Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
2009-10 Technical Assistance Teleconferences
for the Consolidated Application Update
TOPICS: AIS|ACCOUNTABILITY|HQT|PRIVATE
SCHOOLS|WEBINARS|PARENTAL
INVOLVEMENT|N&D|
TITLE IIA|TITLE III|TITLE
IV|TITLE V|HOMELESS|MOE|TITLE
I SUPPLEMENT|
09-10 CONSOLIDATED APPLICATION|GENERAL
Academic Intervention Services
Q: Since
there is no "Math" certification for elementary, is
it reasonable to assume that Elementary Certification is
acceptable for providing Math AIS services?
A: Yes.
Q: If
someone is providing AIS services in grade 7 for only 1
period a day, and is certified in K-6, would that be acceptable,
as 1 period outside of their area?
A: NYSED regulations allow up to 5 hours per week
of "incidental teaching", see Subpart 80.5-3 at http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/part80-5.htm,
and item A-12 of the NCLB NYS Field Memo at http://www.highered.nysed.gov/nclb032008.htm.
If such a teacher were providing CORE subject instruction
according to the schedule described in your question, they
could become highly qualified to do so by demonstrating
their content knowledge through use of the HOUSSE, or other
allowable methods (both are described in other sections of the NCLB
NYS Field Memo cited above). However, since AIS services
are not considered core instructional activities, no such demonstration
of content knowledge is needed to meet NCLB and IDEA "highly
qualified" requirements,
or NYSED regulations related to incidental teaching.
For information regarding what is required under Academic Intervention Services
(AIS), see: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1002.html#ee.
Q: Please
detail the accountability statuses for the district and
schools in my district.
A: Current accountability reports
for 2008-09 assessments are available on nySTART for each
LEA. Reports are updated weekly and only available to
LEAs for verification and correction until final release
in August. Prior year reports are available online:
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/accountability/sini/
You may also consult your SED liaison @ (518) 474-5923.
Q: If
the accountability status lists aren't available prior
to August 31, should we assume the 2008-09 status for each
building and include SES and School Choice in our budget?
A:
If you assume the 2008-09 status for each building, you
will probably be required to revise your application shortly
after submission. LEAs will have access to their preliminary
Accountability Overview Reports in early August and should
use that information for the 2009-10 Consolidated Application
if at all possible.
Changes in federal rules (Part 200 of the Regulations of
the U.S. Department of Education) now require New York
State to report on the accountability status of schools
and districts no later than 14 days prior to the start
of the school year.
For the 2009-10 school year, all accountability status
determinations must be reported publicly by the State Education
Department no later than August 26, 2009.
Q: Regarding
Title I, 5% professional development set-aside because there
was less than 100% highly qualified teachers: What items
can be included in the 5%?
A: The 5% professional development
set-aside is not for general professional development (PD).
It is to be used to ensure all teachers and paraprofessionals
are highly qualified and/or certified per NCLB Section
1119 legislation. Title I funds can be used to complete
certification filing requirements (ex. Fingerprinting,
exams, etc.) and college-level coursework completion.
The 5% set-aside is in addition to the 10% building PD
set-aside requirement for SINI, Corrective Action buildings
and the 10% PD set-aside for Districts In Need of Improvement
(DINI). If an LEA can assure (describe how) that they can
get all core academic teachers and paraprofessionals to be
highly qualified and/or certified by using less than the
5% amount they may do so. As an example, if several teachers
need to go through the fingerprinting process or Child Abuse
training in order for all core academic subject teachers
to meet Section 1119 requirements, the LEA could justify
an amount less than the required 5% set-aside.
Q: When
we look at our staff relative to being "highly qualified",
are we looking for CORE areas only?
A: Yes. The NCLB definition
of "highly qualified" pertains only to core
subject areas. Core academic subjects for the NCLB and
IDEA are English, reading, language arts, mathematics,
science, history, geography, economics, civics and government,
foreign languages and the arts. In New York State, the
arts include the visual arts, dance, music, theater - including
public speaking - and drama.
Q: What
content area does the State look for with our AIS teachers?
For example, is Elementary Certification acceptable for
someone providing AIS in K-6, or would the State be looking
for Literacy Certification? (It is a bit difficult sometimes,
since certification areas and tenure areas do not align.)
