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"The house don't fall when the bones are good."
– Maren Morris
Success doesn’t happen by chance; it’s built through preparation and intentional action. In this issue, we highlight key steps to ensure your Title I program has a strong foundation built on compliance and effectiveness. Tasks like cleaning up open applications, planning equitable services and completing time and effort documentation may seem routine, but they all work together to build the “bones” of your program.
You’ll also find details on our new coordinator training and important reminders for principals about homeless funds. Let’s lay the groundwork for success – starting now.
Initiating Contact with Private School/ Home School Officials
In the coming months, districts will begin planning for the next school year. This also includes planning for equitable services.
The first step to planning equitable services for private school students is determining which private schools intend to participate in the Title I, Part A program for the upcoming school year. This is commonly referred to as “Notification of Participation” or “Intent to Participate.”
Annually, districts must contact officials of each private/home school with children who might reside in the district to determine whether those officials would like for their eligible students to participate in equitable services under Title I, Part A as required by Section 1117(b)(1) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Each district has the responsibility to contact all private and home schools within and outside the district that might have students eligible to participate in Title I programs.
A district may not be aware, however, of every instance in which a student who resides in a participating Title I, Part A public school attendance area attends a private school outside the district. If a private school has students it believes may be eligible for services because they reside in a participating Title I, Part A public school attendance area in another district, and the private school has not been contacted, private school officials should contact the district directly. This will ensure eligible students are considered for services.
A district may create its own notification letter or customize the letter of notification to private schools and participation survey contained in the Title I Sample Documents found on the Kentucky Department of Education's (KDE's) Title I, Part A Documents and Resources webpage. This document is unique to the Title I, Part A program and is sent annually to private/home school officials to determine their interest in participating in equitable services under Title I, Part A. The letter includes a brief description of the services, as well as the Non-Public School Participation Survey.
Districts may send this form by certified mail to document receipt of the form by private/home school officials. Other methods to document the sending of the notification could include an email with a read receipt, screenshots of invitations sent or a picture of an addressed, stamped envelope. Documentation of the notification should be maintained, even if the private school declines to participate.
A district does not submit any documentation to KDE regarding Title I, Part A private school participation unless selected for monitoring. In that case, to show the requirement was met, the district would need to provide evidence the notification letter was sent to applicable private/home schools.
Once returned, the surveys will be used to: identify the schools wishing to participate; help plan and initiate consultation; help with data collection; and help with completing the Title I, Part A application.
A district may set a reasonable deadline – taking into consideration private/home school schedules – for private/home school officials to indicate their intent to participate. When doing so, a district must provide clear and sufficient notice of the deadline, identify potential consequences for not meeting the deadline and give adequate time for private/home school officials to respond.
Don't confuse the Notification of Participation with the Declaration of Participation!
The Title I letter of notification to private schools is not to be confused with the Private, Non-profit (PNP) Schools Declaration of Participation for Title II-A, Title IV-A and IDEA-B assurance forms and the Private, Non-profit Schools and Home Schools Declaration of Participation for Title III-EL assurance forms. These documents are commonly referred to as the “Declaration of Participation” and are for private schools and home schools physically located in your school district’s geographic boundaries for Title II-A, Title IV-A, IDEA-B and Title III-EL. This process is now completed annually in GMAP, and the deadline has been moved forward from the spring. This process is separate from the Title I invitation to participate, and should have been completed by Feb. 1, 2026.
The Title I letter of Notification of Participation to private schools may be sent at the same time as the Declaration of Participation at the district’s discretion. Please note that the timeline to conduct the initial consultation meetings and complete the equitable services packet with participating private schools has not changed. The following summarizes the difference between the two documents:
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Notification of Participation
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Declaration of Participation
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For more information on the PNPs and the Declaration of Participation, visit KDE’s Declaration of Participation webpage. Additional Title I, Part A equitable services resources can be found on KDE’s Title I, Part A Documents and Resources webpage and the Non-Public School Ombudsman webpage.
Principal's Perspective: Pulse Check – Homeless Funds Awareness
All districts that receive Title I, Part A funds are required under Section 1113(c)(3) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to set aside a part of those funds for students experiencing homelessness. Normally Title I funds must be used only at schools that are served by Title I, but in this case the homeless set-aside may be used for students attending Title I and non-Title I schools.
Students experiencing homelessness often experience barriers that prevent them from having equal access to an education and eliminating these barriers requires additional resources. Newer principals may not be aware of the availability of this resource.
Principals and teachers spend the most time with students at school and play a critical role in identifying the unique needs of each student. They build relationships with their students and are usually the first to know what those students need to help them succeed.
Once student needs are identified, the principal should reach out to the district Title I coordinator and the district homeless liaison to find out what resources are available. Often there are resources, like these set-aside funds, or community partners who have made donations that you may not have even been aware of. By working together, you can do more to meet student needs and make sure the resources are used effectively and in an allowable manner.
The McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Act defines homeless children and youth as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.” In a broad sense, “fixed, regular and adequate” means the housing is stationary and not subject to change, used on a consistent basis, meets the physical and psychological needs typical in a home and is fit for human habitation. The law goes on to provide several examples of scenarios that meet this definition, including sharing housing due to a loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason; living in places such as hotels, motels or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate housing; and living in a public or private place not designated for, or normally used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings. These are only a few of the examples listed in the law and it’s important to remember that the examples provided in the law do not include all housing situations which could be determined to meet the definition of experiencing homelessness.
All determinations should be made on a case-by-case basis by the district’s homeless liaison; however, it is important for all staff to be familiar with signs that may indicate a student is experiencing homelessness. Documents such as the National Center for Homeless Education McKinney-Vento Eligibility Determinations Flowchart is designed to help determine if students are experiencing homelessness.
Once a student has been identified as experiencing homelessness, the district and school should work together to identify barriers they may be facing due to homelessness and how the district can work to eliminate or alleviate those barriers. Consider all the needs your students may have that may include, but are not limited to, clothing, hygiene and school supplies, tutoring before or after school, transportation costs to school or extracurricular activities and access to technology for remote learning. Supporting your students’ educational and mental health needs is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in their lives.
A number of resources related to supporting students experiencing homelessness are available in the Title I, Part A Handbook and on KDE's Education for Homeless Children and Youth webpage. State Homeless Coordinator Zach Stumbo, is available to provide technical assistance for questions about the Title I Part A Set-Aside, program eligibility or other questions about students experiencing homelessness.
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.
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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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FY2024
(Project 310K)
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July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2026
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Sept. 30, 2024
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June 30, 2026
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Aug. 31, 2026
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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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FY2026 (Project 310M)
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July 1, 2025 - Sept. 30, 2027
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Sept. 30, 2026
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Sept. 30, 2027
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Nov. 12, 2027
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