NCLB Update

1
NCLB Update

• December 2008
• Marilyn Peterson, Federal Programs Administrator

2
Agenda

• Title III new interpretations
• Title I projects
• Targeted Assistance Schools
• Schoolwide Programs
• Financial
• Applications
• Adequate Yearly Progress
• Upcoming dates

3
New Title III and Title I

• The Title III office was moved (at USDE) to the
  SASA office that includes Title I to better
  coordinate and integrate the programs
• USDE has released new interpretations of Title
  I and III requirements
• Become effective with July 2009 grants
• USDE adding new interpretations to the Single
  Audit Act (A-87) and monitoring of Title I and III

4
Supplement, not supplant

• Title I funds cant be used to provide any
  activity required by State or local laws
• Title III funds cant be used to provide any
  activity required by Federal, State or local laws
• Federal law includes Title I of NCLB

5
Federal Requirements

• Lau v Nichols
• Requires districts to provide core language
  instructional programs to ensure LEP students
  have equal access to education
• NOTE core language instructional programs is
  not defined in the new regulations or anywhere
  else
• Title I requirements
• Annual assessment of English language proficiency
  (ELDA)

6
What does Title III require?

• Funds be used for (Section 3115)
• Developing and implementing new language
  instructional programs and academic content
  instruction programs
• Carrying out highly focused, innovative, locally
  designed activities to expand or enhance existing
  language instructional educational programs and
  academic content instruction programs

7
What does the new guidance seem to say?

• Title I funds can be used for teachers to add on
  to or supplement the core language instructional
  programs provided by the district but Title III
  funds cant
• Title III funds cant be used for district costs
  associated with ELDA but Title I funds can
• Neither Title I or Title III can pay for
  screening of LEP students

8
Services to ELL in New Guidance

• Will require much closer coordination and
  integration of Title I and Title III programs
• The greater flexibility of schoolwide programs
  provide some options for districts in terms of
  funding staff
• Title I services in Targeted Assistance Schools
  can supplement existing district funded programs
  and then Title III funds can supplement

9
Options for Title III funds

• Coordination of services
• Extended services
• Summer, after school, etc.
• Support for classroom teachers
• Professional development for classroom teachers
• Professional development to help teachers become
  ELL endorsed
• Parent activities
• Paraprofessionals, liaisons, interpreters

10
Title I, Part A

• Targeted Assistance Schools (TAS)
• NCLB requires an annual evaluation of program
  effectiveness
• NDE has always said that programs needed to
  annually review their programs, including student
  achievement results, but provided no guidance or
  structure
• USDE said this was not sufficient

11
New TAS Rubric

• A Task Force has helped us develop a rubric for
  Targeted Assistance Programs annual review of
  effectiveness
• Similar to the rubric used by Schoolwide Programs
• Review of program requirements but with
  identified options for improvement
• Rubrics will not be submitted but should be
  retained as documentation for reviews

12
Timeline for TAS Rubric

• TAS Rubric will be reviewed with the Committee of
  Practitioners in March
• Distributed to all Title I programs
• Available for use by Spring 2009
• Reminder Districts with nonpublic school
  programs must annually review services and
  participating student performance

13
Title I Schoolwide Programs

• Newly eligible or planning to become a
  schoolwide?
• Intention was due in November in writing to Title
  I Director (Diane Stuehmer)
• Existing Schoolwide Programs
• April of each year
• Submit documentation for annual review of
  Schoolwide plan and effectiveness or
• Submit schoolwide plan for peer review

14
Schoolwide Annual Review

• Peer review of schoolwide plan once every three
  years
• Schedule posted on Title I homepage
• Peer reviewed the year before the NCLB Integrated
  Site Review
• Schoolwide programs must do an annual review of
  effectiveness
• Submit documentation only in years when you dont
  do the peer review

15
Time and Effort Reports - NCLB

• What are time and effort reports or logs?
• Documentation of actual time spent in activities
  that are wholly or partially federally funded
• That account for all of the employees time
• Are signed by the employee and/or the employees
  direct supervisor

16
Who needs time and effort reports?

• Any certificated or classified staff
• Funded wholly by federal funds
• Funded by multiple federal programs
• Funded in part by federal and in part by State or
  local funds

17
How often are reports needed?

• Semi-annual Certification
• Staff with salary and benefits charged to a
  single federal program
• Monthly
• Staff funded from multiple federal programs or
  funded in part by State or local funds

18
Title I Schoolwide Programs

• Semi-annual certification for staff funded wholly
  by Title I
• Staff funded by multiple federal programs or a
  combination of federal and State or local funds
• Monthly reports
• Charge Title I for activities identified in the
  approved Schoolwide Plan

19
Common Errors

• Change of position, duties or funding without
  notifying the fiscal office or accounting
• Reporting time according to the ratios budgeted
  without regard for actual time spent
• No independent review other than the
  employee/supervisor

20
Common Errors

• Time and effort reports not signed by appropriate
  staff (employee and/or supervisor)
• Entire days schedule not accounted for
• Accounting adjustments transferring payroll
  expenditures without supporting documentation
• Lack of reports for employees with supplemental
  contracts/stipends and extra hours

21
Stipends, Contracts, Extra Hours

• Documentation
• Sign-in sheets or attendance logs for extra hour
  pay charged to a single program
• Contracts specifying program to be charged
• Stipend as long as the employee signs or some
  after-the-fact certification

22
Applicable Regulations

• OMB Circular A-87 Cost Principals for State,
  Local, and Indian Tribal Governments
• Attachment B, Section 11 h
• www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a087/a087-all.htm
  l
• Title I Fiscal Guidance
• www.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/fiscalguid.doc

23
Closing out 2007-08 Applications

• Final Reports were due Nov. 30
• As projects are closed-out, any unspent funds are
  available for carryover for 2008-09
• Carryover funds must be amended into the 2008-09
  application
• Email generated by the grants management system
  to notify districts

24
Upcoming

• 21st Century Community Learning Centers
• Postmark deadline is Monday, February 2
• Information available at http//www.nde.state.ne.
  us/21stcclc/
• NCLB/Data Conference
• April 30 May 1, 2009