Charter School Success is now inSchools
Travel Pay from Federal Grant Funds
GRANTS MANAGEMENT
5/11/2026
We all grimace when driving by the gas pumps and seeing prices these days! If you are planning on traveling this summer for conferences or other professional development, you can expect higher costs. Reimbursement rates for 2026 were increased in January, and our article today contains current rates as well as reminders if you are planning to use grant funds. CSS will help you avoid mishaps with reimbursements by knowing the rules/maximum allowable amounts and communicating them to the traveler in advance.
Current Reimbursement Rates
The automobile mileage reimbursement rate increased from .70 cents per mile to .725 cents per mile effective 1/1/26.
The meal reimbursement rate for overnight travel is listed by city on the federal per diem rate map. If the city you are traveling to is not listed, use the daily rate for the county. If the county to which you are traveling is not listed, use the current maximum daily reimbursement rate of $68.
The meal reimbursement rate for non-overnight travel remains at $36.
Lodging reimbursement rates for in-state and out-of-state travel are listed on the federal per diem rate map. If the city you are traveling to is not listed, use the daily rate for the county. If the county to which you are traveling is not listed, use the current maximum daily reimbursement rate of $110.
The mileage, lodging, and meal reimbursement rates published by the comptroller apply to all grants administered by the Texas Education Agency regardless of the funding source (state or federal). If you have a local travel policy that is more restrictive than the above, you must abide by the more restrictive rates.
The inSchools team provides assistance to partner schools to establish written travel procedures to be aligned with EDGAR regulations.
Connection to EDGAR
If your charter uses state or federal grant funds to pay for allowable travel, there is more to consider when it comes to paying for travel:
You have in place written policy and procedures for travel paid from state funds AND written policy and procedures for travel paid from federal funds.
The two policies must specify which set of travel costs to follow — state rates as listed in the TEA letter or rates as published in the Federal Per Diem Rate Map (GSA) website. Federal reimbursements may never exceed the GSA rates.
The policies are consistent, regardless of fund source, in paying the cost of travel. You cannot reimburse federally funded travel at a rate higher than state-funded travel.
Advances of any kind are not allowed with federal funds. Travel must be reimbursed after it takes place. This includes air fare. Registration fees for conferences or workshops are considered contracted services and can be paid in advance from a 62xx code. Keep in mind that short workshops do not generally meet the definition of effective PD for federal. Short workshops must be related to a larger DIP/CIP goal or PD plan and have follow up activities after the travel.
Although the GSA website establishes a meal per diem, paying flat per day meal rates is not allowed in federal grants. You must reimburse actual costs of travel to the penny, and tips are not allowed out of federal grants. For this reason, collecting receipts is a best practice and highly recommended to avoid audit findings.
Out of state travel paid by federal grant funds is not allowed unless it has been approved by TEA before the travel happens through the grant application. If it is not currently approved in your grant application, an amendment would be required to BS6401 for ESSA (or the applicable schedule in other federal grant applications). In addition, the Out of State Travel Justification Form must be completed, retained locally, and be ready in case of audit. The deadline to add travel for this summer from a 2025-26 grant amendment is June 2, 2026.
Contractors/contracted service providers whose travel is paid by state or federal grant funds must also abide by these travel rates.
Lastly, the purpose of the travel should be instructional in nature and related to increasing student achievement. It should be necessary to achieve goals established in the District or Campus Improvement Plan. Specific grant purposes may allow for other activities –school safety for example. You should make sure the travel is in line with the purpose and intent of the grant fund source.
Please contact inSchools:
Dr. Sheila K. Sherman ssherman@theinschools.com