A:
This is a confusing area. In general, a teacher with elementary
certification meets the NCLB definition of "highly qualified" for
all core subjects, including developmental reading and
English Language Arts. NYSED certification regulations
require a Literacy or Reading certification for the teaching
of 'remedial reading', and so only a teacher with this
certification would be considered "highly qualified" under
the NCLB and IDEA for the teaching of remedial reading
as a core subject. However, in general, remedial reading
is not considered by the LEA to be a core subject, and
is usually offered as supplemental instruction. When it
is offered as an AIS service, it is by definition "not
core", and in this case the NCLB definition of "highly
qualified" does not apply. See item A-5 in the most
recent NCLB NYS Field Memo at http://www.highered.nysed.gov/nclb032008.htm.
Q: For
the required set-aside for non-highly qualified Teachers:
What procedures
do we follow if we reported on one teacher who was not highly
qualified last year and that teacher is still not highly qualified
during the 09-10 school year?
A: Identification as failing
to meet the 100% HQT benchmark in 2007-08 is what generates
the requirement to complete a teacher quality plan. The
district should use the HQ/C report provided by NYSED’s
Office of Information and Reporting Services (the BEDS
office) for that year as its primary source for determining
why it failed to meet the 100% target. If the HQ/C report
confirms that the gap remains as only the 1 teacher, the
2009-10 Teacher Quality Plan should address district progress
or failure in getting that one teacher to HQ status, and
indicate any new strategies that will be employed. The
set-aside requirement remains, but may be released following
approval of a viable plan.
Q: When
and where do we find the highly qualified 2008-09 numbers?
A:
2007-08 teacher quality data is at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/nclb/consolidatedappupdate/guidance/2008-09
teacher quality data has not yet been finalized or released.
Q: Do
we base whether we need to set- aside Professional Development
funds for HQ based on the 2008-09 numbers or the number projected
for 2009-10?
A: Highly qualified teacher data
for the 2007-08 school year determines whether or not the
LEA met the benchmark of 100% HQ. Districts that did not,
must include responses to the Teacher Quality Plan, Section
A, in their Consolidated Application. Districts that also
failed to meet AYP in the past three consecutive years
must also complete Section B.
In both cases, the Title I 5% set-aside must be reserved.
An approvable plan might include district knowledge of
2008-09 teacher quality issues in the district, or even
projections for 2009-10, but neither is required. If the
Teacher Quality Plan accurately assesses district HQ data
and gaps in the 2007-08 school year, proposes reasonable
strategies to achieve the 100% target as soon as possible
in the future, and proposes use of Title IIA or other funds
to meet this goal, the 5% set-aside in the Title I budget
may be released.
Q:
How
is the Title I private school student set-aside calculated
and what are the uses for the funds?
A:
The Title I, Part A calculation is always based on
multiplying the number of poverty children, living
in a Title I attendance area in the LEA, times the
calculated Supplement Form, Per Pupil Amount (PPA) (whether
or not your students are attending a private school inside
or outside the district). For students attending the private
school from outlying Local Educational Agency (LEAs) their
PPA is multiplied by the number of poverty children, living
in a Title I attendance area in that LEA. An LEA could
conceivably have varying PPAs because of students from
other LEAs, or even varying PPAs within the LEA of residence
(where the private school is located). In the rare instances
where there is only one poverty student from another LEA
attending the private school, that student must also be
in academic need in order to generate funds for services.
Title I funds may be used in private schools the same
way it is used in public schools. Supplement/Supplant rules
apply to private schools.
A good source for information on the uses of Title I funds
for private schools is the “Title IX, Part E Uniform Provisions
Subpart 1-Private Schools – Non-Regulatory Guidance”, dated
August 2005. Also, the October 17, 2003 – Title I Services
to Eligible Private School Children – Non-Regulatory Guidance
is helpful in this area. These guidance documents can be
downloaded from the USDOE web site at: http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml?src=pb
Federal guidance suggests the following strategies to use
when a private school’s set-aside amount is too small for
instructional services: Pool (i.e. private school consortium)
set-asides from several private schools to provide instructional
services, take-home computer programs, individual tutoring
programs/sessions, professional development activities
for private school teachers with Title I students, parent
involvement activities, and counseling (for students who
are failing or at risk of failing).
Q: Please
clarify funding to private schools.
A: The question is too
general for a specific answer since there are many issues
related to equitable services to eligible private school
children (the children receive the services, not the private
school).
