Congress approved funding dedicated to English learners in the fiscal 2026 federal budget, but failed to increase the program’s total allocation even as the student population continues to grow, and costs associated with educating them rise.
States are responsible for covering the basic education of English learners, even if it involves additional costs beyond that of educating non-English learners. The Title III federal program gives money to states, which in turn give money to districts for supplemental expenses, such as teacher training on serving English learners or after-school tutoring programs for these students.
Over the last 15 years or so, the total dollars allocated for Title III has remained relatively flat—ranging between $700-800 million annually, with the latest allocation coming in at $890 million, unchanged from the previous fiscal year. At the same time, the national English learner population grew by about 30%, Congress added federal accountability requirements for these students, and the cost of services for these students grew with inflation, diminishing the federal program’s value, experts said.
Still, while Title III’s relative financial worth has declined over time, it remains the only federal funding stream dedicated to serving English learners, and thus any cuts to these funds serve as symbolic of the federal government’s prioritization of English learners, said Michael Hansen, a senior fellow in the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution think tank.
“This is an important constituency. Approximately 10% of students are English learners,” Hansen said.
That’s why educators serving these students feared the possibility of the program’s end as initially proposed by President Donald Trump.
Educators remain uncertain about funding stability
The fate of Title III funding drew much uncertainty after the Trump Administration initially withheld the release of Title III dollars and other funding streams last summer.
The delay threatened many districts’ spending plans for the 2025-26 school year.
Leaders at the Cincinnati schools, for instance, were initially unsure if proposed expenses they had in mind for Title III funds could go as planned, said Adam Cooper, the manager of multilingual services for the district. Educators were relieved when the dollars eventually did go through, he added, but they remain uncertain about the program’s overall fate moving forward.
“Increasing funding is just something that’s necessary from year to year just because costs increase,” Cooper said.
Judy Nelson, the executive director of federal programs for Mississippi’s education department, said that while Congress’ decision to continue providing Title III funds is a positive development, there is still a need for the total allocation to grow to serve the needs of English learners and immigrant students alike (a portion of Title III funds goes to schools with increasing immigrant populations).
“Mississippi’s English learner and immigrant populations have steadily increased in the years following [COVID-19], and the state would benefit from an increase in Title III funding for both EL and immigrant students,” Nelson said in a statement.
“Additional funding is necessary to maintain equitable access to language instruction, academic support, family engagement, and resources that help students succeed.”
Title III remains a vital—but limited—resource
Nationally, education leaders wonder how they can keep meeting the rising expectations of serving English learners amid continued federal uncertainty, said Khalil El-Saghir, the vice president of the National Association of English Learner Program Administrators, a member organization made up of state and school district leaders.
“Nobody really has a sense of whether the money will be there the following 2027-28 fiscal year,” El-Saghir said.
The lack of any increase to Title III’s total allocation also sends a message that the federal government is not willing to invest in this growing population, El-Saghir said.
Even though Title III dollars cover supplemental expenses, they often help states and districts meet the needs of students and educators, who hope for continued and increased funding.
In Mississippi, the funds “support language development, help close achievement gaps, strengthen instructional capacity, and ensure districts can meet federal requirements while providing meaningful services to multilingual learners and their families,” Nelson said.
In Cincinnati, Title III funds cover professional development for general education teachers working with English learners, and family and community engagement events, Cooper said.
“We still have a job to advocate for our needs, for our students and our families within our schools,” Cooper said.
2026-02-26 21:50:09
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