Supplemental Educational Services (SES) and Choice - UPDATE

1. Supplemental Educational Services (SES) and Choice - UPDATE Audio Series July/August 2009 EED

2. 20% Obligation – Choice/SES • Districts that have 1 or more Title I schools identified at Level 2 or higher of school improvement – • Spendan amount equal to 20% of District Title IA (+AARA) • 5% minimum for Choice, 5% for SES, 10% for either • NEW - District must request a waiver to exclude AARA funds from the calculation for the 20% set-aside. • NEW – 1% of the 20% may be spent on parent outreach • NEW - Additional Requirements for districts who do not meet the 20% obligation • (All of these requirements apply only to Title I schools)

3. NEW - If less than 20% is utilized • A district that spends less than 20% on SES/Choice must carry over the excess for SES/Choice in the following year unless it meets certain criteria. To spend less than 20% and to use the balance for other Title I activities in a given school year, the district must, at a minimum: • Partner, to the extent practicable, with outside groups to help inform eligible • students of the opportunity of Choice or SES • Ensure that eligible students have a genuine opportunity to sign up for • Choice or SES by: • providing timely, accurate notices. • And for SES only by additionally: • distributing sign-up forms for SES directly to all eligible students/parents and making them widely accessible through internet, etc. • providing a minimum of two enrollment windows, at separate points in the school year, long enough to allow parents of eligible students to make informed decisions about SES and providers. • Ensure that eligible SES providers are given access to school facilities to provide • services using a fair, objective process, on the same basis as other groups • The district must keep records that it has met the above criteria, and must notify the state that it has met the criteria and intends to spend the remainder of it’s 20% on other allowable activities and include the amount of that remainder. • See NCLB Consolidated Application 2009-2010, Tabs i and kk.

4. NEW – Waivers • NEW – USDOE has issued the possibility of waivers, and the state will apply for the following waivers: • Allowing schools and districts who are in improvement to apply • to be SES providers, previously prohibited. (ASD only, 09-10) • Allowing districts to exclude all or part of AARA funds from • being counted towards the following set-asides or formulas – • 20% for SES/Choice • 10% for District in improvement PD • 10% for School in improvement PD • Formula which determines the per pupil amount (PPA) for • SES. • Allowing districts to carry over more than 15% of Title IA, • more often than once every 3 years.

5. Choice

6. Choice – Eligible Students • Choice School of Origin = Any Title I School in Improvement Level 2 or higher • Eligible Students – All Students in the school including: • Students entering a choice school of origin for the first time, i.e. kindergarten, middle to high school, etc. • Students moving into a choice school of origin attendance area, even after the beginning of the school year. • Students who have transferred into a receiving school under choice are eligible to transfer again should the receiving school be designated. • Duration: student may remain in the receiving school through the highest grade offered – District is not responsible for transportation if school of origin is removed from SI list, if the receiving school is subsequently identified for improvement, or if the student moves from the choice school of origin attendance area.

7. Choice – Parent Notice • Notification - Not later than 14 days before the first day of school – even if no receiving schools are available (offer SES instead under state regulation). • Must use direct mail and “broad distribution” – newspaper/posters/internet. • Use an easy to understand format, in parent’s first language if practicable. • Notice Must Contain: • A ‘reasonable deadline’ (must be 2x per year if less than full 20% is spent). • Inform parent of choice option due to the designation of current school. • Identify each receiving public school, including public charter, correspondence, that the parent may select. • Explain why choices made to them may be limited (zones, etc.). • Describe the performance and quality of receiving schools. (availability of special programs, qualifications of teachers, before/after school programs). • District can allow parents to rank order preference for choice, and is not required to guarantee a parent’s first choice. • Should acknowledge that SES is also a possibility, if applicable, if SES letter does not go to parents at the same time.

8. NEW - Web Requirements • A district is required to prominently display on its Web site the following information regarding Choice: • Beginning with data from the 2007-2008 school year, and for each subsequent school year, the number of students who were eligible, and the number who participated in Choice. • For the current school year, a list of available schools to which students eligible to participate in Choice may transfer. • A district must post this information in a timely manner to ensure that parents have current information on their Choice options (i.e. for the list of available schools for the current school year - no later than 14 days before the start of the school year) • If a district does not have a Web site, it must contact the state immediately, so the state may display the required information on its Web site.

9. Supplemental Educational Services (SES)

10. Who must provide SES? • Schools who are in Level 3 and above (2nd year of school improvement status under NCLB) • AND • Schools who are in Level 2 (First year of school improvement) and who cannot offer school choice due to geographical location. (Alaska Regulation)

11. What are Supplemental Educational Services (SES)? • Supplemental Educational Services (SES) are: • Tutoring and other supplemental academic enrichment services that are in addition to instruction provided during the school day. • Services that must take place either before school, after school, or during the summer. • Of high quality, research-based, and specifically designed to increase the academic achievement of eligible children in state academic standards and on State assessments contained in Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). • Offered by providers approved by the state who have demonstrated records of effectiveness. • Selected by parents of eligible students.

