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Auburn will use carryover funds after U.S. delay of FY26 ESEA allocations, superintendent says
Summary
The Auburn School Committee was told on July 16 that the U.S. Department of Education did not release full FY26 ESEA allocations and the Federal Office of Management and Budget is reviewing state allocations.
The Auburn School Committee was told on July 16 that the U.S. Department of Education did not release full FY26 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocations on July 1 and that the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is reviewing state allocations. Dr. Sue Doris, superintendent, said the delay affects Title II, Title III and Title IV allocations and that the district has prepared contingencies.
Why it matters: ESEA-derived grants fund professional development, multilingual learner supports, AP exam fees and targeted positions; a delay can affect hiring, program starts and service continuity at the start of the school year.
Doris provided approximate typical allocations: Title II about $250,000 (used for professional development, literacy and math instructional support, class-size reduction positions and the Auburn Induction Academy), Title III about $30,000 (for multilingual learner instructional materials, family engagement and teacher professional development) and Title IV about $100,000 (used for AP exam fees at the high school and transfers into Title I to support schoolwide elementary Title I programs). She told the committee the district has sufficient carryover funds to begin the school year and will:
- use existing Title carryover to fund start-of-year services and positions; - fund planned class-size reduction positions (initially tied to Title II) through Title I funds to ensure coverage at the start of the year; and - pause hiring for a new math instructional coach position that had been tied specifically to anticipated Title II money.
Doris said Title III services will not be impacted because of adequate carryover and that Title I and special education funding are not affected by the ESEA delay. When asked when the district might receive further information, she said, "We are hearing that we'll receive an update in late September, early October."
A committee member asked whether the district could sustain the delay. Doris replied the district would need to "look carefully at our positions and what we're funding through these grants for next year." The committee did not take formal action; these were staffing and budget directions for administrators.
The superintendent said she will keep the committee updated as the federal review and OMB deliberations progress.
