Title I News

March 2025

Volume 9, Issue 3

"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."

― Albert Einstein

As the brisk winds of winter begin to slow their pace, March calls us to embrace a season of reflection and preparation. In these quieter months, let us not only catch our breath, but also harness the opportunity to plan ahead. By investing our time now, we pave the way for smoother operations and more impactful support in the months to come. Use this moment to fortify your strategies and sow the seeds of success for your Title I initiatives.

Reviewing Open Title I, Part A Projects and Associated Deadlines

Now is a great time to review all open Title I, Part A projects and work to align the application and Enterprise ERP (EERP, formerly MUNIS) spending. If any open applications are in revision status, make sure they get submitted to the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) for review. Be sure to review the Consolidated Checklist notes and verify that all identified issues have been addressed.

It’s important to note that we are currently at the halfway mark for the spending down of 85% of the FY2025 funds (project 310L). Take the time now to review your spending and ensure that you are on track to meet the 85% obligation requirement by Sept. 30, 2025.

The chart at the bottom of this newsletter is provided as a monthly reminder of important due dates for obligation, encumbrances and cash requests for each award period. Because projects run concurrently, it’s easy to lose track of progress with each separate award’s timelines.

It is recommended to review this chart periodically with your finance officer to keep each project on track with timely expenditures. Consider establishing a recurring meeting where this information is reviewed or incorporate the review into an existing meeting with the finance officer.

Ongoing Tasks – Help Future You!

A feature of each newsletter includes monthly tasks that help to organize and strategically focus your time and attention. You may notice that tasks in some months are lighter than in others, following the natural ebb and flow of our work in education.

In those lighter months, take some time to review and work ahead on the additional ongoing tasks that are also outlined in Appendix A of the Title I, Part A Handbook. Strategically using downtime to work ahead can help “future you” to have a less hectic overall workload. Some of these critical ongoing tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Continue to assess the needs of students, educators and other relevant stakeholders.
• Review schools’ comprehensive school improvement plans (CSIPs) to ensure Title I activities are included and funding for those activities are aligned within the district plan (CDIP).
• Collaborate with the local homeless liaison and foster care point of contact for identifying homeless and foster care student needs and services as appropriate.
• Regular visits by the district supervisor to participating private schools and regular communication with private school officials and teachers about student progress and program compliance.
• Meet at least quarterly with the finance officer to ensure alignment between GMAP and EERP and timely expenditure of funds to meet the 15% carryover limitation.
• Submit requests to amend GMAP application, as needs change.

Principal's Perspective: Using Your CSIP to Plan Title I Funds

Comprehensive improvement planning is a continuous process, and plans may be reviewed and revised at any time. The goal is for your school’s comprehensive improvement plan (CSIP) to become a living document that is used throughout the year – not just a compliance document that gets touched once a year then put on a shelf.

Don’t neglect the “funding” column of your CSIP! Section 1114(b)(7) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires all schools operating schoolwide programs to develop a comprehensive plan describing how the school will improve academic achievement and address the identified needs throughout the school, but particularly for the lowest-achieving students. Your CSIP serves as your Title I schoolwide program plan and must indicate how the school plans to utilize Title I funds to carry out planned activities.

List in the funding column the activities for which the school plans to strategically use Title I funding to meet documented needs that will serve to reduce student achievement gaps and support identified improvement initiatives. If your school is a recipient of Title I, Part A funds, your CSIP serves as your annual plan and must indicate how Title I funds are utilized to carry out the planned activities.

Share these plans with your Title I coordinator! The FY2025-2026 Title I application created by the district should reflect how each school plans to spend its allocated Title I dollars.

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

• Title I Data Collection and Reporting for 2024-2025
• Reviewing Open Title I, Part A Projects and Associated Deadlines
• Ongoing Tasks – Help Future You!
• Principal’s Perspective: Using Your CSIP to Plan Title I Funds
• Coordinator’s Year at a Glance
• Open Title I, Part A Projects and Associated Deadlines

Title I Data Collection and Reporting for 2024-2025

Title I status in Infinite Campus must be updated to match the Title I status submitted on the district Consolidated Application in the Grant Management Application and Planning (GMAP) system. Reference the Title I Data Standards Section A for guidance to verify and update school Title I status in Infinite Campus.

On July 1, the 2024-2025 Title I data will be extracted from the Infinite Campus reporting warehouse for state and federal reporting and funding purposes. The 2024-2025 Title I status also will be published on the Kentucky School Report Card in the school overview section.

In addition, schools designated as a Title I Targeted Assistance School (TAS) must complete a record on the student Title I Services tab for each student receiving Title I services during the current school year. Very few districts in the state have a Title I TAS designation. Reference the Title I Data Standards Section B for guidance to complete student records for Title I services.

For additional information or questions, email Margalee Conlee.

Coordinator's Year at a Glance – Suggested Tasks for March

• Prepare notification for participation letter for private/home schools to be sent out in the spring.
• Meet with principals of Title I schools to collect information on the use of funds to support Title I programs for the next funding application.
• Use available data (e.g., economically disadvantaged, other low-income data or a combination of poverty indicators) to determine eligible schools for Title I services (for next school year).

Monthly Title I Webinar

The February webinar and accompanying PowerPoint are available on the Title I, Part A Documents and Resources webpage. During the webinar, information centered around time and effort.

The March webinar will be held at 10 a.m. ET March 27. 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