December 2025

Volume 9, Issue 12

"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."

― Maya Angelou

Self-assessment isn’t just a compliance exercise – it’s a powerful strategy for continuous improvement.

As we move deeper into the school year, it's the perfect time to pause, reflect and assess where we stand in our Title I programs. By using all the tools at our disposal, from data dashboards to stakeholder feedback to technical assistance tools provided by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), we can ensure our programs remain aligned, effective and compliant.

Commit to knowing better through reflection, collaboration and smart use of resources.

Tentative 2026-2027 Census Poverty and Hold Harmless Rates Coming Soon

Be on the lookout for an explanation of tentative census poverty data and tentative hold harmless rates.

The numbers are typically issued to KDE in December by the U.S. Department of Education (USED). In turn, KDE analyzes and issues them in a notification posted in the Commissioner’s Weekly Message and through direct email to district Title I coordinators. Although we expect to make the information available to districts in January, that is dependent upon when KDE receives the numbers from USED.

The hold harmless rates are set by USED and based on the tentative poverty percentages derived from U.S. Census Bureau data. Please note that tentative poverty percentages provided by the Census Bureau are not reflective of data available to the district or KDE (such as free- and reduced-price lunch data).

Districts can multiply the hold harmless rate by the current year’s Title I, Part A allocation to produce an estimate of their 2026-2027 school year Title I, Part A allocation for planning purposes. It is recommended that each district carefully review the information included in the document when it is issued.

When you receive the notification email, bear in mind that all data is tentative and is provided for planning purposes only. It does not represent your district’s final Title I, Part A allocation for the next school year.

An in-depth review of hold harmless rates is available in the Title I Coordinator Training Webinar available on KDE’s Title I, Part A Documents and Resources webpage.

For more information, contact your Title I, Part A consultant.

Principal's Perspective: New Course for Title I Principals

Submitted by Denise Harover, Title I, Part A Consultant

KDE has recently launched a professional learning platform called the Kentucky Learning Hub! This is a resource center that provides exceptional professional learning opportunities to Kentucky educators.

In addition to courses and webinars developed by KDE, you also can access the Professional Learning Bulletin Board (PLBB) catalog that provides a list of learning opportunities offered by partnering organizations. The Kentucky Learning Hub is easy to access and educators can use their district email and password to get logged in.

A new Title I, Part A for Schools course is available on the platform. This course was designed for principals and educators who work with the Title I program. It is a self-paced course that provides an overview of Title I, Part A program basics, as well as school requirements. The course contains the following five modules:

• Title I, Part A Basics
• Needs Assessment
• School Program Design and Effectiveness
• Parent and Family Engagement
• Effective Documentation

A certificate of completion will be emailed to participants upon completion of the course. Participants also will be able to complete an anonymous program survey to provide KDE's team with valuable input about how we can improve learning courses that will be added to the Kentucky Learning Hub.

An overview of the platform and the new Title I course was provided in the September Title I webinar.

Keep Your 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 your 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

• Monitoring Updates and Resources
• Reminder: Attend the 2026 National ESEA Conference
• Tentative 2026-2027 Census Poverty and Hold Harmless Rates Coming Soon
• Person Role Manager Updates
• Principal’s Perspective: New Course for Title I Principals
• Coordinator’s Year at a Glance
• Open Title I, Part A Projects and Associated Deadlines

Monitoring Updates and Resources

All districts selected for either consolidated or Title I, Part A desk monitoring for the 2025-2026 school year have been notified. If you were not selected this year, it is still highly recommended to complete a self-assessment of your program compliance at the district and school level using the available resources and templates on the Title I, Part A Documents and Resources webpage, including but not limited to:

• Desk Monitoring Checklist
• District Consolidated Monitoring Checklist
• Schoolwide Program Consolidated Monitoring Checklist
• Annual Title I Meeting Presentation Template
• District Parent and Family Engagement Policy Template
• Elementary School Parent and Family Engagement Policy Template
• Secondary School Parent and Family Engagement Policy Template
• School-Family Compact Template

These and other resources are designed to help ensure compliance and districts who use them regularly have been able to avoid findings or address them quickly. Take time now to audit your programs and prepare in the event that your district is selected next year.

Reminder: Attend the 2026 National ESEA Conference

Although the Early Bird Registration window is closed, you still have time to sign up to attend the 2026 National Association of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) State Program Administrators (NAESPA) conference Feb. 10-12 – either virtually or in Denver, Colo.

As a reminder, reasonable costs related to program-related professional development (registration, travel, lodging, meals, etc.) are an allowable use of Title I, Part A funds. Professional development expenses for the Title I coordinator should be reserved in the administrative cost set-aside.

For more information, view the Attendee Guide, and to register, visit eseanetwork.org.

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

– Monitor implementation of schoolwide parent and family engagement activities to ensure they meet the intent and purpose of the Title I parent and family engagement program. As a reminder, entertainment/ social activities such as award ceremonies and holiday parties should not be paid for with Title I, Part A funds.

– Ensure the methodology regarding supplement, not supplant, is on file at the district office if required for your district. Please note, some districts are exempt from the supplement, not supplant, methodology. Please see the U.S. Department of Education information document (question 26, p.20) for information on exemptions. Additional information on supplement, not supplant, is available in KDE’s Title I Supplement not Supplant Information document.

Monthly Title I Webinar

The November webinar and accompanying PowerPoint are available on the Title I, Part A Documents and Resources webpage. During the webinar, information centered around policies and processes related to students experiencing homelessness and students in foster care.

The December webinar will be held at 10 a.m. ET Dec. 18. 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. The November webinar topic was selected based on feedback survey results.

CONTACTS

Title I District Consultant List