Food and Nutrition Service

1

• Food and Nutrition Service
• EARS Training
• Moving from Planning to Implementation

2
EARS What, Why and When
3
What is EARS?

• EARS is a reporting form - not a data collection
  tool
• It provides descriptive information and data, not
  outcome data
• Annual report of prior Fiscal Years activities
  and expenditures

4
Why do we need EARS?

• EARS has established uniform definitions for FSNE
  participants and contacts
• Data will provide a picture of FSNE activities on
  a state, regional and national level
• Allow for trend analysis over time
• Data will be available to respond to and support
  policy and legislative efforts

5
EARS will not meet all our needs

• EARS is one of several actions FNS has taken to
  enhance our understanding of State and local FSNE
  activitiesit will not tell us everything.
• It will NOT
• Replace the year end report.
• Tell us about all aspects of FSNE.
• Provide evaluation data.

6
What will EARS Accomplish?

• Inform management decisions
• Support policy initiatives
• Provide documentation for legislative, budget
  other requests
• Support the planning function

7
Roles Responsibilities FNS HQ and Regional
Offices

• Coordinating, planning, and participating in EARS
  trainings
• Provide training resources
• Conduct training follow-up

8
Roles Responsibilities FNS Regional Offices

• Monitoring providing training TA to States
• Reviewing EARS transmitting it to HQ
• Using EARS data to inform the annual FSNE State
  Plan review process

9
Roles Responsibilities FNS Headquarters

• Developing Web-based reporting system
• Generating reports to inform management decisions
• Monitoring EARS implementation
• Plan to consolidate EARS and annual reporting
• Collecting user feedback to improve EARS
• Developing training tools
• Sharing best practices

10
Roles Responsibilities State FSNE Partners

• Participating in training
• Providing training and technical assistance to
  IAs as needed
• Reviewing and monitoring data collection
• Using data to inform annual FSNE State Plan
  process
• Providing guidance to IAs on dates to submit EARS
  to the State Food Stamp Office and providing
  feedback
• Reviewing and submitting EARS data to FNS using
  the FPRS Web-based system

11
Roles Responsibilities Implementing Agencies

• Collecting, compiling, and submitting accurate
  data to State Agency
• Participating in trainings as needed
• Providing training and technical assistance to
  local providers
• Monitoring data collection
• Using data to inform planning and management
  process
• Reviewing and monitor data collection at the
  project level to ensure accuracy of collection
  and reporting.

12
EARS Milestones Timeline

• EARS Work Group convened October 2003
• EARS Pilot Test Winter 2005
• EARS submitted for OMB Clearance January 2007
• Clearance Obtained /Approval August 2007
• EARS Training
• Conduct Regional Trainings Jan May 2008
• Conduct Training Conference Calls Mar Nov 2008
• Online Training Resource Jan 2009
• First Year EARS Implementation
• Report financial data (9 and 10) Fiscal Year
  2008
• Full EARS Implementation
• Report all applicable EARS data Fiscal Year
  2010

13
OutputsWhat will EARS tell us?
14
Direct Education Average Contacts Per FSNE
Participant by FSP Status by FY
Sample Output Only
15
Direct Education FSNE Participant Ages by FSP
Status by FY / SA / RO / National
Sample Output Only
16
Direct Education Racial/ethnic Composition of
FSNE Participants by FY
Sample Output Only
17
Direct Education FSNE Delivery Sites
Sample Output Only
18
Social MarketingMajor Activities for Current Year
Sample Output Only
19
ExpendituresProportion of funds spent on
administration vs. delivery
Sample Output Only
20
EARS Get Ready, Set, and Go!
21
Training Objectives

• Objectives
• Ensure a common understanding of the purpose of
  the EARS report
• Provide a hands-on experience in completing the
  reporting form
• Clarify questions about the final reporting form
  and data required under each section
• Begin to identify best practices for
  collecting and compiling EARS data
• Identify any unanticipated issues and
  formulate strategies for resolving them.