A good source for information on the uses of Title I funds
for private schools is the “Title IX, Part E Uniform provisions
Subpart 1-Private Schools – Non-Regulatory Guidance”, dated
August 2005. Also, the October 17, 2003 – Title I Services
to Eligible Private School Children – Non-Regulatory Guidance
is helpful in this area. These guidance documents can be
downloaded from the USDOE web site at: http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml?src=pb
In general, eligible students, parents, and teachers attending
a private school are to be provided equitable services
as those offered in a public Title I school. Title I funding
amounts are calculated as noted above, by multiplying the
number of poverty students who live in a district’s Title
I attendance area (i.e. They would be enrolled in a district
Title I school if they were not attending the private school)
by the calculated Per pupil Amount from the online Title
I Supplement Form. Things that can affect a private school’s
allocation include:
(1) Whether the district calculates a 125% PPA, or whether
set-asides are taken out before a PPA is calculated.
(2) An allocation over or under $500,000.00 can affect
a private school’s set-aside.
(3) If only one student from the district is attending
a private school outside the district, certain criteria
must be met before a set-aside can be determined.
Should you have questions about your own unique private
school issues, please call our office at (518) 473-0295.
Q: In
consulting with our non-public schools, what are their options
when they do not receive enough funding to support a Title
I teacher? If they receive funds from outside districts
and do not know their allocation prior to submitting the
grant, how do they report it on their participation form?
A:
Title I funds cannot be used solely to purchase supplies
and materials. If supplies & materials
are purchased they must be secular, neutral and related
to academic intervention services. The LEA is responsible
for overseeing the use of those materials in the proper
manner. Federal guidance suggests the following strategies
to use when a private school’s set-aside amount is too
small for instructional services:
(1) Pool (i.e. private school consortium) set-asides from
several private schools to provide instructional services,
take-home computer programs, individual tutoring programs/sessions,
professional development activities for private school
teachers with Title I students, parent involvement activities,
and counseling (for students who are failing or at risk
of failing). (2) If after making and documenting their
best efforts at trying to obtain the student counts, a
private school should estimate the number of private students
from other districts, based on past experience when filling
out the Private School Participation Form of the 2009-10
Consolidated Application Update. Remember, that calculation
does not affect the district of residence’s private school
set-aside, nor does Title I funds from other LEAs show
up on the district’s FS-10.
Q: Is
there a posted webinar for the ’09-‘10 Consolidated Application?
We can only locate the webinar for ’08-’09.
A:
Since there are no significant changes to the 2009-10 Application,
it is helpful for LEA staff to review their 2008-09 Application
and the posted webinars from 2008-09. A 2009-10 Webinar
is being planned to address the common errors in Application
submission. Periodically check the link (below) for any
postings.
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/nclb/consolidatedappupdate/ta/
Q: Do
we submit the Parental Involvement Policy if no changes have
occurred for the 2009-10 school year?
A: Yes, all LEAs are required
to submit their Parent Involvement Policies (PIP) whether or
not there have been any changes to it. LEAs should look to see
when the PIP was last reviewed. LEAs are required to annually
evaluate the content and effectiveness of their PIPs.
Q: Does
the sample letter for the Parent's Right (Title I-A) To Know
need to be submitted again? Since I took over this task last
year, I have not been able to find this letter in the files.
Can you explain what is required to be stated in this letter?
A:
If there have been no significant changes to the letter’s content
it does not have to be re-submitted. If you cannot find the letter
you must create a new one. Since you have nothing to compare to,
you should submit a new one. The best guidance can be found in
NCLB Section 1111 legislation. At a minimum, the letter should
contain information that parents may request regarding the professional
qualifications of the student’s classroom teachers including:
(i) Whether the teacher has met State qualification and licensing
criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the
teacher provides instruction.
(ii) Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other
provisional status through which State qualification or licensing
criteria have been waived.
(iii) The baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other
graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, and the
field of discipline of the certification or degree.
(iv) Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals
and, if so, their qualifications.
There are additional suggested (not required) pieces of information
which are included in NCLB Section 1111 legislation.
Q: Is
there a separate list of allowable and unallowable expenses for
Institutions with Delinquent students (Title ID) allocations,
as opposed to the Title IA allocations?
