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"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
– John Steinbeck
Monitoring Overview
Program monitoring is a requirement for all Title I, Part D (TIPD) subgrantees to ensure effective performance of federal programs. TIPD monitoring visits allow the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) staff to provide technical assistance to ensure program requirements are met, and to provide feedback for program improvement and recognition of exemplary practices. Districts selected for monitoring during the current cycle have been notified through email.
KDE staff will conduct interviews with district and facility personnel responsible for the TIPD program, including the following: district coordinator, facility contact, transition coordinator, finance officer, teachers and students.
In addition, we will review documentation before the on-site visit.
Monitoring Tips
- Remember, this is an opportunity for KDE to provide technical assistance.
- Use the monitoring checklist when gathering documentation for the visit; required documentation is included for each section.
- Collect and organize documentation to support the Title I, Part D program at the district level prior to the visit.
- Make sure evidence is uploaded to SharePoint at least two weeks before the date of the visit. The SharePoint link will be sent by an automated message through SharePoint and Windy Spalding.
- Contact your state coordinators if you have questions.
Title I, Part D, Subpart 1 Monitoring Process
KDE is required to monitor the state agencies’ – Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and Department of Corrections (DOC) – implementation of Subpart 1. Refer to KDE’s Title I, Part D Subpart 1 Monitoring Checklist for specifics.
The state agencies (DJJ and DOC) must monitor their grantees for implementation of requirements of the program statute and regulations. The monitoring process consists of several components: monitoring of expenditures, reviewing requested documentation from the monitoring checklist and conducting an onsite visit. Additionally, state agency directors are responsible for monitoring every facility or institution with which they have contracted for services.
Title I, Part D, Subpart 2 Monitoring: Frequently Asked Questions
1) What’s the purpose?
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is required to monitor Title I, Part D Subpart 2 program implementation as part of its responsibility for Title I, Part D, as authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. While the process ensures compliance, it also provides helpful technical assistance to districts, recommendations to make programs even better, and recognizes all the outstanding efforts that districts are currently making.
2) What are the most common findings, and how can I proactively work to address them?
A couple of the most common findings include the following:
- Lack of alignment between EERP/MUNIS and the approved GMAP application. This can occur when the district does not spend funds according to the approved GMAP application.
- Time and effort logs for staff paid with Title I funds are not maintained.
To proactively address these most common findings, your district can do the following:
- Expenditures must align with the approved application in GMAP. If changes are needed, simply revise the application in GMAP and re-submit it to KDE to review and approve. Make sure that your district regularly coordinates with its finance officer and aligns the GMAP application with actual spending reflected in EERP/MUNIS. The GMAP application can be revised at any time.
- Also, make sure that regular time and effort logs are maintained that document, after the fact, the time and effort of employees paid with Title I funds. A couple of examples of time and effort logs that meet requirements are included (on pages 22-24) in the Title I, Part D Handbook.
3) What is the monitoring process like?
Before the monitoring visit: Between November and December the district will be notified and KDE will schedule the monitoring visit. At least two weeks prior to the visit, the district should upload required documentation from the monitoring checklist in Microsoft Word or PDF documents, rather than Google Doc links (due to accessibility issues).
Do not worry about uploading items that are already documented and available in GMAP, like the program plan/application, needs assessment, interagency agreement, signed assurances, etc. Personally identifiable information, like student names, should not be uploaded on the SharePoint site.
During the monitoring visit: The monitoring discussion generally follows the monitoring checklist, and the purpose is simply to find evidence that meets indicator requirements, learn more about the effective practices currently being implemented, find any areas that may be improved and identify any areas of noncompliance that must be addressed.
Title I, Part D-Subpart 2 monitoring schedule
A typical TIPD monitoring schedule looks like this, although this may change due to multiple factors.
- 9-10:30 a.m. ET at Central Office: Interview and document review with district contact(s), facility contact(s) and transition coordinator
- 10:30-11:15 a.m. ET at Central Office: Discuss budget, MUNIS report, Time and Effort Logs and purchase orders with the finance officer
- 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET at the facility: Facility tour and interview teachers and students including district contact(s), facility contact(s), transition coordinator, teachers and students
- 12:30-1 p.m. ET: Lunch
- 1:15-1:30 p.m. ET at Central Office: Debriefing with district contact(s), facility contact(s), finance officer and transition coordinator
After the Monitoring Visit: The district has one week to provide any requested follow-up evidence. Within 4-6 weeks, a report will be prepared and emailed to the district. The report may include strengths, findings, and/or recommendations. A finding is a required action to address an area of deficiency and demonstrate compliance; a recommendation is not required and is simply a recommendation for how a program can get even better.
4) What monitoring resources are available?
The Title I, Part D, Subpart 2 website and Google Classroom include the following resources to help you during the monitoring process:
- Monitoring Checklist
- Title I-D, Subpart 2 Monitoring Overview
- Webinar: KDE held a virtual webinar on Dec. 9, 2025, at 10 a.m. ET. All coordinators at districts being monitored this year were invited and encouraged to ask any questions regarding monitoring. A recording of the training was emailed out to all coordinators and uploaded to our Google Classroom site.
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