22
Moving to Implementation

• Most States are in the planning phase
• Identifying gaps in current collection
• Making adjustments in data collection for
  implementation
• Identifying training needs conducting training
• Focus of todays training
• Understanding what EARS requires
• How to compile data record on the form
• Share examples of tools approaches for
  collecting data

23
General Guidance Collecting Submitting EARS
Data

• EARS data must reflect activities and
  expenditures that occurred during the Federal
  fiscal year covered by the report
• EXAMPLE
• The financial data that is due to FNS by
  12/30/08, must reflect expenditures for the
  period 10/1/07 through 9/30/08

24
General Guidance Collecting Submitting EARS
Data

• In general do not duplicate the same participants
  or data in multiple sections of the report, i.e.,
  report EARS participation data in only one
  section.
• Scenario
• Ms. Jones participates in a FSNE series that
  consists of 4 class room sessions, an interactive
  newsletter and a point-of-purchase session at the
  local supermarket.
• HOW DO WE REPORT MS. JONES?

25
Under what section (s) should we report Mrs.
Jones?

• Direct Education Only
• Indirect Only
• Both Direct and Indirect
• Other

Since all of the follow-up activities were
interactive and an integrated component of the
series AND the needed data was collected via her
enrollment, Ms Jones may be counted under direct
education. If the newsletter and
point-of-purchase were not part of the planned
series OR were not interactive, they would be
counted under indirect.
26
General Guidance Collecting Submitting EARS
Data

• Who will submit EARS to FNS?

Answer State Food Stamp Office staff
will enter the data into the online submission
system they now use for other Food Stamp
reports. Staff will use the EARS module. This
data will be reviewed by the FNS regional office
to ensure accuracy before it is transmitted to
FNS. FNS regions will set dates for getting the
data to them for review.
27
When will implementing agencies submit EARS data
and to whom?
Answer State Food Stamp Offices will set
the date for implementing agencies to get the
EARS to the designated Food Stamp Office contact.
They will also identify the format (spread
sheet, text document, etc.) for submitting the
data to them.
28
EARS Flow
HQ Accepts or rejects report. If rejected it will
go back to sender for correction
Reports Outputs shared
29
Overview of the EARS Reporting Form

• The EARS reporting form has 10 data elements
  divided into four areas
• Direct Education
• Social Marketing Initiatives
• Indirect Education
• Expenditures

30
Direct Education

• 1. FSNE Participants by Age and Food Stamp
  Program Status
• 2. FSNE Participants by Gender
• 3. Race and Ethnicity
• 4. Number of FSNE Delivery Sites by Type of
  Setting
• 5. Direct Education Programming Format
• 6. Primary Content of Direct Education

31
Social Marketing 7

• Major campaign activities for current year
• Priority population(s)
• Estimated participation
• Intervention levels and channels
• Key messages
• Expenditures

32
Indirect Education

• 8a. Types of materials distributed
• 8b. Estimated size of audiences reached
  through communication and events

33
Summary of Expenditures

• 9. Expenditures by Sources of Funding
• 10. Expenditures by Category of Spending

34
Direct Education

• Elements
• Definitions
• Instructions
• Examples
• Key Questions

35
Summary - Key Features EARS - the Final Form

• Establishes actual unduplicated counts as the
  preferred method
• Allows IA to report actual or estimated
  unduplicated counts
• Includes Contacts-actual or estimated
• When using estimates- IAs must report method for
  estimating

36
Direct Education Elements

• 1a. FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Age and Food Stamp
  Program Status
• 1b. FSNE CONTACTS by Age and Food Stamp Program
  Status
• 2a. FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Gender
• 2b. FSNE CONTACTS by Gender
• 3. FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Race and Ethnicity
• 4. Number of FSNE Delivery Sites by Type of
  Setting
• 5. Programming Format
• 6. Primary Content of Direct Education

37
Direct Education

• Direct Education is defined
• as interventions where a participant is actively
  engaged in the learning process with an educator
  - and/or interactive media - allowing the
  educators to obtain information about individual
  participants.
• Direct education, requires the collection of
  information on
• the number of individuals
• Food Stamp Program participation status
• age
• gender
• and race/ethnicity

38
Direct Education

• Example 1
• An implementing agency conducts a series of
  nutrition sessions designed to increase fruit and
  vegetable intake. The educators collect
  enrollment data including name, age, race, ethnic
  group, gender, and Food Stamp Program
  participation.

39
Direct Education

• Example 2
• The implementing agency provides nutrition
  education via computerized kiosks at several
  locations. Participants using the kiosks provide
  identifying information including their Food
  Stamp status, ethnicity, age and gender by
  entering this data or by using codes that can be
  linked to this information by the implementing
  agency.

