Title I News - August 2025

August 2025

Volume 9, Issue 8

"Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure."

― Confucius

Preparation is key to a successful start to the school year. For district staff, that may include ensuring you’re signed up receive program communication from the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), staying on top of upcoming due dates and registering for professional learning opportunities. Principals should spend time thinking about creative parent engagement events the school can host throughout the school year.

This month’s newsletter is designed to provide you with just-in-time information you need for your Title I programs.

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

KDE emails information regarding the Title I, Part A program to all district Title I coordinators throughout the year. These communications include important announcements, 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 communications 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.

Title I, Part A Carryover Waiver

Section 1127(a) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) places a carryover limitation on Title I, Part A funds. No more than 15% of the funds allocated to a district for any fiscal year may remain available for obligation for one additional fiscal year.

Districts must ensure at least 85% of school year 2024-2025 (FY25) Title I, Part A funds (project 310L) are obligated for activities that occur no later than Sept. 30, 2025. As stated in Section 1127(c) of ESSA, this carryover limitation does not apply to districts that receive less than $50,000 in Title I, Part A for the fiscal year.

Section 1127(b) of ESSA allows the state to waive this carryover limitation if 1) it determines a district’s request is reasonable and necessary, or 2) supplemental appropriations for this subpart become available. Typically, districts may apply for this waiver once in a three-year period; however, KDE has received a waiver from the U.S. Department of Education allowing waivers to be granted more than once in a three-year period.

Any district wishing to request a carryover waiver for 2024-2025 funds may do so no later than Sept. 30 by submitting an email to David Millanti. The email must:

1. State the district requests a waiver of the 15% carryover limitation;
2. Contain the reason for the excess carryover; and
3. Describe plans for effectively using carryover funds.

Questions may be directed to David Millanti or your district’s Title I, Part A consultant. Additional information about the carryover limitation is available in the Title I Carryover Information document.

Accepting Applications for Diagnostic Review Team Members

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and Cognia are accepting applications for diagnostic review team members to serve during the 2025-2026 school year.

The Cognia diagnostic review process is a performance-driven approach that relies on data from student performance, stakeholder feedback, classroom observations and a review of documents, artifacts and school practices.

Diagnostic reviews yield a comprehensive analysis of an institution in an extensive report intended to energize and guide continuous improvement planning for underperforming schools and districts.

All diagnostic review team members must have experience or expertise in the following areas:

1. School or system administration, with a specific emphasis on instructional leadership such as superintendent, principal, instructional supervisor, director of curriculum and instruction, assessment, special education, etc.
2. Leading or supporting turnaround/improvement initiatives at the school, system or state department levels.
3. Familiarity with the analysis and use of data as a driver for improvement.

Diagnostic review team members are required to complete specialized training. While there is no compensation for participating as a diagnostic review team member, all expenses associated with travel for an onsite visit will be reimbursed by Cognia.

If you are interested in serving in this capacity, please begin by submitting your contact information on the diagnostic review team member interest form.

We will send next step information to support you through the training process. There will be multiple training options available throughout the next few months in preparation for reviews scheduled for the 2025-2026 school year.

If you have questions, please email the Cognia team.

Principal's Perspective: Aligning Engagement Events with Identified Student Needs

Last month, we briefly touched on the concept of aligning parent and family engagement events with school improvement goals. Parent and family engagement isn’t just about attendance, it’s about impact.

Title I schools have a powerful opportunity to design events that connect families to what students are learning and where they need support. By aligning family events with identified student needs, you can provide a real boost for achievement.

Here are a few creative, content-driven examples that target specific areas:

Writing: "Family Writers Cafe"

If writing skills are an area of need, transform your cafeteria or library into a cozy café setting where students and families can write together in a relaxed, encouraging environment. Play soft music and provide writing prompts at each table (e.g., “Write about your proudest moment,” or “Invent a new holiday and describe how it’s celebrated”).

Invite teachers to act as “writing coaches” who circulate and offer feedback or encouragement.

