October 2024
We hope to provide you with helpful information monthly through the newsletter and office hours. Our newsletters will often include:
- General and Title-Specific Updates
- Friendly Reminders for Planning and Program Implementation
- Fiscal Corner
- Professional Learning Opportunities
- Contact Information
Virtual Office Hours: Tuesday, October 8 at 9 AM (Zoom link is provided through Grants4ME notifications)
GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES
FY25 ESEA Federal Programs Monitoring is Due October 1
For districts identified as “Medium” or “High” risk status, please submit all required items by the deadline of Tuesday, October 1. For recorded trainings, fact sheets, and monitoring guidance, please see: ESEA Monitoring | Department of Education (maine.gov).
FY25 ESEA Substantial Approval Dates
The ESEA Team has been made aware of a bug in Grants4ME that is showing many SAUs the wrong substantial approval date in the invoicing system. Our developers are currently on a solution to this, and we will notify SAUs when it has been implemented. In the meantime, SAUs can find their substantial approval date in the History Log of their ESEA application.
Title I Equitable Service Data Collection Process is Changing
To qualify for FY26 ESEA equitable services for Title I non-public schools, student enrollment data will need to be submitted in NEO. To assist with this change, the ESEA and Data team hosted a webinar in September and are offering individualized technical support. To receive the links to those trainings, please reach out to rita.pello@maine.gov. For Synergy and NEO support, reach out to Alexandra.Cookson@maine.gov.
Reminder: Maintaining Title I Rank and Distribution
As SAUs close out FY22 and spend down FY23 and FY24, please be mindful of the Title IA Rank and Distribution that was approved as part of the original application. The rank order, by poverty and/or grade span, must continue to be followed. Additionally, if an application revision is made that involves allocating funds from one school project to another, the effect on rank and distribution has to be considered. SAUs that attempt to close out a grant without following rank and distribution will be forced to return funds. If this occurs after the grant closeout, they will not have an opportunity to resubmit for those funds.
Title I Summer Reallocated Performance Report is Due October 30
To complete the Title I Summer Reallocated Performance Report successfully by the deadline of October 30, please:
- Complete all invoicing related to the grant
- Move the application to “Revision Started” status if it is not already
- Navigate to the “Title I Summer School Performance Report” page that is now available
- Fill out the required sections of the Performance Report
- Program Details
- Goal Outcomes
- Expenditures
- When finished with the Performance Report page, click “Save and Go to” the Sections page
- To officially submit the PR, click “Revision Completed”
Aroostook and Kennebec Regions – Jess Caron Returns Oct 7
Jess Caron, Title I Coordinator and Regional Program Manager for Kennebec and Aroostook Counties, will be back in her position on Monday, October 7! We thank you for your patience during her maternity leave and while she transitions back in the month of October.
FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
October 8 Office Hours Will Focus on Performance Report
Our next ESEA office hours on Tuesday, October 8 at 9 AM will provide some technical support to help SAUs through the Performance Report process for FY24.The FY24 Performance Report will be due in November. As a reminder, performance reports are completed at the about the halfway point of a grant and requires:
- Reported expenditures from substantial approval date through 9/30/24
- Outcomes on goals outlined in FY24 ESEA Consolidated
- Supplemental Data for Titles I (Part A and D) and Title IV for the SY 2023-2024
- Title I, Part A Waiver Request
- The close-out of FY22 in the FY22 ESEA Consolidated Application
FISCAL CORNER
Federal Fiscal Office Hours
We are excited to announce the return of the Federal Fiscal Office Hours.
- When: October 24, 2024
- Time: 10:00 - 11:00am
- Where: via zoom
Go to Federal Fiscal Office Hour Registration and register to join us for an hour of important fiscal requirements as we embark on a new school year. Representatives from all federal programs will be on hand to answer any of your federal fiscal questions.
Professional Development Opportunity
The Maine DOE is excited to bring The Bruman Group to Maine on October 22-23, 2024. The Bruman Group is a law firm that specializes in federal grants compliance on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Uniformed Grant Guidance (UGG), as well as the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), and the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA). This is an opportunity that should not be missed, and the best part is it’s FREE to attend. More information and registration will be coming soon.
You’re encouraged to learn more about this firm by visiting their website at https://bruman.com/.
Reimbursement Reminders
When requesting reimbursement please keep in mind:
- All expenses need to be reasonable, necessary, and allocable to the program and align with the SAU’s approved application.
- Invoices submitted for reimbursement should only include expenses that were incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
- Subscriptions or license fees for digital access that exceed the period of performance for the grant will not be reimbursed.
- Some things to consider when budgeting for professional development using grant funds:
- Registration, attendance, and travel must all be incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
- Reimbursement is only available after the completion of the professional development.
- Two important dates to be mindful of when requesting reimbursement:
- 1) Substantial approval date and
- 2) Period of Performance for the grant
Grants4ME
Grant Award Notice (GAN) changes for FY 25, if you receive more than $250,000 in ESEA funds a change to the terms and conditions requires monthly invoicing. We are working on updates to the FY 23 GAN which will include amended dates for the period of performance and liquidation of expenditures. The Maine DOE received a Tydings Amendment Waiver which extends the Period of Performance through 9/30/25.
Grants Closing
The grants closing out are highlighted in yellow below. FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds and FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds period of availability has expired. Please invoice for expenses against these grants as soon as possible. If your school exited Tier III in FY 2024 then your FY 24 Tier III School Improvement funds have also expired. The liquidation period for these funds ends on 12/31/24.
The following chart includes ESEA federal grants that are currently open to access funds. Please note that several grants will close this year. It is recommended that you make a cheat sheet like the one below and set aside some time each month to review the status of your grants and reimbursements. This will mitigate the risk of losing funds that will be ending soon.
Grant Period of Performance
FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds |
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24 |
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds |
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25 |
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds |
9/1/22 – 9/30/24 |
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated |
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25 |
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement |
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24* or 9/30/2025^ |
2024-2025 21st CCLC Grant Awards |
7/1/24 – 6/30/25 |
FY 25 ESEA Consolidated |
Substantial Approval – 9/30/26 |
FY 25 Tier III School Improvement |
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25 |
*This date is for schools that exited Tier III in FY 2023-2024.
^Schools that are continuing in Tier III status have until 9/30/25 to obligate funds. This date may be shortened if schools exit Tier III status in Fall 2024.
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CALENDAR
Professional Learning offered through the Maine DOE is a fantastic resource for supporting leadership development for administrators and educators. The Department’s Professional Development Calendar is updated regularly with the latest professional development opportunities.
TYPICAL TURNAROUND TIME
We strive for effective, efficient, transparent, and collaborative communication. Communication is Key outlines the best practices for optimal communication with the Office of Federal Programs. Giving your regional program manager an appropriate amount of time to respond before reaching out to another ESEA Team Member allows us to maintain these best practices. Thank you for your help with this.
We will continue to work to strengthen areas of support by utilizing the ones that are most effective and efficient, so we can continue to provide you with strong customer service collectively and individually.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Please remember, the best person to connect with to answer questions related to ESEA Federal Programs is outlined below. They will get you the answer if they do not have it readily available.
- Aroostook County & Kennebec County: Jessica Caron at jessica.s.caron@maine.gov or (207) 458-0334.
- In Jess' absence, Aroostook County: Shelly Chasse-Johndro at shelly.chassejohndro@maine.gov or (207) 458-3180
- In Jess' absence, Kennebec County: Janette Kirk at janette.kirk@maine.gov or (207) 441-2958
- Washington County & the Midcoast Region: Ryan Reed at ryan.reed@maine.gov or (207) 530-2129.
- Penquis Region: Travis Doughty at travis.w.doughty@maine.gov or (207) 624-6709.
- Western Maine & Cumberland County: Daniel Weeks at daniel.r.weeks@maine.gov or (207) 624-6676.
- Hancock County & York County: Rita Pello at rita.pello@maine.gov or (207) 530-6469.
- Continuous School Improvement Coordinator: Monique Sullivan at monique.sullivan@maine.gov or (207) 441-5763.
- Management Analyst: Tyra Corson at Tyra.Corson@maine.gov or (207) 530-0488.
- ESEA Federal Programs Director: Shelly Chasse-Johndro at shelly.chassejohndro@maine.gov or (207) 458-3180.
- September 2024
-
GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES
FY25 ESEA Federal Programs Monitoring: Due October 1, 2024
All monitoring statuses have been added to the FY25 Grant Award Notifications within the FY25 ESEA application. For more information on the monitoring process, please see: ESEA Monitoring | Department of Education (maine.gov).Grants4ME’s monitoring instrument will open on September 4, 2024.
In addition, the ESEA Team will be hosting a training for LEAs that were identified as “Medium” and “High” Risk Status on Tuesday, September 10th at 3 PM. Participants are required to register. The training will be recorded; however, attendance is highly recommended so questions and clarifications can be communicated in a timely manner. All monitoring items are due by Tuesday, October 1, 2024.
Title I Equitable Service Data Collection Process is Changing: Non-Public students will need to be reported in the October 1 Student Enrollment Count.
To qualify for FY26 ESEA equitable services for Title I non-public school student enrollment data will need to be submitted in NEO. To assist with this change, the ESEA and Data team is hosting a webinar: Title I Equitable Service Data Collection on September 11th at 10:30 AM for Non-Public School Officials and ESEA coordinators.
We encourage ESEA Coordinators and Non-Public School Officials to register and attend to understand the process for capturing enrollment data. The training will be recorded so that those that cannot attend can still learn the required process.
Title I Summer Reallocated Performance Report is Available and Due 10/30
To complete the Title I Summer Reallocated Performance Report successfully by the deadline of 10/30, please:
- Complete all invoicing related to this grant
- Move the application to “Revision Started” status if it is not already
- Navigate to the “Title I Summer School Performance Report” page that is now available
- Fill out the required sections of the Performance Report
- Program Details
- Goal Outcomes
- Expenditures
- When finished with the Performance Report page, click “Save and Go to” the Sections page
- To officially submit the PR, click “Revision Completed”
The Performance Report is due October 30. The district has till September 30 to obligate these funds.In preparation of this deadline, please complete all invoicing for the summer programming. The Performance Report will not be reviewed and/or accepted until ALL invoicing is complete.
Title IIA Spending Snapshot Updated
We have made some robust updates to the Title IIA Spending Snapshot. It can be found on the Guidance section of the ESEA website. Those of you who regularly read these updates and attend office hours will note many of these updates are things we have reviewed individually, but we wanted to get the most updated guidance written down and all in one place. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your Regional Program Manager.
FY25 ESEA Application: Deadline to Submit was 8/1
Please work to complete the FY25 ESEA Application so that Substantial and Final Approval can be granted by the Maine DOE Regional Program Managers. If you need assistance, please reach out to your RPM with specific questions related to the application and comments made.FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
New ESEA Coordinator Trainings Available
With the start of the new fiscal year, we recognize we have many new ESEA coordinators joining us! To help with the transition, the ESEA team has a series of training videos on the Resources page of our website that new coordinators will find useful. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your Regional Program Manager.
Title I Parent and Family Engagement Requirements
Parent’s Right to Know Letter
As part of Title I, Part A, districts and schools must implement important family engagement practices, including sending the “Parent’s Right to Know” within the first four weeks of school, which should be a letter that notifies parents of their right to know:
Professional qualifications of student’s teachers and paraprofessionals
State/local assessment policies
A sample Parent’s Right to Know can be found here. The letter can also be posted in the student handbook and/or on the district’s website.
Title I Annual Meeting
Section 1116(c) for family engagement requires each Title I school to convene an annual meeting, at a convenient time, to which all parents of Title I children shall be invited and encouraged to attend. Districts sometimes include a Title I presentation on the agenda at the Open House as part of the annual meeting requirement, but this requirement can surely be met in other ways. Essentially, the meeting should inform parents of their school’s participation in Title I, explain the requirements and services provided as part of Title I and discuss the rights of the parents to be involved.
In a Targeted Assistance Program, it is the parents of students who are served by Title I who are invited to the meeting. In a Schoolwide Program, it is all parents of all students attending the school who are invited to attend. This meeting is also a time for the school to explain what it means to be a targeted assistance or schoolwide program, how student supports are available for students, how the delivery of these supports will be implemented, and what other Title IA requirements, such as parent notices, policies, compacts, and other communications and expectations will be forthcoming.
School-Parent Compacts
Title I family engagement policies/plan and school-parent compacts must be developed and updated annually with input from parents. This may be completed in the spring for the upcoming year or at the beginning of the school year. Districts should ensure that they have updated documents and can demonstrate that parents were involved in the update process.
