Title IV-A funds enable districts to provide a wide array of services which are critical to supporting academic recovery including: college advising, school counseling, and college preparatory coursework; school mental and behavioral health services; efforts to promote a safe school environment; access to a well-rounded curriculum, including STEM, arts, and civics education; mentoring programs; and out of school supports. Further, Title IV-A funds improve the effective use of technology in learning including supporting telehealth services and providing professional development for educators on the effective use of technology to keep children engaged in learning, whether in a classroom, hybrid, or virtual environment. Without this critical investment, many districts could be forced to choose between violence prevention programming or increasing access to college prep courses. Robust investment in Title IV-A helps ensure districts are able to provide a full array of services and learning opportunities that support the whole child, and improve academic success for all students.

Title IV-A has continuously maintained bipartisan support in part because of the great flexibility it affords states and districts to implement programming based on specific needs of their school community. Survey data reveals that Title IV-A funds allowed for service delivery that would otherwise not have been possible. This federal investment is critical to supporting comprehensive student need, ensuring a safe and healthy school environment, and increasing access to a well-rounded education that puts them on a path to success. We must continue to invest in our nation’s schools, educators, and most importantly, our students. For these reasons, we urge Congress to fund the SSAE flexible grant program at $2 billion in FY 2023.