants, this approval remains in effect for the duration of the current Title I authorization. However, you must update those portions of the data that change every year in order to use the most current data. If you wish to change your alternative method for distributing Title I, Part A Basic,
Concentration, and Targeted Grant funds at a later time, please resubmit a request for approval.

Please note that any small LEA that is dissatisfied with the State’s determination of its grant under your alternative method may appeal that determination to the Secretary. If you have any questions concerning our approval, please contact Joseph F. Johnson, Jr., Director, Compensatory Education Programs at (202) 260-0826.

Sincerely,
Susan B. Neuman, Ed.D.
Assistant Secretary,
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

SEA Policy Letters

July 15, 2002

Ms. Judi Miller
Coordinator
State and Federal Programs
Kansas State Department of Education
120 S.E. 10th Avenue
Topeka, Kansas 66612-1182

Dear Ms. Miller:

We are approving your State’s continued use of its current alternative method to distribute Title I, Part A Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grant funds to local educational agencies (LEAs) with fewer than 20,000 total residents. Kansas’ alternative method would be based primarily on 1997 Census poverty data multiplied by 0.75 and the number of children participating in the free and reduced price lunch program multiplied by 0.25. We originally approved this method in 1999.

The use of an alternative method is authorized in sections 1124(a)(2)(B), 1124A(a)(4)(A), and 1125(d) of the Title I statute. At this time, however, it is not clear whether you may use this alternative method to distribute Title I Education Finance Incentive Grants authorized in section 1125A of the statute. We may regulate in order to give States this flexibility. We hope to make a decision soon and will keep you informed.

This approval, as it applies to Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grants, remains in effect for the duration of the current Title I authorization. However, in order to use the most current data, you must update those portions of the data that change every year. If you wish to change your alternative method for distributing Title I, Part A Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grant funds at a later time, please resubmit a request for approval.

Please note that any affected LEA that is dissatisfied with the State’s determination of its grant under your alternative method may appeal that determination to the Secretary. If you have any questions concerning our approval, please contact Jacquelyn C. Jackson, Acting
Director, Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs at (202) 260-0826.

Sincerely,
Susan B. Neuman, Ed.D.
Assistant Secretary
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Policy Letters to States

July 15, 2002

Mr. Paul Cahill
Administrative Consultant
Bureau of Administration and
  School Improvement Services
Iowa Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0146

Dear Mr. Cahill:

We are approving your State’s continued use of its current alternative method to distribute Title I, Part A Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grant funds to local educational agencies (LEAs) with fewer than 20,000 total residents. Iowa’s alternative method would generally be based primarily on Iowa’s count of free lunch children multiplied by 0.5 and State revenue data on the number of poor children multiplied by 0.5. We originally approved this method in 1999.

The use of an alternative method is authorized in sections 1124(a)(2)(B), 1124A(a)(4)(A), and 1125(d) of the Title I statute. At this time, however, it is not clear whether you may use this alternative method to distribute Title I Education Finance Incentive Grants authorized in section 1125A of the statute. We may regulate in order to give States this flexibility. We hope to make a decision soon and will keep you informed.

This approval, as it applies to Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grants, remains in effect for the duration of the current Title I authorization. However, in order to use the most current data, you must update those portions of the data that change every year. If you wish
to change your alternative method for distributing Title I, Part A Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grant funds at a later time, please resubmit a request for approval.

Please note that any affected LEA that is dissatisfied with the State’s determination of its grant under your alternative method may appeal that determination to the Secretary. If you have any questions concerning our approval, please contact Jacquelyn C. Jackson, Acting
Director, Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs at (202) 260-0826.

Sincerely,
Susan B. Neuman, Ed.D.
Assistant Secretary
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Policy Letters to States

July 17, 2002

PJ Ford Slack, Ph.D.
Director
Teaching and Learning Support
Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
801 West 1oth Street, Suite 200
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1894

Dear Dr. Slack:

We are approving your State’s continued use of its current alternative method to distribute Title I, Part A Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grant funds to local educational agencies (LEAs) with fewer than 20,000 total residents. Alaska’s alternative method would be based primarily on 1997 Census poverty data multiplied by 0.5 and the number of children in families receiving public assistance from the State multiplied by O.5. We originally approved this method in 1999.

The use of an alternative method is authorized in sections 1124(a)(2)(B), 1124A(a)(4)(A), and 1125(d) of the Title I statute. At this time, however, it is not clear whether you may use this alternative method to distribute Title I Education Finance Incentive Grants authorized in section 1125A of the statute. We may regulate in order to give States this flexibility. We hope to make a decision soon and will keep you informed.

This approval, as it applies to Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grants, remains in effect for the duration of the current Title I authorization. However, in order to use the most current data, you must update those portions of the data that change every year. If you wish to change your alternative method for distributing Title I, Part A Basic, Concentration, and Targeted Grant funds at a later time, please resubmit a request for approval.

Please note that any affected LEA that is dissatisfied with the State’s determination of its grant under your alternative method may appeal that determination to the Secretary. If you have any questions concerning our approval, please contact Jacquelyn C. Jackson, Acting Director, Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs at (202) 260-0826.

Sincerely,
Susan B. Neuman, Ed.D.
Assistant Secretary
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Policy Letters to States