12. SES – Eligible Students • UNLIKE CHOICE - Only students from low-income families, (those who qualify for free and reduced lunch) are eligible for SES. • Priority – If the 20% is insufficient to serve all eligible students, the district will prioritize by lowest-achieving, as determined by the school using fair and equitable measures.

13. SES - Providers • Non-profit or for-profit entities, including faith-based organizations, schools, or school districts • Organizations listed above who have applied and have been approved by the state and have shown that they: • Have a demonstrated record of effectiveness • Are capable of providing SES consistent with state standards • Are financially sound • New: Currently a Title I district or school identified as Level 2 or above may not be an approved SES provider for the 2009-2010 school year, unless a waiver has been granted (Anchorage only) – HOWEVER – any school within a district not identified for improvement may apply to be an SES provider, and beginning in January 2010 it is expected that schools and districts in improvement will be able to apply to become SES providers.

14. SES - Funding • The required per pupil amount to be paid by the district for SES services must be the lesser of: • The Title IA Per-Pupil amount, based on the allocation for the district, (including AARA, unless waived) divided by the number of low-income children based on the combination of Federal Census data and public assistance data from Health and Social Services. (may be different from Free and Reduced Lunch district information) • The actual costs of the supplemental services received by each student

15. SES – Parent Notice • District must notify the parents of each eligible child annually by the first day of • school (or at the same time as Choice notice, if possible) • Must use direct mail and “broad distribution” – newspaper/posters/internet. • Must use an easy to understand format, in parent’s first language if practicable, • and be clear and concise, and clearly distinguishable from other information on • school improvement that a district sends to parents. • The notice must contain: • Explanation how parents can obtain SES for their child, and the benefits of receiving SES services. • Identify the approved providers of SES who have agreed to serve the district • Include a brief description of each provider’s services, qualifications and demonstrated effectiveness, including which providers serve LEP and Sped students • Describe the procedures and timelines that parents must follow to select a provider to serve their child, and provide a sign-up form distributed both directly and indirectly (i.e. it must be posted on the website)

16. SES – District • Annually notify parents of the availability of SES • Apply fair selection procedures if all eligible students cannot be served • Protect the privacy of students who receive SES • Assist parents in choosing a provider (if requested) • Enter into contractual agreements with providers for service • Develop goals, measures and reporting procedures in consultation with parents and providers (a parent signature is not required, reasonable attempt to contact is sufficient) • Provide the data the State needs to monitor the quality and effectiveness of the services offered by providers.

17. SES – Contract Requirements • Contract between district and providers: • State specific achievement goal for the student, how progress will be measured, and a timetable for improving achievement. • Describe how the student’s parents and teachers will be regularly informed of progress • Provide for termination of the agreement if the provider is unable to meet the goals and timetables • Contain provisions for making payments to the provider by the district • IF – A district has the correct minimum number of students as listed on the profile and the provider declines service – Please report this to EED

18. NEW - Web Requirements • A district is required to prominently display on its Web site the following information regarding SES: • Beginning with data from the 2007-2008 school year, and for each subsequent school year, the number of students who were eligible, and the number who participated in SES. • For the current school year, a list of providers approved by the State to serve the district and the locations where services are provided. • A copy of the sign-up sheet for parents to access and use when signing up their children for SES. • A district must post the information in a timely manner to ensure that parents have current information on their options. • If a district does not have a Web site, it must contact the state immediately, so the state may display the required information on its Web site.

19. Choice/SES – Reporting Requirements • Data Collection (To facilitate release of any remaining 20% set-aside funds back to Title I and to aid in the required Federal Choice reporting and review of SES provider effectiveness): • Data collection for Choice/SES is due at the end of each school year, or at the end of August if providers are offering summer SES programs in the district. • Data Collection Excel Spreadsheet is available on the web. Fields MUST be filled in to match the provided format. • An instruction booklet is also provided • More technical assistance will be provided on data collection

20. Choice/SES - Information Sheila Box, SES/Choice Coordinator (907) 465-8743 Sheila.box@alaska.gov • Department of Education and Early Development Website: http://www.eed.state.ak.us/nclb (Scroll down to Choice/SES) • Federal Guidance on Choice (NEW – January 2009) • Federal Guidance on SES (NEW – January 2009) • Per Pupil Allocations for SES (Coming – as soon as Title I $ is final) • State Approved Provider List • Request For Applications for SES Providers (January every year) • Sample SES Letters to Parents • Sample Choice forms and letters • Power Point Information • FAQ’s Choice/SES (Updating – available soon) • Data Collection Excel form and instructions • School Improvement Information: Angie Love 465-8689 • angela.love@alaska.gov