Section 1116(d)(2) of the Title I School-Parent Compact addresses the importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis through, at a minimum—
parent-teacher conferences in elementary schools, at least annually, during which the compact shall be discussed as the compact relates to the individual child’s achievement
frequent reports to parents on their child(ren)’s progress
reasonable access to staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and observation of classroom activities; and
ensuring regular two-way, meaningful communication between family members and school staff, and, to the extent practicable, in a language that family members can understand
Please see a sample school-parent compact.
FISCAL CORNER
Federal Fiscal Office Hours
We are excited to announce the return of the Federal Fiscal Office Hours.
- When: September 26, 2024
- Time: 10:00 - 11:00am
- Where: via zoom
Go to Federal Fiscal Office Hour Registration and register to join us for an hour of important fiscal requirements as we embark on a new school year. Representatives from all federal programs will be on hand to answer any of your federal fiscal questions.
Professional Development Opportunity
The Maine DOE is excited to bring The Bruman Group to Maine on October 22-23, 2024. The Bruman Group is a law firm that specializes in federal grants compliance on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Uniformed Grant Guidance (UGG), as well as the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), and the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA). This is an opportunity that should not be missed, and the best part is it’s FREE to attend. More information and registration will be coming soon.
You’re encouraged to learn more about this firm by visiting their website at https://bruman.com/.
Reimbursement Reminders
When requesting reimbursement please keep in mind:
- All expenses need to be reasonable, necessary, and allocable to the program and align with the SAU’s approved application.
- Salaries accrued during the 2023-2024 school year are not eligible for reimbursement using FY 25 funds.
- Invoices submitted for reimbursement should only include expenses that were incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
- Subscriptions or license fees for digital access that exceed the period of performance for the grant will not be reimbursed.
- Some things to consider when budgeting for professional development using grant funds:
- Registration, attendance, and travel must all be incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
- Reimbursement is only available after the completion of the professional development.
- Two important dates to be mindful of when requesting reimbursement:
- Substantial approval date
- Period of Performance for the grant
Grants4ME
When completing the expenditures page in Grants4Me you receive an error message as the amount you are entering exceeds what was budgeted for the object code; do not just move the expense to an object code that has funds remaining to cover the costs. A budget adjustment in the application is necessary. Once the budget revision is completed in the application, submitted, and approved by the Regional Program Manager, the funds will become available on the invoicing side in the correct object code.
Grants Closing
The grants closing out are highlighted in red below. Please obligate any remaining FY 22 ESEA funds or FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds as soon as possible. The liquidation period for these funds expires on 12/31/24.
The following chart includes ESEA federal grants that are currently open to access funds. Please note that several grants will close this year. It is recommended that you make a cheat sheet like the one below and set aside some time each month to review the status of your grants and reimbursements. This will mitigate the risk of losing funds that will be ending soon.
Grant Period of Performance
FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds
9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24* or 9/30/2025^
2024-2025 21st CCLC Grant Awards
7/1/24 – 6/30/25
FY 25 ESEA Consolidated
Substantial Approval – 9/30/26
FY 25 Tier III School Improvement
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
*This date is for schools that exited Tier III in FY 2023-2024.
^Schools that are continuing in Tier III status have until 9/30/25 to obligate funds. This date may be shortened if schools exit Tier III status in Fall 2024.
- August 2024
-
GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES
FY25 ESEA Federal Programs Monitoring Status
All monitoring statuses have been added to the FY25 Grant Award Notifications within the FY25 ESEA application. For more information on the monitoring process, please see: ESEA Monitoring | Department of Education (maine.gov).
In addition, the ESEA Team will be hosting a training for SAUs that were identified as “Medium” and “High” risk status. Please join us on Tuesday, September 10th at 3 PM. Participants are required to register. The training will be recorded; however, attendance is highly recommended so questions and clarifications can be communicated in a timely manner.
Grants4ME Automated Message
Please be aware that the following message is now created in Grants4ME after submitting application revisions. This message does not impact submission of the revision.To find who your ESEA Regional Program Manager is, please look at the Program Consultant column on the Applications page within Grants4ME.
Title I, Part A Poverty Data Source Resource
For SAUs who have Community Eligibility Provision, Special Provision II, and Traditional National School Lunch Programming, the Title I team has created the guidance Title I, Part A Data Sources to explain what poverty data source options are available for Rank & Distribution. This guidance also includes additional information on the data sources used for Title I, Part A district allocations created by the State of Maine.
Title I Equitable Service Data Collection Process is Changing: Non-Public students will need to be reported in the October 1 Student Enrollment Count.
To qualify for FY26 ESEA equitable services for Title I and to meet the student count requirements, non-public school student enrollment data will need to be submitted in NEO. The ESEA and Data team is hosting a webinar: Title I Equitable Service Data Collection on September 11th at 10:30 AM for Non-Public School Officials and ESEA coordinators. We encourage ESEA Coordinators and Non-Public School Officials to attend to understand the process for capturing enrollment data. This new data collection aligns the ESEA team’s data processes with protocols used throughout the Maine Department of Education.
The ESEA team will use the enrollment report to collect the information necessary for ESEA equitable services for FY26 moving forward. The Qualtrics survey that was used in previous years to collect Title I student counts for ESEA Equitable Services will no longer be used.
General trainings around enrollment reporting are hosted by the Data team, visit Maine DOE Events Calendar for more information.
ESEA Coordinators, please reach out to your non-public contacts to share this information.
Title I: Schoolwide Plans Reminder
For LEAs with schoolwide programs, please ensure that ESEA Applications provide strong summaries of the annual updates made to the district and schoolwide plans on the School Needs Assessment pages.
Schoolwide plans must include data analysis of relevant student subgroups: Economically Disadvantaged, Multilingual Learners, Special Education students, and students from major Ethnic and Racial groups. That analysis of student performance should then include a synopsis of the students most at risk of failing and how the action steps and goals align to meet those students’ needs. In the school-based needs assessment within the application, it should be obvious that this type of planning and steps were taken.
When the ESEA Team formally monitors LEAs, we will ask for the Annually Updated Schoolwide Plans and will look for data analysis and action steps that meet statutory requirements and align with the needs and goals outlined in the ESEA Consolidated Application.
FY25 ESEA Application: Deadline to Submit was 8/1
The FY25 ESEA application is available for completion Grants4ME! To access the application, navigate to Funding > Funding applications, and then change the year to 2025.If your SAU wishes to apply for funds, the application’s status will need to be changed to “Draft Started” before you can begin editing any pages. If your SAU wishes to refuse funds, the application’s status will need to be changed to “ESEA Funds Refused.”
The application was due to Maine DOE by August 1. Your SAU may not begin obligating any FY25 ESEA funds until the SAU has received substantial approval, which will be the date it is received by Maine DOE in substantially approvable form.
In addition, we have a few updated requirements for the FY25 ESEA Application around ESEA Program Assurances, Family Engagement Reservation project, Title IIA, and Title III. Please take a few moments to read over the FY25 ESEA Application Updates so that your SAU can complete these additional requirements successfully. As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to your Regional Program Manager.
FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
New ESEA Coordinator Trainings Available
With the start of the new fiscal year, we recognize we have many new ESEA coordinators joining us! To help with the transition, the ESEA team has a series of training videos on the Resources page of our website that new coordinators will find useful. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your Regional Program Manager.
FISCAL CORNER
Federal Fiscal Office Hours
As a reminder, the Maine DOE Federal Fiscal Office Hours have been suspended for the months of July and August. We anticipate the next office hours will be held on September 26, 2024. In the meantime, if your SAU would like to have the Federal Fiscal Team cover a specific topic during these office hours, please reach out to a member of the team.
FY25 ESEA Funds
Now is not the time to engage in contracted services using FY25 ESEA funds to support such services. Remember, a contract cannot contain any dates prior to the substantial approval date of the FY25 application. Services must be rendered during the period of performance for the grant and invoiced for before the expiration of the liquidation period.
For the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year, it is imperative that SAUs seeking to leverage FY25 ESEA funds for a particular contract do not enter into that contract before the substantial approval date for the FY25 ESEA Application. If the SAU is planning on contracting for services using FY25 ESEA funds, make sure that:
- The contract period does not precede the substantial approval of the FY25 ESEA Application.
- The SAU leverages carryover or local funding for (a) contract work that is taking place and/or (b) contracts that have been signed by both parties prior to its substantial approval date on the FY25 ESEA Application; and
- The service period is within the period of performance for the grant(s) from which the SAU plans to funds the contract.
In the event the SAU needs to have a contractual agreement in place for services prior to the substantial approval date of the FY25 ESEA Application, and carryover funding from a prior fiscal year is not available, the SAU would need to request pre-award costs within the FY25 ESEA Application.
Please note that pre-award costs, if approved, would only change the SAU’s substantial approval date to July 1, 2024. Any contracts for services that were entered into prior to July 1, 2024, cannot be paid for with FY25 ESEA funding. SAUs are not eligible for pre-award costs if the FY25 ESEA application is submitted after August 1, 2024.
Invoicing
The Department reserves the right to ask for additional backup at any time for billable expenses. All expenses need to be reasonable, necessary, and allocable to the program and align with the SAU’s approved application.
Please be mindful that salaries accrued during the 2023-2024 school year are not eligible for reimbursement using FY 25 funds.
All invoices submitted to Grants4Me must be accompanied by a detailed expenditure report that aligns with your request. When invoicing for professional development please upload backup documents (registration receipt/invoice, travel receipts, etc.) to support the purchase.
Invoices submitted for reimbursement should only include expenses that were incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
Subscriptions or license fees for digital access that exceed the period of performance for the grant will not be reimbursed.
Some things to consider when budgeting for professional development using grant funds:
- Registration, attendance, and travel must all be incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
- Reimbursement is only available after the completion of the professional development.
Be mindful of the obligation date and review 76.707 in Edgar.
Two important dates to be mindful of when requesting reimbursement: 1) Substantial approval date and 2) Period of Performance for the grant.
Grants4ME
When completing the expenditures page in Grants4Me you receive an error message as the amount you are entering exceeds what was budgeted for the object code; do not just move the expense to an object code that has funds remaining to cover the costs. A budget adjustment in the application is necessary. Once the budget revision is completed in the application, submitted, and approved by the Regional Program Manager, the funds will become available on the invoicing side in the correct object code.
Open Grants
The following chart includes ESEA federal grants that are currently open to access funds. Please note that several grants will close this year. It is recommended that you make a cheat sheet like the one below and set aside some time each month to review the status of your grants and reimbursements. This will mitigate the risk of losing funds that will be ending soon.
Grant Period of Performance
FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds
9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24* or 9/30/2025^
2023-2024 21st CCLC Grant Awards
7/1/23 – 6/30/24
*This date is for schools that exited Tier III in FY 2023-2024.
^Schools that are continuing in Tier III status have until 9/3025 to obligate funds. This date may be shortened if schools exit Tier III status in Fall 2025.
- July 2024
-
Title I Equitable Service Data Collection Process is Changing: Non-Public students will need to be reported in the October 1 Student Enrollment Count.
To qualify for FY26 ESEA equitable services for Title I and to meet the student count requirements, non-public student enrollment data will need to be submitted in NEO by October 30, 2024. The ESEA team will use the Maine Department of Education’s October 1 enrollment report to collect the information necessary for ESEA equitable services for FY26 moving forward. The Qualtrics survey that was used in previous years to collect Title I student counts for ESEA Equitable Services will no longer be used.
General training around October 1 enrollment reporting and resources will be hosted by the Data team. More information will be forthcoming on training recommendations and how to access these trainings. We encourage ESEA Coordinators and Non-Public School Officials to attend to understand the process for capturing enrollment data. This new data collection aligns the ESEA team’s data processes with protocols used throughout the Maine Department of Education.
ESEA Coordinators, please reach out to your non-public contacts to share this information. The ESEA Team will also release targeted information for non-public school data specialists and equitable services contacts before the collection period begins.
This information pertains to Title I only and more information pertaining to Titles II, III, and IV will be forthcoming.
FY25 ESEA Application Now OPEN in Grants4ME
The FY25 ESEA application is now available to begin drafting in Grants4ME with preliminary allocations! To access the application, navigate to Funding > Funding applications, and then change the year to 2025.If your SAU wishes to apply for funds, the application’s status will need to be changed to “Draft Started” before you can begin editing any pages. If your SAU wishes to refuse funds, the application’s status will need to be changed to “ESEA Funds Refused.”
Please remember that since these are preliminary allocations, they are subject to change. Additionally, the application cannot be changed to “Draft Completed” status until final allocations are determined by Friday, July 12.
The application is due to Maine DOE by August 1. Your SAU may not begin obligating any FY25 ESEA funds until the SAU has received substantial approval, which will be the date it is received by Maine DOE in substantially approvable form.
