Federal Programs: News, Updates, and Events

Mark Your Calendar!

• Summer SEED Survey – Opened June 15^th, closes September 15^th
• CIP Budget Narratives – Opened August 11^th, due November 1^st
• The Consolidated District Performance Report (CDPR) - Opened August 11^th, closes September 23^rd
• Welcome Back Webinar for Titles I-A, II-A, IV-A and V-B – August 15 10-11 AM
  • Zoom link (passcode 618460)
• CIP Budget Narrative Prerequisites – Due October 1^st
  • These required submissions (Contacts, Private Schools & Consolidated Spending Report) are linked within the district’s CIP Budget Narrative dashboard. Districts are unable to draw any federal funds until these assurances are submitted.

Greetings from the Federal Systems Team!

EGMS will be shut down to external users: July 24-August 4, 2023, for end-of-fiscal-year claim processing and rollover of continuing funding into the next biennium’s indexes. This means no claims can be submitted and only the claims submitted by July 23 will be paid during this timeframe. 

• Grantees must submit any grant claims by midnight on Sunday, July 23, 2023, if those claims need to be paid in this current fiscal year and/or included on the annual Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA), otherwise they will be counted toward the next fiscal year. 
• Grantees using a cash basis of accounting need to submit claims by Sunday, June 18, 2023, to ensure receipt of payment in time before the end of the fiscal year for reporting purposes.

The annual EGMS shutdown is necessary to close ODE’s fiscal year and move continuing funding to the next biennium. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at ode.egms@ode.oregon.gov if you have questions. Thank you all for the great work that you do!  

10 Tips for Federal Program Directors

There are many moving parts to track as a Federal Programs director. Whether you are new to the position or a seasoned veteran, 10 Tips for Federal Program Directors highlights key practices to follow. From accessing the CIP Budget Narrative, to tracking timelines, to learning more about program requirements, this document is designed to help you get started, stay informed, and feel supported.

ESSA Quick Reference Brief Spotlight: Paraprofessional Requirements under Title I-A

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires states to ensure all paraprofessionals working in a program supported with funds under Title I, Part A meet applicable State certification requirements. In ESSA Quick Reference Brief: Paraprofessional Requirements under Title I-A learn more about these requirements, who must meet them, and the options for meeting the qualifications. Check out other ESSA Quick Reference Briefs on the Federal Programs web page. Click to edit this placeholder text.

Tydings Waiver Request to ED Approved!

The Federal Systems Team is excited to share that the U.S. Department of Education approved Oregon’s waiver requests! This will: extend the period of availability for 2021-2022 Title I-C, Title III and Title IV-B funds through September 30, 2024; and allow ODE to waive the 15% spending cap on carryover of 2022-2023 Title I-A funds more often than once every 3 years. Please note that if a district takes advantage of the waiver to carryover more than 15% of its 2022-2023 Title I-A funds, the next time ODE will be able to allow carryover of more than 15% will be for 2025-26 Title I-A funds. Please keep in mind that the following carryover funds for the FFY 2021 (school year 2021-2022) will still need to be spent before September 30, 2023: Title I, Part A of the ESEA (Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies) Title II, Part A of the ESEA (Supporting Effective Instruction) Title IV, Part A of the ESEA (Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants) Title V, Part B, Subpart 2 of the ESEA (Rural and Low-Income School Program)

Final Allocations Now Available!

Final allocations are available now on the ESEA Allocations web page for:

• Title I-A
• Title I-C Regular School Year
• Title I-C Preschool
• Title I-D
• Title II-A
• Title III-A Regular School Year
• Title IV-A
• Title V-B RLIS

The following ESEA allocations will be posted at a later date. An additional communication will be sent out will be sent out when these final allocations are posted:

• Title I-C Summer (Spring 2024)
• Title III-A Immigrant Grant (Winter 2024)
• Title IV-B (Applicants will be notified in August. Not a CIP Budget Narrative application)

Final allocations reflect slight changes to census poverty data on a national level and incorporates data gathered from the consolidated district performance report. These allocations are considered final, though minimal revisions may be issued in the fall.  Title I-C allocations will be posted when they become available.

