Flexible Learning Programs 10 th Annual Title Programs Conference June 19 - 21, 2012

1. Flexible Learning Programs10th Annual Title Programs ConferenceJune 19 - 21, 2012 1

2. Presenters Jim Milliman Georgia Department of Education FLP Program Specialist jmillima@doe.k12.ga.us (404) 463-5816 Sue Hawks Foster Georgia Department of Education FLP Program Specialist sfoster@doe.k12.ga.us (404) 656-2636 2

3. Agenda What is a Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Who has to Offer a FLP Federal Rank Order Multiple, Educationally Related, Selection Criteria Set-Aside Information Parent Notification Requirements FLP Plan for the Consolidated Application Private School Consultation FLP Documentation to Maintain FLP Evaluation

4. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan What is a Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan? An FLP is an alternative supplemental academic intervention that allows LEA’s flexibility in designing an extended learning program. FLP’s must be tailored to the needs of the academically at-risk students in a school in order to provide assistance for students to achieve proficiency in relation to the State Academic content standards.

5. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan What is a Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan? An FLP should not be a repetition of the teaching strategies that are utilized with the students during regular instructional time.

6. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan What is a Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan? An FLP plan should be a learning program that will provide those students at-risk of failingwith additional learning opportunities that will assist the student in achieving the skills necessary to master the standards assessed by the state’s tests in core academic subjects.

7. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan What is a Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan? FLP time should be an extension that is supplemental to an LEA's normal school day, week, or year to provide additional instruction or educational programs for all FLP eligible Title I students beyond the State-mandated requirements for the minimum number of hours in a school day, days in a school week, or days or weeks in a school year It may be possible to implement an FLP during the school day.

8. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan What is a Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan? FLP activities should involve careful planning by the LEA to ensure that the programs or activities will be used to improve the academic achievement of participating students.

9. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan What is a Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan? The LEA will have a great deal of flexibility on how to implement their FLP. The LEA should construct the FLP to meet the needs of the students and schools based on the academic needs of the participating FLP students.

10. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan Who is required to offer a Flexible Learning Program (FLP)? The FLP will be funded through a required minimum five percent set-aside of the LEA’s Title I, Part A allocation. Beginning in 2012-2013, Georgia LEAs must offer an FLP as an intervention for all Title I Focus Schools and designated Priority Schools .

11. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEA Flexibility Waiver Who is required to offer a Flexible Learning Program (FLP)? If a Priority or Focus School is being served by a SIG grant, [1003(g) grant], the school WILL NOT be implementing an FLP using the 5 percent set-aside for FLP. These schools will be implementing and funding the school’s extended learning time according to their approved SIG application using SIG funds.

12. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEA Flexibility Waiver The requirements of Increased Learning Time for RT3/SIG schools (300 additional hours of learning for targeted students, all students, and teacher collaboration) are non-negotiable elements of those grant programs and a separate plan for FLP is not required.

13. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan Who is required to offer a Flexible Learning Program (FLP)? Title I Alert Schools may offer an FLP. It is a local decision as to whether or not the LEA provides a FLP to Title I Alert Schools. Otherwise, academic interventions related to the Alert status of the school must be addressed in the school’s targeted assistance or schoolwide plan and the LEA’s CLIP.

14. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan Federal Rank Order While students in Priority Schools, Focus Schools, and Title I Alert Schools (where applicable) will be eligible to receive FLP based on low-income status and their individual student scores on state assessments, LEAs must prioritize Title I FLP funding and services to these students across the LEA based on the following Federal rank order:

15. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan Federal Rank Order Tier 1: Students who are eligible for free or reduced priced meals (FRM) and not meeting standards as identified by state assessment results Tier 2: Students who are eligible for FRM and meeting standards as identified by state assessment results

16. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan Federal Rank Order Tier 3: Students who are not eligible for FRM and not meeting standards as identified by state assessment results Tier 4: Students who are not eligible for FRM and meeting standards as identified by state assessment results

17. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan Multiple, Educationally Related, Selection Criteria Once all FRM students have been identified, the LEA must then rank the students according to academic need by subject area using multiple, educationally related, selection criteria established by the LEA: Children from preschool through grade two must be selected solely on the basis of such criteria as teacher judgment, interviews with parents, and developmentally appropriate measures that determine which children are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet the State's challenging content and student performance standards.

18. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan Multiple, Educationally Related, Selection Criteria Children from grade three through 12 are selected on the basis of such criteria as test scores (CRCT, EOCT, ITBS, DIBELS, locally developed tests, LEA benchmark assessments, etc.), number of years retained, teacher recommendation, etc. by subject area LEAs must assign weights to each of the selection criteria to determine an overall score for each student in the rank list by subject area (most points indicate greatest needs) The LEA ranks the students by their overall score within each subject area according to greatest need This results in the LEAs list of Level 1 students by subject area to be served in the FLP program

19. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan How Many Subject Areas Must the FLP Address? The number of subject areas that must be addressed by an LEA’s FLP is dependent on the needs of the students who are being served by the FLP. Therefore, the LEA must consider: • The Title I funds available through the FLP set-aside to serve all four subject areas. • Can the LEA document the need for serving the subject area(s) selected? An LEA may not indiscriminately select the subject areas for service. • Remember, that social studies and science could be addressed through reading.

20. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan Set-Aside for the Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Please note: The 5 percent set-aside requirement is a required minimum. LEA’s must set-aside an amount that will allow them to fully implement their FLP.

21. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEA Flexibility Waiver Set-Aside for the Flexible Learning Program (FLP) LEAs may request permission to set-aside a lesser amount for the required LEA FLP set-aside. The appropriate form must be attached to Attachments tab of the Consolidated Application. Draft FY13 FLP Request for Lesser Amount Worksheet Each request to set-aside a lesser amount will be evaluated and approved on a case-by-case basis.

22. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEA Flexibility Waiver Set-aside for the Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Set-asides above the minimum 5 percent requirement may come from the LEA’s total allocation or the Priority and Focus Schools’ allocation and may be subject to the equitable services to eligible private school students requirements [ESEA Section 9401(c)(5)].

23. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan Required Set-Aside for Flexible Learning Programs (FLP) LEAs may set-aside additional funds above the required minimum 5 percent to implement interventions (i.e., FLP) in its Priority, Focus, and Alert Schools. This set-aside would be a custom set-aside in a LEA’s Consolidated Application that would clearly explain the intervention and list the Priority, Focus, and Alert schools to which applies.

24. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan Required Set-Aside for Flexible Learning Programs (FLP) • This set-aside would not be subject to the requirement to provide equitable services to eligible private school children, their teachers, and their families because public Title I school students, as a whole, do not benefit from those services either. Remember, that the explanation must be detailed (see previous slide).

25. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEA Flexibility Waiver Required Parent Notifications • All Title I Priority and Focus Schools are required to send notices to parents describing the school’s status, sharing data and information used to support programming decisions, and explaining how parents may become involved in improving the school. • Parental notifications were not part of the ESEA Flexibility Waiver and all parental notifications, Federal rules, and regulations are still in place.

26. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEA Flexibility Waiver FLP Parent Notification Requirements • LEAs must notify parents of the availability of FLP services at least twice annually: • Notification to parents must be by dated letter at least twice annually • It must include information regarding their child’s eligibility regarding for FLP prior to the beginning of the program • Notification to parents must include when FLP services will begin at their child’s school

27. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEA Flexibility Waiver FLP Parent Notification Requirements • Notification must include a brief description of the FLP programs to parents and how eligible students can participate • Notification must contain information to ensure that parents understand the identification of their child’s school as it relates to Priority, Focus, Alert, or Reward Schools status by definition and includes information regarding the State required test data on which the school’s identification was based

28. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEA Flexibility Waiver FLP Parent Notification Requirements • Notification must explain to parents that Priority and Focus Schools will be served for a period of three years with supports and interventions beginning in July 2012 • Notification must explain the benefits of receiving FLP • Notification must provide a clear explanation of the steps that parents/guardians must make to enroll their children in the LEA’s FLP

29. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEA Flexibility Waiver FLP Parent Notification Requirements • Notification must include a contact name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, and/or fax number in the event that parent(s) have questions regarding the LEA’s FLP

30. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEA Flexibility Waiver FLP Parent Notification Requirements • Notification to parents must be made through various forms of communication: information flyers, school/LEA newsletters community/neighborhood newspaper, school Web page, school meeting, LEA meeting, teacher/parent conference, LEA Web page, FLP parent information packet, etc.

31. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEAFlexibility Waiver FLP Parent Notification Requirements • LEAs must use a variety methods to notify parents of FLP services, such as: • Public Service Announcements (PSAs) via radio and television stations. • Newspaper advertisements providing pertinent information regarding the LEA’s FLP • Emails notifications to parents and other stakeholders.

32. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEAFlexibility Waiver FLP Parent Notification Requirements • LEAs must use a variety methods to notify parents of FLP services, such as: • Copies of community billboard notifications. • LEA/school monthly media calendar with FLP information regarding parent meetings, FLP plan revisions, and updates.

33. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEA Flexibility Waiver FLP Parent Notification Requirements • An LEA must consult with parents, along with other stakeholders, in developing its FLP plan. • At least one parent meeting designed to explain the LEAs plan for providing FLP services must be held • All parents of eligible Title I students must be involved in the development of the FLP plan • LEAs must maintain evidence of collaboration with local community organizations such as, the Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, Kiwanis Club, etc.

34. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEA Flexibility Waiver FLP Parent Notification Requirements Again, LEAs must use a variety of methods to notify parents of FLP meeting LEAs must provide parents the opportunity to visit first hand FLP services being provided for their children

35. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEAFlexibility Waiver FLP Parental Involvement and Collaboration • The LEA must ensure that all parents of children attending a school offering FLP must be given the opportunity to: • Provide input, comments, suggestions and/or ideas as it relates to improving student academic achievement and school performance • Collaborate with the development of the FLP

36. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEAFlexibility Waiver FLP Parental Involvement and Collaboration The LEA must: • Convene a meeting at a time convenient for all parents of children attending schools offering an FLP to inform and to explain the requirements and the rights of all parents to be involved in the FLP planning • Provide additional parental involvement meetings, if requested by parents and • Encourage parents to attend these planning meetings

37. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEAFlexibility Waiver FLP Parental Involvement and Collaboration The LEA parent meetings must be conducted in an organized, ongoing, timely way for the planning, review, and improvement of the Title I, Part A Flexible Learning Program.

38. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEAFlexibility Waiver FLP Parental Involvement and Collaboration These collaboration meetings involve the planning, review, and improvement of the following: • Parental involvement activities • School parental involvement policy • School-parent compact • School improvement plan • Targeted assistance plan • Schoolwide plan • LEA’s Comprehensive Improvement Plan (CLIP) • Flexible Learning Program (FLP)

39. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEAFlexibility Waiver Please Note: In preparation for the 2012-2013 FLP Plan, LEA’s should prior to the end of the 2011-2012 school year have their parent collaboration FLP planning meetings. This will ensure the involvement of all parents and community stakeholders. LEA’s must maintain all required documentation.

40. Title I, Part A Guidance for Implementing Georgia’s Title I ESEAFlexibility Waiver Documentation to be Maintained by the LEA LEAs will follow the procedures for maintaining appropriate documentation as required for Title I, Part A monitoring. Documentation requirements will be reviewed at the Fall Cross-Functional Monitoring training.

41. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan The Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan LEAs implementing an FLP will be required to submit a written plan for their FLP and a budget for approval by GaDOE Title Programs Division. The written plan outlines how the Title I Priority and Focus Schools will implement an FLP. The FLP plan must be submitted and approved through the Consolidated Application by GaDOE’s Title I, Part A division prior to implementation.

42. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan Submission of the FLP Plan in the Consolidated Application • As part of the LEA’s submitted 2012-2013 Consolidated Application, LEAs will need to submit:

43. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan Submission of the FLP Plan in the Consolidated Application • The answers to the following questions: • LEA FLP Set-aside: $__________________ • Is the set-aside amount five (5) percent of the LEA’s Title I, Part A allocation? (Y/N) $__________________ • Is the LEA setting aside more than the (5) percent? (Y/N) • If yes, please enter the amount budgeted for additional FLP funding. $__________________

44. Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Plan Submission of the FLP Plan in the Consolidated Application • Do equitable services to eligible private school students apply? (Y/N) • Is the LEA providing NCLB CHOICE transportation? (Y/N) • If yes, please enter the amount budgeted for NCLB CHOICE transportation. $__________________ • A list of the Title I schools that must offer FLP, their school identification status (Priority, Focus, or Alert), their Title I status, and their Title I school type.

45. Flexible Learning Program Submission of the FLP Plan in Consolidated Application Example:

46. Flexible Learning Program Submission of the FLP Plan Budget in the Consolidated Application • The LEA must include a projection of how much the LEA is intending to budget on the FLP for the following areas: • Title I, Part A School Allocation • Personnel Costs • Contracted Services Cost • Supplies and Materials Cost • Evaluation Costs

47. Flexible Learning Program Submission of the FLP Plan Budget in the Consolidated Application • FLP Transportation Costs • Professional Learning Costs for FLP Instructional Staff • Other Expenses

48. Flexible Learning Program Submission of the FLP Plan in Consolidated Application Example:

49. Flexible Learning Program For each Title I school, the LEA must submit an FLP plan that addresses the following: • Using school level disaggregated data, identify and explain the areas of need that will be addressed by the FLP offered at each school: • Core content area(s) • Subgroup(s) • Graduation rate(s) Note: The LEA must identify the measurable performance goals and outcomes to be met.

50. Flexible Learning Program Submission of the FLP Plan in the Consolidated Application Describe the multiple, educationally related, selection criteria by core content area served with the weighting that will be applied to the criteria per school to determine the rank order list of eligible students by greatest academic need.