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“In the coldest February, as in every other month in every other year, the best thing to hold on to in this world is each other.”
― Linda Ellerbee
As we navigate through the crisp days of February, the month of love, let us embrace the warmth that comes from working together.
This February, break free from the confines of working in silos and instead focus on the strength that comes from a united team. The workload may be heavy, but look for helpers around you who can share the burdens and lift you to new heights.
This month, embrace the spirit that can be found in your team. Here's to a February filled with collaboration, support and the joy that comes from holding onto each other.
Initiating Contact with Private/Home School Officials Regarding Participation in the Title I Program
In the coming months, districts will begin planning for the next school year. This also includes planning for equitable services.
The first step to planning equitable services for private school students is determining which private schools intend to participate in the Title I, Part A program for the upcoming school year. This is commonly referred to as “notification of participation” or “intent to participate.”
Annually, districts must contact officials of each private/home school with children who might reside in the district to determine whether those officials would like for their eligible students to participate in equitable services under Title I, Part A as required by Section 1117(b)(1) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Each district has the responsibility to contact all private and home schools within and outside the district that might have students eligible to participate in Title I programs.
A district may not be aware, however, of every instance in which a student who resides in a participating Title I, Part A public school attendance area attends a private school outside the district. If a private school has students it believes may be eligible for services because they reside in a participating Title I, Part A public school attendance area in another district, and the private school has not been contacted, private school officials should contact the district directly. This will ensure eligible students are considered for services.
A district may create its own notification letter or customize the letter of notification to private schools and participation survey contained in the Title I Sample Documents found on the Title I, Part A Documents and Resources webpage. This document is unique to the Title I, Part A program and is sent annually to private/home school officials to determine their interest in participating in equitable services under Title I, Part A. The letter includes a brief description of the services, as well as the Non-Public School Participation Survey.
Districts may send this form by certified mail to document receipt of the form by private/home school officials. Other methods to document the sending of the notification could include an email with a read receipt, screenshots of invitations sent or a picture of an addressed, stamped envelope. Documentation of the notification should be maintained, even if the private school declines to participate.
The district does not submit any documentation to KDE regarding Title I, Part A private school participation unless selected for monitoring. In that case, the district would need to provide evidence the notification letter was sent to applicable private/home schools to show they are meeting the requirement.
Once returned, the surveys will be used to: identify the schools wishing to participate; help plan and initiate consultation; help with data collection; and help with completing the Title I, Part A application. Districts may use March and April as a potential time window for sending the Letter of Notification and Participation Survey.
A district may set a reasonable deadline – taking into consideration private/home school schedules – for private/home school officials to indicate their intent to participate. When doing so, a district must provide clear and sufficient notice of the deadline, identify potential consequences for not meeting the deadline and give adequate time for private/home school officials to respond.
Don't confuse the notification of participation with the declaration of participation!
The Title I letter of notification to private schools and participating survey is not to be confused with the Private, Non-profit (PNP) Schools Declaration of Participation for Title II-A, Title IV-A and IDEA-B assurance forms and the Private, Non-profit Schools and Home Schools Declaration of Participation for Title III-EL assurance forms. These documents are commonly referred to as the “declaration of participation” and are for private schools and home schools physically located in your school district’s geographic boundaries for Title II-A, Title IV-A, IDEA-B and Title III-EL. Districts will receive further information from KDE regarding the FY2025 Declaration of Participation in the coming weeks.
For more information on the PNPs and the declaration of participation, visit KDE’s Additional Federal Grant Information webpage. Additional Title I, Part A equitable services resources can be found on KDE’s Title I, Part A Documents and Resources webpage and Non-Public School Ombudsman webpage.
Questions may be sent to your KDE Title I, Part A consultant.
In Case You Missed It: 'Tap Federal Resources for Early Parent Engagement to Address Chronic Absenteeism'
ESEA Now, a publication containing resources related to educational programs in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), published an article on Dec. 15 entitled "Tap federal resources for early parent engagement to address chronic absenteeism."
Chronic absenteeism has become a hot-button topic in education nationwide, and Kentucky schools are no stranger to the conversation. While it is prohibited under 2 CFR 200.403 to use federal funds to incentivize student attendance, as covered in the December 2022 Title I Newsletter, there are still some creative ways you could leverage Title I, Part A funds to help increase student attendance.
The article emphasizes the importance of early outreach and communication to families and suggests tailoring staff training toward these efforts. This not only provides an opportunity to address the problem of chronic absenteeism, but also fulfills an ESEA requirement to offer professional development opportunities to school staff on how to effectively work with parents and build ties between families and the school.
To that end, districts may wish to consider strategies such as hosting parenting workshops to address identified needs of families or providing targeted workshops to teachers on effective parent communication. The bottom line, effective parent and family engagement is a critical key to combating chronic absenteeism. And don’t forget, offering childcare during parent workshops is an allowable use of parent and family engagement set aside funds, and could even bolster attendance at those events!
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