40
What is not Direct Education?

• cases where an individual obtains nutrition
  education or materials or listens to a session
  but no demographic information is captured about
  the individual that allows you to report actual
  participation or data is not available for making
  a reliable estimate. This type of contact would
  count as indirect education.

41
1a. FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Age and FSP Status

• For Question 1a, indicate below if you are
  providing actual unduplicated counts or an
  estimate of FSNE direct education participants.
• (See page 2 of EARS Form)
• _X _ Actual Counts of Participants
  (unduplicated)
• ____ Estimated Counts of Participants

42
1a. FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Age and FSP Status
To report an unduplicated or actual count of
direct education participants

• provide the number of different individuals who
  receive any FSNE direct education.
• each individual counts as one participant,
  regardless of the number of times he or she has
  participated in direct education activities
• actual unduplicated counts is the preferred
  method
• agencies that are not able to do so now, may
  report an estimate of the number of individuals
  served

43
1a. FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Age and FSP Status 1a.
Row 1 the total number of participants (1a) who
are Food Stamp recipients Row 2 the total
participants (1a) for all other (non- food stamp)
persons Row 3 the total participants by age
category (Row1-2 Columns A-E).
44
1a. FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Age and FSP Status
EXAMPLE
45
1a. FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Age and FSP Status
EXAMPLE If you reported an estimated count in
Question 1a, please describe in 100 words or less
the methods used to estimate the number of
participants.
46
1b. CONTACTS by Age FSP Status

• FSNE contact
• an interaction in which a person participates in
  a FNSE direct education activity. Each FSNE
  participant may have one or more FSNE contacts.
• Participation answers the who question.
• Contact answers the how much question.

47
1b. CONTACTS by Age FSP Status

• For Question 1b, indicate below if you are
  providing actual counts or an estimate of FSNE
  direct education contacts.
• ___ Actual Counts of Contacts
• ___ Estimated Counts of Contacts

Row 1 the total number of Contacts (1a) who are
Food Stamp recipients Row 2 the total Contacts
(1a) for all other (non- food stamp) persons
Row Row 3 the total Contacts by age category
(Row1-2 Columns A-E).
48
1b. CONTACTS by Age FSP Status
EXAMPLE
49
1b. CONTACTS by Age FSP Status
EXAMPLE
If you reported an estimated count in Question
1b, please describe in 100 words or less the
methods used to estimate the number of contacts.
Line 3, Column D of attendees X of classes
est. total contacts
50
Special Circumstances

• What method can we use to determine Food Stamp
  status among children in schools and child care
  settings?
• Multiply the of children participating in FSNE
  at each school or child care facility by the of
  students eligible for FREE school meals.

51
Special Circumstances
Example
Good Start Elementary School program has 100 5th
grade children participating in FSNE with 60 of
kids attending the school eligible for free
school meals.

• In the 5-17 Years (grade K-12) column, report
  60 students under Number of Food Stamp
  Participants in FSNE and 40 students under
  Number of All Other Participants in FSNE for a
  total of 100 students.

52
Special Circumstances

• Teen-age FSNE participants should be counted by
  their age for Question 1 even if they are
  parents.

• Example
• A teen parent that is 16 years old, should be
  counted under Column B, 5-17 Years (Grades K-12).
  If the teen is 19 years old, count her under
  Column C 18-59 Years.

53
QA

• What methods are best for gathering demographic
  data in community settings?

The methods used and indeed the need for
collecting demographic data (gender, age,
race/ethnic data) depend on the educational
approach you employ, i.e. direct, social
marketing, or indirect. For the last two
approaches you do not need to report this data on
EARS.
54
Q A
What is the definition of duplicated count?  Is
it just the same participant within the same
program? 

• Duplicated counts mean that FSNE participants
  are counted multiple times. Implementing Agencies
  should strive to ensure that counts of
  participants and contacts are unduplicated within
  their agency/program.

55
QA
Talk about guidelines for estimating unduplicated
counts of participants and provide examples.

• FNS has no guidelines for estimating unduplicated
  counts of participants.

56
Q A

• Regarding direct education if participants
  fail to report on one or more of the criteria for
  direct education, would this disqualify the
  activity from being counted as direct education?
  For example if gender is omitted.

• Answer It depends on a couple of things.
• Is this omission a system flaw?
• Is it a participant error?
• A system flaw would disqualify the activity.
• A participant error would disqualify that
  participant.