In addition, we have a few updated requirements for the FY25 ESEA Application around ESEA Program Assurances, Family Engagement Reservation project, Title IIA, and Title III. Please take a few moments to read over the FY25 ESEA Application Updates so that your SAU can complete these additional requirements successfully. As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to your Regional Program Manager.
Adding, Removing, and Changing User Access in Grants4ME
Each SAU should be mindful of their Grants4ME address book especially if new folks have started in new or changed roles in the SAU. The address book and people's roles help with submission, workflow, timely communications, notifications, and internal controls. It's very important the address book within Grants4ME is accurate particularly at the start of each Fiscal Year.
It is the responsibility of the User Access Administrator to keep the Grants4ME Address Book up to date with the assigned Users and Roles. For more information on how to add users and roles, please see this section of our training video on the platform or refer to the User Access Guide.
Barring extraordinary circumstances, the SAU should only have one person in the role of LEA Authorized Representative (the Superintendent) and two people in the role of User Access administrator (usually the Superintendent and one other Central Office person). There should also be only one “LEA ESEA Consolidated Application Director,” with anyone else needing access to update the application given the role of “LEA ESEA Consolidated Application Update”.
FY25 Title IA Equitable Shares Update & Non-Public Consultation Reminders
At this time, ESEA Coordinators should be reaching out to their partners at any non-public schools within the SAU’s geographic boundaries to begin the consultation process. The form to document this process has changed significantly from past years, and you can find a new copy of it, along with a number of new resources, by clicking on the “Equitable Services” icon on our Resources page.
Please note, for FY25 all non-public partners must have reviewed the state-required training on ESEA equitable services as denoted on the FY25 Equitable Services Participation Form in the red box below. Note, that Title I Part D Subpart 2 Subrecipients have their own ESEA Local Residential Facility Consultation Form to use.
Equitable service percentages for Titles IIA, IIIA, and IVA apply to the total amount of funding allocated in each Title after any transfers between Titles have occurred. This means that if the SAU plans to transfer funds between Titles, that must be agreed upon during the consultation process with its non-public school(s).
The consultation process must also include a discussion of the needs of the students in the non-public school(s), plans for how funds can be spent to meet those needs, and SMART goals to help measure the extent to which those needs will be met. Keep in mind that the public SAU must always retain fiscal control of all ESEA funding, and federal ESEA funds may never be paid directly to a non-public school. All the SAU’s policies and procedures must be followed, just as they would be if the funds were being spent at the SAU’s public schools, including requirements around supplies, inventories, and staff travel.
FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
New ESEA Coordinator Trainings Available
With the start of the new fiscal year, we recognize we have many new ESEA coordinators joining us! To help with the transition, the ESEA team has a series of training videos on the Resources page of our website that new coordinators will find useful. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your Regional Program Manager.
Additional Reminders for FY25 ESEA Application
Public Comment Period
SAUs must assemble an ESEA application development team and hold planning meetings on the use of the SAU’s ESEA funds. Once a plan is made, the public must be given ample opportunity to provide comments on this plan, and if comments are submitted, they must be considered as the final application is developed.
Annual CNA Updates
Another annual process for SAUs is meeting with a variety of stakeholders to update SAU and school Comprehensive Needs Assessments (CNA) based on new data. As part of the ESEA application, SAUs are asked to document the high needs areas of SAUs and schools, as well as the data sources they used to make those determinations, the names of the stakeholders involved, and dates the updates were conducted on.
FISCAL CORNER
Federal Fiscal Office Hours
As a reminder, the Maine DOE Federal Fiscal Office Hours have been suspended for the months of July and August. We anticipate the next office hours will be held on September 26, 2024. In the meantime, if your SAU would like to have the Federal Fiscal Team cover a specific topic during these office hours, please reach out to a member of the team.
FY25 ESEA Funds
Now is not the time to engage in contracted services using FY25 ESEA funds to support such services. Remember, a contract cannot contain any dates prior to the substantial approval date of the FY25 application. Services must be rendered during the period of performance for the grant and invoiced for before the expiration of the liquidation period.
For the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year, it is imperative that SAUs seeking to leverage FY25 ESEA funds for a particular contract do not enter into that contract before the substantial approval date for the FY25 ESEA Application. If the SAU is planning on contracting for services using FY25 ESEA funds, make sure that:
The contract period does not precede the substantial approval of the FY25 ESEA Application.
The SAU leverages carryover or local funding for (a) contract work that is taking place and/or (b) contracts that have been signed by both parties prior to its substantial approval date on the FY25 ESEA Application; and
The service period is within the period of performance for the grant(s) from which the SAU plans to funds the contract.
In the event the SAU needs to have a contractual agreement in place for services prior to the substantial approval date of the FY25 ESEA Application, and carryover funding from a prior fiscal year is not available, the SAU would need to request pre-award costs within the FY25 ESEA Application.
Please note that pre-award costs, if approved, would only change the SAU’s substantial approval date to July 1, 2024. Any contracts for services that were entered into prior to July 1, 2024, cannot be paid for with FY25 ESEA funding. SAUs are not eligible for pre-award costs if the FY25 ESEA application is submitted after August 1, 2024.
Invoicing
The Department reserves the right to ask for additional backup at any time for billable expenses. All expenses need to be reasonable, necessary, and allocable to the program and align with the SAU’s approved application.
Please be mindful that salaries accrued during the 2023-2024 school year are not eligible for reimbursement using FY 25 funds.
All invoices submitted to Grants4Me must be accompanied by a detailed expenditure report that aligns with your request. When invoicing for professional development please upload backup documents (registration receipt/invoice, travel receipts, etc.) to support the purchase.
Invoices submitted for reimbursement should only include expenses that were incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
Subscriptions or license fees for digital access that exceed the period of performance for the grant will not be reimbursed.
Some things to consider when budgeting for professional development using grant funds:
Registration, attendance, and travel must all be incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
Reimbursement is only available after the completion of the professional development.
Be mindful of the obligation date and review 76.707 in Edgar.
Two important dates to be mindful of when requesting reimbursement: 1) Substantial approval date and 2) Period of Performance for the grant.
Grants4ME
When completing the expenditures page in Grants4Me you receive an error message as the amount you are entering exceeds what was budgeted for the object code; do not just move the expense to an object code that has funds remaining to cover the costs. A budget adjustment in the application is necessary. Once the budget revision is completed in the application, submitted, and approved by the Regional Program Manager, the funds will become available on the invoicing side in the correct object code.
Open Grants
The following chart includes ESEA federal grants that are currently open to access funds. Please note that several grants will close this year. It is recommended that you make a cheat sheet like the one below and set aside some time each month to review the status of your grants and reimbursements. This will mitigate the risk of losing funds that will be ending soon.
Grant Period of Performance
FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds
9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
2023-2024 21st CCLC Grant Awards
7/1/23 – 6/30/24
- June 2024
-
GENERAL AND TITLE SPECIFIC UPDATES
Jess Caron’s ESEA Regions – Aroostook & Kennebec Counties
Jess Caron currently serves as ESEA Regional Program Manager for Aroostook and Kennebec counties. She will be out on maternity leave likely starting in early July and ending in mid-September. Information regarding a point of contact while Jess is out of the office will be forthcoming. In the meantime, please let her know if she can be of any assistance ahead of this transition!ESEA Federal Programs Director
Effective July 1, Shelly Chasse-Johndro, Director of Emergency Federal Relief Programs will transition to serve as ESEA Federal Programs Director. We’re excited for Shelly to be rejoining the team!FY25 ESEA Application Now OPEN in Grants4ME
The FY25 ESEA application is now available to begin drafting in Grants4ME with preliminary allocations! To access the application, navigate to Funding->Funding applications, and then change the year to 2025. If your district wishes to apply for funds, the application’s status will need to be changed to “Draft Started” before you can begin editing any pages. If your district wishes to refuse funds, the application’s status will need to be changed to “ESEA Funds Refused.”Please remember that since these are preliminary allocations, they are subject to change. Additionally, the application cannot be changed to “Draft Completed” status until final allocations are determined in early July. The application is due to Maine DOE by August 1st. Your SAU may not begin obligating any FY25 ESEA funds until the district has received substantial approval, which will be the date it is received by Maine DOE in substantially approvable form.
Resources on how to navigate Grants4ME and complete the application can be found on the resources page of our website. As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to your Regional Program Manager.
Adding, Removing, and Changing User Access in Grants4ME
Each district should be mindful of their Grants4ME address book especially if new folks have started in new or different roles in the district. This address book and peoples’ roles within them helps with submission workflow, timely communications, notifications, and internal controls, etc. It’s VERY important that the address book within Grants4ME is accurate at the start of each Fiscal Year.It is the responsibility of the User Access Administrator to keep the Grants4ME Address Book up to date with the assigned Users and Roles. For more information on how to add users and roles, please see this section of our training video on the platform or refer to the User Access Guide.
Barring extraordinary circumstances, the district should only have one person in the role of LEA Authorized Representative (the Superintendent) and two people in the role of User Access administrator (usually the Superintendent and one other Central Office person). There should also be only one “LEA ESEA Consolidated Application Director,” with anyone else needing access to update the application given the role of “LEA ESEA Consolidated Application Update”.
FY25 Title IA Equitable Shares Update & Non-Public Consultation Reminders
The ESEA team is happy to announce that updated Title IA preliminary estimates are updated with FY25 data from non-public schools. These updated figures have been posted to our website here and are updated within the live the FY25 application in Grants4ME.
At this time, ESEA Coordinators should be reaching out to their partners at any non-public schools within the SAU’s geographic boundaries to begin the consultation process. The form to document this process has changed significantly from past years, and you can find a new copy of it, along with a number of new resources, by clicking on the “Equitable Services” icon on our Resources page.
Please note, for FY25 all non-public partners must have reviewed the state-required training on ESEA equitable services as denoted on the FY25 Equitable Services Participation Form in the red box below.
Note, that Title I Part D Subpart 2 Subrecipients have their own form for consultation for their local residential facilities.
Equitable service percentages for Titles IIA, IIIA, and IVA apply to the total amount of funding allocated in each Title after any transfers between Titles have occurred. This means that if the district plans to transfer funds between Titles, that must be agreed upon during the consultation process with its non-public school(s).
The consultation process must also include a discussion of the needs of the students in the non-public school(s), plans for how funds can be spent to meet those needs, and SMART goals to help measure the extent to which those needs will be met. Keep in mind that the public SAU must always retain fiscal control of all ESEA funding, and federal ESEA funds may never be paid directly to a non-public school. All of the SAU’s policies and procedures must be followed, just as they would be if the funds were being spent at the SAU’s public schools, including requirements around supplies, inventories, staff travel, etc.
This also represents a good time to check-in with our non-public partners on any FY22 carryover funds that may still be reserved for equitable services, and if no plans exist for utilizing those funds, consider what can be done so they are not returned on 9/30/24.
The Title I Committee of Practitioners
A Public Notice through the Maine DOE Newsroom was published last week inviting coordinators, school leaders, and other representatives of Title I programming to Maine’s Title I Committee of Practitioners. Coordinators, we would love your participation AND for you to share this opportunity with colleagues in your schools: other administrators, teachers, support personnel, ed-techs, etc. because this group should be diverse in roles and geography.Please reach out to Rita Pello (rita.pello@maine.gov) if you have any questions. Those interested in serving on Maine DOE’s Title I Committee of Practitioners Committee should fill out this form by Friday, June 7th, 2024.
Title IA Allowability for Furniture
Technically, Title IA can pay for specialized furniture supplemental to the furniture and supplies a local school district is required to provide to support a Title I program to help the Title I students engage and meet academic standards or prevent/address behavior problems. For this type of purchase to be approved on an invoice, more information will be needed to clarify how this purchase is connected to a high-needs area.
For Targeted Assistance Programs (TAS), specific information on why the furniture is necessary for addressing the high needs of the Title I students will be required as well as assurance that the furniture is used only by those Title I students in the TAS.
As with any purchase with ESEA funds, the request must be reasonable, necessary, and allocable to the specific grant. Providing as much detail as possible in an application can prevent delays or rejections when invoicing. When in doubt about furniture purchases or allowability, please reach out to your Regional Program Manager and use the Title I, Part A spending snapshot as a guide.
Stakeholder Collaboration: Title IIA Lessons Learned from Monitoring
Title IIA Spring Monitoring Item C-2 states that in accordance with Sec. 2102(b)(3) of ESEA, the SAU must show evidence of collaboration on professional development topics with the various stakeholders (teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, parents, and community partners and organizations) in the past year.
While we know this important work occurs in many SAUs around the state, we found that evidence of it occurring was not always easy to find. For others, the connection between the identified needs from the stakeholders and the actual programming paid for with Title IIA was not clear.
One of the biggest lessons learned from this monitoring cycle is the need for us all to document our work and ensure it is saved in an accessible location should the originator of the document no longer work for the SAU. Whether it be dated faculty meeting minutes, PD needs surveys, or PD agendas, always remember to document, document, document!
