Religious and Independent Schools

 

To:  Principals of Nonpublic Schools, Chief Executive and Chief Financial Officers of Nonpublic Schools

 

From:  Office of Nonpublic Schools and the Office of Grants Management

 

Subject:  Closed School Procedures

 

The following steps are necessary for all schools that are ceasing operations. It is suggested that schools complete all applicable steps outlined below prior to submitting payment or reimbursement requests, to allow for processing time. Failure to complete the steps will affect a school’s ability to claim Mandated Services Aid for prior years in which the school was active:

 

1. Basic Information to be Provided to NYSED:  A representative from the Board of Trustees, the Diocese, the conference, the Synagogue or the entity which oversaw the establishment of the school must submit a notice to the Office of Nonpublic Schools, Room 475 EBA, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany NY 12234.  This notice must include the following information:

• the name and location of the school
• expected date of closing
• the BEDS code of the school
• the storage location for both the academic and financial records, including address and contact person and/or phone number and email
• the name, address, email, and phone number(s) of the individual(s) who will function as the contact(s) for academic and/or business questions concerning the school’s closing
• the correct name and address for the payee, if different from what is currently listed in State Education Department Reference File (SEDREF)

 

2. Payee Information:  If the school requires a change in payee information, the school official must update both their vendor maintenance account in the Office of the State Comptroller, and the SEDREF file in the Department of Education.  To update in SEDREF, the school must complete the Payee Information form located at http://www.oms.nysed.gov/cafe/forms  and mail the original form (not a photocopy) to Office of Grants Management, Room 481 EBA, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234. Without the proper updates to the OSC Vendor file and SEDREF, payments will be sent to the last payee name and address in the OSC Vendor file.

 

3. Dissolving Incorporated Schools:  If the school is a corporation to be dissolved, reimbursements will not be made until such time the school has been officially dissolved by the Department.  Information regarding the dissolution process and required fees can be located at:

https://www.p12.nysed.gov/nonpub/closing or http://www.counsel.nysed.gov/pamphlet9

 

4.   Mandated Services Aid:  If a school that is closing, or has closed, anticipates claiming Mandated Services Aid, we suggest the following:

•  Before closing, school officials should compile a folder or folders with documentation supporting the last three years of claims.  It should include: financial records, faculty lists, enrollments, information for workshops, RIC receipts, copies of claims, CAP policy, etc.
• The school should appoint a person who can address both academic and financial questions that may arise during the review of your claim, and have current phone numbers available.   This person should be the person in charge as outlined in the notice of closure that is to be submitted to the Office of Nonpublic Schools, as opposed to the person who signed the claim.  

Other important information regarding NYSED reviews of claims originating from closed schools: 

 

• Reviews of claims from closed schools involve an examination of the school’s last three years of claims.
• Reviewers may review any prior year claim to determine its accuracy. All outstanding issues must be resolved prior to approval of the final claim. 
• In addition, staff may ask to review CAP policies for compliance if CAP is also being claimed. 
• Claims from closed schools are generally processed after those schools that are currently open.
• In those cases where there is no individual who can address questions brought forth by a reviewer, schools should be advised that any discrepancy will be left to the reviewer’s discretion, in accordance with our Review Protocols.  The lack of documentation or information requested to substantiate a claim may affect the final payment to the school. 

 

For additional information on the process, contact the Office of Grants Management at (518) 474-3936.