Federal Programs: News, Updates, and Events

Mark Your Calendar!

• CIP Budget Narratives – Opened August 8th, due November 1st
• The Consolidated District Performance Report (CDPR) - Opened August 8th, closes September 27th
• Formula Grants (Titles IA/IIA/IVA/VB) Office Hours: 10-11:00 am PT - Join via this Zoom link
  • September 17th Topic: CIP Budget Narrative Resources
  • October 1st Topic: Foster Care and McKinney-Vento Basics
• Principal and Teacher Evaluation Data Collection – Opens September 19th, closes November 15th
• Title II Tuesdays – Session 2: CIP Budget Narrative Workshop September 26th, 10 - 11:00 am PT
• CIP Budget Narrative Prerequisites – Due October 1st
• Title I-D October Caseload Count – Opens October 24th, Closes December 6th
  • If you have any new Title I-D Facilities/Programs in your district for the 2024-25 School Year (SY), please email Jen Engberg and Kyle Walker before September 27th

In this Message

• ESSA Quick Reference Brief Spotlight: McKInney-Vento Basics

• REQUIRED: Engaging in Tribal Consultation for the 2024-25 SY

• Important Update: Title I-A Parent/Guardian Notification Letters are Now Posted

• Beginning Equitable Services in the 2024-25 School Year

• Join us for Title II Tuesdays

• New Resources from Oregon Districts Posted on Title I-A Webpage

• ESEA Now! Newsletter Spotlights Hillsboro School District

• ODE Resources to Support Mental Health and Well-Being

• Project SERV Offers Help to Districts Affected by Wildfires

• Division 22 Standards Professional Learning: September Session

• Office Hours for the 2024-25 School Year

• Reading Corner

ESSA Quick Reference Brief Spotlight: McKinney-Vento Basics

The McKinney-Vento Act is designed to address the challenges that houseless children and youth face in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school, and to ensure that these students have access to the educational and related services they need to enable them to meet the same challenging State academic standards to which all students are held. In the ESSA Quick Reference Brief: McKinney-Vento Basics you can learn about the requirements for all districts in meeting the needs of McKinney-Vento eligible students, as well as how Title I-A and other funding sources can be used to support houseless children and youth. Check out other ESSA Quick Reference Briefs available on the Federal Programs webpage.

REQUIRED: Engaging in Tribal Consultation for the 2024-25 SY

This school year represents a new opportunity to ensure we are serving all of our students, and especially our students who are members of our Tribal Communities. We are reiterating the Consultation requirements under section 8538 of the ESEA, as amended by ESSA, which require affected local education agencies (LEAs) to consult with Indian tribes, or those tribal organizations approved by the tribes located in the area served by the LEA, prior to submitting a plan or application for covered programs.

This requirement is designed “to ensure timely and meaningful consultation on issues affecting American Indian and Alaska Native students.” The consultation must be done “in a manner and in such a time that provides the opportunity for such appropriate officials from Indian tribes or tribal organizations to meaningfully and substantively contribute” to plans under covered programs. 

Affected LEAs include: 

1. LEAs whose Title VI Indian Education Formula Grant was >$40K in previous fiscal year (FY23) including LEAs who are members of a consortium who received >$40K OR
2. Has 50% or more of its student enrollment made up of AI/AN+*

The 2023-24 Oregon Title VI Awardees District and Student Information spreadsheet lists affected LEAs. Please review this list to determine whether your district is required to submit evidence of consultation. 

Consultation is required for all covered programs which includes all federal title programs that are administered by the ODE. At the conclusion of the formal tribal consultation, the following forms must be submitted to FederalPrograms@ode.oregon.gov:

• Signed Affirmation of Tribal Consultation for the applicable title programs ONLY
• Tribal Consultation Worksheet
• Alignment Rubric
• Other (i.e. Documents from tribe(s)

The deadline to engage in Tribal Consultation for SEA-Administered Covered Programs is Oct 1, 2024.

Please refer to ODE's Tribal Consultation webpage for access to version 2.1 of the Tribal Consultation Toolkit, as well as copies of the forms listed above. The website also includes a training slide deck from the District Leader training in July for the SEA-Administered Covered Programs consultation window. 

Questions regarding these requirements can be directed to Stacy Parrish, Education Program Specialist, or Liz Ross, Director, Federal Systems Team. 

