Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Grant & Program Information

Public Notice: ESEA Consolidated Application — Public Comment Period

Somersworth School District (SAU 56)

In accordance with federal requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Somersworth School District is providing notice of a public comment period on its 2026-2027 ESEA Consolidated Application for the following federal Title programs:

• Title I, Part A — Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged
• Title II, Part A — Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High-Quality Teachers, Principals, and Other School Leaders
• Title IV, Part A — Student Support and Academic Enrichment

The application outlines how the district intends to use these federal funds during the 2026-2027 school year, based on findings from the district's Comprehensive Needs Assessment and ongoing stakeholder consultation, including input from teachers, administrators, families, students, and community members.

Public Comment Period: July 29, 2026 through August 6, 2026

Members of the public, including parents, families, staff, and community members, are invited to review a summary of the proposed application and submit comments using any of the following methods:

• By email: [email protected]

A copy of the draft application summary is available for review below and at the SAU 56 Central Office, 51 West High Street, Somersworth, NH 03878.

Somersworth ESEA Consolidated Grant Application Draft:

Somersworth ESEA Consolidated Application 2026-27-Draft for Posting.pdf

Somersworth Comprehensive Needs Assessment

Strafford Learning Equitable Services

Equitable Services - Tri-City Christian Academy & Somersworth 2026-27.pdf

ESEA Consolidated App Draft Budget

General Assurances 2026-27

Program Assurances 2026-27

 

All comments must be received by 4:00 pm on August 6, 2026 and will be reviewed and considered by the district prior to submitting the final application to the New Hampshire Department of Education (NHED).

Questions? Contact Stephanie Lafreniere, Director of Grants and Development at [email protected] or 603-692-4450.

 

Title I, Part A - Helping Disadvantaged Children Meet High Standards

Title I Part A of the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA) provides resources to schools to ensure that all children have a fair, equitable, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and close educational achievement gaps. Besides providing academic support for students, Title I also promotes family engagement and supports students experiencing homelessness. 

 

Somersworth schools utilize Title I, Part A funds to pay for staffing to support students who need supplemental support in reading or mathematics. The district also uses these funds to support students who are experiencing homelessness, family engagement activities at the schools, and special programing for programs such as kindergarten transition.

 

SAU 56 Parent & Family Engagement Policy

The Somersworth School District has the following Parent Engagement Policy. We welcome any input from families, staff or community members, as we review this policy annually to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our community.

Title I Family & Community Engagement

 

Somersworth's Title I School Plans

2026-27 School Title I Plans:

• Idlehurst Elementary School Site Plan Summary - Schoolwide Program
• Maple Wood School School Site Plan Summary - Schoolwide Program
• Somersworth Middle School School Site Plan Summary - Schoolwide Program

 

Parents Right to Know

Somersworth schools receive Title I funds to help students reach established academic standards.  Currently teachers within each school are qualified to teach in their assigned grade levels and subject areas.  Under the Federal law Every Student Succeeds Act, we are required to notify parents of their rights.

Idlehurst Elementary School, Maple Wood School and Somersworth Middle School parents may request information about the qualifications of the student’s classroom teachers.  In particular, a parent may seek the following information:

• Whether the teacher meets the State qualifications for the grade level and subject area of instruction;
• Whether the teacher is teaching outside the certification;
• The degree held by the teacher and any other graduate certification or degrees and the field of the certification or degree; and
• Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

If you would like to request any of the above information, please call Stephanie Lafreniere, Director of Grants & Development at 603-692-4450.  A written request may be sent to SAU 56 Attn: Stephanie Lafreniere 51 West High Street, Somersworth, NH 03878.  All responses will be made promptly.

 

 

 

Support for Students in Foster Care

The Director of Student Services is the contact person for the Somersworth School District for any child placed into Foster Care.  The Somersworth School District is committed to working with the NH Division of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) to provide all foster students with the best and most appropriate educational experience.  Somersworth School District will follow their Education of Children in Foster Care policy (JFABE) to support students in Foster Care.

Education of Children in Foster Care Policy

Somersworth School District & School Reports/General Information

The New Hampshire Department of Education has reports available by school district and schools that are helpful to better understand the data for our schools and district as a whole. You can access this information at the following link:

Link to School & District Reports

Here is a link to an Introduction to iPlatform video to help you maximize your use of this data source: 

Intro. Video Link

 

Title I Complaint Process

If you have questions or concerns regarding Title I support within Somersworth School District, please feel free to reach out to our Director of Grants & Development, Stephanie Lafreniere. If you wish to process a complaint at the state level, please refer to the following complaint process at the NHDOE: Title I Complaint Process

 

US Department of Education Office of Inspector General 

Each district and school who receives grant funding under Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is required to share the hotline contact information of the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Education so that any individual who observes, detects, or suspects improper use of taxpayer funds can easily report such improper use. This information can be found at the following link: Office of Inspector General Hotline Flyer.pdf