ESEA Monthly Updates

We hope to provide you with helpful information monthly through our updates and office hours. Our updates will often include general and title-specific updates, friendly reminders for planning and program implementation, a fiscal corner, professional learning opportunities, and contact information.

ESEA Federal Programs Preliminary Allocations
The ESEA Federal Programs team has released the preliminary fiscal year (FY) 2027 allocations and made them publicly available on the Fiscal Allocations webpage. These preliminary allocations are subject to change as additional data becomes available which means SAUs may see adjustments reflected in the final allocations. 

FY25 Tydings Amendment Waiver
The Maine DOE is pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Education (ED) has granted approval of the following Tydings Amendment waiver of state fiscal year (FY) 2025 ESEA funds. This extends the period of availability of FY 2025 funding of the programs listed below until September 30, 2027:

• Title I, Part A (Improving Basic Programs Operated by LEAs)
• Title I, Part B (State Assessment Formula Grants)
• Title I, Part C (Education of Migratory Children)
• Title I, Part D, Subpart 1 (Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At Risk)
• Title II, Part A (Supporting Effective Instruction)
• Title III, Part A (Language Instructions for English Learners)
• Title IV, Part A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants)
• Title IV, Part B (21st Century Community Learning Centers)
• Title V, Part B (Rural and Low-Income School Program)

If you have any questions about these waivers, please contact your ESEA regional program manager.

New ESEA Coordinator Training
Our July 14, 2026 ESEA Office Hour will be dedicated to New ESEA Coordinator Training. During this session, the team will provide guidance on the ESEA Programs, key requirements, timelines, as well as offer an opportunity to ask questions and receive technical assistance. Following this training, the team will host another FY27 ESEA Consolidated Application Training at 10:00am.

Adding/Updating Users in Grants4ME 
Each SAU should be mindful of their Grants4ME address book especially if new folks have started in new or changed roles in the SAU. The address book and people's roles help with submission, workflow, timely communications, notifications, and internal controls. It's very important the address book within Grants4ME is accurate particularly at the start of each Fiscal Year.

It is the responsibility of the User Access Administrator to keep the Grants4ME Address Book up to date with the assigned Users and Roles. For more information on how to add users and roles, please see this section of our training video on the platform or refer to the User Access Guide.

Barring extraordinary circumstances, the SAU should only have one person in the role of LEA Authorized Representative (the Superintendent) and two people in the role of User Access administrator (usually the Superintendent and one other Central Office person). There should also be only one “LEA ESEA Consolidated Application Director,” with anyone else needing access to update the application given the role of “LEA ESEA Consolidated Application Update”.

Ed-Flex Waiver Program
The Ed-Flex Waiver Program offers Maine SAUs the opportunity for additional ESEA program flexibility in exchange for additional accountability. The Maine DOE’s Ed-Flex application included authority to provide the following types of waivers for SAUs:   

Title I, Part A Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged:  

• 40% poverty eligibility threshold for Title I Schoolwide flexibility; and  
• 15% limit for carryover of Title I grant funds   

Title IV, Part A – Student Support and Academic Enrichment:  

• Content area funding distribution requirements; and  
• Limitations on technology infrastructure purchases    

SAUs who are seeking participation in the Ed-Flex Program must complete a form, obtain all required signatures (including School Board approval), and complete the public comment process. Ed-Flex Waiver applications and supporting documentation are required to be uploaded to the FY27 ESEA Consolidated Application for Title IV and FY26 ESEA Consolidated Performance Report in Grants4ME for review by Maine DOE. 

To be eligible for approval of a Title IV Ed-Flex Waiver, the SAU’s FY27 ESEA Consolidated Application must be submitted on time (i.e. by August 1^st) and include a Pre-Award Cost Request for any ESEA funding the SAU may need access between July 1^st and the SAU’s anticipated substantial approval date. Please note that SAUs who submit the FY27 ESEA Consolidated Application late will not be eligible for Title IV Ed-Flex waiver(s) or pre-award costs for the current fiscal year.

To be eligible for approval of a Title IA 15% Carryover Ed-Flex Waiver, the SAU’s FY26 ESEA Performance Report must be submitted on time (i.e. by November 1^st). Please note that SAUs who submit the FY26 ESEA Performance Report late will not be eligible for Title IA Ed-Flex waiver(s).

