New CTE Administrators’ Survival Camp I

1. New CTE Administrators’ Survival Camp I Perkins Federal Funds August 14, 2007 Lorrie Toni, Perkins Director 303-595-1565, lorrie.toni@cccs.edu

2. What is CTE? What is Perkins? The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is a little “extra.” • CTE approved program – must meet some requirements that distinguishes it from an ordinary class • The CTE pedagogy allows students hands-on experiences that provide relevance to academic competencies

3. What is CTE? What is Perkins? • CTE approved programs link education to business, industry and workforce demands • CTE programs link secondary education seamlessly to postsecondary education, providing students a clear vision of career success • CTE represents a thread in the education fabric that connects and motivates students

4. What is CTE? What is Perkins? • CTE assesses its work with specific data collection and reporting • CTE provides leadership training that helps students excel in their careers and in their communities • CTE is a premier education delivery system

5. What is CTE? What is Perkins? • Perkins is some extra money to help these outstanding educational delivery systems become even better! • Perkins gives us the opportunity to put a little extra into an existing approved CTE program • CTE adds an “extra” to the educational fabric; Perkins adds an “extra” to CTE

6. What is CTE? What is Perkins? • Our access to these Perkins Federal dollars gives us the opportunity to be leaders in • Seamless education; • Academic achievement; • Increasing graduation rates at both the high school and the postsecondary levels; and • Providing a well-educated workforce that can compete in a global economy. • Perkins funds are directed solely to CTE programs and students.

7. Opportunity Comes Complexity - Federal Grants Are Complex • Federal Law, State Multi-Year Plan, Rules, Regulations, Guidelines • www.coloradostateplan.org or www.cccs.edu, then to Career and Tech Education • Colorado One-Year Transition Plan • New Perkins Act (can also purchase from www.ACTEOnline.org )

8. The Complexity of Managing Federal Grants • OMB Circulars: www.whitehouse.gov • EDGAR: www.ed.gov/ocfo/grants/edgar/html • CCCS Perkins Guidelines: http://www.cccs.edu/CTE/PerkinsFAQs.html • Caution: Not updated as quickly as EDGAR and OMB Circulars and the Perkins Act – • EDGAR, OMB Circulars, latest Perkins Act take precedence over CCCS guidelines • State and local procurement rules must always be followed.

9. Why Is Perkins So Complex? • A grant, not an entitlement: • An approved plan and budget • A collaborative effort • Specific projects and timelines • Variance from plan requires approval • If major, defined as: • Moving 10% of allocation or moving $5,000 (whichever is smaller) from one of the 3 summary categories to another of the 3 summary categories • Large purchase amounts for one item, require pre-approval (Equipment ≥ $5,000)

10. Why Is Perkins So Complex? • Stewards for every taxpayer in the nation! • Funds available due to a specific law • Accountability can get lost when going through several layers of management: • Federal • State • Local • In some cases, Federal funds are quite large so more “temptation” for abuse

11. How To Avoid Problems • Manage the grant: • Recommend: Monthly review comparing approved budget to actual expenditures • Backup projects ready to go if you have more funds available than estimated • Document, document, document – all purchases

12. How To Avoid Problems • Manage the grant: • “Keeper of the plan” signature required before charging the Perkins account • Document, Document, Document • Perkins Committee • Copies of plan and budget to Grants Accountant • All signers should read the local plan and budget

13. How To Avoid Problems • Manage the grant: • Think big – supplemental – use to enhance – Perkins is a gift – the icing on the cake – “Sufficient size and scope” • Funds can be used to leverage outcomes – lead and excel – the carrot to reward outstanding performance

14. How To Avoid Problems • Manage the grant: • Perkins Law, Section 135, Local Uses of Funds categorized by “Required” and “Permissive.” • This means must be able to demonstrate “Requirements are satisfied before spending on “Permissive.” • Select projects that best serve all students enrolled in CTE approved programs.

15. How To Avoid Problems • Give attention to Perkins Sub-Indicators • Teach staff and faculty how to use data as an analysis tool • Understand the requirements of a CTE approved program • Give attention to program renewal dates and teacher credential renewal dates • Understand VE-135 data reporting • Cross train with other staff members

16. How To Avoid Problems • Strategic deployment of funds • Address issues: • District or College • Community • Economic • State • Federal • Opportunity to show the exceptional qualities and strategies that CTE adds. • Learn key points that are the essence of managing Federal funds.

17. DOCUMENTATION PROTECTS THE OPPORTUNITIES • Expenditures • Perkins provides the opportunity to buy one of three things (related to CTE): • People • Stuff • Travel • People purchases: • Can be salaried people, normally on payroll • Can be hourly or daily people, normally on payroll • Can be independent contractors, not normally on payroll

18. DOCUMENTATION PROTECTS THE OPPORTUNITIES • Expenditures – People Purchases • Salaried people, normally on payroll • Must have time/effort documentation to show that the work done: • Was for an appropriate amount of time per amount charged to the grant • Was appropriate work done related to the Law’s uses of funds • Example: Monthly timesheet signed by payee AND payee’s supervisor.

19. DOCUMENTATION PROTECTS THE OPPORTUNITIES • Expenditures – People Purchases • Hourly or daily people, normally on payroll • Must have time/effort documentation to show that the work done: • Was for an appropriate amount of time per amount charged to the grant • Was appropriate work done related to the Law’s uses of funds • Example: Tutors reports; Substitute Teachers forms – completed – date, hours, etc.