A: As with Title I A
funds, Title I D funds are supplemental to the core program operating
at the facility. The following web link has a description regarding
the use of Title I D funds you may find useful.
http://www.neglected-delinquent.org/nd/resources/guidance/local.asp#lea_funds
Q: What
special provisions are there for Special Act School Districts?
A:
Special Acts must follow all the requirements for Title I D as
every other school district. The funds must be used to supplement
the core educational program at the facility.
Q: How
should I handle left over funds from 2008-09 from the Catholic
schools and juvenile facilities? They
haven’t spent all of their funds. How long do I carry these
funds?
A: Funds remaining for the private
schools must be indicated on the new application and budget as
carryover. The funds must be utilized by the Catholic schools
and not by the district. Funds remaining for the juvenile facilities
must also be indicated on the new application and budget as carryover.
The funds must be utilized by the juvenile facilities and not
by the district.
The funds can be carried over for 27 months from the date of
the initial allocation.
Q: Can
you please explain the amount set-aside for neglected students?
A:
The neglected set-aside is calculated by multiplying the child
count listed for the facility by the Title I per pupil calculated
for the district.
Q: Regarding
Title IIA, please provide an explanation of the class size reduction
positions as well as coaching or mentoring positions.
A: Title
II, Part A allows LEAs to spend funds on a variety of strategies
to improve teacher and principal quality, recruit and retain highly
qualified teachers and principals, ensure the equitable distribution
of highly qualified teachers, and provide high quality professional
development. Mentoring and coaching positions can arguably support
any of these goals, as can professional development provider positions.
The Title also allows the district to hire highly qualified teachers
to meet class size reduction purposes. In both cases, the proposed
positions should be supported by the district’s prioritized needs
assessment, and meet all other requirements of Title II A, including
supplement-not-supplant requirements. See NCLB sections 2122
and 2123 at: http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/pg22.html#sec2122,
also see Title II A Guidance, and particularly related to class
size reduction, items E-1, 8 and E13-E16 at: http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherqual/guidance.doc
Q: Can
Title II-A funds be carried over from the ‘08-‘09 year to ‘09-‘10?
A:
Yes. 100% of Title II A funds may be carried over for one year.
Q: Will
the Consolidated Application include Title III-A Immigrant allocations?
A:
When available, the Title III allocations will appear with the
Consolidated Application information at:
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/nclb/consolidatedappupdate/
Q: For school districts who submitted the two year AMAO (Annual
Measurable Achievement Objectives) mprovement Plan, what are the
procedures for the 2009-10 school year for completing the Title
III?
A: If the LEA or Consortium met
the AMAOs for the 2007-08 school year and has met AMAOs for two
(2) or more consecutive years, your LEA/Consortium is deemed
in good standing and does not have to submit any reports.
If it has been determined that your LEA or Consortium has failed
to make progress toward meeting the AMAO objectives for two (2)
consecutive years (2006-07 and 2007-08), you are required to
submit an Improvement Plan. The Plan is a two-year plan and
must be developed and implemented during the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011
school years and should include the following:
- A description of well-researched and scientifically-based professional development strategies and activities that an LEA or Consortium could use to meet the AMAO objectives; and
- A description of well-researched and scientifically-based
strategies and methodologies that will serve to improve
specific programs, curricula, or method(s) of instruction
provided to LEP/ELL students.
If the LEA or Consortium has not met its AMAOs for four (4) consecutive years, you are required to submit a Corrective Action Plan (CAP). These plans must be submitted together with your district’s NCLB 2009-2010 Consolidated Application Update which is due on August 31, 2009. The Corrective Action Plan must be completed by LEAs or Consortia that did not meet AMAOs for four (4) consecutive school years (i.e. 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08). The CAP is a two-year plan that will be developed and implemented during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years, and must address the objectives/activities of your Comprehensive Plan, as well as the following objectives:
- Make adequate yearly progress (AYP) in the English language proficiency among LEP/ELL students;
- Modify curricula, programs and method(s) of instruction to best address the needs of LEP/ELLs; and
- Evaluate, and, if necessary, replace educational personnel critical to the success of LEP/ELL students making progress in developing their English language proficiency and academic achievement. The CAP must address the factors which prevented the LEA or Consortium from meeting the objectives outlined in its Improvement Plan and to indicate actions and strategies to be taken in order to meet the AMAO objectives.