To learn more about formula allocations check out this ESSA Quick Reference brief.

ESEA Monitoring for 2023 - 2024

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) is committed to partnering with districts to achieve educational equity and excellence for every student. One component of this partnership is helping districts with the implementation of federal and state funding. As part of this support, the ODE monitors district implementation of federal programs under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The Federal Systems Team and Multilingual and Migrant Education team are coordinating our monitoring efforts and will be announcing the districts who were selected for winter and spring monitoring by Friday August 18, 2023. This includes districts who are selected for: 

• Consolidated ESEA monitoring 
• Title I-A, Title I-D, Title II-A, Title IV-A, Title V-B, Equitable Services, McKinney Vento, & Foster Care programs
• Title III Monitoring 

Information about districts selected for Title IC Monitoring will be available at the end of August.

For questions about consolidated ESEA monitoring, please email: federalprograms@ode.oregon.gov 

For questions about Title III monitoring please contact: Kim Miller.

For questions about Title IC monitoring please contact: Yuliana Kenfield.

CIP Budget Narrative Key Dates and Resources

The CIP Budget Narrative is where districts describe how ESSA grant funds will be used in service of school and district plans for continuous improvement.

• CIP Budget Narrative opens on August 11^th. Districts access the CIP Budget Narrative through the ODE District Secure site. The District Continuous Improvement Plan requirement for the 2023-2024 school year for the CIP Budget Narrative is fulfilled by the submission and approval of a district’s Integrated Guidance Application.
  • Budget narratives are due November 1, 2023.
  • Funds will be frozen for any district that has not submitted the CIP Budget Narrative by February 1, 2024.
• The CIP Budget Narrative User Guide is designed to assist districts in understanding how the CIP Budget Narrative application works and provides guidance on the submission process.
  • IMPORTANT UPDATE: Make sure that your Title Program Contact(s) are up to date, especially concerning McKinney-Vento and Foster Care Points of Contact. Submit revisions or additions in a timely manner and refer to the Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) Budget Narrative User Guide (Contacts section, pages 8-9) for instructions.
• Checklists are available that districts can use in reviewing their Title I-A, II-A, IV-A and REAP narratives prior to submission. These checklists are aligned with the guides that ODE program specialists use when reviewing budget narratives.
• The Oregon Federal Funds Guide provides an overview of formula grants under ESEA as amended by ESSA and provides information on the purpose, allowable uses and resources related to each program.

New Title I-D Eligible Facilities 

Is there a residential facility for students within your school district boundaries?  If so, your school district may be eligible for Title I-D funds.  Title I-D funds support districts with locally run facilities for students in the juvenile justice system or in need of supervision.  Districts with eligible facilities qualify for funds by submitting data through the annual October Caseload Count.  For more information, please contact Jen Engberg no later than September 20, 2023. 

A Note from the Private School Ombudsman

On July 17, 2023, the US Department of Education (USDE) released final non-regulatory guidance (NRG) for Title VIII equitable services. The Title VIII equitable services NRG includes Title programs I-C, II-A, III-A, IV-A, IV-B and IV-F. This final NRG replaces the draft NRG published on March 30, 2022.

In the final NRG, USDE responded to public comments by adding the new questions and making substantive edits to other questions. In summary, significant changes were made to the following topics/programs:

• Consultation: clarifies that districts must contact all private schools located within their boundaries, or a service area for Title IV-B /21^st CCLC (see A-7). Also updates language around how districts can establish reasonable deadlines (see A-6).
• Fiscal Responsibilities: clarifies that all fiscal responsibilities, including completing purchase order and other procurement activities, are the responsibility of the district and not the private school (see C-21).
• Title II-A: adds examples of allowable activities to include training for mental health support, training related to techniques and supports necessary to facilitate student access to appropriate mental health serves, and training to improve school conditions for student learning.
• Title III-A: entrance and exit procedures for private schools were updated (see I-4). More information that is specific to Oregon ELP Assessment options can be found on the Private School Participation in English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) Testing. Additionally, more examples of how to serve Immigrant Children and Youth through equitable services were added (see I-9).

