How to Prepare for a Federal Monitoring Visit (SASA/OSEP)

How to Prepare for a Federal Monitoring Visit (SASA/OSEP) Jennifer S. Mauskapf, Esq. jmauskapf@bruman.com Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC Fall Forum 2013

AGENDA • Overview of the Monitoring Process • ESEA • ESEA Flexibility • SASA • Non-Flexibility States • Unwaiverable Title I Requirements • IDEA - OSEP • Preparing for a Monitoring Visit • Common Findings Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC Overview of the Monitoring Process

ESEA Flexibility Monitoring • Pilot • 2 States (CO, MS) participated in on-site monitoring pilot in May • 2 States (NJ, CT) to participate in desk pilot in July • Revisions to Process • Remaining States • 1/3 On-site • 2/3 Desk • Inclusion of LEAs/schools in monitoring ? Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

ESEA Flexibility – Depth of Review Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC To be monitored via separate process…STAY TUNED!

ESEA Flexibility Monitoring Timeline • ED Contacts SEA re: Type and Date • Preliminary Monitoring Call (6 weeks prior) • If on-site: SEA selects element (5 weeks prior) • ED sends customized protocol (4-5 weeks prior) • SEA submits documentation (at least 2 weeks prior) • Exit Conference (within 2 weeks of visit) • Monitoring Report within 35 business days of visit Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

SASA Monitoring Covers… • SASA Monitoring for Select Non-Flex States: • Title I, Part A • Title I, Part D (Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk) • Title X, Part C (McKinney-Vento Act/Homeless Program) • Title III, Part A Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Non-Flex Selection Factors2012-2013 • SEA has not been monitored since the 2006-2007 or 2007-2008 monitoring cycle • Review of Audits and Previous Monitoring Findings • Staﬀ Leadership Turnover or New Staﬀ Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Monitoring Strategies, 2012-2013 • Pre-site document reviews • SEA and LEA website reviews • Previous corrective actions • Combination of program specific— • Desk • Teleconference / Videoconference • Web-based conference • On-site monitoring review of indicators Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

OSEP ‘Monitoring’ Covers… • Continuous Improvement Visits http://therightidea.tadnet.org/assets/browse_by_folder?folder=36&folder_name=OSEP+Continuous+Improvement+Visits • Results Component http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/rda/index.html • Stakeholder Input Process • Verification Component http://therightidea.tadnet.org/assets/browse_by_folder?folder=61&folder_name=CrEAGs-+Part+B • Determinations.State Performance Plan (SPP) / Annual Performance Report (APR) Review Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Prior to Visit • Desk monitoring of each State • State contact gathers and analyzes data and information • Information collected primarily through Web-based searches and document analysis • Specific documentation requested from SEA • Selection of LEAs • Receipt of Agenda and List of ED Participants Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

The Visit Itself • HOW LONG? • Typically one full week • WHAT WILL ED BE DOING DURING THE VISIT? • Review documentation not available prior to the trip • Interview SEA and LEA staff, principals, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders • Exit Conference Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Post-Visit – SASA-specific • DRAFT comprehensive monitoring report issued • To be issued within 35 business days of the on-site visit • SEA has 5 business days to review and provide technical edits and corrections • FINAL report issued • SEA Response • SEA has 30 business days to respond to any required actions • SASA sends a letter approving proposed actions or requiring revision/further action • May require close collaboration (e.g., CAPs) and/or follow-up visits • Significant compliance findings can lead to special conditions Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Preparation is the Key! Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC Top 10 Ways to Prepare for a Monitoring Visit

1. Organizational Meeting • Meet with Key Personnel • All about Communication! • Discuss program and areas that will be reviewed Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

2. Select Main Visit Contact • Main Visit Contact • Schedule meetings • Ensure lead personnel schedules clear • Organize travel requests / information (as requested by SASA) • Schedule visits to schools (as requested by SASA) • Schedule conference calls with SASA prior to visit Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