Note: Those LEAs or Consortia without an approved AMAO Corrective Action Plan (CAP), will not receive final approval of their 2009-2010 Title III LEP and Immigrant allocations.
Those LEAs or Consortia that have not met their Title III AMAOs for three (3) consecutive years are not required to submit a plan at this time. However, it is highly recommended that these LEAs or Consortia critically review and evaluate the educational programs that are currently in place for LEP/ELL students to avoid being designated as a Title III Corrective Action LEA or Consortium.
Title III of the NCLB Act also requires LEAs and Consortia that have failed to make progress on their AMAOs, for either two or four consecutive years, to inform parents of such failure no later than 30 days after the LEAs and Consortia have been notified. The information included in the letter to parents/guardians must be easily understandable, uniform, free of technical jargon, with additional explanations if necessary, and to the extent practicable, in a language that the parents/guardians can read and understand.
Information about your LEA or Consortium AMAO status can be
found at the following NYSED OBE-FLS website:
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/biling/NEWTIII.html
Q:
Will
there be Title IV funds?
A: Funds have been appropriated for
2009-10. However, as of now, there is a proposal for the elimination
of Title IV funds for the 2010-2011 funding year. Please be
advised that this is a proposal, and Congress will ultimately
decide what the actual legislation would be.
Q:
Do we complete the Title V- Innovative Programs this year (’09-‘10)?
A: No. All Title V, Part A components will
be eliminated from the 2009-10 Consolidated Application Update.
Funding for Title V, Part A has not been appropriated since 2007-08.
In 2008-09, LEAs were able to use carryover funds that remained from
unexpended 2007-08 appropriations. This opportunity expires effective
August 31, 2009; any carryover funds remaining must be returned to USDOE.
Q: Will
districts be able to utilize transferability to Title V in 2009-2010?
A: No. There are no funds accounts under Title
V, Part A for 2009-10.
Q:
What are the requirements for homeless student allocations?
A: If the LEA has non-Title I schools,
a reserve/set-aside must be identified in the Title I, FS-10
budget for the services for homeless students who attend non-Title
I Schools, although it may be used for homeless students who
attend Title I Schools as well. Even if no homeless children
or unaccompanied youth are currently identified, a reserve must
be included for homeless children who may enroll during the school
year.
The Title I director must coordinate the set-aside amount and
its uses with the district’s homeless liaison. See the following
website for allowable services: http://nysteachs.org/faqs/titlei.html.
The plan for homeless students, in the Consolidated application,
must articulate clearly how the district’s homeless liaison will
ensure that Homeless children and youth and their families receive
educational services for which they are eligible, including Head
Start, Even Start, and preschool programs administered by the
LEA, and referrals to health, mental health, dental, and other
appropriate services;
To calculate the set-aside for homeless a district needs to identify
who is homeless. All districts receiving Title I funds are required
to use an enrollment form at registration that asks nighttime
residence that will identify who is homeless. Please see the
following website for the enrollment form: http://nysteachs.org/media/INF_SED_SampleEnrollForm_ResQuest.doc
Four methods you might be able to use to determine your set-aside
for homeless students:
1. Review needs and costs involved in serving homeless students in the current year and use those figures to project for the following year.
2. Multiply the number of homeless students by the Title I Part A per pupil allocation.
3. For districts with subgrants, reserve an amount greater than or equal to the McKinney-Vento subgrant funding request.
4. Reserve a percentage based on the district’s poverty level or total Title I Part A allocation.
For more information: http://www.nysteachs.org/media/INF_Fed_TitleI_SetAside_QA.pdf Homeless children and youth are entitled to receive all of the services that are provided to their non-homeless counterparts and in the same setting as their non-homeless peers. These include: before-school, after-school, and/or summer programs; counseling services; outreach efforts to identify children and youth living in homeless situations and help them access school programs; basic needs such as clothing, uniforms, school supplies, and health-related needs; transportation once the student is permanently housed; the work of the liaison; tutoring services; parental involvement programs that make a special effort to reach out to parents in homeless situations; research-based programs that benefit highly mobile students; data collection to assess the needs and progress of homeless and other highly mobile students; and other services that are not ordinarily provided to permanently housed Title I students and are not available from other sources.
Maintenance of Effort (MOE)
Q:
Please explain MOE.
