September 2026

Volume 10, Issue 9

“Documentation is a love letter that you write to your future self.”

– Damian Conway

Keeping documentation of events, actions and observations can seem like a never-ending cycle of work. And if you’ve never needed to refer back to your documentation, it can be hard to understand why you must do it.

But, on that random day, when the need is there and we look back at our files and find exactly what we need, it is a glorious feeling! We are thankful for the tasks we do every day, because the documentation has saved the day.

Quick Tips for New Title I Coordinators

Title I, Part A is such a large program that it is easy for new coordinators to feel overwhelmed. If you are new to the Title I program, the following list will provide you with a good place to start:

• Bookmark the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Title I, Part A webpage and the U.S. Department of Education Title I, Part A webpage.
• Review the resources available on KDE’s Title I, Part A Documents and Resources webpage. A summary of available resources is available in Appendix B of the Title I, Part A Handbook.
• Complete the Title I, Part A for Districts course in the KY Learning Hub. This free, self-paced online course is designed for district Title I coordinators and other district staff working with the Title I, Part A program. Six hours of Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA) credit are provided upon completion.
• Register for the upcoming virtual statewide federal programs training offered at no cost to school districts. The training will take place on Sept. 9-10 and will benefit district staff responsible for the oversight and administration of federal education programs and compliance with legal requirements. Participants will be registered for both days and receive links to the session recordings afterwards. To register, please complete the virtual federal programs training online registration form.
• Visit your Title I schools regularly. Become familiar with their needs assessments, improvement plans and methods for providing services and family engagement activities.
• Visit any non-public schools that are participating in the Title I program and any local institutions or homes receiving Title I funds for neglected and delinquent youth. Familiarize yourself with the services provided by the district for those students.

A more comprehensive list can be found on page 4 of the Title I, Part A Handbook. You also can schedule a one-on-one meeting with your assigned KDE Title I consultant to ask any questions you may have.

2026-2027 Title I, Part A Comparability Report Due Nov. 2

ESSA 1118(c) requires districts to provide services using state and local funds to Title I schools that, taken as a whole, are at least comparable to services in schools that are not receiving Title I funds.

Districts demonstrate the comparability of services through student-to-staff ratios across all schools. The required comparability report submitted by each district, as well as the supporting documentation provided in the event the district is selected for monitoring, serves as documentation that the district used correct data on the report and was able to demonstrate comparability among the schools.

The window for gathering data for the comparability report is between the last day of the second month of school (a school month is 20 teaching days) and Oct. 31 of the current school year. Often this timeframe will be Sept. 30-Oct. 31, inclusive, but this may depend on district calendars.

In order to complete the comparability report, you’ll need the student enrollment information for all A1 schools and any non-A1 schools receiving Title I services, which can be gathered using the Enrollment Summary Reports from Infinite Campus. Be sure to save the report for each school in the event your district is selected for monitoring and KDE needs to verify the data in your comparability report.

You also will need the full-time equivalency (FTE) for instructional staff paid with state or local funds working at each school. There is not a specific report to run to gain this information and the method for documenting staff may vary from district to district. Creating a simple worksheet to support the FTE information in your comparability report is recommended. Refer to the “Comparability Report Instructional Staff FTE Documentation” resources available in the Fiscal Management section of the Title I Sample Documents folder for suggested methods of documentation and templates the district may use.

The 2026-2027 Comparability Report Checklist, the Comparability Report Guide and the Comparability Report Training Video are located on KDE's Title I, Part A Documents and Resources webpage. The comparability report workbook is in the GMAP district document library.

Districts must submit the report for approval in GMAP by Nov. 2. A more in-depth look at the comparability report will be provided in the Sept. Title I webinar.

Principal’s Perspective: Documentation That Tells a Story

One of the main challenges of keeping strong documentation for your school can be the simple act of knowing what evidence to keep. When districts and schools are selected for consolidated monitoring, school principals should consider what they want their evidence to say about their school and student success. Documentation should reflect the ongoing efforts and practices that support meeting student needs.

KDE’s school-level monitoring checklists are a great place to start when considering what documentation to save and how to organize it. The Schoolwide Program Consolidated Monitoring Checklist and the Targeted Assistance Program Consolidated Monitoring Checklist directly align with Title I, Part A requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) and Uniform Grant Guidance. The checklists are divided into three separate sections and provide suggested documentation for each monitoring indicator.

Although the checklists will occasionally reference required documentation, the majority of evidence listed on the checklist is suggested. The evidence used to demonstrate compliance on most indicators is up to the school. Keep the following general reminders in mind when saving evidence:

• Carefully review each indicator and determine what you need to demonstrate. For example, a spreadsheet full of student test scores does not demonstrate compliance but documentation of staff analyzing that data and identifying how Title I funds could support student achievement shows that the school is intentional in developing a needs-based program.
• Optimize your documentation; it is possible that one or two detailed items may address multiple indicators.
• Keep your audience in mind. In the event you are selected for monitoring, could a KDE consultant who is unfamiliar with your school make a clear connection between the evidence you saved and the program requirement on the checklist?
• It may be necessary to provide context to your evidence if it is not self-explanatory. For examples, a photo of a family playing a board game would not be proof of a Title I family engagement event without context. Was the board game tailored to academic content to teach parents how to work with students at home to support a specific strategy or was it just a family board game night? The context provided along with that picture could help demonstrate that the school is holding meaningful family engagement events that meet the intent of Title I.

Each checklist is divided into the following sections:

Needs Assessment

This section of the monitoring checklist includes the comprehensive needs assessment that focuses on student data (assessment, behavior, etc.), surveys, results and analysis, and summaries of activities and strategies identified in the current Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP).