3. Select Main Interview Contacts • A representative should be appointed as lead interviewer for each program (and topic) as appropriate • Title I, Part A • Title I, Part D – Neglected, Delinquent or At-Risk • Title X, C - McKinney-Vento • Title III, Part A • SIG • IDEA Results • These representatives must know who should be present for each indicator and where all documentation is located! Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

4. Select Meeting Place • Want meeting place separate from main offices so that all parties can remain focused • Don’t completely isolate • All personnel should have cleared scheduled and be ready to participate as necessary • Organized by the applicable lead contact Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

5. Complete Monitoring Documents • Complete the Actual Monitoring Document the Monitors will be using! • Put your best foot forward • Narrative Form • How? • Answer the Question Being Asked! • Respond to correct fiscal year! • Include Specific Citations as appropriate. • Note Flexibility Monitoring Webinar Comment Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

5. Complete Monitoring Documents (cont.) • OSEP: Critical Elements Analysis Guide (CrEAG) Part B • Gen. Supervision • Fiscal Systems • SASA Monitoring Plan for Formula Grant Programs • SIG: Application Process, Implementation, Fiscal, Technical Assistance, Monitoring, Data Collection • Title I Team: Title I-A Fiduciary, Title I-D, McKinney-Vento • Title III-A: Monitoring of Subgrantees; Standards, Assessments & Accountability, Instructional Support, Fiduciary • ESEA Flexibility Monitoring Protocol (Customized) Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

5. Complete Monitoring Documents (cont.) • OSEP’s CrEAG Format Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

5. Complete Monitoring Documents (cont.) • SIG Format • Title I & Title III Team Format Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

5. Complete Monitoring Documents (cont.) • ESEA Flexibility Format Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

6. Organize Documentation • Corresponding Binders • Tabbed! • Organized! • Complete Examples! • Connect-the-Dots! • Copies for yourself • Include any additional documents given to SASA during the visit Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

7. Mock Visit • Practice Makes Perfect! (sort of) • Take the monitoring instrument and review the current system in place • Interview selected personnel (“test”) • CONDUCT PRIOR TO VISIT • Chance to change systems as needed! • Chance to create corrective action plans and begin implementation as needed! Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

8. Be Prepared to Address Noncompliance • Be prepared to address any corrective action plan already created or implemented. • If no corrective action plan then attempt to create a plan prior to SASA’s arrival. Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

9. Review Findings From Your State • Review old monitoring reports • Special Conditions • State Plans • Did you complete everything you said you would? • Review audits • Including A-133 Single Audit Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

10. Review Monitoring Findings In Other States • Title I & Title III Reports (2011-2012): http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/monitoring/reports12/index.html • SIG Reports: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/monitoring/index.html • OSEP Continuous Improvement Letters: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/data/report/idea/partbvvltr/chrondate.html • ESEA Flexibility: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/esea-flexibility/monitoring/index.html • Review reports to identify focus areas, trends in findings. Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC Common Findings Across the Board

Written Policies and Procedures • Conflicting policies • Out-of-date policies • Non-existent policies  If you have to explain how something is done without being able to point to a clear and current written policy or procedure, you probably have some work to do!!! Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Notification Requirements • Timeliness • Required Items • Public Reporting • Examples: • Title I-A: Annual LEA Report Card, HQT Status Letter, School Improvement Status, SES and Choice Notice • Title III: Student Identification, AMAO Determination • IDEA: Procedural Safeguards, Stakeholder Input for SPP/APR Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Fiduciary • Timely review and approval of LEA applications • Timely allocation of subgrants • Period of availability of funds to LEAs • Process for Reallocating Funds • Timely Obligation and Liquidation Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Fiduciary • Ensuring Funds are Used for Allowable Uses • Consistent with Federal Cost Principles? • Consistent with EDGAR? • Consistent with program-specific rules? • How does SEA/LEA ensure and document allowability? • Program-specific Fiscal Rules • MOE • Supplement not Supplant • Caps Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Fiduciary – High Dollar Areas of Concern • Procurement • Property / Inventory Management • Time Distribution Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

