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How Federal Funds for Poor Students Are Paying For DEI

Total School Districts: 60

Total Title I, II, and IV funding spent on DEI, SEL, or Restorative Justice: $19,632,938.90

Title I funds: $6,951,336.50

Title II funds: $3,301,715.71

Title IV funds: $8,127,030.59

IDEA funds: $1,044,383.60

SUMMARY

Over the last few years, 60 school districts have spent $19,632,938.90 in federal funding to contract with organizations and consultants for far-left programming.

Funds granted under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), and its reauthorization via the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), have been used to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), equitable grading practices, race and sex-based programming, restorative practices/restorative justice (RP/RJ), social emotional learning (SEL), and other far-left ideologies.

For example, Elk Grove Unified School District (CA) used Title I funds to pay an organization over $4 million to facilitate programming for “young men of color.” Hayward Unified School District (CA) used Title funding to pay a consultant for equitable grading professional development. This same district also paid highly controversial consultant, Woke Kindergarten, $200,000 using Title I funds. Additionally, multiple districts paid out over $2 million to Panorama Education for its Social Emotional Learning survey platform.

This report is intended to serve as a snapshot of how districts have used these federal funds to promote and implement DEI, SEL, and other concerning (and ideological) practices in K-12 school districts. Unfortunately, many school districts do not make it publicly known which funds it draws from to pay for these programs—tracking down itemized funds usage was quite difficult and leads us to believe that the numbers in this report provide an underestimate of what has been spent.

Included below are explainers of the different types of funds covered int his report, as well as brief key takeaways and a list of the districts’ expenditures.

This is not a comprehensive report and will be updated over time.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Panorama Education was paid $2,427,721.70 by 17 school districts for its Social Emotional Learning survey platform.
• Elk Grove Unified School District (CA) paid Improve Your Tomorrow, Inc. $4,477,410 in Title I funds to facilitate programming for “young men of color.”
• Hayward Unified School District (CA) paid the Crescendo Education Group $110,000 for consultation on implementing Grading for Equity programming. It also paid the controversial consultant organization Woke Kindergarten $200,000 to work with one elementary school.
• Los Angeles Unified School District (CA) states that it budgeted $16 million for Social Emotional Learning programming in the 2024-25 school year, $3,000,000 of which is pulled from Title I funding.
• Jefferson Union High School District (CA) paid the Crescendo Education Group $299,400 in Title I funds for consultation and professional development related to the organization’s Grading for Equity programming.
• Township High School District 211 (IL) used $55,000 in Title II funds to pay the organization Courageous Conversations (formerly Pacific Education Group) for professional development rooted in Critical Race Theory.
• Indianapolis Public Schools (IN) used $680,000 of Title II funding on a racial equity consultant.
• Howard County Public School System (MD) spent $149,021 of Title II funds on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming. It spent another $108,000 in Title II funds on equity professional development and implementation.

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TYPES OF FUNDS

The following is a list of the different types of funds granted to districts under ESEA/ ESSA grant program. Some districts label expenses with the broad category of School Improvement Grants, which serves as an umbrella term for Title I, Part A, Title II, Part A, and Title IV, Part A grants.

Title I, Part A

Title I, Part A funds are provided to districts to support the education of low-income students with the aim of helping the sub-population meet academic standards and close achievement gaps by providing supplemental resources and services. The amount of funds allocated to districts is based on the poverty levels within the district.

Grants are distributed to State Educational Agencies (SEAs) which then sub-grant to school districts or local education agencies (LEAs).

Learn more from the Department of Education here.

Title II, Part A

Title II, Part A, or Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants, funds are used to support school districts in increasing academic achievement; and improving the quality of teachers and principals for low-income and minority students. Funds are allocated to schools based on enrollment and poverty data.

Grants are distributed to State Educational Agencies (SEAs) which then sub-grant to school districts or local education agencies (LEAs).

Learn more from the Department of Education here.

Title IV, Part A

Title IV, Part A, or Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program, funds are designed to improve student academic achievement by providing resources for well-rounded education, safe and healthy learning environments, and effective use of technology. Funds can be utilized for a variety of purposes such as school safety, counseling, mental health services, and professional development.

Grants are distributed to State Educational Agencies (SEAs) which then sub-grant to school districts or local education agencies (LEAs).

Learn more from the Department of Education here.

OTHER GRANTS IN THE REPORT

IDEA Funds

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, funds are federal grants provided to state and local education agencies (SEAs and LEAs) to support special education and early intervention services for children and youth with disabilities. These funds are used to cover a wide range of expenses associated with providing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment.

Learn more from the Department of Education here.

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DISTRICTS

ALABAMA

Bessemer City Schools

• Title IV – 2023 – Rhithm Social Emotional Computer Based Interactive Wellness Program – $23,4000

Birmingham City Schools

• Title IV – 2021 – ReThink Ed – Social Emotional Learning Curriculum – $92,000
• Title IV – 2022 – ReThink Ed – Social Emotional Learning Curriculum – $92,000
• Title IV – 2023 – ReThink Ed – Social Emotional Learning Curriculum – $92,000
• Title IV – 2024 – Growing Kings – Social Emotional Learning – sex-based programming – $200,000

Selma City Schools

• Title I – 2024 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $17,190

CALIFORNIA

Alvord Unified School District

• Title II – 2023 – Social Emotional professional development – $17,500
• Title II – 2023 – Social Emotional professional development – $15,500

Antioch Unified School District

• Title II – 2022 – Kingmakers of Oakland – DEI – $108,000

Barstow Unified School District

• Title IV – 2021 – Committee for Children – Second Step SEL Curriculum – $33,403.38
• Title IV – 2022 – Committee for Children – Second Step SEL Curriculum – $13,098.13
• Title I – 2023 – Urban Ed Consulting – Social Emotional Learning and Restorative Justice – $50,000
• Title IV – 2023 – Committee for Children – Second Step SEL Curriculum – $20,151.00
• Title IV – 2024 – Committee for Children – Second Step SEL Curriculum – $22,491.00

Bassett Unified School District

• Title I – 2021 – Committee for Children – Second Step SEL Curriculum – $9,657
• Title I – 2023 – Committee for Children – Second Step SEL Curriculum – $1,940.80

Berryessa Union School District

• Title I – 2023 – Freedom Soul Media Education Initiatives – Black program promotional – $6,500

Calexico Unified School District

• Title IV – 2024 – Panorama Education 2 year agreement – $245,894.70

Compton Unified School District

• Title II – 2025 – Crescendo Education Group – Grading for Equity – $38,500

Covina-Valley Unified School District

• Title IV – 2024 – Character Strong – Social Emotional Learning – $34,200

Desert Sands Unified School District

• Title IV – 2024 – Equity professional development – $3,500
• Title IV – 2024 – LGBTQ professional development – $11,000

Elk Grove Unified School District

• Title II – 2022 – Epoch Education – DEI – $78,000
• Title I – 2022 – Improve Your Tomorrow, Inc. – males of color programming – $869,400
• Title I – 2022 – On a Mission Services, LLC – Social Emotional Learning – $48,000
• Title I – 2023 – Improve Your Tomorrow, Inc. – males of color programming – $869,400
• Title I – 2024 – Character Strong – Social Emotional Learning – $15,500
• Title I – 2024 – Improve Your Tomorrow, Inc. – males of color programming – $2,738,610

Hayward Unified School District

• Title I – 2021 – Circle Up Education – Social Emotional Learning and Restorative Justice – $7,000
• Title I – 2022 – The Village Method, Inc. – SEL and culturally relevant programming – $10,000
• Title III – 2022 – Crescendo Education Group – Grading for Equity – $110,000
• Title I – 2022 – Woke Kindergarten – $200,000
• Title I – 2023 – Freedom Soul Media Education Initiatives – professional development – $36,500
• IDEA – 2023 – Leadership 4 Justice STEM 4 Real – professional development – $49,700
• Title IV – 2024 – Cardea Services – professional development for sex ed – $5,300

Inglewood Unified School District

• Title IV – 2024 – ReThink Ed – SEL Curriculum – $45,000

Jefferson Union High School District

• Title I – 2022 – Crescendo Education Group – Grading for Equity – $100,000
• Title I – 2023 – Crescendo Education Group – Grading for Equity – $119,000
• Title I – 2024 – Crescendo Education Group – Grading for Equity – $80,400

Los Angeles Unified School District

• Title IV – 2024 – Social Emotional Learning programming – $3,000,000

Modesto City Schools

• Title IV – 2023 – Historically Black College or University (HBCU) tour – students of color trip – $72,250
• Title IV – 2024 – Improve Your Tomorrow, Inc. – males of color programming – $1,348,000

Napa Valley Unified School District

• Title I – 2021 – Character Strong – Social Emotional Learning – $4,000

Natomas Unified School District

• Title I – 2020 – Improve Your Tomorrow, Inc – males of color programming – $192,000

Ravenswood City School District

• Title II – 2022 – Truss Leadership professional development – $50,000

Rialto Unified School District

• Title I – 2022 – Panorama Education agreement – $6,600

San Diego Unified School District

• Title II – 2014 – National Equity Project – DEI – $80,000
• Title II – 2015 – National Equity Project – DEI – $172,540
• Title II – 2016 – National Equity Project – DEI – $447,195
• Title I – 2016 – Tariq Khamisa Foundation – Restorative Justice – $10,000
• Title II – 2017 – National Equity Project – DEI – $270,000
• Title II – 2018 – National Equity Project – DEI – $72,864
• Title II – 2020 – National Conflict Resolution Center – Restorative Justice – $288,979
• Title II – 2022 – National Conflict Resolution Center – Restorative Justice
• Title II – 2023 – National Conflict Resolution Center – Restorative Justice – $462,305.88 (2022 & 2023)
• IDEA – 2023 – Epiphany Women in Focus – Restorative Justice – $150,000
• IDEA – 2024 – Becoming Us Collective, LLC – anti-racism and Restorative Justice – $195,600
• IDEA – 2024 – Educators Cooperative – Restorative Justice – $169,000
• IDEA – 2024 – Educators Cooperative – Restorative Justice – $58,000

San Francisco Unified School District

• Title I – Kingmakers of Oakland – DEI – $20,000

San Rafael City Schools

• Title IV – 2023 – Mizahn Evans for Black Girls Group – $8,850
• Title IV – 2024 – Mizahn Evans for Black Girls Group – $17,200

Santa Barbara Unified School District

• Title II – 2022 – Crescendo Education Group – Grading for Equity – $100,000
• Title II – 2022 – Crescendo Education Group – Grading for Equity – $20,000

Santa Rosa City Schools

• Title IV – 2022 – Panorama Education 3 year agreement – $136,260

Temecula Valley Unified School District

• Title II – 2022 – LGBT Professional Development – $9,150
• Title II – 2022 – LGBT Professional Development – $10,000

Tustin Unified School District

• Title I – 2023 – Project Wayfinder – Social Emotional Learning – $13,500
• Title I – 2023 – Restorative Practices Professional Development – $3,125

Ukiah Unified School District

• Title I – 2023 – Project Wayfinder – Social Emotional Learning – $2,000
• Title I – 2023 – Project Wayfinder – Social Emotional Learning – $14,850
• Title I – 2024 – Project Wayfinder – Social Emotional Learning – $9,000

Vallejo City Unified School District

• Title I – 2021 – Epoch Education – DEI – $59,500
• Title I – 2022 – Epoch Education – DEI – $50,000

West Contra Costa Unified School District

• Title I – 2022 – Improve Your Tomorrow, Inc. – males of color programming – $270,000
• Title I – 2022 – StudioFive10 – Restorative Practices – $12,000
• Title I – 2024 – Improve Your Tomorrow, Inc. – males of color programming – $67,500
• Title I – 2025 – Creative Change Collaborative – Restorative Justice – $27,500

CONNECTICUT

New Haven Public Schools

• Title IV – 2019 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $80,000
• Title IV – 2021 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $80,000
• Title IV – 2023 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $80,000

GEORGIA

Dekalb County Public Schools

• Title IV – 2023 – Communities In Schools – DEI and Social Emotional Learning – $325,000

Troup County School System

• IDEA – 2021 – Committee for Children – Second Step SEL curriculum – $88,545

ILLINOIS

Glenbrook High School District 225

• Title I and II – 2024 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $50,687.50
• Title I – 2024 – CASEL – Social Emotional Learning – $50,000
• Title I – 2025 – Panorama Education 3 year agreement – $183,018

Harlem Consolidated School District

• Title I – 2022 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $16,500
• School Improvement Grant (SIG) – 2024 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $9,750
• School Improvement Grant (SIG) – 2025 – Panorama Education year agreement – $57,396.25
• Title IV – 2025 – Committee for Children – Second Step SEL Curriculum – $4,383

Township High School District 211

• Title II – 2024 – Courageous Conversations LLC – DEI Professional Development – $55,000

INDIANA

Indianapolis Public Schools

• Title II – 2025 – The Racial Equity Institute – $680,000

Perry Township Schools

• Title I – 2024 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $38,052.25

IOWA

Ames Community School District

• Title II – 2021 – Bright Morning Consulting, Inc – DEI – $18,530

Des Moines Public Schools

• Title I – 2018 – Committee for Children – Second Step SEL Curriculum – $200,000

West Des Moines Community Schools

• Title IV – 2022 – Panorama Education 3 year agreement – $57,270
• Title IV – 2025 – Panorama Education 2 year agreement – $38,240

KANSAS

Clay County Unified School District 379

• Title I – 2024 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $10,500

Maize Unified School District 266

• Title I – 2025 – Committee for Children – Second Step SEL Curriculum – $34,035

MARYLAND

Howard County Public School System

• Title II – 2023 – Equity Leaders Professional Development – DEI – $108,000
• Title II – 2024 – Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion programming – DEI – $149,021
• Title IV – 2024 – Professional Development – DEI, LGBT, Restorative Justice, SEL – $118,250

MISSOURI

Columbia Public Schools

• Title I – 2024 – Committee for Children – Second Step SEL curriculum – $2,595

Ferguson-Florissant School District

• Title I – 2024 – Character Strong – Social Emotional Learning – $20,377

Kansas City Public Schools

• Title II – 2022 – The Leadership Academy – DEI Professional Development – $64,908.83

Mehlville School District

• IDEA – 2022 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $52,669
• IDEA – 2024 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $52,669

Ritenour School District

• IDEA – 2024 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $40,200

NEW JERSEY

Millburn Township Public Schools

• Title II – 2024 – Crescendo Education Group – Grading for Equity – $24,150

NEW YORK

Yonkers Public Schools

• Title IV – 2018 – Montage Diversity Consultants, LLC – DEI – $172,100
• Title I – 2024 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $102,500

NORTH CAROLINA

Winston-Salem /Forsyth County Schools

• Title IV – 2023 – Project Wayfinder – Social Emotional Learning – $377,770
• Title IV – 2023 – Committee for Children – Second Step SEL curriculum – $91,481.15
• Title IV – 2024 – Project Wayfinder – Social Emotional Learning – $292,817.50
• Title IV – 2024 – Committee for Children – Second Step SEL curriculum – $100,002.73

OHIO

Columbus City Schools

• Title I – 2020 – Panorama Education 2 year agreement – $317,600
• Title IV – 2022 – Panorama Education 3 year agreement – $669,340

Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools

• Title IV – 2021 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $15,750

Lorain City Schools

• Title IV – 2021 – LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland – $13,118

OKLAHOMA

Edmond Public Schools

• Title I – 2024 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $16,125
• Title I – 2025 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $?

TENNESSEE

Hawkins County School District

• Title IV – 2025 – Panorama Education 1 year agreement – $53,510

VIRGINIA

Richmond Public Schools

• Title IV – 2022 – QuaverED – $42,000