Regional Meeting April 2008

1. Regional MeetingApril 2008 Maine Department of Education No Child Left Behind Team

2. Purpose of Presentation • Assist SAUs in beginning to plan for the use of NCLB Funds during the transition to RSUs • Heighten current awareness of applicable federal requirements on RSUs • Provide information to assist in continuing the dialogue to clarify priorities for use of NCLB funds

3. Today’s Focus Cross-Cutting Considerations Title Specific Requirements Examples Resources

4. Cross-Cutting Considerations • There is likely to be a greater range of needs at the school and district levels that will influence decisions about the use of these funds. • Planning for the use of these funds will require the RSU to devote attention to high needs schools and to determine RSU priorities to establish equity among schools. • High needs may include high poverty, low % of experienced teachers, priority school status, degree of substance abuse/violence, highly mobile students, etc.

5. Cross-Cutting Considerations • There is an allowable 2%-4% setaside from NCLB funds for an NCLB Administrative project which could allow sufficient funds to have a primary person to focus on the NCLB paperwork and program requirements for consistent planning and implementation. • Staff development opportunities will be more cost effective and allow for collaboration among peers.

6. Cross-Cutting Considerations • Private Schools will need to be informed of changes the reorganization will bring regarding the RSU’s NCLB Contact person for consultation, resources, and program planning. • 50% Transfer option will provide the primary provision for flexibility. • REAP Flex will be extremely limited . • Unsafe School Choice/AYP School Choice will now be available to more families.

7. Title VI Small Rural Schools • RSU enrollment may be too large to qualify for this provision. (600 or fewer & locale code of 7 or 8) • REAP-Flex is available only to schools who meet the enrollment size. So RSUs with an enrollment of 600+ will not be eligible to use this flexibility.

8. Title VI Rural Low Income • SAUs that are rural and do not qualify for REAP-Flex • Includes moderate size communities with fewer than 25,000 total population and a locale code of 6 or 7 or 8 • Allows alternative poverty measure to be used for RSUs with a total population to be less than 20,000

9. Title IV-A The pooling of multiple & smaller Title IV-A allocations into a single & larger allocation might allow the RSU to employ more effective prevention strategies. (The RSU might now have enough Title IV-A funding to provide substance abuse counseling services or implement a model prevention program.)

10. SAUs that currently REAP Title IV-A funds to Title V to support prevention-related projects…but will not be eligible to REAPafter reorganization…should be collecting meaningful attitude/behavior change data during the final REAP year if they plan to request future funding of these projects under Title IV-A regulations. A PowerPoint presentation that provides a complete overview of the Title IV-A program is available at: www.mainesdfsca.org

11. Title IIA • Funding should not change significantly. • RSU Title IIA funds must target schools with the lowest proportion of highly qualified teachers, the largest class size, or schools that are identified for school improvement. • Once those needs are met, the RSU can prioritize the use of these funds for staff development or class size reduction.

12. Title IA Considerations • Less flexibility • Applications will be more complex • Title IA allocations must be focused on highest poverty schools • AYP set-asides—20% of the RSU Title IA allocation for CIPS2 schools • Disparity of services among the entities • Title IA Comparability Requirements

13. Title IA • Title IA Allocations to RSUs at this time will still be based on most current Census numbers and Free Lunch numbers. • SCHOOL eligibility could be impacted now that most new RSUs will have to follow the Ranking and Distribution guidelines. • Schools with the highest poverty must receive priority by way of a higher or equal Title IA per pupil expenditure. • An RSU receiving more than a $500,000 Title IA allocation must setaside 1% for Parent Involvement activities at the schools.

14. Title IA Specifics A practice RSU to determine Title IA school eligibility Ranking and Distribution of Title IA Funds: Review Federal Examples Where to find free and reduced lunch numbers to make a similar chart for your RSU Other NCLB Title Considerations NCLB Planning Steps + + + + = = New RSU

15. Practice RSU #

16. Practice RSU (cont.)

17. Per Pupil

19. Where Do I Find Free and Reduced Lunch Numbers? Maine Department of Education Home Page • Click on Data Center • Click on School Food Services Reimbursement System • Click on View Reports • Click on ED 534 • Scroll to the district http://portalx.bisoex.state.me.us/pls/doe_sfsr/sfsrdev.ED534.ED534_report

20. Create Your Own Table • Look at the districts that may be combining with you • Check their free and reduced lunch numbers—you know how • Call these districts and ask the NCLB or Title I Contact for schools served and other information • Talk to each other to see what issues you may need to address • Call us, send us a copy of chart; we can join your discussion via telephone.

21. Planning Team Decisions • Rank Order by Poverty or Grade Span—which best meets the RSU’s needs • Check the Per Pupil Allocations—are they within the program’s guidelines • Plan for changes—with staff and with parents

22. Combined RSU NCLB Allocation

23. Allowable Administrative Costs • Title IA $73,000 • Title IIA 19,268 • Title IID 888 • Title IV 915 • Total $94,071

24. Here’s What, So What, Now What See NCLBA Planning Calendar: • Form an RSU NCLB Planning Team with existing NCLB Coordinators/staff • Identify Title contacts • Begin conversations--Inventory of each unit’s current practices • Conduct a Needs Assessment to determine priorities in the RSU • Review financial situation • Make recommendations regarding programming and finances for the RSUs FY2010 application

25. Coming Together Good Program Design

26. Knowledge of Program Requirements Program is well planned/organized- Requirements met Needs Assessment Parental Involvement Sufficient supplemental Services to ensure success Coordination with General programs For seamless programming

27. Knowledge of Program • Projects are clearly defined. • Selection policy is specific. Students are prioritized for services. • Supervision is provided to keep program operating in alignment with federal regulations and NCLB Consolidated Application. • Staff are knowledgeable about program decisions—NCLB Planning Team, aware that there is an Application

28. Needs Assessment • Data analysis of formative, on-going assessment consistent with what is used in general program is used to determine needs. • Decisions are based on data vs. tradition or subjective measures.

29. Sufficient Supplemental Services to Ensure Success • Identified students receive general program and something more from Title IA. • Students receive services as planned—records kept to make sure Title IA staff work with identified students as planned. • Services are planned to make students more independent—not help with homework.

30. Coordination/Consultation for Seamless Programming • Assessments used for Title IA selection and performance objectives are existing, local assessments valued by the school/district. • Regular coordination takes place among all appropriate staff. • All staff use the same terms so that students can make connections.

31. Parental Involvement • Parent Involvement Policy updated on a regular basis • Parent Compacts updated and used • Activities planned to assist parents in understanding student needs/school programming. • Evaluation done for all parent activities • Parent input into programming

32. Program Well-Planned and Organized • Program requirements submitted on time in approvable form • Activities based on needs • Scientifically based programming • Programming changes to meet student needs • Program supervision keeps program on track • Services are supplemental

33. Do you have any questions? NCLB Clearinghouse 624-6705