"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home."
― Edith Sitwell
As winter’s chill sets in and the days grow shorter, it's easy to fall into the temptation of hibernation, both physically and mentally. In our work, however, winter is also a time to keep moving forward – resisting the urge to slow down – and to stay focused on the important goals we’ve set for our students and communities. Together, let’s maintain our momentum, nurture the progress we’ve made and continue making strides for our schools and students, no matter the season.
Time and Effort – Semi-annual Certification
Time and effort reporting must be maintained for all employees who are paid fully or partially from Title I funds (or any federal funding source). This ensures that the district or school employee paid from federal funds worked on activities allowable to the grant.
Time and effort records must reflect an after-the-fact distribution of the actual activity of the employee to verify that the time they are paid for was actually spent working for the grant. The type of time and effort documentation needed will depend on the number of cost objectives the employee works on. This month’s article focuses on employees working on a single cost objective. Time and effort documentation for employees working on multiple cost objectives will be covered in next month’s newsletter.
District and school personnel who work solely on a single cost objective must document, at a district-determined frequency (for example, semi-annually or annually) that they worked solely on that cost objective for the period covered.
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) provides an example of a strong internal control for staff working from a single cost objective in the form of a “semi-annual certification.” This certification example indicates the period covered by the certification and is signed by the employee and the supervisor who has first-hand knowledge of the work performed. A sample semi-annual certification is located in the Title I, Part A Sample Documents folder.
A “single cost objective” can be, for example, a single function, a single grant or a single activity. It is possible to work on a single cost objective even if an employee works on more than one federal award or on a federal award and a non-federal award.
The key to determining whether an employee is working on a single cost objective is whether the employee’s salary and wages can be supported in full from each of the federal awards on which the employee is working, or from the federal award alone if the employee’s salary also is paid with non-federal funds. Consider the following examples:
- A bilingual paraeducator is paid fully from Title I, Part A to provide supplemental instructional support to English learner students in a Title I schoolwide program. This employee is working on a single cost objective, providing supplemental instructional support to English learners. Time and effort documentation such as a semi-annual certification would be sufficient.
- A math intervention teacher working at a Title I-served school is paid partially from general funds and partially from Title I funds. The single function of this position is math intervention services, and the position could be fully-funded using either general funds or Title I funds at the discretion of the school and district. Although the employee is paid using two funding sources, they are working on a single cost objective (math intervention). Time and effort documentation such as a semi-annual certification would be sufficient.
- A district employee serving as Title I coordinator and a literacy coach for Title I and non-Title I schools who is also paid with a combination of Title I and general funds. This employee works on multiple cost objectives: administration of the Title I program and supporting literacy teachers and interventionists across the district. Although Title I coordinators can be paid fully from general funds, this employee could not be paid fully from Title I since they also work as a literacy coach at both Title I and non-Title I schools. A semi-annual certification would not be sufficient documentation for this employee because it does not break down the actual amount of time the employee works on each cost objective (Title I coordinator, literacy coach). This employee would need more detailed records such as monthly personnel activity reports, which will be covered next month.
If your written time and effort procedures include collecting semi-annual certifications for staff with a single cost objective, now is the time to collect signatures for the period from July 1-Dec. 31.
Principal's Perspective: Using Your Survey Responses
By this time, you’ve likely had several opportunities to invite parents into your building for engagement opportunities like conferences, literacy nights, science or math events, etc. Make sure that you are taking time to check in with your families after those events to gauge the effectiveness of your programs and to inquire about their additional needs.
Gathering parent feedback is an essential step in understanding the needs and concerns of your school community. But don’t stop there! It's equally important to go beyond just collecting data.
Many schools use parent surveys to gather feedback. By analyzing and using the survey results to drive intentional changes, you can create a more responsive and supportive environment for your students and families. Communicating these actions transparently with parents shows them that their voices are valued and that their input directly influences school decision-making. This process fosters trust, strengthens partnerships and helps ensure that your school is truly meeting the needs of every student.
Check out some of these ideas for communicating survey results with your parents:
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Create a Feedback Summary Report: After gathering survey data, share a clear, concise summary with parents outlining key findings. Highlight both the positive feedback and areas for improvement, so parents see a balanced view of the feedback.
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Hold Follow-Up Meetings: Organize meetings where school leaders can discuss survey results with parents. This provides an opportunity for additional dialogue with families. Pro tip: Make sure you keep agendas, sign-in sheets and detailed minutes at these meetings.
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Develop an Action Plan: Share a specific action plan based on the survey results. For example, if parents expressed concerns about communication, outline steps the school will take to improve communication, such as regular newsletters or utilizing multiple forms of communication.
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Celebrate Improvements: When positive changes are made, celebrate them with the school community. Publicly acknowledging the impact of parent feedback reinforces the idea that their input truly makes a difference.
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.
Fiscal Year (FY)
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Period of Award
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85% Obligation
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All Funds Spent or Encumbered
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Final Federal Cash Request
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FY2023
(Project 310J)
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July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2025
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Sept. 30, 2023
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June 30, 2025
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Aug. 30, 2025
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FY2024
(Project 310K)
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July 1, 2023 - Sept. 30, 2025
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Sept. 30, 2024
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Sept. 30, 2025
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Nov. 14, 2025
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FY2025
(Project 310L)
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July 1, 2024 - Sept. 30, 2026
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Sept. 30, 2025
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Sept. 30, 2026
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Nov. 13, 2026
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