Title III, Part A – Consortium Opportunities
FY25 Title III, Part A Allocations have been generated for ALL SAUs with at least one multilingual (ML) student for the purpose of allowing SAUs the option to form a consortium to reach the statutory required minimum award amount of $10,000. SAUs that wish to form a consortium for the purpose of Title III, Part A allocation only, will need to submit a Intent to Apply Form to the Maine DOE by June 30, 2024. When final allocations are received, an SAU that is not part of a consortium or by itself generates less than an award of $10,000 will be removed and will not receive a Title III, Part A allocation. As a result, the dollar per student ratio will increase as will allocations. Questions related to the forming of consortiums should be directed to Title III Coordinator, Daniel Weeks at Daniel.r.weeks@maine.gov
Maine’s Model of School Support
Notification of schools identified for support under Maine’s Model of School Support for FY2023-2024 has started and will continue over the next couple of weeks.
FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
Public Comment Period
SAUs must assemble an ESEA application development team and hold planning meetings on the use of the SAU’s ESEA funds. Once a plan is made, the public must be given ample opportunity to provide comments on this plan, and if comments are submitted, they must be considered as the final application is developed. One way many SAUs accomplish this is by including an update on the district’s ESEA application as part of a school board meeting each spring, with a public comment period to follow.
Please note that whatever way the SAU chooses to accomplish this public comment period, they must give ample notice to all members of the public, not just those with children in their school(s). The public comment period must be within the application development timeframe (late winter-summer). Lastly, they also must complete the public comment period before the application is submitted to MDOE.
Annual CNA Updates
Another annual process for SAUs is meeting with a variety of stakeholders to update their district and school Comprehensive Needs Assessments based on new data. As part of the ESEA application, districts are asked to document the high needs areas of their districts and schools, as well as the data sources they used to make those determinations, the names of the stakeholders involved, and dates the updates were conducted on.
SAUs must update as much of their CNA as possible, prior to the initial submission of the FY25 ESEA Application, in order determine high areas of need and to generate goals—particularly the required non-academic goal(s). SAUs without alternative assessment data will need to further update their CNA and generate academic goals when state assessment results become available. For Substantial Approval, math and literacy goal requirements at both the school and district levels will be temporarily waived; non-academic goals will still be required. SAUs may put placeholder information into the required fields of the application when applicable. For Final Approval, all district and school goal requirements must be met.
FISCAL CORNER
Federal Fiscal Office Hours
Join us for the next Federal Fiscal Office Hour, on June 25th at 10:00 am. Access the Professional Development Calendar link to register and put this hour on your calendars.
FY25 ESEA Funds
Now is not the time to engage in contracted services using FY 25 ESEA funds to support such services. Remember, your contract cannot contain any dates prior to the substantial approval date of the FY 25 application, services must be rendered during the period of performance for the grant and invoiced for before the expiration of the liquidation period.
For the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year, it is imperative that SAUs seeking to leverage FY25 ESEA funds for a particular contract not enter into that contract before the substantial approval date for the FY25 ESEA Application. If the SAU is planning on contracting for services using FY25 ESEA funds, make sure that:
- The contract period does not precede the substantial approval of the FY25 ESEA Application.
- The SAU leverages carryover or local funding for (a) contract work that is taking place and/or (b) contracts that have been signed by both parties prior to its substantial approval date on the FY25 ESEA Application; and
- The service period is within the period of performance for the grant(s) from which the SAU plans to funds the contract.
In the event the SAU needs to have a contractual agreement in place for services prior to the substantial approval date of the FY25 ESEA Application, and carryover funding from a prior fiscal year is not available, the SAU would need to request pre-award costs within the FY25 ESEA Application. Please note that pre-award costs, if approved, would only change the SAU’s substantial approval date to July 1, 2024. Any contracts for services that were entered into prior to July 1, 2024, cannot be paid for with FY25 ESEA funding.
Invoicing
The Department reserves the right to ask for additional backup at any time for billable expenses. All expenses need to be reasonable, necessary, and allocable to the program and align with the SAU’s approved application.
All invoices submitted to Grants4Me must be accompanied by a detailed expenditure report that aligns with your request. When invoicing for professional development please upload backup documents (registration receipt/invoice, travel receipts, etc.) to support the purchase.Invoices submitted for reimbursement should only include expenses that were incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
Some things to consider when budgeting for professional development using grant funds:
- Registration, attendance, and travel must all be incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
- Reimbursement is only available after the completion of the professional development.
Be mindful of the obligation date and review 76.707 in Edgar.
Two important dates to be mindful of when requesting reimbursement: 1) Substantial approval date and 2) Period of Performance for the grant.
Grants4ME
When completing the expenditures page in Grants4Me you receive an error message as the amount you are entering exceeds what was budgeted for the object code; do not just move the expense to an object code that has funds remaining to cover the costs. A budget adjustment in the application is necessary. Once the budget revision is completed in the application, submitted, and approved by the Regional Program Manager, the funds will become available on the invoicing side in the correct object code.
Open Grants
The following chart includes ESEA federal grants that are currently open to access funds. Please note that several grants will close this year. It is recommended that you make a cheat sheet like the one below and set aside some time each month to review the status of your grants and reimbursements. This will mitigate the risk of losing funds that will be ending soon.
Grant Period of Performance
FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds
9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
2023-2024 21st CCLC Grant Awards
7/1/23 – 6/30/24
- May 2024
-
SEA FY25 Preliminary Allocations Update
Preliminary allocations for each title are located on the ESEA Federal Programs webpage at the following location: Fiscal Allocations | Department of Education (maine.gov)
Title I, Part A
Maine’s Title I, Part A funding received a 2.5% decrease in FY25 for Preliminary Allocation Estimates from the US Department of Education (USDOE). This estimate represents an overall reduction of $1,497,180 in Title I, Part A funding for the State of Maine in FY25. Maine received $62,310,372 in Title I, Part A funds in FY24 and that amount is expected to decrease to $60,813,192 in FY25. Maine's national poverty census data decreased and did not increase as much as other states, resulting in a lower national poverty share which usually generates a decrease in Maine’s overall Title I, Part A allocation. Please also recognize that the private school amounts are from FY24 and do not include the new data that will be used for FY25. Additional communication was released directly to small SAUs and large SAUs who were impacted by an adjustment to the charter school student count process, a drop in Title I eligibility, and a concentration calculation error from Title I, Part A Coordinator, Jessica Caron.
Title II, Part A
Maine’s preliminary FY25 allocation for the Title II, Part A program is $10,786,692, which represents level funding for the program to the previous fiscal year. Maine has traditionally accounted for student moves between the SAU they reside in and the SAU they attend as part of the Title IIA allocation process. Maine received a finding and subsequent technical assistance from the USDOE in its most recent federal review and may no longer implement this practice and must rely solely on census data when allocating Title IIA funds. This will result in some SAUs receiving more funding than they had in the past and some receiving less. SAUs impacted by this recent change have received outreach from Title II Coordinator, Ryan Reed.
Title III, Part A
Maine’s preliminary FY25 allocation for the Title III, Part A program is $1,004,205.00 which represents a slight increase in funding for the program to the previous fiscal year. FY25 Title III, Part A Allocations have been generated for ALL SAUs with at least one multilingual (ML) student for the purpose of allowing SAUs the option to form a consortium to reach the statutory required minimum award amount of $10,000. SAUs that wish to form a consortium for the purpose of Title III, Part A allocation only, will need to submit a letter of intent (available April 30) to the Maine DOE by June 30, 2024. When final allocations are received, an SAU that is not part of a consortium or by itself generates less than an award of $10,000 will be removed and will not receive a Title III, Part A allocation. As a result, the dollar per student ratio will increase as will allocations. An informational webinar regarding Title III consortia will be scheduled for the week of May 13 – registration details to follow. Questions related to the forming of consortiums should be directed to Title III Coordinator, Daniel Weeks.
Title IV, Part A
Maine’s preliminary FY25 allocation for the Title IV, Part A program is $6,659,535.00, which represents level funding for the program to the previous fiscal year.
Title V, Part B
There have been no significant changes to the Title V, Part B program for the upcoming fiscal year.
Title IA: The Title I Committee of Practitioners
A Public Notice through the Maine DOE Newsroom was published last week inviting coordinators, school leaders, and other representatives of Title I programming to Maine’s Title I Committee of Practitioners. Coordinators, we would love your participation AND for you to share this opportunity with colleagues in your schools: other administrators, teachers, support personnel, Ed-techs, etc. because this group should be diverse in roles and geography. Please reach out to Rita Pello (rita.pello@maine.gov) if you have any questions. And please share and fill out this form to join!Title IA: Applying for Schoolwide Authority
This is a reminder to districts who are moving from Title I Targeted Assistance Programs to Schoolwide Programs for FY25 to turn in the Schoolwide Plan and application materials to Rita Pello (rita.pello@maine.gov) by July 1st, 2024. For more information on what this process requires, please see our guidance.Title IA: Summer Reallocated Application
Some exciting news! The Title I team is awarding $1,957,352.26 to 56 districts in the state of Maine. All relevant SAUs should have received messaging through Grants4ME with details and deadlines. Please reach out to Rita Pello (rita.pello@maine.gov) if you have any questions about this grant.
Maine’s Model of School Support
Notification of schools identified for support under Maine’s Model of School Support for FY2023-2024 has started and will continue over the next couple of weeks.FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
Public Comment Period
As part of the annual ESEA application completion process, SAUs must assemble an ESEA application development team and hold planning meetings on the use of the SAU’s ESEA funds. Once a plan is made, the public must be given ample opportunity to provide comments on this plan, and if comments are submitted, they must be considered as the final application is developed. One way many SAUs accomplish this is by including an update on the district’s ESEA application as part of a school board meeting each spring, with a public comment period to follow.
Please note that whatever way the SAU chooses to accomplish this public comment period, they must give ample notice to all members of the public, not just those with children in their school(s). The public comment period must be within the application development timeframe (late winter-summer). Lastly, they also must complete the public comment period before the application is submitted to MDOE.
Annual CNA Updates
Another annual process for SAUs is meeting with a variety of stakeholders to update their district and school Comprehensive Needs Assessments based on new data. As part of the ESEA application, districts are asked to document the high needs areas of their districts and schools, as well as the data sources they used to make those determinations, the names of the stakeholders involved, and dates the updates were conducted on.
SAUs must update as much of their CNA as possible, prior to the initial submission of the FY25 ESEA Application, in order determine high areas of need and to generate goals—particularly the required non-academic goal(s). SAUs without alternative assessment data will need to further update their CNA and generate academic goals when state assessment results become available. For Substantial Approval, math and literacy goal requirements at both the school and district levels will be temporarily waived; non-academic goals will still be required. SAUs may put placeholder information into the required fields of the application when applicable. For Final Approval, all district and school goal requirements must be met.
Non-Public School Equitable Services
Preliminary allocations and equitable service percentages for the FY25 ESEA application have been calculated and posted on our website. For the Title IA program, SAUs can reference last year’s final equitable service amounts for current planning needs.
At this time, ESEA Coordinators should be reaching out to their partners at any non-public schools within the SAU’s geographic boundaries to begin the consultation process. The form to document this process has changed significantly from past years, and you can find a new copy of it, along with a number of new resources, by clicking on the “Equitable Services” icon on our Resources page.Equitable service percentages for Titles IIA, IIIA, and IVA apply to the total amount of funding allocated in each Title after any administrative costs and transfers between Titles have occurred. This means that if the district plans to transfer funds between Titles that must be agreed upon during the consultation process with its non-public school(s).
The consultation process must also include a discussion of the needs of the students in the non-public school(s), plans for how funds can be spent to meet those needs, and SMART goals to help measure the extent to which those needs will be met. Keep in mind that the public SAU must always retain fiscal control of all ESEA funding and that federal ESEA funds may never be paid directly to a non-public school. All of the SAU’s policies and procedures must be followed, just as they would be if the funds were being spent at the SAU’s public schools, including requirements around supplies, inventories, staff travel, etc.
This also represents a good time to check-in with our non-public partners on any FY22 carryover funds that may still be reserved for equitable services, and if no plans exist for utilizing those funds, consider what can be done so they are not returned on 9/30/24.
Federal Fiscal Office Hours
Join us for the next Federal Fiscal Office Hour, on May 30th at 10:00 am where we will review three of the written policies and/or procedures required to use federal funds. Access the Professional Development Calendar link to register and put this hour on your calendars.
Budgeting and Contracts
It is that time of year where planning, budgeting, and looking for resources to support the 2024-2025 school year is in full swing.
