#INspirEDgrants
August 2022
ESSER I (CARES), Title I Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, Title II Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2019, and TItle II FFY2020 Reminders
As a reminder, all funds from ESSER I, Title I FY2022, Title II FFY2019 (FY2020), and Title II FFY2020 (FY2021) allocations must be encumbered (obligated) by Friday, September 30. Local education agencies (LEA) may seek reimbursement (liquidate) for encumbered funds through Thursday, December 15. See the chart to the right for more information about when funds are considered obligated.
The amendment deadline for Title II FFY2019 (FY2020) and FFY2020 (FY2021) is Thursday, September 1. Please remember, Title II funds do not carryover the same way as Title I. Title II FFY2019 was extended due to COVID; however, these funds will expire this year. Please ensure that you are diligent in expending all funds in a reasonable, allocable, and necessary manner on activities that align with your LEA's comprehensive needs assessment (CNA). Please contact your assigned federal grants specialist to brainstorm ways to fully expend your Title II allocations.
For more information on fiscal processes, please see the Title Grants and Support (TGS) Fiscal Handbook.
Title I Compliance Reminders
As the 2022-2023 school year begins, LEAs must meet several requirements to remain in compliance with Title I regulations. Now is an ideal time to plan the required Title I Annual Parent Meeting and ensure that all necessary families receive required Title I documents. You can find more information and ideas about family engagement in the "Coffee Chat Updates" section below.
All schools receiving Title I funding must hold at least one annual meeting for all parents of students participating in Title I programming. This meeting should occur early in the school year (August-October) to ensure all families are well informed about Title I programs. Here are some additional reminders to consider when planning the annual meeting:
- Offer a flexible number of meetings to meet the needs of variable family schedules.
- Offer childcare or youth-friendly activities to engage children while parents attend the meeting.
- Consider minimizing transportation barriers by offering creative solutions. This may include hosting the meeting at a centrally located, accessible space (e.g., neighborhood or apartment clubhouse, local library, etc.).
- The meeting should provide Title I parents and families with timely information about Title programs, a description and explanation of the curriculum, forms of academic assessment, and expected levels of student proficiency.
- If requested, provide opportunities for regular meetings to discuss decisions related to the education of their children.
- Develop a school-parent compact that outlines the responsibilities of each party for improved student academic achievement. Section 1116(c)
- Involve parents and families in an ongoing manner in the planning, review, and improvement of Title I programs.
- LEAs may also consider hosting a virtual meeting to ensure the needs of families are met. Additional information and resources for Title I Annual Parent Meetings, including ideas to track meeting attendance using virtual platforms, may be found here.
For Title I Schoolwide Programs:
- Title I schools that operate schoolwide programs must involve parents and other members of the community in developing the schoolwide plan, which must be based on a comprehensive needs assessment. Section 1114(b)(2).
- The plan must be made available to the district, parents, and the public in a format that is understandable and uniform and, to the extent practicable, in a language that parents can understand. Section 1114(b)(4).
Templates of required forms, such as the Parent Right-to-Know letter, School-Parent Compact, and Notice of Teacher Status, are all available at TransAct ParentNotices. Important reminders:
- 100% of parents must receive the Parent Right-to-Know letter, regardless of their child's participation in Title I services or the school's status as a targeted assistance school or schoolwide program.
- The Notice of Teacher Status should be sent to families with a student that will be taught by a teacher who does not meet state certification and licensure requirement for four or more weeks. Please note that this does include staff with an emergency license since an emergency license does not qualify a teacher as being highly qualified Section 1111(g)(2)(J).
- Maintain documentation of distribution of letters required by Title I. Examples include a detailed mailing receipt, parent signatures, a combination of both, reports generated by the student information system.
- Signatures are not required for the School-Parent Compact, but would be considered best practice.
Please contact your assigned federal grants specialist for additional ideas or with questions about Title I compliance.
Indiana Program Administrator Leadership Institute (INPALI)
If you are interested in more information about the application process for mentors or mentees, please contact your assigned federal grants specialist.
Title Con 2023 Updates
The TGS team is busy planning Title Con 2023 and we are so excited to engage with hundreds of federal grants staff across the state! There are some big names in education and leadership planned for keynote speakers, so you won't want to miss this opportunity! Stay tuned for upcoming information regarding conference registration and hotel reservations.
LEAs may budget Title I, Title II, and/or Title IV funds for travel expenses to attend Title Con, including lodging and mileage. Program administrators (new and experienced), treasurers, superintendents, and other related staff involved with an LEA's federal grants programs are encouraged to attend.
What would you like to learn more about at Title Con 2023? The TGS team is seeking input for breakout session topics to ensure we provide meaningful content to all attendees. Please complete this survey as we continue to plan for the upcoming conference.
Contact Mitch Fortune with any questions.
Updated Requirements for Title II Funds and Class Size Reduction
The TGS team has updated the requirements for LEAs that are interested in using Title II funding for class size reduction (CSR) in the 2022-2023 school year. After conducting an CNA and evaluating information in the Title Grants Pre-Application, LEAs should consult the "Decision Making Road Map for Class Size Reduction" document. You may preview this document by clicking the icon to the right.
An LEA will then have two options available, CSR-1 and CSR-2, to apply for Title II funding for CSR. Based on the option an LEA chooses, there will be additional documentation required for federal grants specialists to review.
Please see additional information and available resources in the Title Grants and Support Moodle page for more information.
Contact Gina Romano with any questions.
Coffee Chats Updates
July Coffee Chat - Family Engagement:
For those that were not able to join us for the July Coffee Chat, please feel free to view the recording here. The session provided information about Title I family engagement requirements, allowable expenses, and served as a reminder of the importance of authentically engaging families in their students' education. It was a great conversation that encouraged LEAs to think creatively about overcoming barriers to engagement and meeting the unique needs of all families.
Upcoming Coffee Chat Topics:
Please join us for the upcoming TGS Coffee Chats! Coffee Chats occur the last Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m. ET. Please remember these meetings are scheduled in the eastern time zone.
Wednesday, August 31 - Non-public Schools and Equitable Shares
Wednesday, September 28 - Title IV
Click here to join.
If you have ideas on future Coffee Chat topics of interest, please contact your assigned federal grants specialist.
Title Grants and Supports Quarterly Meeting Updates
On Wednesday, August 3, the TGS team held its' first quarterly meeting for Title grants staff across the state. There were over 100 attendees present to hear important updates, share creative ideas, and connect with one another! If you were not able to join us, you may view the recording and presentation slides at your convenience. This meeting provided a wealth of information including general grant updates, the INPALI mentoring program, new class size reduction options, as well as ideas about braiding funds and using Title I equitable shares.
Upcoming Quarterly Meetings:
Wednesday, November 2
February 8, 2023
May 17, 2023
*All meetings will begin at 10 a.m. ET.
Title Grants and Support Team Update
If there are changes to your assigned federal grants specialist, you will receive an introductory email from your new specialist. You may also view the assigned specialist contact sheet for updates as needed.
Title Grants and Support Employment Opportunities
If you, or someone you know would like to join a dynamic, collaborative team, please click on the link below to discover the duties and responsibilities of the position.
Education grant specialist (Out-of-School Time programs)