A: MOE, or Maintenance of Effort,
like Supplement Not Supplant, is a mechanism to ensure that federal
funds support additional services to improve education rather
than just paying for existing, or required, ones. An LEA maintains
its effort when it continues to contribute at least 90% of the
amount of local and state funds that it contributed in the preceding
year. When we speak about MOE, we are generally looking at 3
years - the year under consideration for funding, e.g., 2009-10,
which we’ll call year 3; the year prior to that (2008-09 in this
case), which we’ll call year 2, and the preceding year (2007-08),
which we’ll call Year 1. In order to receive its full federal
allocation in Year 3, the LEA must have, in year 2, contributed
at least 90% of what it had contributed in state and local funds
during Year 1. Barring exceptional circumstances, such as a
disaster or drastic cut in state and local funds, an LEA that
failed to maintain that 90% effort will have its Year 3 allocation
cut accordingly.
Q:
When will the Title I Application Supplement be available?
A: The Title I Supplement is also in the revision stages and not
yet ready for release. We are trying to put it in the same format
as the Comparability report was last year (easy-to-produce, retrievable data,
etc.)
Q:
Can we use last year’s Consolidated Application and the Title I
supplement and fill them out?
A: Some of last year’s forms (consultation/collaboration,
private school part) require only that the dates be changed.
The 2009-10 Supplement will be different.
Q:
I would like to know the last day that changes in the Title I
Allocations can occur after approval of the FS-10's.
A: Allocations are always vulnerable to
changes if USDE says to change them. The routine posting of
“final” Title I allocations usually takes place in Dec. /Jan., after
the final data are received from the Charter School LEAs. There
are no scheduled changes to the other Titles after the initial posting.
2009-10 Consolidated Application Update
Q:
Please list any commonly missed areas or common errors.
A: Common errors include missing required forms & signatures:
- Signed Assurances and Certifications – (pages 9-22) Assurances & certifications must be attached to signature page.
- Consultation/Collaboration Documentation Form 2009-10 (boxes not checked, required group not represented, IIA paraprofessional, IV student, parents)
- Title I, Part A, Services for Homeless Students, LEA Plan – item 2 (enrollment form) and item 3
- Title I, Part A, item 11 – Coordination of Services
- Title I, Part A, LEA Plan – item 13 – Parent Involvement narrative response and copy of Title I LEA Parent Involvement Policy. We need to see it every year.
- Title II, Part A, narrative response to question #1
- Title II, Part D, on line Technology Plan Checklist, and current Technology Plan website address
- Title IV, Part A, Safe and Drug Free Schools (item 7) and the typology table.
- Private School Participation Form(s) (if applicable) Include allocations, check accepting or declining and description of programs attached.
- Title I, Part D, Participation of Facilities with Children Who are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk of Dropping Out of School Form (if applicable)
- Budget Narrative for each program.
Q:
Can you provide websites and contact information for technical
assistance?
A: Technical assistance for the Consolidated
Application Update can be found at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/nclb/consolidatedappupdate/ta/
Q:
How different will the page numbers on the 2009-10 Consolidated
Application Update be from last year?
A: They will be similar to last year’s application.
There are 91 pages in the document under review.
Q:
Will the application still be available at the NCLB web site or
must we download it from SEDDAS?
A: The Application and guidance will be posted
at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/nclb/consolidatedappupdate/
Q:
We would appreciate a general overview of the process. In addition,
can you provide information on any training sessions for Title
I, IIa, IId, III, IV and UPK coordinators?
A: Preparation of the Consolidated Application
is an important part of school improvement planning and its components
reflect steps in that process.
A general overview of the process is provided by the Webinars
on our Technical Assistance page.
Q:
What changes have been made in the application process?
A: Title V was deleted. Schools newly identified
in August/September 2009 are required to offer SES in the first
year of improvement (Differentiated Accountability). The submission
instructions require one original application with 2 copies in word
format on CDs. In addition to the original signed application, you
must also submit 1 hard copy of all appropriate signature pages as
follows:
- Consultation/ Collaboration Form;
- Private School Participation Form; and
- Title I, Part D Neglected and Delinquent Form
Budgets still require an original and two hard copies. Only one budget narrative is required for each budget code.
Q:
Can you give examples of outstanding budget narratives?
A: The budget narrative should briefly explain
the line item expenditures in the budget so that the reviewer
can determine that the expenditure is allowable.
Q:
I need to verify that the correct BEDS Codes are being used across
each Title Award.