A reminder to refrain from entering into any type of contracted service agreements until after the substantial approval date of your FY 25 ESEA application for funds. The earliest date that substantial approval can be provided is 7/1/24.
Please keep in mind if you have funds remaining in the FY 22 ESEA grant or FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Grant, they must be obligated, goods and services received by 9/30/24.
Invoicing
All invoices submitted to Grants4Me must be accompanied by a detailed expenditure report that aligns with your request. When invoicing for professional development please upload backup documents (registration receipt/invoice, travel receipts, etc.) to support the purchase.Invoices submitted for reimbursement should only include expenses that were incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
Some things to consider when budgeting for professional development using grant funds:
Registration, attendance, and travel must all be incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
Reimbursement is only available after the completion of the professional development.
Be mindful of the obligation date and review 76.707 in Edgar.
Two important dates to be mindful of when requesting reimbursement: 1) Substantial approval date and 2) Period of Performance for the grant.
Grants4ME
When completing the expenditures page in Grants4Me you receive an error message as the amount you are entering exceeds what was budgeted for the object code; do not just move the expense to an object code that has funds remaining to cover the costs. A budget adjustment in the application is necessary. Once the budget revision is completed in the application, submitted, and approved by the Regional Program Manager, the funds will become available on the invoicing side in the correct object code.
Open Grants
The following chart includes ESEA federal grants that are currently open to access funds. Please note that several grants will close this year. It is recommended that you make a cheat sheet similar to the one below and set aside some time each month to review the status of your grants and reimbursements. This will mitigate the risk of losing funds that will be ending soon.
Grant Period of Performance
FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds
9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
2023-2024 21st CCLC Grant Awards
7/1/23 – 6/30/24
- April 2024
-
GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES
Public Comment Needed: FY23 Tydings Amendment Waiver and FY24 Title I Carryover of Excess Waiver
The Maine Department of Education (MDOE) is pursuing a FY23 Tydings Amendment waiver and an FY24 Title I Carryover of Excess waiver from the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE). These waivers would extend FY23 ESEA funds for availability through 9/30/25 and allow the state to grant Title I carryover waivers so that SAUs can retain Title funding over the typical 15% threshold.
ESEA Coordinators, we HIGHLY encourage you to share your feedback on why these flexibilities would be helpful for your district. The more comments we receive, the better our chances of receiving approval for these waivers from the USDOE. Please submit your comments by email to Janette Kirk at Janette.Kirk@maine.gov by Saturday, April 6, 2024.
Spring Monitoring Window is Open for Submissions on Monday, 4/1
The SPRING Monitoring Instrument is open Monday, April 1, 2024 and ready for the submission of the required monitoring items. All items need to be uploaded to the Monitoring Instrument in Grants4ME by Monday, April 15, 2024.
If your monitoring status is a MEDIUM level of support needed, the items under the "medium" status need to be uploaded. If your monitoring status is a HIGH level of support needed, the items under both the "medium" and "high" statuses need to be uploaded. Note that some titles may not apply to your LEA if you transfer them out or do not receive them.
There is a Monitoring Guidance document, fact sheets for each monitoring item, and other resources located on our web page: ESEA Monitoring | Department of Education (maine.gov)
To monitor Title I Schoolwide Programs, Item A6 will require SAUs to submit the most recent version of their plans. We would also like to note that when monitoring Title I Targeted Assistance Programs in the fall, Item A2, we have updated the fact sheet to reflect revised procedures to ensure a school is operated a TAS program that meets the requirements of ESEA Section 1115.If you have any general questions or programmatic questions related to the monitoring requirements, please reach out to your regional program manager.
ESEA FY25 Preliminary Allocations Delayed
The federal Congressional Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill has been passed. The MDOE is still waiting to receive final figures from the USDOE on Maine’s ESEA funding amounts.
Typically, the ESEA funding amounts come to Maine in January from the federal government, and we can run the calculations by mid-March. Unfortunately, due to the delay in Congressional Appropriations, we are unable to provide funding estimates for SAUs until we receive updated figures from the USDOE. Once we do have estimates, we will do our best to get them out the door as quickly as possible.
Change in Title IIA Allocations Process for FY25
As part of this past spring’s federal auditing of Maine DOE’s ESEA programming, the US Department of Education issued a finding related to how Maine calculates SAU’s Title IIA allocations. While Title IIA statute requires states to utilize Census poverty data and student counts to determine how much funding is allocated to each SAU, in an effort to support and streamline the allocation process, Maine has long held the practice of accounting for student moves between SAUs using October 1 counts of attending students. In doing so, the funds allocated for each student based on the census data followed that student from the SAU in which they lived to the SAU in which they actively attended school. This increased the allocation of the receiving district and decreased the allocation of the sending district.
Throughout the audit process, Maine DOE staff have advocated to our federal partners that this represents the most equitable and efficient way to distribute Title IIA funds. While true for all students that receive an education in an SAU outside the SAU in which they geographically reside, it is especially true for any SAU that receives students via school choice, or whose boundaries include a non-public school that receives students via school choice.
The US Department of Education Program Review Report clearly articulates Maine DOE can no longer continue this practice and must allocate Title IIA funds based solely on Census data. Therefore, the Title IIA allocations of every SAU within the state for upcoming FY25 (SY 24/25) will be impacted by this change. Though those SAUs with a high preponderance of students attending their own public or non-public schools from other SAUs will see the most significant impact.
Those SAUs poised to be most negatively impacted by this change should have received a letter with this information, as well as what their allocation would have looked like in FY24 if this new process had been used, through Grants4ME on March 28th.
Title IIA Survey
SAUs were recently notified if they were selected to participate in the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) annual survey on the use of funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title II, Part A “Supporting Effective Instruction – Subgrants to LEAs” program for the 2023−24 school year. This survey is administered by the American Institutes for Research (AIR), and covers financial data, professional development plans, and staffing allocations to ensure compliance with the Title II-A program requirements. Please note, this is a different organization than the one that has administered the survey in previous years.
As an LEA receiving funds under ESEA Title II-A, your voluntary participation in this data collection is expected and appreciated. The survey will take approximately 55 minutes and will be administered to a sample of LEAs in our state. It is important that LEAs are represented in the data that will be reported to Congress.
You will receive an email from TitleTwo@air.org providing a link to the web-based survey. Please ensure the survey is completed by the individual most knowledgeable about the use of Title II-A funds within your LEA, such as the ESEA coordinator. Any questions about the survey should be sent directly to TitleTwo@air.org as Maine DOE does not administer this survey.
Title IIIA Consortia Information
Maine Department of Education is excited to be rolling out the opportunity for Title III Consortia. Currently we are working with our vendor to implement this into the FY25 ESEA Consolidated Application. Below are some pieces from a more comprehensive guidance document that is in the works and set to be available soon.
WHAT IS A CONSORTIUM?
A consortium is a collective group of LEAs who are eligible to receive Title III funds but are below the threshold for an individual application. One LEA must agree to serve as the Lead LEA/Fiscal Agent of the consortium.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A CONSORTIUM?
LEAs are able to access Title III funds to provide supplemental support for English learners. Title III-funded support must include:
- Programs that increase English language proficiency and student achievement in core content classes; and
- Effective professional development opportunities for classroom teachers, principals, administrators, and other school personnel designed to improve instruction and assessment of ELs; and
- Effective strategies and activities for parents and family members of ELs that enhance or supplement language instruction educational programs for English learners.
WHO MAY JOIN A CONSORTIUM?
Any LEA serving English learners (ELs) may choose to join a consortium, regardless of the allocation amount or the number of ELs; however, an LEA with an allocation below the required $10,000 threshold MUST join a consortium in order to receive funds. The combined Title III original allocations of all members must meet or exceed $10,000. Carryover amounts are not included when determining the required threshold.
Title V Update
Under the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, the SAUs that are eligible for the RLIS program under the Hold Harmless provision will be receiving 83.3% of the FY20 RLIS award instead of the 66.6% LEAs were scheduled to receive for the upcoming fiscal (FY25) year. Districts that are Dual eligible for both RLIS and the SRSA are encouraged to reach out to the Title V Coordinator, Daniel Weeks, at daniel.r.weeks@maine.gov to receive an RLIS estimate to help make a decision on which grant under Title V (SRSA or RLIS) they would like to go with. The SRSA application is set to open soon according to the U.S. Department of Education's REAP (Title V) team. Here is a link to the Master Eligibility Spreadsheet so LEAs can check their status.
Equitable Services for Non-Public Schools
The ESEA team has updated our non-public equitable service resources on our Resources page. This includes the one-hour training recording for SAUs that provide equitable services. As a reminder, attending this training or viewing the recording is a requirement for non-public schools to receive equitable services in FY25.
In addition, three SAUs in Maine have Title I, Part D Subpart 2 funds for Neglected & Delinquent youth living in local residential facilities. Please note that the ESEA participation form for these facilities is listed on that page as well. Please use the updated form for FY25 and be on the lookout for an email inviting those SAUs to a specific Title I, Part D training prior to the FY25 application season.
Maine’s Model of School Support
Information related to Maine’s Model of School Support remains unavailable until the Maine Department of Education (DOE) receives final USDOE amendment approval and once finalized and provided, Maine DOE staff will reach out to schools identified for additional support.
The period of allowability for FY 24 SIG application funds ends on 9/30/2024, but this end date may change if a school "exits" Tier III (CSI) school improvement status when FY 24 identifications are made. It is recommended that schools obligate FY 24 SIG funds by the end of the school year (June 30, 2024). Invoicing should be done on a regular basis and align with obligation dates.
FY 23 SIG applications funds will expire on 9/30/2024, but this end date may change if a school "exits" Tier III (CSI) school improvement status when FY 24 identifications are made. It is recommended that schools obligate FY 23 SIG funds as soon as possible and before the end of the school year (June 30, 2024). Invoicing should be done on a regular basis and align with obligation dates.
State Activities Reservation Survey
Each year, the Maine DOE receives funding under Title II, Part A and Title IV, Part A of the ESEA to support the ongoing training and technical assistance needs of Maine schools. To that end, the Maine DOE wants to hear from stakeholders like you about the needs you are seeing in our schools. If you’d like to have a voice in how these funds are used, we ask that you provide us with your feedback by completing this brief survey. We also encourage you to share it with other stakeholders in your community.
The Maine DOE will use the data collected through this survey process to determine how best to utilize these funds to address current needs across the state. Thank you in advance for your time and input!
FISCAL CORNER
Federal Fiscal Office Hours
Do you have a question for the Federal Fiscal Team? Let us answer your questions at the next Federal Fiscal Office Hour, on April 25th at 10:00 am. Representatives from all Federal Programs will be on hand to answer your questions. This should be viewed as a one-stop shop for federal funds and fiscal responsibilities. Access the Professional Development Calendar link to register and put this hour on your calendars.
Budgeting and Contracts
It is that time of year where planning, budgeting, and looking for resources to support the 2024-2025 school year is in full swing.
A reminder to refrain from entering any type of contracted service agreements until after the substantial approval date of your FY 25 ESEA application for funds. The earliest date that substantial approval can be provided is 7/1/24.
Please keep in mind if you have funds remaining in the FY 22 ESEA grant or FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Grant, they must be obligated, goods and services received by 9/30/24.
Invoicing
All invoices submitted to Grants4Me must be accompanied by a detailed expenditure report that aligns with your request.Invoices submitted for reimbursement should only include expenses that were incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
Some things to consider when budgeting for professional development using grant funds.
- Registration, attendance, and travel must all be incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
- Reimbursement is only available after the completion of the professional development.
- Be mindful of the obligation date and review 76.707 in Edgar.
Two important dates to be mindful of when requesting reimbursement, 1) Substantial approval date and 2) Period of Performance for the grant.
Open Grants
The following chart includes ESEA federal grants that are currently open to access funds. Please note that several grants will close this year. It is recommended that you make a cheat sheet similar to the one below and set aside some time each month to review the status of your grants and reimbursements. This will mitigate the risk of losing funds that will be ending soon.
Grant Period of Performance
FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds
9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
2023-2024 21st CCLC Grant Awards
7/1/23 – 6/30/24
- March 2024
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GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES
ESEA FY25 Preliminary Allocation Estimates Delayed
The federal Congressional Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill has not been decided. This appropriations bill will need to be passed for the U.S. Department of Education to know how much ESEA funding there is available for each title.
Typically, the ESEA funding amounts come to Maine in January from the federal government, and we can run the calculations by mid-March. Unfortunately, due to the delay in Congressional Appropriations, we are unable to provide funding estimates for SAUs as it will depend entirely on if Congress can make decisions for funding.
Once we do have estimates, we will do our best to get them out the door as quickly as possible. Please continue to follow the news on this topic. The latest update given is that Congress is planning to come to an agreement by mid-March on these funding appropriations.
