Title I News

July 2024

Volume 8, Issue 7

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

― Helen Keller

Don’t forget that everyone around you brings a unique perspective, skill set, knowledge and resources to the table. Prioritize collaboration and communication over working in isolation. Continue to break down silos, build bridges and work together toward creating equitable opportunities that effectively meet the diverse needs of students.

Spending Homeless Funds – Develop Plans Now

It’s the time of year when the Title I coordinator and local homeless liaison work together to determine an appropriate amount of funds to be reserved for students experiencing homelessness. Conducting a needs assessment as described under McKinney-Vento Sec. 11433(b)(1) will help you determine a reasonable amount to set aside for the FY2025 application.

The needs assessment should be based on the current needs of students identified as experiencing homelessness and should take into account existing funding sources and community resources at the disposal of the district. The needs assessment should describe how the district will collaborate with stakeholders to identify and provide services and resources to identified students. Additional information on the use of a needs assessment in relation to the homeless set-aside funds is available in the Education for Homeless Children and Youths Program Non-Regulatory Guidance.

Once the FY2025 GMAP application is approved by the Kentucky Department of Education, begin implementing the plan and begin spending homeless set-aside funds to support identified student needs. Although Title I, Part A has a performance period of 27 months, the intention is to utilize the allocated homeless set-aside funds within the academic year to support the existing homeless students.

Your FY2025 funds should address the immediate needs of identified students across the district (at Title I and non-Title I schools) and should be expended within the 2024-2025 school year. According to question D-13 of the Title I Fiscal Issues Non-Regulatory Guidance, if a district is required to spend a specific amount of funds in a given year for a specific purpose, the district must meet that obligation. Any funds carried over to the following year must be spent for that specific purpose.

Districts must use homeless set-aside funds to assist children and youths experiencing homelessness in enrolling, attending and succeeding in school. When planning for expenditures, some activities to consider include, but are not limited to:

• Tutoring, supplemental instruction and other educational services.
• Expedited evaluations of eligible students to measure their strengths and needs.
• Professional development for educators that is designed to heighten the understanding and sensitivity to the needs of homeless children.
• Referrals of eligible students to medical, dental, mental and other health services.
• Assistance to defray the excess cost of transportation not otherwise provided through federal, state or local funds to enable students to remain in their schools of origin.
• Developmentally appropriate early childhood education programs.
• Before- and after-school mentoring and summer programs for children experiencing homelessness.
• Specialized instructional support services, including violence prevention counseling, and referrals for such services.
• Programs addressing the particular needs of children and youths experiencing homelessness that may arise from domestic violence and parental mental health or substance abuse problems.
• Providing school supplies, including those to be distributed at shelters, temporary housing facilities or other appropriate locations.

Direct services to students experiencing homelessness are not the only allowable use of set-aside funds. Homeless set-aside funds may be used to pay a portion or all of the district homeless liaison’s salary.

The district also should consider using a portion of set-aside funds for professional learning opportunities to help the homeless liaison and other staff understand the barriers faced by students experiencing homelessness and how to support this population. It may be beneficial to pay for the homeless liaison and a few other key staff members to attend a homeless education conference. Funds can be used to cover registration fees and associated travel expenses. After attending the conference, the homeless liaison should share the information with staff. The district also may consider paying a consultant to provide in-house training or purchasing materials to conduct a book study.

Any expenditures made with homeless set-aside funds must be reasonable, allocable and necessary, as well as addressing an identified and documented need. Consult the Serving Students Experiencing Homelessness Under Title I, Part A document for tips on spending homeless set-aside funds, or reach out to the State Coordinator Zach Stumbo.

In Case You Missed It: Collaborate to Improve Outcomes

ESEA Now, a publication containing resources related to educational programs in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), published an article on Feb. 23 called “The more we work together: Collaborate to improve student outcomes, ED officials say.”

The article emphasizes the importance of program collaboration and cautions against working in silos. On the introduction page of the GMAP application, districts describe how Title I activities are coordinated with other programs. This collaboration can leverage expertise and resources as well as prevent duplicative services.

Consider all the programs within your district. Are the representatives for these programs familiar with the basic components of Title I, Part A? And are you familiar with their programs? A general understanding of each program’s intent and purpose, as well as allowable uses of funds, could enable you to identify areas where you can support one another. Internal professional learning opportunities that educate staff on all the programs and funding sources available across the district can pave the way for increased collaboration.

This doesn’t mean that everyone should become an expert in all programs. A general understanding of program requirements and details on who to contact for more information should be sufficient. It may be beneficial for each program to create a one-pager or crosswalk document that their colleagues can quickly reference as needed.

Keep Your District's Contacts Up to Date in Person Role Manager

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) emails information regarding the Title I, Part A program to all district Title I coordinators throughout the year. These communications include important announcements and deadlines for funding and programmatic needs, new and updated resources, newsletters, and professional learning and training opportunities.

The list of recipients for these emails is generated by a program called Person Role Manager. The district web apps admin point of contact (WAAPOC) can update the personnel listed in this program. The district contacts listed in Person Role Manager feed into the Open House website.

