The Power of Monitoring: Building Strengths While Ensuring Compliance Greta Colombi and Simon Gonsoulin, NDTAC

 Monitoring perspective  Juvenile justice reform—shift from a correctional/punitive model to a rehabilitative model  Monitoring approach—shift from a “gotcha” model to a supportive model  Subgrantee monitoring is an area where coordinators consistently struggle in administering their programs 2 Trends

 Ensuring compliance  Monitoring purpose and requirements  Monitoring process  Building strengths  Role of technical assistance (TA) in monitoring 3 Agenda

 Better understand monitoring expectations  Consider how you can improve your monitoring processes and capacity to monitor  Consider how you can provide TA while monitoring subgrantees 4 Outcomes

 Ensure programs are meeting program requirements  Federal monitoring  Student Achievement and School Accountability (SASA) programs office monitors State education agencies (SEAs)  Subgrantee monitoring  SEAs monitor State agencies (SAs) and local education agencies (LEAs)  Facility/program monitoring  SAs and LEAs monitor facilities and programs  Gather data to target TA efforts  Strengthen reviewer–reviewee partnerships 5 Purpose of Monitoring

 Federal Monitoring  SEAs reviewed on average every 2 to 3 years, based on indicators included in SASA Monitoring Plan for Formula Grant Programs (Indicator 1.1)  Subgrantee Monitoring  SAs and LEAs receive onsite review on average every 3 years; basic expectations included in Indicator 1.1 of SASA plan  Facility/Program Monitoring  SEA specifies how often facilities and programs are reviewed and their expectations for those reviews 6 Monitoring Process

1.Pre-Review  SASA office notifies State Title I director  SASA Title I, Part D, program manager contacts State Part D coordinator  SASA Title I, Part D, program manager coordinates with the State Part D coordinator to discuss what data/information is needed and logistics  State Part D coordinator coordinates with other SEA staff and subgrantees to prepare information and logistics 7 Federal Monitoring Process

2.Review  SASA reviewer reviews documents  SASA reviewer interviews SEA, SAs, and sample of LEAs if the SEA administers Subpart 2 3.Post-Review  SASA finalizes report  SEAs submit a corrective action plan, including a timeline if they receive findings 8 Federal Monitoring Process (cont.)

1.Monitoring Process Development/Update  Develop/update schedule for onsite and offsite monitoring of both Subpart 1 and Subpart 2 subgrantees  Develop/update Subpart 1 and Subpart 2 protocols and tools for onsite and offsite monitoring  Develop corrective action plan template, including a timeline 9 Subgrantee Monitoring Process

2.Pre-Review  Notify subgrantees at start of fiscal year  Coordinate review with subgrantees  Communicate expectations  Provide protocols and tools  Describe what data/information is needed  Coordinate logistics with subgrantees  Tell subgrantees to work with facilities/programs to prepare information and logistics 10 Subgrantee Monitoring Process (cont.)

3.Review  Conduct offsite review  Review documents (e.g., desktop review)  Administer self-assessment  Conduct onsite review  Review documents  Interview SAs, LEAs (if SEA administers Subpart 2), and facilities  Do onsite reviews at facilities (e.g., classroom observations) 11 Subgrantee Monitoring Process (cont.)

4.Post-Review  Finalize report based on review  Require subgrantees to submit a corrective action plan that includes a timeline if they received findings  Approve corrective action plan  Monitor subgrantee completion of corrective actions according to each plan  Keep monitoring report and all corrective action plan information and communications on file 12 Subgrantee Monitoring Process (cont.)

 Coordinators report positive monitoring experiences  Federal monitoring  Was informative  Subgrantee monitoring  Get out and see what is happening on the ground  Better understand challenges 13 Monitoring Experiences

 Reasons TA and monitoring go together  Can gather additional data besides requirements to inform TA  Because funds are limited, monitoring is an opportunity to meet in person to provide TA proactively and reactively 14 Role of TA in Monitoring

 Although monitoring must be separate from the provision of TA to be objective, there are moments when it is possible  Pre-review: Proactively resolve issues while preparing for the review  During the review: Discuss how to resolve identified issues during review (e.g., recommendations) and exit conference (e.g., requirements)  Post-review: Discuss how to resolve identified issues in monitoring report and followup meeting(s) if necessary 15 Role of TA in Monitoring (cont.)

 You need to know what to look for and what to do about what you see  As a result, you need an understanding of:  Title I, Part D  The population of youth who are neglected, delinquent, and atrisk (N or D)  The N and D systems  Your SEA  Education  Most coordinators know many of those areas, but not all 16 What Coordinators Need To Monitor & Provide TA

 Understanding of Title I, Part D  Title I, Part D, State Coordinator’s Orientation Handbook  Title I, Part D, Regulations, Statute, Nonregulatory Guidance  SASA Plan for Monitoring Formula Grant Programs  NDTAC Guide to Meeting Compliance Requirements for the Title I, Part D, Program  Understanding of the population of youth who are N or D  2009 NDTAC conference materials  2010 NDTAC conference keynote  Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) publications 17 Resources for Coordinators

 Understanding of the N and D systems  OJJDP publications  National Center for Juvenile Justice State profiles  NDTAC publications (specific administrative challenges)  Understanding of your SEA  State consolidated application/State Plan  State-specific legislation  Colleagues  Understanding of education  National Content Centers  National Center on Response to Intervention (RTI)  National Center on Student Progress Monitoring 18 Resources for Coordinators (cont.)

 It is critical to put a monitoring and TA process in place  In addition to monitoring specific requirements, protocols can include the monitoring of other issues that may be of interest or timely  Coordinators also can take innovative approaches in monitoring and providing TA  With knowledge and processes in place, coordinators can build on strengths to make program improvements and improve student outcomes 19 Conclusion

 Related to Monitoring Process  Innovative Approaches to Offsite Monitoring and TA Provision  Federal Monitoring Update  Related to Monitoring/TA Content  Establishing a Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning  Focusing on Significant Issues for Reentry and Family Engagement  Meeting the Educational Needs of Diverse Learners 20 Next Concurrent Sessions