FY2026: Title III, Part A: Immigrant Children and Youth Grant

Funder: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

The FY2026 Title III, Part A Immigrant Children and Youth grant, administered by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, provides vital funding to local school districts. This initiative aims to enhance educational opportunities for immigrant students through evidence-based programs that promote academic achievement and community engagement. Key priorities include family literacy, educator training, and supportive services, ensuring equitable access and improved outcomes for a diverse student population.

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education oversees public education for pre-K through grade 12 across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with a mission to strengthen the public education system so that all students are prepared for postsecondary success, meaningful employment, and responsible citizenship, while working to close proficiency gaps statewide. Its vision centers on equitable, high-quality, student-centered learning that supports academic achievement, culturally responsive practice, and inclusive opportunity for every learner. The Department’s funding priorities and programs emphasize equitable student access and outcomes, diversity and culturally responsive teaching, strong teacher effectiveness and professional development, family and community engagement, and strategic support—such as quality improvement grants, safe and supportive school initiatives, and data-driven accountability tools—that advance excellence and equity in Massachusetts public education.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education administers the Title III, Part A Immigrant Grant under the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This formula grant provides supplemental funding to local school districts to enhance instructional opportunities and academic support for immigrant children and youth.
Aligned with DESE’s vision of equitable, culturally and linguistically sustaining education, the grant supports initiatives that advance at least one of the Department’s strategic objectives: fostering whole-student supports, promoting deeper learning through grade-level, real-world instruction, and strengthening a diverse and effective educator workforce. Funding priorities include family literacy and parent engagement; recruitment and training of qualified educators; tutoring, mentoring, and academic or career counseling; acquisition of instructional materials and educational technologies; supplemental basic instructional services attributable to immigrant student enrollment; orientation and civics education programs; and coordinated services with community-based and higher education partners.
All proposed activities must be evidence-based, demonstrating measurable effectiveness through research or validated local practice, and must strengthen district capacity to improve academic achievement for immigrant students across Massachusetts.

Eligibility

Funds will be awarded to eligible districts that have met the following criteria:Size of immigrant center: Needed to have 100 or more immigrant students in the districtLevel of need among the immigrant population: The district's percentage of immigrant students who are low income needed to exceed 70%.Increase in number: The number of immigrant students enrolled in school year 2026 must be at least 5 more than the average of the prior two yearsIncrease in percentage: The percentage of immigrant students enrolled in school year 2026 must be at least 5% higher than the average of the prior two years