EDGAR Procurement Rules • Section 80.36 of EDGAR • All procurement transactions must be conducted with full and open competition • Conflict of Interest: • Must have written code of conduct for all employees engaged in contract award and administration • Must have protest procedures to handle disputes • Follow Procurement Rules!!! Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Inventory Management: Common Problems • Determining between “equipment” and “supply” • Determining level of control over item • Tracking non-equipment items Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Equipment Rules • Section 80.32 of EDGAR • Must have adequate controls in place to account for: • Location of equipment • Custody of equipment • Security of equipment • Property records • Description, serial number or other ID, title information, acquisition date, cost, percent of federal participation, location, use and condition, and disposition (if applicable) • Physical inventory • Must be performed at least every 2 years • Control system to prevent loss, damage and theft • All incidents must be investigated Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Equipment Rules (cont.) • Must protect against unauthorized use • May use for other projects as long as use is incidental and does not interfere with authorized use • When property is no longer needed, must follow disposition rules: • Transfer to another federal program • Over $5,000 – Keep or sell, but must pay a share based on the percentage of federal ED participation at initial acquisition • Under $5,000 – May keep, sell, or dispose of it with no obligation to ED Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Supplies • Section 80.33 of EDGAR • Supplies are everything else • Do not cost much money • Used fairly quickly • Examples: pens, paper, toner, laptops • EDGAR does not set out any specific tracking requirements • As a practical matter, ED expects subgrantees to track all property purchased with federal funds, in order to prove there has been an allocable benefit to the federal program Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Time Distribution • Selected Items of Cost: Salaries and Wages • Allowable if proper time distribution records • Time Distribution Records must be maintained for all employees whose salaries are: • Paid in whole or in part with federal funds • Used to meet a match/cost share requirement Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Time Distribution – Common Problems • Proper Identification of “Cost Objective(s)” • Completion of Required Documentation • PAR vs. Semi-annual Certification • Correct Signatory? • Correct Time Period? • Time reported add up to 100% time worked? • Signed after-the-fact? • Quarterly Reconciliations Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Equitable Services • Timely and Meaningful Consultation • LEA Maintaining Control • Program • Funds—no reimbursement! • Property—tags, inventory • Evaluation of Services • Identification of Eligible Students • Administration Costs NOT Charged Against Equitable Services Set-Aside Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Subrecipient Monitoring • Comprehensive Monitoring Protocol • Follow-up procedures to ensure corrective actions taken to address compliance issues • Linking Monitoring Findings with Technical Assistance Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

RESOURCES - SASA • ESEA Flexibility Monitoring http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/esea-flexibility/monitoring/index.html • SASA Monitoring http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/monitoring/index.html • Indicators (2011-2012) http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/monitoring/indicators1112.pdf • Title I & Title III Reports (2012-2013): http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/monitoring/reports13/index.html • NASTID Presentation on SASA Monitoring for 2012-2013 http://www.nationaltitleiassociation.org/resource/resmgr/t12s/2012-2013_overview_sasa_moni.pdf • Office of School Turnaround – SIG Monitoring • SIG Monitoring Plan http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/sigmonitoringplan2012-2013.pdf • SIG Reports: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/monitoring/index.html Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

RESOURCES - OSEP • Continuous Improvement Visit Page http://therightidea.tadnet.org/assets/browse_by_folder?folder=36&folder_name=OSEP+Continuous+Improvement+Visits • OSEP Continuous Improvement Letters: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/data/report/idea/partbvvltr/chrondate.html • Part B SPP and APR Determination Letters: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/data/report/idea/partbspap/allyears.html Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Questions? Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

Disclaimer This presentation is intended solely to provide general information and does not constitute legal advice. Attendance at the presentation or later review of these printed materials does not create an attorney-client relationship with Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC. You should not take any action based upon any information in this presentation without first consulting legal counsel familiar with your particular circumstances. Brustein & Manasevit, PLLC

How to Prepare for a Federal Monitoring Visit (SASA/OSEP)