Important Update: Title I-A Parent/Guardian Notification Letter Templates are Now Posted

The Oregon Department of Education’s (ODE) contract with TransAct, the vendor which previously provided federally mandated parent and guardian notices, expired in July 2024 and ODE will now be making these letters available to districts. The following letters to meet Title I-A requirements are now available for download: Request for Teacher and Paraprofessional Qualifications Four Week Letter Schoolwide Title I Program Eligibility

Parent Notification Letters supporting Multilingual and English Learners have been posted in English. Spanish and additional translations in the languages listed below forthcoming and are currently being translated. 

Once available, all translated letters will be posted on the Parent Notification Letters webpage, and linked to ODE's Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA) / Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Federal Programs webpage. These letters will be editable by districts to customize to meet their communication needs. 

All letter templates will be made available in the following languages:

For questions and more information, please contact Liz Ross, Director, Federal Systems Team.

Beginning Equitable Services in the 2024-25 School Year 

For districts providing ESEA equitable services to private schools, services must be timely. Generally, this means that services should begin for private school students around the same time as they begin for public school students. Additionally, consultation must be ongoing. This means that districts must meet with private school leaders several times throughout the school year to ensure the effective administration and implementation of services. 

Finally, districts must ensure that services are based on the specific academic needs of the private school. Districts must evaluate all equitable services at the conclusion of the program. Documentation of both processes must be provided during desk monitoring.

For more information on and resources for equitable services, please see the Equitable Services Learning Modules and the Toolkit on the Private School Participation under ESEA webpage. 

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

Join us for Title II Tuesdays

Title II Tuesdays is a monthly opportunity to dive deeper into topics specific to Title II-A and connect with others doing this work in Oregon. The slide deck for Session 1: Getting Grounded is now available on the ODE website. Session 2 will be held on September 26th from 10-11:00 am PT via this Zoom link, on will be a CIP Budget Narrative workshop. After reviewing a few requirements and highlights, we’ll move to breakout rooms where you can work work with others in real time; to ask questions and get feedback on your draft narrative (if you feel like sharing), and learn from one another. We hope to see you there!

New Resources from Oregon Districts Posted on Title I-A Webpage

As part of the monitoring process, the Formula Grants team learns as much about strong district practices as it does about where districts need support. As the result of federal program monitoring during the 2023-2024 school year, the Formula Grants team identified examples of district practices, communications, and plans related to both fiscal procedures and school planning.

These materials have been added to the Title I-A web page under the header 'Resources from Oregon Districts'. 

A special thanks goes out to the following school districts for their willingness to share resources and examples of what is working for them.

• Harney County 3
• Forest Grove
• Medford
• Oakland
• Parkrose
• Reynolds 
• Salem-Keizer 

ESEA Now! Newsletter Spotlights Hillsboro School District

The ESEA Now! Newsletter recently featured an interview with Dr. Olga L. Acuña on the topic of Braiding Funds. Dr. Olga L. Acuña currently works for the Hillsboro School District as Executive Director of Federal Programs. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Oregon State University, completed her master’s degree in Special Education at Portland State University, and then later completed her school administration credential and doctoral degree at Lewis and Clark College. ESEA Now! (an LRP Publication) is an innovative resource used by ODE. Information is  provided by an experienced team of educators, analysts, journalists and Title I experts who research and interpret Title I developments, create unique professional development tools, provide research-based guidance and show you how to apply it in the real world.

ODE Resources to Support Mental Health and Well-Being

Mental health refers to the emotional, social, cognitive, behavioral, physical, and relational thriving of individuals and systems. The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) believes that mental health is centered within a continuum of care that meets each person’s needs for physical and emotional safety, security, social connection, identity, diversity, and purpose. ODE has a number of mental and behavioral health initiatives that focus on the prevention, intervention and response to the mental health needs of school communities. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 and offers compassionate care and support for anyone experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, substance use, or any other kind of behavioral health crisis. You can also dial 988 if you are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

Project SERV Offers Help to Districts Affected by Wildfires

Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) provides funding for local educational agencies (LEAs) in which the learning environment has been disrupted due to a violent or traumatic incident, to provide resources in response to the event and re-establish a safe environment conducive to learning.