Additionally, USDE revised responses to a number of questions including those on if private schools are recipients of federal financial assistance (see F-2), consultation for Title IV-B/21^st CCLC programs (see K-6), and participant support costs (see C-19). For more information on relevant changes, see the Summary Response to Public Comments.

For more information, attend a FREE Webinar on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, from 11:00am – 12:00pm PT.  The webinar will provide an overview of the guidance, including frequently asked and will include USDE staff from multiple offices. 

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Contact Janette Newton, the Private School Ombuds, at janette.newton@ode.oregon.gov or call/text 503-551-9405.

Help ODE tell the story of summer through student voices! 

ODE is offering an optional Student Voice, Summer SEED Survey designed to capture students’ sense of belonging and experiences during summer programs in 2023. 

 The Summer SEED Survey: 

• Provides opportunity to hear directly from students
• Takes 10-15 minutes to complete 
• Includes flexible administration options: Administration Guide
• Informs districts with results returned upon request

The Survey window is open from June 15, 2023 through September 15, 2023 and should be administered during the last week of the summer program. For more information check out slides 20-23 in this slide deck.

Foster Care Transportation Reimbursement

Under ESSA, school districts have responsibilities for educating students who are in the custody of OHS/Child Welfare (foster care students). Transportation procedures must ensure that students in foster care needing transportation to their school district/school of origin will promptly receive transportation and that transportation is provided for the duration of the student's time in foster care.

To receive reimbursement for these costs, districts must submit to ODE the Foster Student School of Origin Transportation Reimbursement Form. The schedule for the 2023 -2024 school year is listed below. If you have questions, contact FosterCare@ode.state.or.us.

TransAct Parent Notices

Did you know all educators in Oregon can utilize TransACT ParentNotices at no charge? TransAct ParentNotices provides access to parent engagement guidance, as well as written forms or notices that are required by many ESEA programs. These notices are also available in a wide variety of languages, translated by certified translators. We are excited to announce that Dari, Pashto, and Ukrainian translations are now available!  If you would like an account with TransACT ParentNotices, either contact the TransACT District Administrator in your district or email support@transact.com to request assistance.

Welcome Sarah Arbuckle!

Sarah Arbuckle is joining the Federal Systems Team as an AS 2 supporting Foster Care, Foster Care Transportation and McKinney-Vento/ARP programs. Sarah has worked at ODE for over two years on the GREAT & GLAM teams supporting Legislative work, Teacher of the Year, Fair Dismissal Appeals Board, the State Board of Education, and Rules Advisory Committee. In addition to her time at ODE, she worked for an Oregon State Legislator, the Oregon Department of Transportation, and for a Public Works Consulting Firm in Los Angeles. Her biggest goal is to develop meaningful relationships with each district program and look for opportunities to strengthen the support for our students and parents. In her free time, Sarah cares for two dogs, two cats, and two chickens. She loves tending her garden and flowers. She and her husband like to backpack during the summer, snowboard and snowshoe during the winter, and will use any excuse to take their travel trailer out to the woods.

ED, DOJ Issue Joint Guidance on Migratory Students

The U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Justice have released a joint “fact sheet” on educational access for migratory children. The Migratory Children Fact Sheet outlines the obligations that public schools have toward migrant children. Notably, it states that K-12 public schools must be open to all students regardless of their or their parents’ immigration status, and that schools are prohibited from discriminating based on race or national origin. 

Additionally, it highlights the obligation of public schools to offer language assistance to K-12 students who have limited English proficiency, and to make information about classes available to parents who are not English speakers by providing accurate written or oral translation. Finally, the fact sheet provides information on how parents, families, and others can file a complaint with ED’s Office for Civil Rights.

Similar information is provided on this Unaccompanied Children Fact Sheet.

Meet the Federal Systems Team!

