Financial and Programmatic Monitoring ESEA/Act 807 ACSIP

1. Financial and Programmatic MonitoringESEA/Act 807ACSIP Arkansas Department of Education Division of Academic Accountability

2. Federal & State Monitoring Unit John Hoy, Assistant Commissioner Willie Morris, Director Wes Whitley, Coordinator Barbara Means, Monitor Charles Nowak, Monitor Wendy Reed, Monitor Venus Torrence, Monitor

3. Act 807 State of Arkansas 86th General Assembly Regular Session, 2007 2.0 Purpose: • 2.01 - To expand monitoring and implementation of school improvement plans (i.e., ACSIP) by the Department of Education • 2.02 - To monitor the use of “Instructional Facilitators” • 2.03 - To ensure statutory compliance • 2.04 - To provide technical assistance

4. Purpose of Monitoring –The Department will periodically monitor each LEA (district) and selected schools to determine if the district is in compliance regarding the implementation of ACSIP. A team of monitors shall conduct a site visit to: • Determine whether the evaluation conducted by the public school/LEA was conducted properly; • Assess the areas in which the school or LEA needs to revise its plan; • Review the school/LEA’s performance during the preceding two years, including the documented academic performance of its students; • Review the use of public school funding under the Public School Funding Act of 2003, Ark. Code 6-20-2301 et. Seq. (i.e., Categorical Funding).

5. Monitoring Cycle 6 year cycle 45 Districts Scheduled 2012-2013 School Year (Oct – May)

6. Prior to On-site Visit - • The LEA will receive the following: • An e-mail/phone call announcing the visit • Registered Letter of Notification – This letter will include a list of schools that will be monitored • Monitoring Guide (checklist) and Protocol • Confirmation of dates and schedule of events • The LEA (Superintendent or designee) will ensure that all documentation is organized, readily available, aligned to the monitoring guide and consistent by section and subsection. • Contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

7. Visit • Start Time 9:00 a.m. • Visit conducted at central office • All documentation (school/district) will be examined at the central office • Monitors will interview LEA staff and review evidence to verify Federal/State compliance • Staff to have at meeting: • Federal Program Coordinator • Principal or designee of selected schools (found in the Notification Letter) • Parent Involvement Coordinator • Homeless Liaison • ALE-ELL Coordinator • Neglected Part A Program Coordinator • Other Relevant Staff • School visits conducted (as applicable)

8. Exit Conference with LEA • An informal meeting with LEA designees will be held to summarize: • Monitoring activities • Potential findings • Recommendations • Timelines for developing the monitoring report

9. Post-visit Protocol • Written Preliminary Monitoring Report • 20 Days (from the date of the Exit Conference) • LEA Response • 30 Days (from receipt of SEA Preliminary Report) • Final Report from ADE • 60 Days from Exit Conference

10. Programs To Be Monitored - • Alternative Learning Environments (ALE) • National School Lunch Act (NSLA) • English Language Learners (ELL) • Professional Development (PD) • Title I • Title IIA • Title III • Title VI (State & Federal) • Title X State Programs Federal Programs

11. Financial and Programmatic Monitoring Guide - Legal Requirement(s) (Rules, Laws and Statutes)

12. Financial and Programmatic Monitoring Guide (cont.) - Compliance Indicator(s) (The answers to these questions will determine the level of compliance)

13. Financial and Programmatic Monitoring Guide (cont.) - Monitoring Guide Key Implemented (I) – Compliance with all indicators Implementation in Progress (IP) – Scholastic Audit and New Interventions/Actions Partially Implemented (PI) – Recommendations Not Implemented (NI) – Findings Not Applicable (NA)

14. Financial and Programmatic Monitoring Guide (cont.) - Potential Evidence (Documentation of the Compliance Indicators)

15. Financial and Programmatic Monitoring Guide (cont.) - The Financial and Programmatic Monitoring GuideSection Titles and Numbers

16. Financial and Programmatic Monitoring Guide (cont.) - District and/or School (where the record keeping should originate)

17. Common Findings - • Incomplete Planning Meeting Evidence • Adequate evidence that parents have been involved in entitlement program planning • Incomplete equitable services documentation • CSR • Supplement vs. Supplant

18. COMMON FINDINGS CONT’D • School level compliance review • Excessive district fund reservations • Homeless list • ADE Schoolwide approval letters • Unallowable expenditures (peer review)

19. Closing - • The six-year monitoring list was modified to make sure that no district would have a Standards Monitoring and a Federal/State Monitoring within the same school year. • The items listed below were revised and released in a Commissioner’s Memo and are posted on the ADE website: • Six-Year Monitoring Schedule • 2012-2013 Monitoring Schedule • 2012-2013 Monitoring Protocol • 2012-2013 Monitoring Guide • 2012-2013 Training PowerPoint • 2012-2013 Training Schedule • 2012-2013 Training Agenda

20. Contact Information - • Willie Morris (501)682-4472 • Willie.Morris@arkansas.gov • Wes Whitley (501)580-9714 • Wes.Whitley@arkansas.gov • Charles Nowak (501)580-2430 • Charles.Nowak@arkansas.gov • Barbara Means (501)682-2259 • Barbara.Means@arkansas.gov • Wendy Reed (501)682-1188 • Wendy.Reed@arkansas.gov • Venus Torrence (501)682-4275 • Venus.Torrence@arkansas.gov

21. Resource Information Please see the new Arkansas Dept. of Ed Website for additional information. Use the following links: ADE Divisions Academic Accountability Federal/State Monitoring