57
QA
Can we use the location-based proxy sites (as
outlined in the FSNE guidance) as a proxy for
Food Stamp recipients when FSNE is conducted in a
category 2 site?

• Answer
• We encourage you to collect data on Food Stamp
  status and other demographic data directly from
  adults when you report these under direct
  education.

58

• Case Study

59
Case Study Orientation

• State X
• University of X Cooperative Extension
• Conducts Direct, Social Marketing and Indirect
  FSNE
• Works with Network other partners
• Prepares the FY 2008 EARS report

60
Case Study Orientation

• Observe the headings of the columns
• Actual Data
• Estimated Data
• Type of Setting column includes age
• Actual Count of FSP Participants includes
  percentage

61
Case StudyItem 1

• Instructions to Groups
• Meet and Greet each other
• Select a group member to record results/report
  results to the larger group.
• Select someone to do the calculations
• Identify a time keeper to keep things moving.
• Read the case study, compute results and complete
  the appropriate component of the EARS form

62
Case Study Debrief
63
Answer Key Item 1a
64
Calculating Totals 5-17 Year old Participants-1a
4032
3448
7,480

• Public Schools
• Actual Total Direct Education Participation
  5,800 kids
• 53 are Eligible for Free lunch 5,800 x .53
  3,074 Actual FSP Participation (already
  calculated for you)
• Public Middle School
• Actual Total Direct Education Participation
  1,680 kids
• 57 are Free lunch- 1,680 x .57 958 Actual FSP
  Participation (already calculated for you)
• Number of Food Stamp Recipients in FSNE between
  5-17 years 3,074 958 4,032

65
Answer Key Item 1b
Line 3, Column D of attendees X of classes
est. total contacts
66
Calculating Contacts 5-17 Year old
Participants-1b
48,379
41,381
89,760
Public Elementary School Contacts 12 5800 kids
69600 x .53 36,888 Est. contacts for FSP
participation(
Under Public Middle School Contacts 12 1,680
kids 20,160 x.57 11,491 Est. contacts
for FSP
Total 5-17 years old kids 89,760 -
48,379 41,381 others contacts
67
Direct Education Elements

• 1a. FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Age and Food Stamp
  Program Status
• 1b. FSNE CONTACTS by Age and Food Stamp Program
  Status
• 2a. FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Gender
• 2b. FSNE CONTACTS by Gender
• 3. Race and Ethnicity
• 4. Number of FSNE Delivery Sites by Type of
  Setting
• 5 Programming Format
• 6. Primary Content of Direct Education

68
2a. FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Gender
Instructions Enter the Direct Ed. Participants
by gender in Row 1, columns A B. Totals must
equal FSNE participants in Q 1a Row 3 Column E
69
2b. FSNE CONTACTS by Gender
Example 1b
FSNE Contacts

Example 2b
Instructions Enter the Direct Ed. Participants
by gender in Row 1, columns A B. Totals must
equal FSNE contacts in Q 1b Row 3 Column E
70
2a. FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Gender Example
Example 1a
Number of Participants

Example 2a
Instructions Enter the Direct Ed. Participants
by gender in Row 1, columns A B. Totals must
equal FSNE participants in Q 1a Row 3 Column E
71
QA - Gender

• When conducting direct education in large group
  community settings, can you use visual assessment
  of the audience to estimate gender for EARS?

For actual unduplicated counts, gender must be
collected. The methods used in large group
settings would be similar to other settings.
72
Direct Education Elements

• 1a. FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Age and Food Stamp
  Program Status
• 1b. FSNE CONTACTS by Age and Food Stamp Program
  Status
• 2a. FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Gender
• 2b. FSNE CONTACTS by Gender
• 3. Race and Ethnicity
• 4. Number of FSNE Delivery Sites by Type of
  Setting
• 5. Programming Format
• 6. Primary Content of Direct Education

73
3. Race and Ethnicity
74
3. Race and Ethnicity
75
3. Race and EthnicityEXAMPLES -
Example 1 A FSNE participant who reports she is
Hispanic and Black is counted in Column A, Row 3.
Example 2 A FSNE participant who reports being
White, Asian, and Black but not Hispanic is
counted in Column B, Row 10.
76
QA

• Can participants be included in the unduplicated
  count if race and ethnicity is unreported or
  refused?