A: Go to the following link to verify your schools’
BEDS code:
http://www.oms.nysed.gov/cafe/reports/
You can also contact the BEDS office at (518)-474-7965.
Q:
How is the application different for a school identified as a "School
in Need of Improvement" Year One?
A: Applications for LEAs with Title I schools
in improvement must use the Group 1 checklist and complete the
applicable sections for School Improvement, Public School Choice
and SES (if the school does not make AYP for 2008-09 and becomes
a School in Improvement – Year 2).The budget would have to include
any required set-asides for professional development in the identified building.
The supplement would have to show the required 20% reserve for Choice/SES,
and the budget would have to show the Title I funds that are being used for
the 20% Choice/SES reserve.
Q:
How is poverty calculated for funding purposes?
A: See the Eligible Child Count tables on our
Web site at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/funding/cladcep/0910/childcount0910.html
Q:
My allocation has been decreasing dramatically for the past three
years. Is this happening to everyone and why?
A: Title I funds are allocated based on the size
of the State allocation, the eligible child count, and an LEA’s
relative position vis-à-vis the other LEAs in the State.
Q:
Regarding the Title I Supplement: What is the best method for
determining cost per pupil?
A: Follow the instructions on the Supplement form.
It depends if your LEA has a 125% requirement, and how many attendance
areas are Title I-eligible. The bottom line is that each LEA
needs to sub-allocate all of its available funds (the figure at the
end of Section 6 of the Supplement) among its Title I-eligible attendance
areas. An LEA can take that figure and divide by the total number
of poverty pupils in Title I attendance areas and come up with a
good Per Pupil Amount (PPA).
Q:
If an LEA is no longer eligible for Title I, Part A, can we use
Transferability of the use of funds from other Titles for I-A
purposes?
A: Yes. An LEA in Good Standing can transfer
the use of 50 percent of the base current year allocation of
Titles II-A, II-D and IV-A for purposes in any one of those three
Titles or Title I-A/D. An LEA in Improvement Status is limited to
30 percent of the base allocation, and LEAs in Corrective Action
cannot use Transferability. The lack of a base allocation amount for the
Title in which the proposed usage is being contemplated does not preclude
Transferability. For the 2008-09 project year, LEAs were allowed to use Transferability
for Title V-A purposes, even though there was no 2008-09 allocation for that
Title.
Q:
How long are we required to keep the old Consolidated Applications
on file?
A: LEAs are required to keep the old Consolidated
Application for seven years. After the seventh year, LEAs may
discard the application.
Q:
Our Tech Plan has been approved until 2012 pursuant to the requirements
of the FCC's e-rate. Will that acceptance count for Title II?
A: A tech plan for E-Rate application will not
count for Title II Part D. LEAs are required to create or update
its long term education technology plan as a part of its education
improvement plan with focus on integrating technology into teaching
and learning and improving students' academic performance.
Q:
How can I fund someone to serve as an attendance officer at the
middle level?
A: Attendance Officers are generally locally
funded. The position of Attendance Officer, as it’s usually
conceived, isn’t one that can be funded by Title I. It’s usually
a district level position with reporting responsibilities that are
not limited strictly to removing barriers to academic performance
for participating children. However, the fact that you mention only the middle
level suggests that you may be conceiving of this position differently.
As with many Title I issues, additional details are needed to answer
your question. They include, among others, the functions to be performed;
eligibility for services of the students to be served; and whether or not
any similar positions have been, or will be supported by other funds.
First, whom will the attendance officer serve? All students
in all middle schools? If so, are all of your schools Title
I Schoolwide Programs and have their needs assessments identified poor
attendance as a significant barrier to improving the school’s performance?
If your schools are Targeted Assistance, will the attendance person work
only with identified students and their families? If the position will
serve any students within the district who do not either meet the Title
I academic eligibility criteria or attend a Title I Schoolwide program,
or if the LEA is supporting, or intends to support similar positions with
local funds, it will no longer be supplementary in the sense of being
above and beyond what any other students would receive and what the district
would otherwise support.
Will the purpose of the attendance officer’s funded work be exclusively
devoted to removing barriers to academic performance caused by
poor attendance (or to other allowable activities)? To the extent that
it’s not, Title I can’t be used to fund it.
If the position meets the criteria above, has it ever been paid
for through local funds or a different existing federal grant?