Sarah Arbuckle is an administrative specialist supporting Foster Care, Foster Care Transportation and the McKinney-Vento/ARP-HCY programs. sarah.arbuckle@ode.oregon.gov Jen Engberg is one of four program specialists on the Formula Grants Team that supports districts across Titles I-A, II-A, IV-A and V-B. (Clackamas, Columbia Gorge, Multnomah, and Northwest Regional) jennifer.engberg@ode.oregon.gov Raquel Gwynn is an education specialist who supports high quality expanded learning programming and coordinates the Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Title IV-B grant which is the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to supporting local afterschool, before-school and summer learning programs. raquel.gwynn@ode.oregon.gov Nancy Hauth is the Jump Start Kindergarten education specialist. nancy.hauth@ode.oregon.gov Sophie Hilton is a program analyst who coordinates the Student Success Act (SSA) Summer Program grant. sophie.hilton@ode.oregon.gov Chris James is the program specialist who collaborates with district and schools in support of school-aged youth experiencing houselessness (McKinney-Vento and American Rescue Plan – Homeless Children and Youth programs).  chris.james@ode.oregon.gov Laura Remondino is the Office Specialist for our Formula Grants team including Private School programs and Titles I-A, II-A, IV-A and V-B. laura.remondino@ode.oregon.gov Meera Kreitzer – is a strategic advisor with the team providing input and guidance on delivering high-quality technical assistance and support. meera.krietzer@ode.oregon.gov Maddie Lawrence is an office specialist supporting Expanded Learning Programs. maddie.lawrence@ode.oregon.gov Marlie Magill is the Foster Care Liaison, supporting the educational rights and opportunities of students in Foster Care. marlie.magill@ode.oregon.gov Sarah Martin is one of four program specialists on the Formula Grants Team that supports districts across Titles I-A, II-A, IV-A and V-B. (Douglas, Lake, Malheur, South Coast, and Southern Oregon) sarah.martin@ode.oregon.gov Janette Newton, Private School Ombudsman, supports the relationship between districts and private schools who access ESSA equitable services under Title programs I-A, I-C, II-A, III, IV-A, IV-B and IV-F. janette.newton@ode.oregon.gov Lisa Plumb is one of four program specialists on the Formula Grants Team that supports districts in across Titles I-A, II-A, IV-A and V-B. (Lane, Linn Benton Lincoln, and Willamette) Lisa.plumb@ode.oregon.gov Liz Rain is a program data analyst supporting in data collection, analysis, and visualization, with a focus on civil rights and houseless youth. liz.rain@ode.oregon.gov Liz Ross is the Director of the Federal Systems Team and responsible for oversight and management of all the programs. liz.ross@ode.oregon.gov Jennifer Sappington is an administrative specialist responsible for Director and team support of Operations and the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program. jennifer.sappington@ode.oregon.gov Amy Tidwell is one of four program specialists on the Formula Grants Team that supports districts across Titles I-A, II-A, IV-A and V-B. (Grant, Harney, High Desert, InterMountain, Jefferson, North Central, and Region 18) amy.tidwell@ode.oregon.gov Kyle Walker is a program analyst that supports FST and district partners with the CIP-Budget Narrative application and the Consolidated District Performance Report (CDPR) data collections. kyle.walker@ode.oregon.gov

Office Hours for SY 2023-2024

Federal Systems Team staff provide office hours on a weekly, monthly or bi-monthly basis depending on the program. Check out the schedule and Zoom links for the upcoming year!

Federal System Team's "Framework of Support"

Our goal is to provide differentiated support and strengthen the partnership between districts and ODE federal program staff. Check out the resources and support below and please don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know how we can support you!

Need Further Assistance? We're here to help!

Director: Liz Ross  Title IA: Lisa Plumb, Jen Engberg, Sarah Martin, & Amy Tidwell Title VB: Amy Tidwell Title ID: Jen Engberg  Title IIA: Sarah Martin Title III: Kim Miller & Leslie Casebeer Title IVA: Lisa Plumb Title IVB: Raquel Gwynn Private Schools: Janette Newton SSA Summer: Sophie Hilton Foster Care POCs: Marlie Magill Foster Transportation: Meera Kreitzer Jump Start Kindergarten: Nancy Hauth McKinney-Vento & ARP - HCY: Chris James  Support / Newsletter Contacts: Jennifer Sappington, Maddie Lawrence, Sarah Arbuckle, and Laura Remondino