Equitable Services for Non-Public Schools Training
The ESEA team hosted a one-hour training for SAUs that provide equitable services as well as for their non-public school partners. The recording can be found here. This training covered background information on Title funds and what kinds of equitable services are allowable, consultation best practices, and fiscal requirements. Attending this training or viewing the recording is a requirement for non-public schools to receive equitable services in FY25.Other resources related to Equitable Services can be found on the Maine DOE website.
Title IA Summer Reallocated Application
Districts seeking Title IA Reallocated funding to facilitate summer programming will have an opportunity to apply for Title IA Summer Reallocated funds.The Title I team hosted a basic, informational session about the application on Tuesday, March 5. Please watch the 13-minute training to familiarize yourself with this particular Title I grant opportunity and its parameters if the SAU is interested in applying. This video and other resources related to the Title I Summer Grant can be found on our website.
The deadline to submit the application is Friday, March 29 (5 PM EST). Please reach out to rita.pello@maine.gov or jessica.s.caron@maine.gov with questions.
Maine’s Model of School SupportInformation related to Maine’s Model of School Support remains unavailable until the Maine Department of Education (DOE) receives final USDOE amendment approval and once finalized and provided, Maine DOE staff will reach out to schools identified for additional support.
The period of allowability for FY 24 SIG application funds ends on 9/30/2024, but this end date may change if a school "exits" Tier III (CSI) school improvement status when FY 24 identifications are made. It is recommended that schools obligate FY 24 SIG funds by the end of the school year (June 30, 2024). Invoicing should be done on a regular basis and align with obligation dates.
FY 23 SIG applications funds will expire on 9/30/2024, but this end date may change if a school "exits" Tier III (CSI) school improvement status when FY 24 identifications are made. It is recommended that schools obligate FY 23 SIG funds as soon as possible and before the end of the school year (June 30, 2024). Invoicing should be done on a regular basis and align with obligation dates.
FY25 Equitable Services Survey Now Open
The annual survey for data on on-public school enrollments was shared with Non-Public School leaders and ESEA coordinators at our training last week. Non-public schools must fill out this survey by 4/1/24 to have the most accurate data in determining equitable services for FY25.
A priority notice from MDOE will be going out in the near future covering this same information directly to non-public schools, but if ESEA coordinators could also pass the link on to their non-public partners it would be appreciated.
Anyone with questions can reach out to ryan.reed@maine.gov.
State Activities Reservation Survey
Each year, the Maine DOE receives funding under Title II, Part A and Title IV, Part A of the ESEA to support the ongoing training and technical assistance needs of Maine schools. To that end, the Maine DOE wants to hear from stakeholders like you about the needs you are seeing in our schools. If you’d like to have a voice in how these funds are used, we ask that you provide us with your feedback by completing this brief survey.
The Maine DOE will use the data collected through this survey process to determine how best to utilize these funds to address current needs across the state. Thank you in advance for your time and input!
FISCAL CORNER
Federal Fiscal Office Hours
Do you have a question for the Federal Fiscal Team? Let us answer your questions at the next Federal Fiscal Office Hour, on March 28th at 10:00 am. Representatives from all Federal Programs will be on hand to answer your questions. This should be viewed as a one-stop shop for federal funds and fiscal responsibilities. Access the Professional Development Calendar link to register and put this hour on your calendars.
Temporary Holds for ESEA Funds
For SAUs that have long overdue submissions related to ESEA grant applications, performance reports, and/or monitoring response items, the ESEA Team has made the difficult decision to begin placing temporary holds on access to ESEA funding. The purpose of these temporary holds is to ensure that timely and adequate progress on overdue submissions is made by the impacted SAUs.
If a temporary hold has been placed on your SAU's access to ESEA funds, you will receive a notice from your Regional Program Manager through the Grants4ME system, as well as a system notification informing you of the temporary hold. These holds are specific to ESEA consolidated application funding and will remain in effect until the outstanding items from an SAU are received and approved by the Maine DOE. Questions regarding these holds and the work required to have them lifted should be directed to your Regional Program Manager.
Invoicing
All invoices submitted to Grants4Me must be accompanied by a detailed expenditure report that aligns with your request. Invoices submitted for reimbursement should only include expenses that were incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
Some things to consider when budgeting for professional development using grant funds:
- Registration, attendance, and travel must all be incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
- Reimbursement is only available after the completion of the professional development.
- Be mindful of the obligation date and review 76.707 in Edgar.
Open Grants
The following chart includes ESEA federal grants that are currently open to access funds. Please note that several grants will close this year. It is recommended that you make a cheat sheet similar to the one below and set aside some time each month to review the status of your grants and reimbursements. This will mitigate the risk of losing funds that will be ending soon.
Grant Period of Performance
FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds
9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
2023-2024 21st CCLC Grant Awards
7/1/23 – 6/30/24
- February 2024
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GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES
Title IA: Parents’ Right to Know
An important part of Title IA programming is centered around consistent communication and collaboration with families. During this monitoring cycle, districts submitted “Parent’s Right to Know” letters, webpages, and handbook entries as evidence of their compliance with this requirement. For districts who did not meet the requirement or want to update their documentation, please take a look at the sample provided online and/or our family engagement reference document on our website for further support.
Within the district’s documentation, it’s important that the language directly communicates that parents have a right to request information concerning teacher qualifications and assessment policies, procedures, and student achievement at any time (and the LEA must provide said information in a timely manner).
Title IA: Family Engagement Nights & Allowability (Food & Décor)
Many districts across the state use Title IA funds to invite parents into the doors of their school for fun and educational math or literacy nights. While districts can spend their school-based family engagement funds on supplies for these evenings, please note that supplies should be connected to the overall purpose and goals of Title I, Part A, which is improving academic achievement. In most cases, décor to fit a theme would not be allowable. However, small incentives, such as books or certificates would be allowable.
Additionally, purchasing food with federal funds requires a greater burden of proof for its necessity, allowability, and reasonableness. The MDOE often requests further evidence that providing food (during meal hours) has increased the attendance rates and engagement. When a SAU is hosting a meeting, they should structure the agenda for the meeting so that there is time for participants to purchase their own food, beverages, and snacks.
Providing as much detail as possible on these two topics in an application can prevent delays or rejections when invoicing. When in doubt about family engagement food purchases or supply allowability, please reach out to your Regional Program Manager and use the Title I, Part A spending snapshot as a guide. We are here to support your efforts in engaging with a wide variety of families in your communities.
Equitable Services for Non-Public Schools Training
The ESEA team is excited to announce a one-hour training for SAUs that provide equitable services as well as for their non-public school partners whose students benefit from these funds on Wednesday, February 28th, 2024 at 2pm.
This training will cover background information on Title funds and what kinds of equitable services are allowable, as well as consultation best practices and fiscal requirements when providing equitable services. Attending this training or viewing the recording will be a requirement for non-public schools to receive equitable services in FY25, so please make sure to pass on the information as well as the Zoom link for the training to your non-public school partners. We look forward to seeing you all there!
Title IA Summer Reallocated Application
Districts seeking Title IA Reallocated funding to facilitate summer programming will have an opportunity to apply for Title IA Summer Reallocated funds. Jess Caron and Rita Pello will host a basic, informational session about the application on Tuesday, March 5 at 9 AM. We will send out a message through Grants4ME with the link to join that zoom training, as well as more information about the application process and timeline.As a reminder, these funds are only to be used at Title I schools with Title I students. If a district is looking to run more robust programs, please consider applying for the ARP/ESSER Summer Enrichment in lieu of Title IA Reallocated (as there are may be limited funds available.)
Maine’s Model of School SupportInformation related to Maine’s Model of School Support remains unavailable until the Maine Department of Education (DOE) receives final USDOE amendment approval and once finalized and provided, Maine DOE staff will reach out to schools identified for additional support.
Tentative Date for Maine’s Model of School Supports Notification is February 26 to March 1, 2024.
Winter Monitoring: Next Steps
In the next few days, Regional Program Managers will be sending out notifications that winter monitoring items have been reviewed. Districts will have to log back in and click “LEA Results Review Started” to view the results and will have two weeks to resubmit items if they did not meet requirements after the first round. Remember that for items that “Meets with Recommendations” districts must check the box indicating that they read the final comments to complete the collection cycle.
Please reach out to your RPM if you have any questions or visit our website for more information on our monitoring process and items.
FISCAL CORNER
Federal Fiscal Office Hours
Do you have a question for the Federal Fiscal Team? Let us answer your questions at the next Federal Fiscal Office Hour, on February 29th at 10:00 am. Representatives from all Federal Programs will be on hand to answer your questions. This should be viewed as a one-stop shop for federal funds and fiscal responsibilities. Access the Professional Development Calendar link to register and put this hour on your calendars.
Temporary Holds for ESEA Funds
For SAUs that have long overdue submissions related to ESEA grant applications, performance reports, and/or monitoring response items, the ESEA Team has made the difficult decision to begin placing temporary holds on access to ESEA funding. The purpose of these temporary holds is to ensure that timely and adequate progress on overdue submissions is made by the impacted SAUs.
If a temporary hold has been placed on your SAU's access to ESEA funds, you will receive a notice from your Regional Program Manager through the Grants4ME system, as well as a system notification informing you of the temporary hold. These holds are specific to ESEA consolidated application funding and will remain in effect until the outstanding items from an SAU are received and approved by the Maine DOE. Questions regarding these holds and the work required to have them lifted should be directed to your Regional Program Manager.
Invoice Backup
All invoices submitted in Grants4Me must be accompanied by a detailed expenditure report that aligns with your request.
Travel reimbursement requests require additional backup which must include the date of travel, name of the traveler, reason for travel (conference registration), and a reimbursement voucher request that reflects the district's written travel reimbursement policy. When splitting invoices for expenses such as purchased services, travel, and supplies, it is important to include the invoices or receipts as well as mark the expenditure report.
Please don’t include documents that do not pertain to the request.
Budget
When considering using a specific grant to pay for a contractual agreement, keep in mind that the contract must be signed (obligated) and all work completed within the period of performance for the grant. During budget season, the business manager should communicate with the program specialist to decide which grant is available to cover budgeted costs.
Open Grants
The following chart includes ESEA federal grants that are currently open to access funds. Please note that several grants will close this year.
Grant Period of Performance
FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds
9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
2023-2024 21st CCLC Grant Awards
7/1/23 – 6/30/24
Non-Publics
Reimbursement for Equitable Services
The public SAU must always maintain control of funds. For additional information, here is a link to the latest guidelines provided by the US Department of Education. The public SAU cannot pay the nonpublic entity directly for allowable expenses.
Splitting Invoices
When invoicing for like services from year to year, use old funds first for relatable expenses. If you need to split an invoice for a billing period to use up old funds, please provide details on the trial balance.
Expenses can be split between two grant years if the following are true:
Expenses are allocable to both grant year applications. Expenses fall within the period of performance for both grant years. Trial balances note the intention to split the request. Salaries and benefits are split proportionately.- The only time it is acceptable to submit an invoice for only benefits is if tuition reimbursement is paid directly to the employee as a benefit of employment.
- Avoid submitting invoices for salaries and benefits separately; they must accompany one another on the invoice.
Splitting invoices should happen to draw down all available funds from the oldest grant and bill the remaining expenses to the next year’s grant.
Avoiding Payment Delays
Some payment delays are avoidable; one reason payments are delayed is due to rejected invoices.
- Avoid submitting backup that includes quotes, amazon order details “Not Yet Shipped”, and credit card machine receipts without details (itemized expenses).
- Avoid asking for reimbursement for expenses outside of the period of period of performance.
- Avoid asking for reimbursement for gift card purchases.
- Be aware of obligation dates and the risk of the date falling outside of the period of performance.
- Avoid delays with timely submissions of monitoring items, performance reports, and applications.
Communication with Maine DOE, all invoicing questions and concerns for ESEA should be directed to our Management Analyst, Tyra Corson at tyra.corson@maine.gov.
- January 2024
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GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES
Saying Goodbye is Never Easy
It is with bittersweet feelings that I let you all know that I am retiring as the ESEA Federal Programs Director effective after January 5, 2024, to provide more personal care for my aging parents. It has been my privilege and honor to serve in this capacity over the past three and a half years. I am confident that you will continue to receive the necessary support and guidance from the ESEA Team in my absence. You will be informed when a new ESEA Federal Programs Director has picked up the reigns. ~Cheryl Lang
Title IA Comparability
Section 1118(c) of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)/Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires that school administrative units (SAUs) with multiple attendance areas maintain comparability of local/state resources between the Title I schools and the non-Title I schools; or if all the schools at a grade span are Title I schools, comparability of local resources must be maintained among the Title I schools.