Essentially, barring any special circumstances, you can only
fund this position with Title I funds if
a) the attendance officer will serve only students who are Title
I eligible for whom poor attendance is presenting a barrier to
their academic achievement or students in schoolwide program schools that
have identified poor attendance in their needs assessment and funding
this position as part of the schoolwide plan.
AND
b) this will be the position’s sole function (with the exception
of other allowable Title I activities) and no similar positions
have been or will be supported by other funds within the LEA.
Such a position would really be more like that of a social worker
or student/family attendance advocate, rather than an attendance
officer, which implies a number of non-allowable functions, so it should
be named differently to prevent it from slipping into some of those non-allowable
activities associated with attendance officers down the road.
Q:
When will the application materials be available on-line for
the consolidated grants?
A: The 2009-10 Consolidated Application Update
is presently going through the Department’s approval process.
As soon as this process is completed, it will be released for posting.
Since there will be no significant changes, staff can be guided by
their 2008-09 application. The Application and guidance will be
posted at:
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/nclb/consolidatedappupdate/
Q:
Can we obtain an audio recording of the workshop?
A: An audio recording will not be available,
however, the Questions and Answers document is intended to provide
the same end.
Q:
When will allocations be available?
A: Preliminary allocations are currently posted
on the Consolidated Application website at. http://www.p12.nysed.gov/nclb/consolidatedappupdate/
Q:
What are the requirements (re: allocations/transportation costs/etc.)
for schools required to offer School Choice?
A: Schools required to offer School Choice must
set-aside an amount equivalent to 20% of their Title I allocation
if they are not required to offer Supplemental Educational Services
(SES). Funds for transportation costs related to school choice can
come from other federal, state or local sources. If an LEA can demonstrate
that a lesser amount is needed they may allocate that lesser amount.
Justification should be included in the School Choice Plan in the application
and in the Title I FS-10 Budget Narrative. If funds are going to come
from a Non-Title I Source make sure you indicate it in the online
Supplement Form.
Q:
As someone new to the Consolidated Application, will there be
additional training or support in Albany this summer?
A: Additional support can be found by viewing
the following webinars which are presently available on our website
at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/nclb/consolidatedappupdate/ta/
- NCLB
2008-09 Allocations and Forms Webinar
Group 1: Big Four and Schools in Accountability Webinar - Group 2: Schools in Good Standing
Titles I-A & D, II-D and III Webinar| Titles II-A, IV and V Webinar - Title I and Homeless Education Requirements PowerPoint Presentation(358 KB)
Please check our website periodically for the following Webinar updates that will be coming soon:
- NCLB 2009-10 Consolidated Application Update: Application and Budget Reminders
- School Choice/Supplemental Educational Services
- Neglected and Delinquent
- Safe and Drug Free Schools
- Parent Involvement
The Title I staff is also available to assist. Please call (518) 473-0295 with any additional questions you may have.
Q:
Our district is looking for specific guidelines on allowable
professional salaries and professional development; also specific
guidelines on supplement/supplant.
A: Guidance can be found by clicking on the Allowable/Unallowable
Expenses link on the Title I Technical Assistance page for the Consolidated
Application. The Supplement, Not Supplant restriction is the basis
for most of what is or is not allowable in professional salaries. General
principles to keep in mind that describe which positions are not allowable
and explain supplement versus supplanting in the process are:
- Positions required by statute or regulation are not allowable. They are not supplemental (above and beyond what’s required and/or what’s supported by other funds for non-eligible students or would be supported by other funds in the absence of Title I funds) so using Title I funds for them, e.g., to teach required core courses, would be supplanting a required LEA expenditure. One exception to this is AIS positions.
- As an example, guidance counselors are required by Commissioner’s Regulations at the secondary level but not at the elementary level so a counselor at the elementary level could be supplementary while one of the required positions at the secondary level would not be; funding the latter would be supplanting and would not be allowable.
- District wide positions are not allowable because they perform district functions in addition to serving eligible students and may even serve non-eligible students within the LEA. For example, a deputy superintendent could not be funded by Title I.
- Any position is not allowable to the extent that it doesn’t perform supplementary Title I functions for eligible Title I students.
- Title I coordinators can, as a last resort, be paid with Title I funds for the proportion of their salary appropriately devoted to Title I functions.
- Required administrators, such as principals, may NOT be paid with Title
I funds for ANY activities that take place within their regular work day.