20. DOCUMENTATION PROTECTS THE OPPORTUNITIES • Expenditures – People Purchases • Independent contractors, not normally on payroll • Must have time/effort documentation to show that the work done: • Was for an appropriate amount of time per amount charged to the grant • Was appropriate work done related to the Law’s uses of funds • Written contract with deliverables PLUS formal evaluation of work provided

21. DOCUMENTATION PROTECTS THE OPPORTUNITIES • Expenditures – Stuff Purchases: • Expensive Stuff – Equipment ≥ $5,000 each • Less Expensive Stuff – Equipment < $5,000 and Other Resources • Stuff that gets “used up” normally within a year – Supplies (Consumables) • Software – Software, Internet licenses

22. DOCUMENTATION PROTECTS THE OPPORTUNITIES • Expenditures – Stuff Purchases: • Stuff purchased with Federal funds always belongs to the Federal government (the taxpayers) • Know where the stuff is • Never discard any Federally funded item that currently holds a value ≥ $5,000 without CCCS approval and direction • Be sure the stuff is for CTE programs or students

23. DOCUMENTATION PROTECTS THE OPPORTUNITIES • Expenditures – Travel Purchases: • In-state – Personnel • Who benefits? • In-state – Students • Who benefits? Must show how this investment serves all students enrolled in approved CTE program • In either case: • Purpose of travel must be documented and approved • Costs must be reasonable

24. DOCUMENTATION PROTECTS THE OPPORTUNITIES • Expenditures – Travel Purchases: • Out-of-State – Personnel • Who benefits? • Attention must be given to Perkins Performance Sub-Indicators • Out-of-State – Students • Who benefits? How does this investment serve all students enrolled in the approved CTE program? • Limited to no more than $200 per student • In either case • Purpose of travel must be documented and approved by CCCS – special forms • Costs must be reasonable • Public perception is important

25. DOCUMENTATION PROTECTS THE OPPORTUNITIES • Getting reimbursed for Expenses Paid • Rachel Erbert, Budget and Data Coordinator rachel.erbert@cccs.edu, 720-858-2760

26. MAJOR TERMS TO UNDERSTAND • A-133 Single Audit Report • Required of any Federal fund recipient who has spent $500,000 or more in total Federal funds. • Stipend • A personal benefit that is not an allowed cost with Federal funds. • Supplant • Using Federal funds to pay for expenses that normally would be covered by non-Federal funds.

27. MAJOR TERMS TO UNDERSTAND • Direct costs versus Indirect Costs: • A direct cost can be attributed to a specific expense • An indirect cost cannot be attributed clearly to a specific expense – examples: lighting, heating/cooling, etc. • Consumables: • A useful life of one year or less • Encumbrances or Accrued Costs • Costs that have been incurred but not yet paid.

28. MAJOR TERMS TO UNDERSTAND • Obligation: Cannot obligate funds until CCCS receives a complete plan and budget

29. MAJOR TERMS TO UNDERSTAND • Perkins Contact • Each fiscal agent recipient has one designated contact that is the CCCS’ official contact for Perkins related communications and documents. Since this contact has access to spending authority and funds reimbursement, the following policies are in place: • Only one person per recipient fiscal agent should be designated as the official Perkins contact. That person should forward items, information, etc. to other local staff as appropriate. • This person’s contact information must be business contact information, (not a personal e-mail address, for example.) • This contact can only be changed by submitting a signed original letter to CCCS on the recipient’s letterhead, signed by someone who is supervisory to the contact.

30. MAJOR TERMS TO UNDERSTAND • Consortia • Secondary Recipients who cannot qualify for at least $15,000 in Perkins allocations (based on census bureau population figures) are encouraged to join with other smaller size recipients to form a consortium. • Use of funds should be consensus driven, not simply reallocating formula amounts • Projects must serve all members of the consortia • Allows for meeting the Law’s requirements of “Sufficient Size and Scope.”

31. The Perkins Circle of Forms • January: Receive Intent-to-Participate • February: Return signed original Intent-to Participate • March: Watch your budgets! • April: Spring training

32. The Perkins Circle of Forms • May: Last date to request approval for major revisions is May 1. Next FY allocation amounts will be mailed from CCCS to Locals. Previous SY Perkins Performance Sub-Indicator Reports also sent. • June: Submit Local Plan and Budget by June 30, if plan to obligate funds in July

33. The Perkins Circle of Forms • July: Work on Perkins Final Financial Report • August: Perkins Final Financial Report is due August 1 • September: ALL local plans must be submitted no later than September 30 • October: Begin Voucher 1 preparation

34. The Perkins Circle of Forms • November: Watch Perkins Budget and Procurements; All responses to Perkins Final Financial Report Queries must be received. • December: Voucher 1 Reimbursement Request for Quarter 1 Expenses and Payments must be received by CCCS. • January: Process starts again.

35. Perkins Federal Funds • Lead to CTE Program Quality and Student Success. • Are protected from being re-channeled into other directions. • Address specific requirements already proven as successful strategies for Student Success. • Provide annual resources to enhance for continuous improvement.

36. Perkins Federal Funds • Each documentation requirement is essentially an insurance policy, guaranteeing that funds are directed toward quality, improvement and best practices. • The documentation helps assure education reform and progress, enabling you and CTE faculty to be models of excellence.

37. Perkins Questions? • We encourage multiple questions, continuously! • Please call or e-mail, often: • Lorrie.toni@cccs.edu, 303-595-1565 • Rachel.erbert@cccs.edu, 720-858-2760