National Implementation Study of Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV, Part A)

Changes to education law in 2015 consolidated several programs to give states and districts greater flexibility in how they use federal funds. The resulting Student Support and Academic Enrichment grant program (Title IV, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)) tries to maintain the different purposes of the original programs by prioritizing and requiring spending in three broad areas: (1) providing students with a well-rounded education, (2) ensuring a positive school environment, and (3) improving and personalizing learning through technology. The new law also requires districts to consult with stakeholders, distribute Title IV-A funds to high-need schools and, in certain instances, to conduct comprehensive needs assessments and use evidence from research to pick strategies to fund. This evaluation assesses how this new program was carried out across the country, particularly the ways in which it supports school systems as they seek to recover from the coronavirus pandemic during the 2021–2022 school year.