Fix School Discipline Toolkit for Educators | Page 79

FUNDING SOURCES FOR BEST
PRACTICES AND DISCIPLINE
There are a number of federal and state funding
sources available to support the implementation of
alternatives to suspension and expulsion. Here are
some of these sources.

FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION
IMPROVEMENT ACT
The Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA) is the primary federal program that
authorizes state and local aid for special education
and related services for children with disabilities.
The California Department of Education distributes
federal IDEA funds to local educational agencies
(LEAs). A portion of the total federal allocation may
be reserved for discretionary purposes. Additionally,
up to 15% of IDEA special education funds may also
be used to support early intervening services for low
achieving and at-risk students, such as providing
training and development of PBIS and response to
intervention (RTI).80
For an example of a district using IDEA funding
to institute SWPBIS, see the Pioneer High School
highlight.

TITLE I, PART A
Title I, Part A federal funds help to meet the
educational needs of low-achieving students in
California’s highest-poverty schools by supporting
effective, research-based educational strategies that
close the achievement gap between high-and lowperforming students. Alternatives to suspension and
expulsions such as PBIS and RJ are such proven
and research-based strategies that can close the
achievement gap.81
For an example of a school and a district using Title
I funds for PBIS see the Garfield High School and
Vallejo City Unified highlights in this toolkit.