Federal Program Updates January 27, 2014

Federal Program UpdatesJanuary 27, 2014 Michael Gibbons Dr. Jim Hamilton Dr. Sharon Dungan Debra Meibaum

Agenda • Welcome • Work session norms • Introduction of speakers • Overview of monitoring cycles • Common findings • General information

Work Session Norms • Active participation • Questions welcome • Small group interactions • Parking lot • Cell phones on “silent”

Evaluation and Compliance The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (No Child Left Behind Act of 2001) requires the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) to monitor the implementation of program requirements and the expenditure of federal funds.

Three Major Cycles • Cycle 1 - Self-Assessment • Cycle 2 - Technical Assistance • Cycle 3 - Full On-Site Monitoring

Cycle I—Self Assessment • Outgrowth of the on-site monitoring program • Designed to provide LEAs the support and guidance needed to maintain on-going high standards of compliance and program delivery

Cycle I—Self Assessment (cont.) Completing the Self Assessment: • Use monitoring instrument as a self assessment checklist • Compile required documentation • Organize documentation to correspond to indicators on monitoring instrument • Maintain documentation and completed monitoring instrument

Cycle I—Self Assessment (cont.) Once self assessment is complete: • Fill out Self Assessment Certification Letter • Have letter signed by appropriate personnel • Send to Director of Evaluation and Compliance at the MDE Office of Federal Programs

Cycle II—Technical Assistance Purpose of Technical Assistance: • Collaboration • Feedback Scheduling of Technical Assistance: • Initiation by LEA and/or MDE staff

Cycle II—Technical Assistance (cont.) Types of Technical Assistance: • Email • Phone • Face-to-face

Cycle III—Full On-SiteMonitoring Visit • Written notification of visit will be sent • Team will be on-site for two days • Entrance conference will be held on first day of visit

Cycle III—Full On-SiteMonitoring Visit (cont.) During the visit, the monitoring team will: • Conduct Entrance Conference • Review documentation • Interview principal(s) and check inventory • Conduct Exit Conference

Cycle III – Full On-SiteMonitoring Visit (cont.) Monitoring Feedback and Clearing Citations: • Monitoring Report sent to LEA within 30 days of visit • LEA has 30 days to respond to findings • MDE has 10 days to reply to LEA response

Common Findings • A1—LEA does not provide Expenditure Budget Reports by function and major object for all programs. • Do not include carryover in this report. Show allocation only. • A2—School does not meet Mississippi Public School Accountability Standard 34 prior to the use of Title I or Title II funds for teachers. Include calculations in documentation.

Common Findings (cont.) • A3—Time and Effort • Forms are not signed “after-the-fact” • Title I is not a cost objective • Recommend using MDE provided forms

Common Findings (cont.) • A4—LEA does not provide signed and dated documentation of physical inventory conducted by LEA/school. • Inventory worksheets signed and dated • Reconciliation: Sample police reports, notarized affidavits • Board minutes removing fixed assets (sample)

Common Findings (cont.) • A6—LEA fixed asset management policy does not fully address lost or stolen property. • A7—LEA does not include a recently updated inventory of federal fixed assets. • A9—LEA does not include sample contracts/agreements with service providers.

Common Findings (cont.) • A11—Documentation • LEA does not provide Equivalency Policy • LEA does not provide comparability calculation worksheets • A12—ELL Policy • LEA has overlapping ELL policies • A13—ELL • LEA has inadequate documentation that policies/procedures have been communicated to all staff

Common Findings (cont.) • A19—ELL • LEA does not provide professional development for meeting the needs of ELL students • A22—ELL • LEA does not have a trained WIDA test administrator (WIDA certificate) • A23a.—Private School • Complaint process is not communicated to private schools

Common Findings (cont.) • A37—Homeless students • LEA does not provide specific professional development for meeting the needs of homeless students • A38—Parent Involvement • LEA does not document the required 1% set-aside

Common Findings (cont.) • A40/42—Parent involvement • LEA does not provide documentation of implementation • A44—Parents Right-to-Know • Suggestion: Put information in student handbook • A45—NCLB Report Card • LEA distributes the Children’s First Report Card, not the required NCLB Report Card

Common Findings (cont.) • A48/60—Paraprofessional qualifications • LEA does not provide credentials documenting highly qualified status for ALL paraprofessionals working in a Title I Schoolwide program • A49—Supervision of paraprofessionals • LEA does not provide documentation of who supervises each paraprofessional

Common Findings (cont.) • A51—Schoolwide plan • LEA does not provide implementation documentation for each indicator a-j • A52—SWP planning process • LEA does not provide sign-in sheets, agendas, minutes (SAM) for planning meetings listed in the SWP

Common Findings (cont.) • A2/A61—Supplanting • LEA does not meet state accreditation standard 34 requirements prior to using federal funds for teacher units • Kindergarten • Teachers/Assistants • Teacher/Pupil ratio • Content specific requirements in grades 7-12

Common Findings (cont.) • A62—Professional Development Plan • Suggestion: Use of Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning • F2—Private Schools • Multi-criterion needs assessment student list and rank order eligibility list are not provided

General Information • Regional trainings for Cycle III monitoring • SY14 (June 2013) completed • SY15 (August 2013) completed • SY16 (Summer 2014) coming soon • 4th Annual Brustein and Manasevit Conference (February 18-19, 2014) Vicksburg Convention Center

Contact Information Michael Gibbons Evaluation and Compliance Office of Federal Programs P. O. Box 771 Jackson, MS 39205 601-359-3499 mgibbons@mde.k12.ms.us

Federal Program Updates January 27, 2014