If the actual method is used to report data
for Question 3, they can not be counted as a
direct education recipient if race and ethnicity
is not obtained. In this case, they should be
reported under other in Question 8.
(Others) If the estimated reporting method is
used, they can be included under item 1 and 3.
77
QA

• What is the best source for obtaining race and
  ethnicity data from schools?
•  

Request that the school provide aggregate race
and ethnicity data for the classrooms in which
you are conducting FSNE activities. When this
is not available, school wide data may be used.
78
QA

• A visual assessment for race and ethnicity may
  be used in individual or small group settings
  when participants do not provide this
  information. What do your recommend in large
  group settings where visual assessment is not
  appropriate?

It is best to allow adult participants to self
identify race and ethnicity whether it is in
small or large group settings. This can be done,
for example, by asking the questions on a program
intake sheet or on a program feedback/assessment
form.
79
QA

• Hispanic persons often do not choose a separate
  race. How do you suggest we deal with this issue?

The EARS form can not be changed as this is the
version approved by OMB. OMB identified and
defined the terms data on EARS in 1997. FSP
issued guidance to all State FSP agencies on
implementing the new Racial/Ethnic Data
Collection in 2006. IAs should contact their
State FSP Agencies for guidance on collecting and
reporting this information.
80

• Case Study

81
Case StudyItems 2 and 3

• Instructions to Groups
• In your small group, read the case study and
  complete Items 2 and 3 of the form.
• Select a group member to record results.
• Be prepared to share results and questions with
  the larger group.
• You have about 20 minutes to work on this part of
  the case study.

82
Case Study Debrief
83
Answer Key Item 2a
84
Answer Key Item 2b
85
Answer Key Item 3
86

Direct Education Review of Items 4-6
87
Direct Education Elements

• 1a. Direct Education FSNE PARTICIPANTS by Age
  and Food Stamp Program Status
• 1b. Direct Education FSNE CONTACTS by Age and
  Food Stamp Program Status
• 2a. Direct Education FSNE PARTICIPANTS by
  Gender
• 2b. Direct Education FSNE CONTACTS by Gender
• Direct Education Race and Ethnicity
• Direct Education Number of FSNE Delivery Sites
  by Type of Setting
• Direct Education Programming Format
• Primary Content of Direct Education

88
4. Number of Delivery Sites by Type of Setting
89
4. Number of FSNE Delivery Sitesby Type of
Setting
For each type of DIRECT EDUCATION setting used,
enter the number of different sites/locations
used within the State. Record each site only
ONCE on this form. If you provide interactive
multimedia education, please report locations
where kiosks/computers are available
90
4. Number of FSNE Delivery Sitesby Type of
Setting
Example 1 FSNE is provided to residents of a
shelter that is located in a local church.
Record this site under Church. Example 2 FSNE
is provided to participants in Head Start which
is operating in the local elementary school which
also has FSNE activities with the elementary
school students. Record this site only once
under Public School. .
91
4. Number of FSNE Delivery Sites by Type of
Setting
Example 3 FSNE is provided through interactive
multimedia via kiosks in 15 food stores and 10
worksites that have no other FSNE activities.
These kiosks should be added to the numbers of
sites reported under the food stores and worksite
categories in Question 4.
92
5. Direct Education Programming Format
93
5. Direct Education Programming Format
Example 1 A state reports that 40 single
sessions were delivered ranging in time from
45-60 minutes and that 10 were delivered by
interactive multimedia. Row 1 of the form would
show
94
6. Primary Content of Direct Education
95
Case Study
EARS Regional Trainings 2008
96
Case Study Items 4-6

• Instructions to Groups
• In your small group, read the case study and
  complete Items 4-6 of the EARS form.
• Select a small group member to record results.
• Be prepared to share results and questions with
  the larger group.
• You have about 20 minutes to work on this part of
  the case study.

97
Case Study Debrief
98
Answer Key Item 4
99
Answer Key Item 5
100
Answer Key Item 6
101
Social Marketing Indirect Education
102
7. Social Marketing Initiatives
Social Marketing is defined as a
consumer-focused, research-based process to plan,
implement and evaluate interventions that are
designed to influence the voluntary behavior of a
large number of people in the target audience
(adapted from Alan Andreasen 1995 and Social
Marketing Division of Society for Nutrition
Education).
103
7. Social Marketing Initiatives

• For an activity to qualify as a social marketing
  campaign  
• Identified a specific segment of the food
  stamp/low income population to target.
• Identified the specific nutrition needs of the
  target audience, associated target behavior(s),
  and the target audiences reasons for and against
  changing behavior.
• Interacted with the target audience to see if the
  message, materials, and delivery channel are
  understood and meaningful (would lead to behavior
  change).