Under the Project SERV grant, the Department provides short-term support after a traumatic event to affected LEAs or institutions of higher education (IHEs). These grants are intended to provide a limited amount of funds to meet acute needs and restore the learning environment.

Any traumatic or violent event, that disrupted teaching and learning, is eligible for services under Project SERV if the LEA can demonstrate:

1. the traumatic effect on the learning environment including how the event has disrupted teaching and learning; and

2. demonstrate that the needed services cannot be adequately provided with existing resources in a comprehensive and timely manner, and that the provision of services and assistance will result in an undue financial hardship on the LEA.

Applications are accepted continuously and vary in project length. The specifics of each Project SERV grant will be negotiated between the applicant and Federal Program Officer and depend on the scope of the disaster and specific needs of the LEA.

For additional information on applying for a Project SERV grant following a natural disaster, please contact Maria.Rowan@ed.gov.

Division 22 Standards Professional Learning:

September Session

With the goal of supporting district leaders in implementing specific standards and new requirements within Division 22, ODE is hosting a Division 22 Standards professional learning series. The first virtual meeting of the 2024-25 school year will be held on September 13th, 9:00-10:30 am PT, with a focus on the following topics:

• Division 22 Hot Topics/Reporting Guidance from ODE Staff
• Breakout Discussions Based on District Size:
• Best Practice Spotlight: Including Evidence in Your Community Report
• District Sharing & Collaboration: Instructional Time
• Bring your district’s spreadsheet, calendar, or other tool(s) that you use to calculate/track instructional time.
• Division 22 Standards Basics and Q & A (Optional 10:30-11:00 am PT)
• Recommended for new superintendents and district/school leaders 

Please register via Zoom for the meeting link, and be sure to add the session to your calendar.

Recorded content and materials will be posted on the Division 22 Standards Professional Learning page following each meeting.

Dates and registration information for the entire series can be found on the Division 22 Professional Learning Series flier. 

Contact Susan Payne, ODE’s Education Standards and Systems Specialist, for more details.

Office Hours for the 2024-25 School Year

Federal Systems Team staff provide office hours on a bi-weekly or monthly basis depending on the program. Check out the schedule and Zoom links for the upcoming year! All meetings are on Pacific Time (PT).

Titles IA, IIA, IVA, & VB

When: 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of the month; 10:00 - 11:00 am PT

Next date: September 17, 2024 

Meeting link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1619392378

Title III

Next date: September 11th, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm PT

Meeting link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1602272197

Equitable Services / Private Schools

When: 2nd Wednesday of the month; 9:00 - 10:00 am PT

Next date: September 11th

Topic: Artificial Intelligence and Oregon Open Learning with Sol Joye and Brian Baker, ODE Well-Rounded, Integrated & Digital Learning Team

Meeting link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1601326345

Title IV-B / 21st CCLC

When: 4th Wednesday of the month, 10:00 - 11:00 am PT

Next date: September 25th, 2024

Meeting link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1618048681 Passcode: 780150

McKinney-Vento

When: 3rd Thursday of the month; 1:30 - 2:30 pm PT

Next date: September 19, 2024

Meeting link: (Registration Required) https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItdeGoqTIsHdGbmHdbs2KHwiCBYzLFJxc

Foster Care POCs

When: 2nd Tuesday of the month; 1:00 - 2:00 pm PT

Next date: September 10, 2024

Meeting link: (Registration Required) https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsduyvqzMtHlpPUa0HaiAOKvSAECNqJz4

ARP / HCY

Next date: Thursday, September 12, 2024 - 1:30 - 2:30 pm PT

Meeting link: (Registration Required) https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsdOyvqDwpEmhqenuldQwpxXs3ofbzylY

Reading Corner

Why Assistant Principals Deserve More Attention | Wallace Foundation Turning Walkthroughs into Tools for Growth | ASCD

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 reach out to 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  Title C: Yuliana Kenfield, Hector Aguirre Title IVA: Lisa Plumb Title IVB: Raquel Gwynn General ESEA inquiries: Laura Remondino Expanded Learning: Kat Torres, John Bissey Private Schools: Janette Newton SSA Summer Tiffany Palaniuk Foster Care POCs: Marlie Magill Foster Transportation: Pete Zupan Jump Start Kindergarten: Tiffany Palaniuk McKinney-Vento & ARP - HCY: Lexi Neemann Newsletter Contact: Jennifer Sappington