• Stakeholder input and participation in program development.
• Use of a needs assessment to prioritize resources.
• Analysis of student data to identify needs.
• Clear connection between identified needs and the use of Title I funds.

Many schools provide documentation of meetings where needs were discussed to show compliance with this section. It is important to make sure that documentation accurately reflects the purpose and details of the meeting, such as:

• When was the meeting held?
• Who attended the meeting and what are their roles?
• Was any data shared at the meeting?
• What was discussed?
• What next steps were determined based on the discussion?

School Program Design and Effectiveness

This section should show how you are using your data to identify student needs and design the Title I program. Documentation will include professional development, instructional practices and strategies supporting student achievement, such as:

• Use of assessments to drive program design.
• How the Title I program supports students.
• Regular monitoring of program implementation.
• Qualifications and responsibilities of staff such as teachers and paraeducators.
• Determination of professional development opportunities.
• How the strategies learned in professional development are monitored for effective implementation.
• Transition supports provided to students between applicable grade levels (early childhood to primary, middle grades to high school and high school to post-secondary life, which may include college, career and/or military service.
• Coordination of various funding streams to meet student needs.

Parent and Family Engagement

Documentation for this section of the monitoring checklist should demonstrate that the parents and families have had the opportunity to be involved in the planning, design, implementation and evaluation of the parent and family engagement program. The KDE Title I, Part A Sample Document folder contains resources that will assist schools in meeting parent and family engagement requirements.

• Evidence the annual meeting occurred and the appropriate information was shared with parents.
• Seeking parent input on the parent and family engagement program (activities, events, how funds are spent, etc.)
• Parent and family engagement policy developed with parents that describes how requirements will be met.
• Evidence that the activities and events outlined in the policy meet the intent of Title I parent and family engagement and are taking place.
• School-family compact developed with parents that outlines the responsibilities of all parties (student, parent, school) to help the student succeed.
• Meaningful two-way communication between the school and family.
• Appropriate notifications have been shared with parents, as applicable.

Strengthening your documentation practices helps to build a comprehensive record of the work done in your school every day.

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. Please note, the dates for FY2025 have been updated to reflect a waiver KDE received to extend the period of availability of funds.

In This Issue

• Quick Tips for New Title I Coordinators
• 2026-2027 Comparability Report Due Nov. 2
• Title I, Part A Carryover Waiver
• Constitutional Prayer Required Annual Certification
• District Spotlight
• Principal’s Perspective: Documentation That Tells a Story
• Coordinator’s Year at a Glance

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 2025-2026 (FY2026) Title I, Part A funds (project 310M) are obligated for activities that occur no later than Sept. 30, 2026. 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 2026-2027 funds may do so no later than Sept. 30, 2026, 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, Part A Carryover Information document.

Constitutional Prayer Required Annual Certification

As a condition of receiving federal funds under ESSA, a local education agency (LEA) must annually certify to KDE that it has no policy that prevents, or otherwise denies participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in public schools (ESSA Sec. 8524). This requirement is being met through one of the District Funding Assurances.

The fiscal year 2027 District Funding Assurances are currently available in the Grants Management Application and Planning System (GMAP). Once the assurances have been completed in GMAP, they must be printed and presented to the local board for approval. Then the superintendent (not the designee) must upload the assurances statement by Sept. 30, 2026.

By Nov. 1, KDE is required to report to the U.S. Department of Education a list of LEAs that have not filed the required prayer certification or that have been the subject of a complaint, so it is important for districts to upload the assurances statement in a timely manner.

Information about completing and submitting the funding assurances is available on KDE's Comprehensive District Improvement Plan Funding and Finance webpage.

For questions about Constitutional Prayer, refer to the U.S. Department of Education guidance or contact Tara Rodriguez by email or phone at (502) 564-3791, ext. 4042.

District Spotlight

We would like to periodically highlight effective practices at Title I districts and schools across the Commonwealth. We invite you to share specific examples of how Title I requirements are being met in your district.

For example, do you have a great process for collecting time and effort documentation or working with principals to ensure funds are spent timely? Could you share details about a meaningful parent and family engagement event at one of your schools? By sharing examples, we can learn from each other and build on the good work that is already being done. Your story may inspire others to try something new.

Email your spotlight information to Denise Harover. Please share specific examples, relevant details and any supporting photos.

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

– Collect evidence of annual Title I meetings for parents at all Title I schools. KDE recommends these meetings be conducted by the end of October.

– Distribute the district’s written parent and family engagement policy to all participating parents and family members served by Title I.

– Ensure that each Title I school distributes its written parent and family engagement policy and compact to all participating parents and family members. The policy should be made available to the community. KDE recommends posting the documents on the school websites to ensure they can be accessed by parents and the community at any time.

– Prepare to pull the student enrollment summary report from Infinite Campus for attendance numbers by the last day of the second school month or a date between that day and Oct. 31 for the purpose of the comparability report.

– Prepare instructional staff listing and full-time equivalency by location and funding source to use for the purpose of the comparability report.

– Determine that all applicable parent notifications (testing transparency, right to request teacher qualifications, etc.) have been provided to parents.

– Consult with participating facilities for neglected and delinquent youth to develop an evaluation of services.

– Ensure targeted assistance schools have notified parents and implemented services.

– Review and update Title I personnel lists for each building.

Monthly Title I Webinar

The August webinar and accompanying PowerPoint are available on the Title I, Part A Documents and Resources webpage. During the webinar, information centered around the homeless set-aside and allowable uses of funds.

The September webinar will be held at 10 a.m. ET Sept. 24. 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