Science: "Family STEM Lab"

For schools aiming to improve science outcomes, transform your gym into a Family STEM Lab. Set up hands-on stations tied to current units, like exploring energy conservation or plant life. Teachers can walk families through the inquiry process, while students demonstrate their knowledge.

Mathematics: "Math in the Real World"

Host an interactive evening where each station connects math concepts to everyday life. For example:

• Budgeting Booth: Families plan a grocery trip on a budget using grocery store flyers and coupons to reinforce addition, subtraction and multiplication.
• Measurement Station: Use rulers, measuring cups and scales to solve real-world challenges (e.g., baking conversions, furniture spacing).
• Game Zone: Offer math board games and card games that target specific skills like multiplication fluency or fractions.
• Include a take-home toolkit with fun math games, problem-solving tips and family-friendly apps.

When family engagement events are thoughtfully aligned to student learning needs, they not only strengthen the home-school connection – they become powerful tools for boosting student achievement and confidence where it matters most.

In case you missed it: Listen to the May 2025 Title I Webinar where innovative practices in Parent and Family Engagement events were explored in depth with the Prichard Committee.

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

• Keep Your District’s Contacts Up to Date in Person Role Manager
• Title I, Part A Carryover Waiver
• Fiscal Year 2026 Consolidated GMAP Application Now Open
• Registration Open for 2025 Continuous Improvement Summit
• Final Federal Cash Request for Fiscal Year 2022 (Project 310J)
• Accepting Applications for Diagnostic Review Team Members
• Principal’s Perspective: Aligning Engagement Events with Identified Student Needs
• Coordinator’s Year at a Glance

Fiscal Year 2026 Consolidated GMAP Application Now Open

As a reminder, the fiscal year 2026 Consolidated Application is open in the Grant Management Application and Planning (GMAP) system and is due Aug. 31.

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.

Registration Open for 2025 Continuous Improvement Summit

KDE and Cognia invite you to a two-day event designed to elevate your impact in education. Registration is now open the 2025 Kentucky Continuous Improvement Summit on Sept. 22-23 at the Central Bank Center in Lexington!

This year’s keynote speaker is Missy Testerman, the 2024 National Teacher of the Year. She teaches English as a second language to students from kindergarten through 8th grade and is a passionate advocate for her students, their families and fellow teachers. A Tennessee native and first-generation college graduate, Testerman takes pride in her former students’ success and is dedicated to ensuring the next generation receives a broadened education while living in a rural setting. She emphasizes the importance of teachers holding high expectations for all students from the moment they step into the classroom.

Whether you’re looking to enhance your professional learning, strengthen existing relationships or tackle unique challenges with fresh strategies, this conference is for you. Don’t miss this opportunity to spark new ideas, gain insights from KDE leaders and join Kentucky’s continuous improvement movement!

Visit the 2025 Kentucky Continuous Improvement Summit registration webpage to register.

Final Federal Cash Request for Fiscal Year 2023 (Project 310J)

The final Federal Cash Request (FCR) for fiscal year 2023 must be submitted to KDE by Aug. 30.

Title I coordinators should work with finance officers to ensure all FCRs have been submitted. Please refer to KDE’s Federal Cash Request Procedural Instructions for additional information.

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

• Review and update parent/guardian notification materials (testing transparency, teacher qualification request letter). Distribute materials by direct and indirect means no later than the beginning of the school year.
• Revise and align GMAP and Enterprise ERP (EERP) from previous year.
• Develop a system to collect and organize documentation related to the district’s Title I program for state monitoring reviews.
• Consult with district (human resources or finance) staff on comparability requirements (list of federally funded and non-federally funded staff). Please refer to KDE’s Title I Comparability Guide for additional information surrounding this requirement.
• Review and update student selection criteria sheet and student selection procedure if there are any targeted assistance schools in your district.
• Ensure Title I schools have created rank-ordered student selection lists of Title I students in targeted assistance schools.

Monthly Title I Webinar

The July webinar and accompanying PowerPoint are available on the Title I, Part A Documents and Resources webpage. During the webinar, information centered around several new resources, including the Title I one-pagers and the annual Title I meeting presentation template.

The August webinar will be held at 10 a.m. ET Aug. 28. 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