School Improvement Grants
Federal Grant Opportunities for School Improvement
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, provides federal funding to support schools in need of improvement. These funds are designed to help local educational agencies implement evidence-based strategies that raise student achievement, close opportunity gaps, and ensure equitable access to high-quality education.
This page highlights two key funding sources available to support these goals: The School Improvement Grant and Direct Student Services.
School Improvement Grant
The School Improvement Grant program provides competitive funding to schools identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement, Additional Targeted Support and Improvement, and Targeted Support and Improvement. Administered by the Office of School Improvement, these grants are funded through a set-aside from Title I, Part A. School Improvement Grants support schools in:
- Conducting a comprehensive needs assessment
- Developing and implementing a multi-year school support plan
- Integrating evidence-based interventions that address root causes of underperformance
- Engaging stakeholders, including families and community members, in the improvement process
- Monitoring progress and making data-informed adjustments to strategies
These grants are intended to drive sustainable, systemic change that leads to significant gains in student achievement and school performance.
The School Improvement Grant application, budget, and technical assistance resources are available in Canvas.
Direct Student Services
Direct Student Services is a provision under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that allows state education agencies to reserve a portion of their Title I funds to support individualized academic services for students. The goal of Direct Student Services is to expand access to high-quality educational opportunities and help underperforming students achieve academic success. These services are designed to directly benefit students and may include:
- Career Pathways – Enrollment and participation in courses not otherwise available at the student’s school, including advanced academic courses and/or career and technical education (CTE) courses aligned with workforce needs that lead to an industry-recognized credential.
- Credit Recovery and Academic Acceleration – Courses that help students earn credits toward a regular high school diploma.
- Advanced Coursework – Expansion of activities and opportunities for successful completions of postsecondary level instruction and examinations, such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), and dual enrollment opportunities for students.
- Personalized Learning – In-school and out-of-school activities that help students learn real-world skills and competencies that are aligned to Virginia’s Standards of Learning. This includes high-quality tutoring*, competency-based learning, and other learning models tailored to individual student needs.
- Transportation – Support for students transferring from Comprehensive Support and Improvement schools to another public school that is not identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement.
Note: If the school division would like to use funds for high-quality tutoring, the school division must select a provider from the state-approved list.
Direct Student Services Funding
Funding for the Direct Student Services is based on student enrollment and the number of federally identified schools in the school division.
Base Awards by School Division Size:
| Number of Students | Base Award |
|---|---|
| Up to 5,000 students | $40,000 |
| 5,001–10,000 students | $50,000 |
| 10,001–20,000 students | $80,000 |
| 20,001–50,000 students | $100,000 |
| More than 50,001 students | $140,000 |
Additional Per-School Funding for Federally Identified Schools:
| Federal Identification | Additional Per-School Funding |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive Support and Improvement | $20,000 |
| Additional Targeted and Support and Improvement | $10,000 |
| Targeted Support and Improvement | $5,000 |
Optional Division Set Aside Allocation:
| Set Aside Purpose | Maximum Allocation |
|---|---|
| Outreach and communication to parents about available direct student service providers in the school division. | Up to 1% of awarded funds |
| Administrative costs related to Direct Student Services. | Up to 2% of awarded funds |
Example: A school division with 7,321 students enrolled ($50,000) that has one Comprehensive Support and Improvement school ($20,000) can request up to $70,000. If the division elects to set aside funding, of the $70,000 requested, 1% ($700) can be used for outreach and communication to parents, and 2% ($1,400) can be used for administrative costs related to Direct Student Services. The remaining balance of $67,900 will be available to distribute to schools for Direct Student Services.
Note: The total allocation is awarded at the school division level. School divisions have discretion on how the funds are distributed to individual schools but must follow the prioritization guidelines in ESEA §1003A(c)(4). This includes prioritizing services for the lowest-achieving students in the division in the following order:
- First, to serve any student in Comprehensive Support and Improvement schools.
- Then, to serve any low-achieving students in schools federally identified as Additional Targeted Support and Improvement and Targeted Support and Improvement.
- Remaining funds can be distributed to other low-achieving students in the school division.
Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. All applications must be submitted by March 13, 2026. Applications must include:
- One completed PDF of the Direct Student Services Application per school division.
- An Excel Budget Workbook for each participating school.
The Direct Student Services application, budget, and technical assistance resources are available in Canvas.