Schoolwide Plans are Due July 1 
For SAUs and schools who have been planning to move from Title I Targeted Assistance to Schoolwide, please be sure to submit the completed schoolwide plans and/or waiver by July 1. They will be reviewed for statutory requirements. If a school becomes schoolwide, please keep in mind that the FY27 ESEA Consolidated application project pages require different information. Please reach out to Rita Pello (rita.pello@maine.gov) if you have any questions about applying. Schoolwide guidance can be found on our website. 

Title I Summer Grant
The Maine DOE was able to award 78 FY26 Title I Summer Grants. For SAUs awarded funding, please keep in mind:

• Awarded funds must be obligated between May 1, 2026, and August 31, 2026.
• Obligations and expenditures must be incurred during the period of performance.
• All expenses must comply with all federal fiscal requirements and be reasonable, necessary, and approved in the FY26 Title I Summer Grant application.
• A request for reimbursement must be made as soon as funds are expended or by October 1, 2026, to the Maine Department of Education (DOE) via the Grants4ME System.
• A Title I Summer School Performance Report page will be available, in August, within the application. The Performance Report is due by October 16, 2026.
• Lastly, be sure to implement the Title I Summer Program as described in the Title I, Part A Summer Grant Application. 

For Fiscal Representatives: The Grant Award Notifications (GAN) can be found within the Title I Summer Grant application. Please ensure that the proper fund and revenue codes are used to account for these funds. The following information is located on the GAN:

• Fund Code 2301 Title IA Reallocated
• Revenue Code 4517
• CFDA #84.010 Title IA Grants to LEAs

Please notify Jessica Caron at jessica.s.caron@maine.gov immediately if funds will be declined or if any application amendments need to occur.

Invoicing Aligning with School-level Projects
As SAUs seek reimbursement for FY26 funds please keep this in mind that the majority of ESEA funding in the FY26 application was budgeted in school-level projects. If reimbursement is sought for work done at a school that was not funded in the application, then an application revision will need to be approved to add that school’s areas of high needs, project details, and budget.

Available Resources
Please note the following resources are available on our website:

• How to complete your ESEA Application. It’s a YouTube playlist with individualized tutorials for each page in the application in case you forget how to complete any or all sections of the FY27 ESEA Consolidated application.

• ESEA Spending Snapshots! They are available for each title, including equitable services, and outline allowability and general spending rules for each ESEA program.

• General resources include a calendar that outlines what coordinators should do each month, the grant life cycle for all current ESEA funds available, and ESEA 101 training, amongst many others.

• Comprehensive Needs Assessment and Schoolwide Plan templates are available, along with guidance and trainings around Title I Schoolwide programming.

Invoicing and Approval

Friendly reminders:

• Travel for professional development invoices must be accompanied by the registration for the professional development or an itinerary with name of PD, dates, and location. All expenses associated with Professional Development are not reimbursable until after the fact.
• Splitting invoices between two grants (FY 25 and FY 26), the expenses for each invoice should be clearly marked on the trial balance. Verify the obligation date and services fall within the period of performance for both grants.
• Time and Effort documentation will be required with the first invoice for the FY 27 grant where reimbursement is being requested for salaries and benefits. This is to develop a collection process for all DOE federal grants. ESEA is doing our best to align to other federal grant programs within the department. This documentation will be the latest that SAU has on file.

Contractual Services
Please be mindful of what determines an obligation per the Code of Federal Regulations 76.707. Contracts cannot be obligated for new funds (FY 27) until after the substantial approval date. The services received must fall within the period of performance for the grant. Most Federal grant’s period of performance starts upon substantial approval of the application for funds.

Available Funding and Timelines
The following chart has the ESEA federal grants that are currently available for invoicing. Please note that several grants will close this year. It is recommended that you make a cheat sheet like the one below and set aside some time each month to review the status of your grants and reimbursements. This will mitigate the risk of losing funds that will be ending soon.

Grant	Period of Performance
FY24 ESEA Consolidated Funds	Substantial Approval – 9/30/26
FY25 ESEA Consolidated Funds	Substantial Approval – 9/30/27
FY25 School Improvement Funds	Substantial Approval – 9/30/26
FY26 ESEA Consolidated Funds	Substantial Approval – 9/30/27
FY26 School Improvement Funds	Substantial Approval – 9/30/27
FY26 Title I Summer Grant	5/1/26 – 8/31/26

Professional learning offered through the Department of Education is a fantastic resource for supporting leadership development for administrators and educators. The Department's Professional Development Calendar is updated regularly with the latest professional development opportunities.

Please remember, the best person to connect with to answer questions related to ESEA Federal Programs is outlined below.