What is the source of the English Language Acquisition Program (ELAP) funds?
ELAP was established by Assembly Bill (AB) 1116, Chapter 71, Statutes of 1999. Funding is contingent upon the annual Budget Act appropriation.
How are the ELAP funds allocated?
The State Superintendent of Public Instruction allocates $100 annually for each English learner (EL) in grades four through eight. If funding is insufficient to provide for all ELs in grades four through eight in the state, priority is given to schools with the highest proportion of ELs in grades four through eight, as compared to the school's total student population. Allocations should be used for the selected schools, by way of allocated funding or proportionate services. Funds are apportioned by the California Department of Education (CDE) to local educational agencies (LEAs) through the county treasurer's office.
How is the number of eligible ELs in grades four through eight determined?
Eligibility is based on the Language Census (R-30) submitted annually. The number of ELs is submitted by districts and verified by the CDE.
How can I find out if my LEA received any ELAP funds this year?
Award letters are sent to the superintendent’s office of each LEA. If the superintendent’s office does not have information regarding your award, please contact Pamela Lucas, Analyst, Language Policy and Leadership Office, at 916-319-0610 or by e-mail at plucas@cde.ca.gov.
Our LEA sent an application but didn’t receive any funding. Why not?
Eligibility is based on the previous school year March R-30. The LEA may not have received funding for the following reasons:
The application was submitted late.
There were no ELs in grades four through eight in the LEA.
The school did not submit an R-30 Language Census.
In the case that funding is insufficient to provide for all ELs in grades four through eight in the state, schools are ranked based on their proportion of ELs. Schools with the highest proportions receive funding.
We are a charter school. Can we get funded for ELAP?
Most charter schools receive funding through the charter school categorical block grant. Beginning with fiscal year 2006-07, charter schools participating in this block grant are no longer eligible for ELAP. Charter schools who do not participate in the block grant may apply.
When can funds be used?
Funds may be used upon receipt of the award letter; LEAs are granted spending authority and can make expenditures.
Is the funded agency allowed to carry over unspent funds into the next fiscal year (FY)?
Yes. ELAP funds may be carried over from year to year until spent.
May indirect costs be charged to ELAP funds?
Yes. LEAs may assess indirect costs at the rate approved by the CDE. A
list of approved indirect cost rates is available for downloading.
What assurances must an LEA sign in order to receive funds?
ELAP funds should supplement the base program and funded agencies must certify that they will:
Conduct academic assessments of ELs to ensure their appropriate placement.
Provide a program for English Language Development (ELD) instruction.
Provide supplemental instructional support opportunities for ELs, such as intersession, before and after school, or summer school.
Coordinate services and funding sources for ELs, including Community-Based English Tutoring, at-risk youth, after school, intersession, summer school, and state reading programs.
In the past, LEAs were allowed to transfer ELAP funds for general purposes. Is this still allowable?
Due to the fiscal crisis during FY 2003-04, Assembly Bill 1754 allowed LEAs to make transfers from categorical funds such as ELAP, into general funds. A letter from the CDE, dated November 12, 2003 , detailed the provision. This provision applied only to funds that were (1) in the LEA's possession on June 30, 2003, and (2) transferred prior to closing the books for the 2003-04 fiscal year. All other ELAP funds must be utilized for the original intended purpose of serving ELs in grades four through eight as stipulated in the ELAP assurances signed by the LEA superintendent.
What can the funds be used for?
According to
California Education Code (EC) Section 404(d) and Section 404(d)(3), the LEA “shall certify that it will…provide supplemental instructional support.” EC Section 404(e) states that, “funding allocated pursuant to this chapter shall supplement existing resources supporting language acquisition..." Decisions regarding the use of ELAP funds should be based on the student data of ELs in grades four through eight. Language and academic needs of the students should drive decisions about expenditures and activities to best address those needs. The best use of funds will depend on the needs of each LEA and its individual school sites.
Allocations should be used for the schools selected for participation in the program. LEAs receive a base allotment for the core program, and ELAP supplements the core program. It is important that the LEA identifies the base program to determine which services are supplemental services. Funds must be used to supplement regular school programs that support English language acquisition for ELs in grades four through eight. Funds may be used to provide intersession, before and after school, or summer school instruction. They may also be used for newcomer centers, tutors, mentors, special materials, or any other supplemental activity that meets the objectives of ELAP.
What are the school and LEA responsibilities for accounting of these funds?
The funded schools and LEAs will be held accountable for keeping auditable records of expenditures. When accounting for these funds, the LEA must follow the California School Accounting Manual.
Our school will only receive $500. What can my school do with such a small amount of money?
There are many different possibilities. A few examples are targeted tutoring sessions; supplemental materials to support a newcomer center; books that provide access to ELs at their particular reading proficiency level to provide access to content areas such as mathematics, science, or social studies; and computer software in language development for these students. In addition, funds could be used to support data analysis, or for release time for coaching of teaching techniques that address the needs of ELs.
There are several schools in my district receiving a small amount of funds. Can ELAP funds be used for ELD coaches?
This is an allowable expenditure if all participating schools have agreed to the arrangement, and centralized services are provided in proportion to the funding awarded to the school sites. It also should be clearly justifiable, both in terms of activities and expenditures, that this is the most effective use of ELAP funds for grades four through eight at all of the sites providing supplemental services to ELs in grades four through eight.
As Categorical Programs Director, how can I provide support regarding ELAP?
It is critical that schools receive guidance in analyzing data (such as Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives, and academic assessment results). LEAs that have received ELAP funds in the past would benefit from an analysis of how much of the funding was spent and on what kinds of activities and whether this was an effective use of funds. If there is a significant amount of carryover, it would also be important to determine the reason for the unexpended funds. Categorical programs directors should provide guidance necessary to ensure that appropriate services are provided to ELs in grades four through eight.
When will the expenditure reports be due? Where can I get information about reports?
Expenditure reports have been discontinued. The Department will fulfill its monitoring role through the Standardized Account Code Structure (SACS) system.
May I purchase computers with ELAP funding?
Districts are expected to account for expenditures and substantiate their direct link to student performance. Computer purchases may be justifiable, provided they are used only by ELAP students and are supplemental to their regular program (e.g. with special software aimed at supporting language learning). Purchasing computers for the general population and allowing periodic access to EL students in grades four through eight would NOT be an allowable expenditure.
Can ELAP funds be utilized for the California English Language Development Test (CELDT)?
Though currently the CELDT Web site states that ELAP funds can be utilized for CELDT testing, the primary use of ELAP funds should be to provide supplementary support to improve English language proficiency. ELAP funding must NOT be the principal source of CELDT testing. Five dollars per child is provided from the State for this purpose. An example of supplementing could be the use of ELAP funds to pay for substitutes for EL staff in grades four through eight to allow teachers time to analyze CELDT results.
Can funds be used to send teachers to workshops and conferences?
If an LEA has identified that the needs of the ELs in grades four through eight would best be met by staff development because the teachers need training in instructional techniques or other relevant EL issues, then this would be a justifiable expense. To meet the intended purpose of improving English language proficiency outlined by ELAP, a connection between the workshop and application to the classroom is essential. Classroom observations and coaching for improved instruction based on the workshops could further justify this expenditure.
What about the provision in the law for a one-time allocation of $100 per EL in K-12 who is reclassified to English-fluent status?
This separate component of ELAP is found in Education Code Section 404 (b). Funding is contingent on an appropriation for this purpose, and has historically not been available. Should reclassification funding become available, a separate Request for Applications will be announced.
