Financial and Programmatic Monitoring ESEA/Act 807 ACSIP Arkansas Department of Education Division of Academic Accountability

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

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

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 et. Seq. (i.e., Categorical Funding).

Monitoring Cycle 6 year cycle 46 Districts Scheduled School Year (Oct – May)

Prior to On-site Visit - The LEA will receive the following: o An /phone call announcing the visit o Registered Letter of Notification – This letter will include a list of schools that will be monitored o Monitoring checklist and Protocol o 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.

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: o Federal Program Coordinator o Principal or designee of selected schools (found in the Notification Letter) o Parent Involvement Coordinator o Homeless Liaison o ALE-ELL Coordinator o Neglected/Delinquent Coordinator o Other Relevant Staff School visits conducted (as applicable)

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

Protocol after the On-site Visit - Written Preliminary Monitoring Report o 20 Days (from the date of the Exit Conference) (If the LEA incurred no findings of noncompliance, the preliminary report will serve as the final report and no further action is necessary.) LEA Response o 30 Days Final Report from ADE o 30 Days

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

Financial and Programmatic Monitoring Guide - SECTION I: PROGRAM PLAN AND EVALUATION Legal requirement(s)Compliance indicator(s)Samples of potential evidence I-1 D The local education agency (LEA) has approved a comprehensive school improvement plan, which includes appropriate program goals, evaluations, budgets and assurances. The LEA ensures that all required parties are consulted in the planning, development, and implementation of the programs and activities as indicated in the ACSIP. §1112(d)(1), §3113(b), §4115(A)(1), §5133(b)(1) Edgar 80.42(a) ), §2122(b), §3113(b), §4115(A), §5133(b) 1.Does the evidence verify that the LEA utilized a planning team of stakeholders in the development of the Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (ACSIP)?  Minutes, Sign-in sheets (including position/title), Agendas  Documentation of Board approval (Board minutes and signed statement of assurance) I IP PI NI NA Legal Requirement(s) (Rules, Laws and Statutes)

Financial and Programmatic Monitoring Guide (cont.) - SECTION I: PROGRAM PLAN AND EVALUATION Legal requirement(s)Compliance indicator(s)Samples of potential evidence I-1 D The local education agency (LEA) has approved a comprehensive school improvement plan, which includes appropriate program goals, evaluations, budgets and assurances. The LEA ensures that all required parties are consulted in the planning, development, and implementation of the programs and activities as indicated in the ACSIP. §1112(d)(1), §3113(b), §4115(A)(1), §5133(b)(1) Edgar 80.42(a) ), §2122(b), §3113(b), §4115(A), §5133(b) 1.Does the evidence verify that the LEA utilized a planning team of stakeholders in the development of the Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (ACSIP)?  Minutes, Sign-in sheets (including position/title), Agendas  Documentation of Board approval (Board minutes and signed statement of assurance) I IP PI NI NA Compliance Indicator(s) (The answers to these questions will determine the level of compliance)

Financial and Programmatic Monitoring Guide (cont.) - SECTION I: PROGRAM PLAN AND EVALUATION Legal requirement(s)Compliance indicator(s)Samples of potential evidence I-1 D The local education agency (LEA) has approved a comprehensive school improvement plan, which includes appropriate program goals, evaluations, budgets and assurances. The LEA ensures that all required parties are consulted in the planning, development, and implementation of the programs and activities as indicated in the ACSIP. §1112(d)(1), §3113(b), §4115(A)(1), §5133(b)(1) Edgar 80.42(a) ), §2122(b), §3113(b), §4115(A), §5133(b) 1.Does the evidence verify that the LEA utilized a planning team of stakeholders in the development of the Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (ACSIP)?  Minutes, Sign-in sheets (including position/title), Agendas  Documentation of Board approval (Board minutes and signed statement of assurance) I IP PI NI NA 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)

Financial and Programmatic Monitoring Guide (cont.) - SECTION I: PROGRAM PLAN AND EVALUATION Legal requirement(s)Compliance indicator(s)Samples of potential evidence I-1 D The local education agency (LEA) has approved a comprehensive school improvement plan, which includes appropriate program goals, evaluations, budgets and assurances. The LEA ensures that all required parties are consulted in the planning, development, and implementation of the programs and activities as indicated in the ACSIP. §1112(d)(1), §3113(b), §4115(A)(1), §5133(b)(1) Edgar 80.42(a) ), §2122(b), §3113(b), §4115(A), §5133(b) 1.Does the evidence verify that the LEA utilized a planning team of stakeholders in the development of the Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (ACSIP)?  Minutes, Sign-in sheets (including position/title), Agendas  Documentation of Board approval (Board minutes and signed statement of assurance) I IP PI NI NA Potential Evidence (Documentation of the Compliance Indicators)

Financial and Programmatic Monitoring Guide (cont.) - SECTION I: PROGRAM PLAN AND EVALUATION Legal requirement(s)Compliance indicator(s)Samples of potential evidence I-1 D The local education agency (LEA) has approved a comprehensive school improvement plan, which includes appropriate program goals, evaluations, budgets and assurances. The LEA ensures that all required parties are consulted in the planning, development, and implementation of the programs and activities as indicated in the ACSIP. §1112(d)(1), §3113(b), §4115(A)(1), §5133(b)(1) Edgar 80.42(a) ), §2122(b), §3113(b), §4115(A), §5133(b) 1.Does the evidence verify that the LEA utilized a planning team of stakeholders in the development of the Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (ACSIP)?  Minutes, Sign-in sheets (including position/title), Agendas  Documentation of Board approval (Board minutes and signed statement of assurance) I IP PI NI NA Section The Financial and Programmatic Monitoring Guide has thirteen (13) Sections.

Financial and Programmatic Monitoring Guide (cont.) - SECTION I: PROGRAM PLAN AND EVALUATION Legal requirement(s)Compliance indicator(s)Samples of potential evidence I-1 D The local education agency (LEA) has approved a comprehensive school improvement plan, which includes appropriate program goals, evaluations, budgets and assurances. The LEA ensures that all required parties are consulted in the planning, development, and implementation of the programs and activities as indicated in the ACSIP. §1112(d)(1), §3113(b), §4115(A)(1), §5133(b)(1) Edgar 80.42(a) ), §2122(b), §3113(b), §4115(A), §5133(b) 1.Does the evidence verify that the LEA utilized a planning team of stakeholders in the development of the Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (ACSIP)?  Minutes, Sign-in sheets (including position/title), Agendas  Documentation of Board approval (Board minutes and signed statement of assurance) I IP PI NI NA District and/or School (where the record keeping should originate)

Common Findings - Incomplete Planning Meeting Evidence Adequate evidence that parents have been involved in program planning Incomplete equitable services documentation CSR Supplement vs. Supplant NSLA (allowable positions)

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 revised monitoring instrument, monitoring schedule, Protocol and this presentation will be released in a commissioner’s Memo and also posted on the ADE website.

Contact Information - Willie Morris(501) o Wes Whitley(501) o Charles Nowak(501) o Barbara Means(501) o Wendy Reed(501) o

Resources - Arkansas ACT ACT 807 Rules and Regulations Center for Innovation and Improvement National Assessment of Title I: Final Report

Resources (cont.) - U.S. Department of Education LEA and School Improvement Guidance Title I Program Monitoring U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO Report)