Districts must check and update, if necessary, the name of the Title I coordinator for their district to ensure the correct person receives communication from KDE in a timely manner. This process includes adding new coordinators, as well as removing coordinators no longer working with the Title I, Part A program.

To change or verify the Title I coordinator for your district, follow these instructions:

• Verify the Title I coordinator by selecting your district on Open House.
• If the role is blank or incorrect, the update must be made in Person Role Manager via KDE Web Applications.
• For Title I coordinators who are listed but no longer should be, their Role Status must be changed to “inactive” and a Role End Date entered via KDE Web Applications | Person Role Manager.
• To add a Title I coordinator, the Role Status must be set to “active” and a Role Start Date entered. Also ensure an email address is entered on the demographic screen. This should be done via KDE Web Applications | Person Role Manager as well.

To ensure important communications are received, update the contact information and list the correct point of contact as “active” in Person Role Manager for Title I coordinator.

Open Title I, Part A Projects and Associated Deadlines

Please review the table below and make note of the approaching deadlines regarding the obligation and expenditure of funds from all open Title I, Part A projects.

In This Issue

• Spending Homeless Funds: Develop Plans Now
• In Case You Missed It: Collaborate to Improve Outcomes
• Keep Your District's Contacts Up to Date in Person Role Manager
• Prepare for the Fiscal Year 2025 Consolidated GMAP Application
• A Principal’s Perspective: Use your CSIP to Document Title I Plans
• Coordinator’s Year at a Glance
• Open Title I, Part A Projects and Associated Deadlines

Prepare for the Fiscal Year 2025 Consolidated GMAP Application

Be sure you’re prepared to complete the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Consolidated Application the Grant Management Application and Planning (GMAP) system. District coordinators will receive an email when the application is open.

Allocations shown on the FY25 original application in GMAP are preliminary for the 2024-2025 school year. FY25 allocations are available on the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Federal Grants webpage. Final allocations will be released in the fall upon receipt of final notification from the U.S. Department of Education.

The release of FY25 funds is based on the following:

• An approved FY25 Consolidated Application;
• Submission of FY25 District Funding Assurances;
• Submission of FY25 Superintendent District Funding Assurances and Statement; and
• Submission of FY25 Federal Cash Request Statement of Assurance.

For step-by-step instructions on completing the GMAP application, please consult the GMAP Training Video Series. If you have questions, please contact your Title I, Part A consultant.

Principal's Perspective – Use Your CSIP to Document Title I, Part A Plans

Did you know that your school’s Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) also serves as your Title I, Part A schoolwide plan?

The process of continuous improvement involves reviewing data, diagnosing needs, setting goals and planning strategies. This process also forms the core of the Title I schoolwide plan.

Once a strategy is identified, schools determine actionable steps or classroom activities to effectively address critical needs. Periodic progress monitoring ensures the plan is implemented with fidelity and allows for timely course correction. Notably, all of these activities are already embedded in the CSIP process.

The CSIP serves as a roadmap guiding efforts to enhance student outcomes and educational experiences. Rather than viewing it as a compliance requirement, it should be considered a central hub for real-time review and evaluation of improvement strategies. Regularly revisiting and reassessing goals, action steps and progress indicators enables adjustments to address emerging challenges and capitalize on growth opportunities.

It's crucial not to overlook the CSIP's role in planning the utilization of allocated Title I funds. All federal funding must be necessary and documented. Use the CSIP's funding source column to outline how Title I funds will be strategically used alongside other resources to meet identified needs and enhance student achievement. When possible, the approximate amount of Title I funds being used should also be included in the funding source column.

If you have questions related to improvement planning, please contact Natasha Stein or Ruth Swanson.

Coordinator's Year at a Glance – Suggested Tasks for May – July 

– Meet with district financial staff to reconcile fiscal issues prior to the end-of-year closeout. This will help ensure the district will not exceed the 15% carryover limitation.

– Determine roles and responsibilities of appropriate local education agency representatives to determine comparability requirements.

– Gather data on private school services and evaluate programs for the upcoming year.

– Review and update district parent and family engagement policy based on data (e.g., evaluations), as needed.

– Review and update school parent and family engagement policy and school-family compact based on data (e.g., evaluations), jointly with parents, as needed. Don’t forget about KDE’s new policy and compact resources and templates available on the Title I, Part A Documents and Resources webpage!

Monthly Title I Webinar

The June webinar and accompanying PowerPoint are available on the Title I, Part A Documents and Resources webpage. During the webinar, information centered around reminders and tips for completing the FY2025 GMAP application.

The July webinar will be held at 10 a.m. ET July 25. A reminder email will be sent before the webinar.

We value your feedback and would like to learn more about what is helpful and what you would like to see more of in the monthly webinars. Anonymous feedback and topic suggestions may be submitted through the optional Title I Monthly Webinar Feedback Survey. The feedback will be used to help ensure the monthly webinars meet your needs.

CONTACTS

Title I District Consultant List