The ESEA Title I Comparability Report for FY24 has been automated and will be produced by the Maine Department of Education using the NEO certified October 1, 2023, student enrollment and December 1, 2023, instructional staff counts in the data warehouse. As the FY24 Comparability reports and data are reviewed and accepted by the ESEA Team in January, a copy of the report and backup documentation will be forwarded to the Superintendent of Schools and the ESEA Coordinator by the end of February. These documents should be reviewed, and any questions should be directed to your ESEA regional program manager. This documentation must be maintained by each district, as it is one of the required documents for the Single Audit Process.
If it is determined that comparability is not met, an ESEA Regional Program Manager will be contacting the SAU’s ESEA Coordinator for additional information and data to finalize the determination and next steps.
Fall Assessment and Accountability School Identifications
Last May, SAUs were notified of the identification of schools in the district per our Accountability Model as required by the USDOE for the following statuses: Additional Targeted Supports & Improvement (ATSI-Tier I), Targeted Supports & Improvement (TSI-Tier II), Comprehensive Supports & Improvement (CSI-Tier III) utilizing 2021-2022 Assessment Data.
Notifications also indicated that another round of identifications would be conducted in late fall utilizing 2022-2023 Assessment Data. We continue to work closely with the USDOE in approving an amendment to Maine’s Model of School Support Plan ensuring that our accountability model for school identifications provides additional supports where needed most and meets all statutory requirements. We will provide updated information as it becomes available.
Applying for Title I Schoolwide Programming
Are you a Title I school with a targeted program? Are you interested in applying for schoolwide but are not sure how? The Schoolwide Program application process is rooted in the completion of the Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) (the Schoolwide Plan) for the specific school(s) seeking schoolwide programming.
If a school is thinking about applying for Title I Schoolwide Authority, it was recommended that the school begin planning at least 6 to 9 months prior to the submission. Use this guidance document to understand the entirety of the process for creating a schoolwide plan.
Schoolwide plans for the 24-25 school year are due by July 1.
Fall Monitoring Results Now Available
Access to ESEA funds for specific SAUs will be put on hold for SAUs that have not successfully finalized fall monitoring submissions as required. If you have questions or need support in navigating the ESEA Monitoring Instrument to complete your submission, please reach out to your Regional Program Manager for assistance.
Title III: Consortia, Supplement, Not Supplant, Immigrant Children and Youth Update
For SAUs that are interested in forming a consortium to be eligible for a Title III allocation for the upcoming school year, the option will now be made available in the FY25 ESEA Consolidated Application. We will be seeking additional information from interested SAUs by April 1, 2024. More information will be coming soon.
In the recent audit by the U.S. Department of Education regarding Title III Supplement, Not Supplant, it was brought to Maine DOE’s attention that endorsements or certifications that are mandatory cannot be funded utilizing Title III, Part A funds.
In the recent audit by the U.S. Department of Education, it was also brought to MDOE’s attention for the need to be transparent in the process used to award the Immigrant Children and Youth subgrant under Title III, Part A. More specifically, the terminology “significant increase” needed to be clearly defined. MDOE has defined a “significant increase” as an SAU that has an average of more than 10 immigrant students in the prior two school years and has seen at least a 200% increase in immigrant students in the current year.
Any questions related to Title III can be directed to Daniel Weeks, Title III Coordinator, at daniel.r.weeks@maine.gov
FISCAL CORNER
Federal Fiscal Office Hours
The Maine DOE is implementing monthly Federal Fiscal Office Hours for all Business Managers as well as Program Managers. The next meeting is on January 25th at 10:00 am. We plan to have representatives from all Federal Programs on hand to answer your questions. This should be viewed as a one-stop shop for federal funds and fiscal responsibilities. Access the Professional Development Calendar link to register and put this hour on your calendars.
Invoice Backup
All invoices submitted in Grants4Me must be accompanied by a detailed expenditure report that aligns with your request. Travel reimbursement requests need additional backup which must include the date of travel, name of the traveler, reason for travel (conference registration), and a reimbursement voucher request that reflects the district's written travel reimbursement policy. When splitting invoices for expenses such as purchased services, travel, and supplies, it is important to include the invoices or receipts as well as mark the expenditure report. Please do not include backup documents that do not pertain to the request.
When considering using a specific grant to pay for a contractual agreement, keep in mind that the contract must be signed (obligated) and all work completed within the period of performance for the grant. During budget season, the business manager should communicate with the program specialist to decide which grant is available to cover budgeted costs.
The following chart includes ESEA federal grants that are currently open to access funds. Please note that several grants will close this year.
Grant Period of Performance
FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds
9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
2023-2024 21st CCLC Grant Awards
7/1/23 – 6/30/24
Non-Publics
Reimbursement for Equitable Services
The public SAU must always maintain control of funds. For additional information, here is a link to the latest guidelines provided by the US Department of Education. The public SAU cannot pay the nonpublic entity directly for allowable expenses.
Splitting Invoices
When invoicing for like services from year to year, use old funds first for relatable expenses. If you need to split an invoice for a billing period to use up old funds, please provide details on the trial balance.
Expenses can be split between two grant years if the following are true:
- Expenses are allocable to both grant year applications.
- Expenses fall within the period of performance for both grant years.
- Trial balances note the intention to split the request.
- Salaries and benefits are split proportionately.
- The only time it is acceptable to submit an invoice for only benefits is if tuition reimbursement is paid directly to the employee as a benefit of employment.
- Avoid submitting invoices for salaries and benefits separately; they must accompany one another on the invoice.
Best practice is to submit invoices for the same service period, for example, if you are asking for reimbursement for a service period 4/1/23 - 6/30/23 against the FY22 grant. There are not enough funds to cover the expenses, but the expenses are eligible for reimbursement under the FY23 grant. Use the same service period to request the remaining expenses from the FY23 grant.
Splitting invoices should happen to draw down all available funds from the oldest grant and bill the remaining expenses to the next year’s grant.
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CALENDAR
Professional Learning offered through the Department of Education is a fantastic resource for supporting leadership development for administrators and educators. The Department’s professional development calendar is updated regularly with the latest professional development opportunities.
TYPICAL TURNAROUND TIME
We strive for effective, efficient, transparent, and collaborative communication. The following document outlines the best practices for optimal communication with the Department of Federal Programs.
Giving your regional program manager an appropriate amount of time to respond before reaching out to another ESEA Team Member allows us to maintain these best practices. Thank you for your help with this.
We will continue to work to strengthen areas of support by utilizing the ones that are most effective and efficient, so we can continue to provide you with strong customer service collectively and individually.
- December 2023
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GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES
Fall Assessment and Accountability School Identifications
Last May, SAUs were notified of the identification of schools in the district per our Accountability Model as required by the USDOE for following statuses: Additional Targeted Supports & Improvement (ATSI-Tier I), Targeted Supports & Improvement (TSI-Tier II), Comprehensive Supports & Improvement (CSI-Tier III) utilizing 2021-2022 Assessment Data.
Notifications also indicated that another round of identifications would be conducted in late fall utilizing 2022-2023 Assessment Data. We are working closely with the USDOE in approving an amendment to our Maine’s Model of School Support Plan ensuring that our accountability model for school identifications provides additional supports where needed most and meets all statutory requirements. We will provide updated information as it becomes available.
FY23 Performance Report and FY21 Closeout
All FY23 ESEA Performance Report pages were due in Grants4ME on Nov. 1st. To begin the Performance Report, the district must first change the status of the FY23 application to “Revision Started.” Once that status change occurs, several pages will populate with the application that are labeled “PERFORMANCE REPORT:___.”
Once all “PERFORMANCE REPORT” pages have been completed, the status of the application will need to be changed to “Revision Completed.” From there, it will follow the same review and signature workflow as the application before being received by MDOE for review.
Performance Reports cannot be certified by MDOE as accurate until all invoicing for the district has been completed for expenditures through 9/30/23. Invoicing for FY23 ESEA funds for service periods after 9/30/23 will not be approved until the Performance Report is completed and approved.
Districts will need to make one final revision to their FY21 ESEA applications, updating all the project expenditures, so the grant can be closed out. These project expenditures should align with invoiced totals.
Title I: 15% Carryover Rule
Maine received a waiver for the Title I, Part A 15% Carryover rule for FY23 funds.-
If an LEA takes a waiver for FY23, then they will not be eligible for another one for 3 years (FY26).
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If an LEA has a Title IA allocation of less than $50,000, there is no carryover restriction.
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If the LEA is eligible and wishes to apply for the waiver, please indicate so within the FY23 Performance Report under the page title “PERFORMANCE REPORT: Title I, Part A, Waiver.”
Title III: Consortia, Supplement, Not Supplant, Immigrant Children and Youth Update
For SAUs that are interested in forming a consortium to be eligible for a Title III allocation for the upcoming school year, the option will now be made available in the FY25 ESEA Consolidated Application. We will be seeking additional information from interested SAUs by April 1, 2024. More information will be coming soon.
In the recent audit by the U.S. Department of Education regarding Title III Supplement, Not Supplant, it was brought to Maine DOE’s attention that endorsements or certifications that are mandatory cannot be funded utilizing Title III, Part A funds.
In the recent audit by the U.S. Department of Education, it was also brought to MDOE’s attention for the need to be transparent in the process used to award the Immigrant Children and Youth subgrant under Title III, Part A. More specifically, providing the definition of a “significant increase”. MDOE has defined a “significant increase” as an SAU that has an average of more than 10 immigrant students in the prior two school years and has seen at least a 300% increase in immigrant students in the current year.
Any questions related to Title III can be directed to Daniel Weeks, Title III Coordinator, at daniel.r.weeks@maine.gov
FISCAL CORNER
Federal Fiscal Office Hours
The Maine DOE is implementing monthly Federal Fiscal Office Hours for all Business Managers as well as Program Managers. The next meeting is on December 28th at 10:00 am. We will have representatives from all Federal Programs on hand to answer your questions. This should be viewed as a one-stop shop for federal funds and fiscal responsibilities. Access the Professional Development Calendar link to register and put this hour on your calendars.
FY21 Funds
If you have FY 21 funds and have obligated expenses before September 30, 2023, time is running out to invoice for these expenses. The liquidation period for all unpaid expenditures for FY 21 funds is October 1, 2023, through December 30, 2023.
This also holds true if you are the recipient of Tier III School Improvement Funds for FY22.
Obligations for upcoming professional development, travel, and tuition reimbursement are no longer a possibility for these funds. For example, the SAU registered for professional development in September for an October conference, this expense is not eligible for reimbursement under FY 21 ESEA funds or Tier III School Improvement Funds for the FY22 grant.
After the Fact
Several types of expenses cannot be reimbursed until after the fact. The most common are:
- Travel – airfare, lodging, meals, registration fees
- Tuition – after successful completion of the class
- Salaries and benefits – after being earned and paid out at the local level
- Consultation Agreements – after the service has been rendered
When considering using a specific grant to pay for a contractual agreement, keep in mind that the contract must be signed (obligated) and all work completed within the period of performance for the grant. During budget season, the business manager should communicate with the program specialist to decide which grant is available to cover budgeted costs.
Grant Period of Performance
FY 21 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/23
FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 22 Tier III School Improvement Funds
9/1/21 – 9/30/23
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 Pilot Innovative Grant
9/1/22 – 9/30/23
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds
9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 23 Title IA Summer Reallocation
5/1/23 – 9/30/23
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
2023-2024 21st CCLC Grant Awards
7/1/23 – 6/30/24
Non-Publics
Reimbursement for Equitable Services
The public SAU must always maintain control of funds. For additional information, here is a link to the latest guidelines provided by the US Department of Education. The public SAU cannot pay the nonpublic entity directly for allowable expenses.
Q1. When is it appropriate to pay the nonpublic directly for equitable services?
A1. Never
(ESEA section 8501(d)(1))
(d) PUBLIC CONTROL OF FUNDS— (1) IN GENERAL—The control of funds used to provide services under this section, and title to materials, equipment, and property purchased with those funds, shall be in a public agency for the uses and purposes provided in this Act, and a public agency shall administer the funds and property. (2) PROVISION OF SERVICES — (A) IN GENERAL —The provision of services under this section shall be provided— (i) by employees of a public agency; or (ii) through contract by the public agency with an individual, association, agency, organization, or other entity. (B) INDEPENDENCE; PUBLIC AGENCY — In the provision of those services, the employee, person, association, agency, organization, or other entity shall be independent of the private school and of any religious organization, and the employment or contract shall be under the control and supervision of the public agency. (C) COMMINGLING OF FUNDS PROHIBITED — Funds used to provide services under this section shall not be commingled with non-Federal funds.
Q2. May ESEA funds be used to pay stipends to private school staff who participate in services and activities funded by covered ESEA programs?
