Dear Title III State Directors,

As you know the period for obligating fiscal year (FY) 2011 funds for the following programs administered by the Student Achievement and School Accountability program office (SASA) and made available under Public Law (PL) 112-74) is drawing to a close:

CFDA Number

Name of Program

84.010A

Title I, Part A Grants to Local Educational Agencies

84.013A

Title I, Part D State Agency Neglected and Delinquent Program

84.369A

Section 1116 State Assessment Grants

84.365A

Title III, Part A English Language State Grants

84.196A

McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program


All  FY 2011 funds for these programs must be obligated by September 30, 2013 and liquidated by December 31, 2013.  As of May 21, 2013, approximately $1 billion, or 7 percent of the total, made available to States for these programs under PL 112-74 have not been drawn down.  I am writing to ask for your help to ensure that all FY 2011 funds for these programs are obligated before the September 30, 2011 deadline.

To assist you in ensuring the timely obligation and liquidation of all FY 2011 funds for the programs made available to your State under PL 112-74, please see the attached charts, which show the amounts awarded to each State under PL 112-74 for each program, the amount each State has drawn down as of May 21, and the percent of funds that remain to be drawn down.  We are especially concerned about those States showing large balances that have not yet been drawn down.  We realize that these data may not tell the whole story with regard to the obligation of FY 2011 funds because the amount and percent drawn down may not reflect the total obligations that have already occurred.  However, as we work to meet the goal of ensuring that 100 percent of all FY 2011 funds are obligated by September 30, 2013 and execute our financial oversight responsibilities, it is important for States to monitor the current level of obligations and drawdowns among subrecipients to ensure that these funds are in fact obligated by September 30, 2013 and drawn down by December 31, 2013.

We appreciate your efforts to ensure timely obligation and liquidation of FY 2011 SASA-administered funds made available to your State under PL 112-74.  Please contact me if you have questions or if I can be of assistance.

Paul S. (Sandy) Brown
Deputy Director
Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20202-6132
[On behalf of Monique M. Chism, Director, Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs]