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Title 20 — EducationRelease 119-73

§1232e Single local educational agency application

Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 31— - GENERAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING EDUCATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS CONCERNING OPERATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS: GENERAL AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY › Part Part 3— - Administration of Education Programs and Projects by States and Local Educational Agencies › § 1232e

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Local school districts or other local educational agencies that get federal program money through the State must send one general application to the State agency or board. That single application must cover all those programs and include written promises that: the agency will follow all laws, rules, and plans; federal funds and property bought with them will be held and run by a public agency; the agency will use proper accounting and controls for the money; it will report and keep records (including those required by section 1232f) and let the State and the Secretary see them; teachers, parents, and other interested people can help plan and run the programs; applications, evaluations, and reports will be made available to the public; any construction fits State facility plans and meets disability access standards; the agency will share useful research and promising practices with staff; and federal funds will not be used to buy equipment if that purchase gives a direct financial benefit to an organization that represents the purchaser or its employees or an affiliate. The general application stays in effect for the life of the covered programs. The State cannot make the agency refile or change it unless Federal or State law changes or there is a major change that affects one of the promises.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §1232e

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Each local educational agency which participates in an applicable program under which Federal funds are made available to such agency through a State agency or board shall submit to such agency or board a general application containing the assurances set forth in subsection (b). That application shall cover the participation by that local educational agency in all such programs.
(b)The general application submitted by a local educational agency under subsection (a) shall set forth assurances—
(1)that the local educational agency will administer each program covered by the application in accordance with all applicable statutes, regulations, program plans, and applications;
(2)that the control of funds provided to the local educational agency under each program, and title to property acquired with those funds, will be in a public agency and that a public agency will administer those funds and property;
(3)that the local educational agency will use fiscal control and fund accounting procedures that will ensure proper disbursement of, and accounting for, Federal funds paid to that agency under each program;
(4)that the local educational agency will make reports to the State agency or board and to the Secretary as may reasonably be necessary to enable the State agency or board and the Secretary to perform their duties and that the local educational agency will maintain such records, including the records required under section 1232f of this title, and provide access to those records, as the State agency or board or the Secretary deem necessary to perform their duties;
(5)that the local educational agency will provide reasonable opportunities for the participation by teachers, parents, and other interested agencies, organizations, and individuals in the planning for and operation of each program;
(6)that any application, evaluation, periodic program plan or report relating to each program will be made readily available to parents and other members of the general public;
(7)that in the case of any project involving construction—
(A)the project is not inconsistent with overall State plans for the construction of school facilities, and
(B)in developing plans for construction, due consideration will be given to excellence of architecture and design and to compliance with standards prescribed by the Secretary under section 794 of title 29 in order to ensure that facilities constructed with the use of Federal funds are accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities;
(8)that the local educational agency has adopted effective procedures for acquiring and disseminating to teachers and administrators participating in each program significant information from educational research, demonstrations, and similar projects, and for adopting, where appropriate, promising educational practices developed through such projects; and
(9)that none of the funds expended under any applicable program will be used to acquire equipment (including computer software) in any instance in which such acquisition results in a direct financial benefit to any organization representing the interests of the purchasing entity or its employees or any affiliate of such an organization.
(c)A general application submitted under this section shall remain in effect for the duration of the programs it covers. The State agencies or boards administering the programs covered by the application shall not require the submission or amendment of such application unless required by changes in Federal or State law or by other significant change in the circumstances affecting an assurance in such application.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 1232e, Pub. L. 90–247, title IV, § 436, formerly § 426, as added Pub. L. 91–230, title IV, § 401(a)(10), Apr. 13, 1970, 84 Stat. 170; renumbered § 436, Pub. L. 92–318, title III, § 301(a)(1), June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 326, related to authority of Commissioner to vest title in equipment, prior to repeal by section 1231(a)(3) of Pub. L. 95–561. A prior section 442 of Pub. L. 90–247 was classified to section 1233a of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–382.

Amendments

1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–382, § 261(g)(1), substituted “that local educational agency” for “that local education agency”. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 103–382, § 261(g)(2)(A), inserted comma after “program”. Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 103–382, § 261(g)(2)(B), substituted “Secretary” for “Commissioner” wherever appearing. Pub. L. 103–382, § 212(b)(3)(B), made technical amendment to reference to section 1232f of this title to reflect renumbering of corresponding section of original act. Subsec. (b)(7)(B). Pub. L. 103–382, § 261(g)(2)(C), substituted “individuals with disabilities” for “handicapped individuals”. 1984—Subsec. (b)(9). Pub. L. 98–511 added par. (9).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1984 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 98–511 effective Oct. 19, 1984, see section 711(a) of Pub. L. 98–511, set out as a note under section 1226c of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective with respect to appropriations for fiscal year 1980 and subsequent fiscal years, see section 1261 of Pub. L. 95–561, set out as a note under section 1232c of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 1232e

Title 20 — Education

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73