104
7. Social Marketing Initiatives
Social marketing campaigns that include both
direct and indirect education activities may
elect to report these under these categories.
If direct and indirect education activities are
reported in the direct education section or the
indirect education section, they may NOT be
reported in the social marketing section because
that would result in a duplicate count.
105
7. Social Marketing Initiatives
Instructions page 10-11
106
7. Social Marketing Initiatives
Instructions page 12
107
Indirect Education
8a. Types of Materials Distributed 8b.
Estimated Size of Audiences Reached through
Communication and Events
108
8. Indirect Education

• Defined as the distribution of information and
  resources, including any mass communications,
  public events and materials distribution that DO
  NOT meet the definitions of Direct Education or
  Social Marketing Campaigns.
• Mass communication, public events and material
  distribution efforts that dont meet the
  definition of social marketing should be reported
  under Indirect Education.

109
8a. Types of Materials Distributed
110
8b - Estimated Size of Audience Reached through
Communication Events
111
8b - Estimated Size of Audience Reached through
Communication Events
Instructions for Question 8b For each type of
communication channel and event enter the
estimated number of individuals in the target
population(s) reached and the code of the source
of the data used to tabulate the estimate. 1
commercial market data on audience size 2
survey of target audience 3 visual estimate 4
other
112
Example
Scenario 1 Take home material (fact sheets,
pamphlets, newsletters, promotional materials,
etc.) is given to participants who attend direct
education classes. These are referred to as
reinforcing materials. Would these items be
counted under indirection education?
113
Example
Scenario 2 Nutrition education articles are
written and published in a newspaper or community
newsletter. Would this be considered indirect
education in EARS?
114
Example

• Scenario 3 Nutrition education materials
  (pamphlets, newsletters, promotional materials,
  etc.) are left in the lobbies of WIC clinics or
  at food banks for people to pick up.
• Would this be a considered indirect education in
  EARS?

115
Case Study
EARS Regional Trainings 2008
116
Case Study - Items 7-8

• Instructions to Groups
• In your small group, read the case study and
  complete Items 7-8 of the EARS form.
• Select a small group member to record results.
• Be prepared to share results and questions with
  the larger group.
• You have about 20 minutes to work on this part of
  the case study.
• TIP To answer columns K and L on Item 7 refer to
  Table 5 of the Case Study on page 6.

117
Case Study - Items 7
118
Case Study Debrief
119
Answer Key - Item 7
120
Answer Key - Item 7
121
Answer Key - Item 8a
122
Answer Key - Item 8b
123
Expenditures
124
9. Expenditures by Sources of Funding
Instructions on page 14
EARS Regional Trainings 2008
125
10. Expenditures by Category of Spending
Data provided in this table are (check one)
____ actual or ____estimated based on FTE
allocation. Instructions on page 15
EARS Regional Trainings 2008
126
Case Study
EARS Regional Trainings 2008
127
Case Study - Items 9-10

• Instructions to Groups
• In your small group, read the case study and
  complete Items 9-10 of the EARS form.
• Select a small group member to record results.
• Be prepared to share results and questions with
  the larger group.
• You have about 15 minutes to work on this part of
  the case study.

128
Case Study Debrief
129
9. Expenditures by Sources of Funding
EARS Regional Trainings 2008
130
Answer Key - Item 9
131
EARS Regional Trainings 2008
132
10. Expenditures by Category of Spending
Data provided in this table are (check one)
____ actual or ____estimated based on FTE
allocation.
EARS Regional Trainings 2008
133
Answer Key - Item 10
134
Training Resources and Plans
135
Training Resources

• 7 regional trainings
• Regional training materials available
  electronically
• Special topic/technical assistance conference
  calls
• Electronic Training Guide posted on website
• On-line submission form

136
EARS Online System Development Timeline
- Develop system specifications
- Create EARS form in FPRS and data collection
in NDB
- Pilot Testing Round 1
- Integrate data entry in FPRS with data
collection in NDB and create canned reports
137
EARS Online System Development Timeline
138
Next Steps

• Planning
• --Identify gaps in current collection
• --Determine how to fill them
• --Identify training needs and conduct training
• Make adjustments in data collection for
  implementation
• How will you use and share data among
  stakeholders, partners, and educators.