A2. Yes. ESEA funds may be used to pay for stipends for private school staff, if reasonable and necessary (e.g., time outside regular employment hours). An LEA must pay such stipends directly to the private school staff and not to the private school. (ESEA section 8501(d)(1))
Splitting Invoices
Expenses can be split between two grant years if the following are true:
- Expenses must be allocable to both grant year applications
- Expenses must fall within the period of performance for both grant years
- Trial balances need to be noted of the intention to split the request
- Salaries and benefits need to be split proportionately
The only time it is acceptable to submit an invoice for only benefits is if tuition reimbursement is paid directly to the employee as a benefit of employment.
Best practice is to submit invoices for the exact same service period, for example, you are asking for reimbursement for a service period 4/1/23-6/30/23 against the FY22 grant. There are not enough funds to cover the expenses, but the expenses are eligible for reimbursement under the FY23 grant. Use the same service period to request the remaining expenses from the FY23 grant.
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- November 2023
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GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES
FY23 Performance Report and FY21 Closeout
All FY23 ESEA Performance Report pages are now due in Grants4ME. To begin the Performance Report, the district must first change the status of the FY23 application to “Revision Started.” Once that status change occurs, several pages will populate with the application that are labeled “PERFORMANCE REPORT:___.”
Once all “PERFORMANCE REPORT” pages have been completed, the status of the application will need to be changed to “Revision Completed.” From there, it will follow the same review and signature workflow as the application before being received by MDOE for review.
Performance Reports cannot be certified by MDOE as accurate until all invoicing for the district has been completed for expenditures through 9/30/23. Invoicing for FY23 ESEA funds for service periods after 9/30/23 will not be approved until the Performance Report is completed and approved.
Districts will need to make one final revision to their FY21 ESEA applications, updating all the project expenditures, so the grant can be closed out. These project expenditures should align with invoiced totals.
FY23 Performance Report Feedback
To view the FY23 ESEA Performance Report feedback, head to the Consultant Checklist page that's listed on the Sections page. You will want to be sure to press the plus button (highlighted in the orange box below) to see the feedback for each individual item.
Fall Monitoring Results Now Available and Next Steps due 11/30
The ESEA team has completed its initial review of Monitoring Items for the Fall window. To view the monitoring findings, please go to the Monitoring Instrument in Grants4ME and change the status to "LEA Results Review Started."
Then, navigate to the "Monitoring Results - LEA Response" page to review feedback related to each monitoring item and any action steps that may be required. The following statuses have been given to each item submitted: Meets, Meets with Recommendations, and Does Not Meet. Please note that “yellow” and “red” items require further action steps. The deadline for the action steps is 11/30. Any item that was deemed to be not applicable will not appear on this page.
For further information on what each status means, please see the definitions handout on our website. The general training video (with spring items NOT fall) is there if you want to visually see what this looks like in the Grants4ME instrument.
FY23 Title I Summer Reallocated Application: Performance Report was Due 10/15
The deadline for the FY23 Title I Summer Reallocation Performance Report was 10/15. Please complete invoicing and the Performance Report ASAP. Please reach out to Rita.Pello@maine.gov if you have any questions.
Title IIA and Professional Development
Section 8101 of ESSA requires that any professional development paid for with ESEA funds be evidence-based as well as “sustained (not stand-alone, 1-day, or short-term workshops), intensive, collaborative, job embedded, data-driven, and classroom-focused.” The US Department of Education has drawn our attention to the fact that some common uses of Title IIA funds in Maine, such as paying for conferences and 1-day workshops, are not allowable on their own.
At the very least, to be allowable those expenses need to be part of larger, more systematic efforts by the SAU to address their high needs areas and/or part of a larger professional growth plan for the participating educator. As you consider the best ways to utilize your funds, please keep this in mind.
FISCAL CORNER
Federal Fiscal Office Hours
The Maine DOE is implementing monthly Federal Fiscal Office Hours for all Business Managers as well as Program Managers beginning with the first meeting, November 30th at 10:00am. We will have representatives from all Federal Programs on hand to answer your questions. This should be viewed as a one-stop shop for federal funds and fiscal responsibilities. Access the Professional Development Calendar link to register and put this hour on your calendars.
FY21 Funds
The liquidation period for all unpaid expenditures for FY 21 funds is October 1, 2023, through December 30, 2023.
This also holds true if you are the recipient of Tier III School Improvement Funds for FY22.
Obligations for upcoming professional development, travel, and tuition reimbursement are no longer a possibility for these funds. For example, the SAU registered for professional development in September for an October conference, this expense is not eligible for reimbursement under FY 21 ESEA funds or Tier III School Improvement Funds for the FY22 grant.
Substantial Approval
The date of substantial approval for any given fiscal year is the date the ESEA application is submitted in substantially approvable form. Substantial approval is granted after a review of the application to confirm that basic requirements are met, and projects and budgets are reasonable and allowable for all applicable ESEA funding streams (all items are labeled for Substantial Approval and in the top half of the Consultant Checklist).
Please note, the date of Substantial Approval is not necessarily the first date an application is submitted, as applications are sometimes submitted that do not meet those requirements and therefore cannot be granted substantial approval. The status of the application can always be noted in the History Log, as well as in the email notifications sent automatically by Grants4ME. The ESEA team prioritizes applications that are working towards substantial approval, and we advise SAUs to do the same.
34 CFR 76.708 When certain subgrantees may begin to obligate funds
Grant Period of Performance
FY 21 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/23
FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 22 Tier III School Improvement Funds
9/1/21 – 9/30/23
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 Pilot Innovative Grant
9/1/22 – 9/30/23
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds
9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 23 Title IA Summer Reallocation
5/1/23 – 9/30/23
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated
Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement
Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
2023-2024 21st CCLC Grant Awards
7/1/23 – 6/30/24
Non-Publics
Reimbursement for Equitable Services
The public SAU must always maintain control of Efunds. For additional information, here is a link to the latest guidelines provided by the US Department of Education.
Q1. When is it appropriate to pay the nonpublic directly for equitable services?
A1. Never
(ESEA section 8501(d)(1))
(d) PUBLIC CONTROL OF FUNDS— (1) IN GENERAL—The control of funds used to provide services under this section, and title to materials, equipment, and property purchased with those funds, shall be in a public agency for the uses and purposes provided in this Act, and a public agency shall administer the funds and property. (2) PROVISION OF SERVICES — (A) IN GENERAL —The provision of services under this section shall be provided— (i) by employees of a public agency; or (ii) through contract by the public agency with an individual, association, agency, organization, or other entity. (B) INDEPENDENCE; PUBLIC AGENCY — In the provision of those services, the employee, person, association, agency, organization, or other entity shall be independent of the private school and of any religious organization, and the employment or contract shall be under the control and supervision of the public agency. (C) COMMINGLING OF FUNDS PROHIBITED — Funds used to provide services under this section shall not be commingled with non-Federal funds.
Q2. May ESEA funds be used to pay stipends to private school staff who participate in services and activities funded by covered ESEA programs?
A2. Yes. ESEA funds may be used to pay for stipends for private school staff, if reasonable and necessary (e.g., time outside regular employment hours). An LEA must pay such stipends directly to the private school staff and not to the private school. (ESEA section 8501(d)(1))
Splitting Invoices
Expenses can be split between two grant years if the following are true:
- Expenses must be allocable to both grant year applications
- Expenses must fall within the period of performance for both grant years
- Trial balances need to be noted of the intention to split the request
- Salaries and benefits need to be split proportionately
Best practice is to submit invoices for the exact same service period, for example, you are asking for reimbursement for a service period 4/1/23-6/30/23 against the FY22 grant. There are not enough funds to cover the expenses, but the expenses are eligible for reimbursement under the FY23 grant. Use the same service period to request the remaining expenses from the FY23 grant.
MTSS OFFICE HOURS
MTSS office hours take place weekly on Tuesdays from 3:30-4:30 and is an open discussion format to bring educators together to discuss all things MTSS. While there is no agenda, participants will often bring a problem of practice that we have an opportunity to help them work through. I’ll also provide any upcoming PD opportunities to be looking out for, and more. You can come for the whole hour or for just a few minutes. You can register here. Hope to see you there!
- October 2023
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GENERAL AND TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES
Welcome our new Continuous School Improvement Coordinator
We are excited to welcome Dr. Monique Sullivan as our new Continuous School Improvement Coordinator. Monique is an experienced educator with over 20 years in public education as both a classroom teacher and school administrator spanning grades Pk-12, including urban and rural settings. Prior roles at the Maine DOE include Title I Program Coordinator, ARP ESSER III Coordinator, and ESEA Regional Manager.
FY23 Performance Report is Now Available
All FY23 ESEA Performance Report pages are now available in Grants4ME. To begin the Performance Report, the district must first change the status of the FY23 application to “Revision Started.”
Once that status change occurs, several pages will populate with the application that are labeled “PERFORMANCE REPORT:__________.”
Once all “PERFORMANCE REPORT” pages have been completed, the status of the application will need to be changed to “Revision Completed.” From there, it will follow the same review and signature workflow as the application before being received by MDOE for review. Once reviewed, notes on any necessary corrections will be made on the Consultant Checklist.
FY23 Performance Reports are due November 1, 2023. Performance Reports cannot be certified by MDOE as accurate until all invoicing for the district has been completed for expenditures through 9/30/23. Invoicing for FY23 ESEA funds for service periods after 9/30/23 will not be approved until the Performance Report is completed and approved.
There are a few minor changes to the FY23 Performance Reports we want to make folks aware of. First, you should notice the goals the district originally set in the FY23 application now auto-populate on the “PERFORMANCE REPORT: District Profile Goals” and “PERFORMANCE REPORT: School Profile Goals” pages.
Also, for any district with a non-public, please take note of the updated Non-Public Reconciliation page for this year.
Next, for districts that receive Title IVA there is now a page titled, “PERFORMANCE REPORT: Title IV, Part A Supplemental Data” that needs to be completed.
Lastly, districts will need to make a final revision to their FY21 ESEA applications, updating all of the project expenditures so the grant can be closed out. These project expenditures should align with invoiced totals.
Trainings for Performance Report:
- Getting Started
- Budget Adjustments
- District & School Goals
- Expenditures
- Specialty Reports
- Standard Supplemental Reports
- Summaries
- New Carryover Projects
Fall Monitoring Window is Now Open for Submissions
The FALL Monitoring Instrument is now open and ready for the submission of the required monitoring items. All items need to be uploaded to the Monitoring Instrument in Grants4ME by Friday, October 13, 2023.
If your monitoring status is a MEDIUM level of support needed, the items under the "medium" status need to be uploaded. If your monitoring status is a HIGH level of support needed, the items under both the "medium" and "high" statuses need to be uploaded.
There is a Monitoring Guidance document, fact sheets for each monitoring item, and other resources located on our web page: ESEA Monitoring | Department of Education (maine.gov)
If you have any general questions or programmatic questions related to the monitoring requirements, please reach out to your regional program manager. If you have any fiscal-related questions, please reach out to our management analyst.
Title I Summer Reallocated Application: Performance Report is Due 10/15
The Performance Report for the FY23 Title I Summer Reallocated Application is now OPEN.To access the Performance Report, click “Revision Started” on the Sections Page. Then, the questions will appear on the page titled “Title I Summer School Performance Report”. To submit the report, please click “Revision Completed.” It will then go to the MDOE queue for review.
The deadline for Performance Report submission is October 15. Please complete invoicing prior to finalizing the Performance Report. If an extension is required, please reach out to Rita.Pello@maine.gov
Title IIA and Course Reimbursement
Title IIA funding may be used for course reimbursement that is designed to increase teacher and principal quality and is tied to the district or school’s area(s) of high needs. However, if an SAU has course reimbursement as a defined benefit in their teachers’ and/or principals’ contracts, they must first have exhausted all the SAU’s state & local funds allocated for this purpose to avoid supplanting.
Additionally, these funds are not reimbursed until after the course has been successfully completed. If the SAU has provisions in their policies or contracts that tie course reimbursement to their teacher’s and/or principal’s length of employment and need to exercise the provision reclaiming funds already reimbursed by the federal grant, the SAU must return the total amount reimbursed for the course(s) in question to MDOE.
FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
FISCAL CORNER
FY21 Funds
The period of performance for ESEA FY 21 funds ended on September 30, 2023. This was the last day that SAUs are allowed to obligate funds for that grant year. The expenditures must be allocable to the program and the SAU’s FY 21 application.
- The liquidation period for all unpaid expenditures for FY 21 funds is October 1, 2023, through December 30, 2023.
- This also holds true if you are the recipient of Tier III School Improvement Funds for FY22.
- Please submit invoices as soon as possible to aid in closing out the grant.
Substantial Approval
The date of substantial approval for any given fiscal year is the date the ESEA application is submitted in substantially approvable form. Substantial approval is granted after a review of the application to confirm that basic requirements are met, and projects and budgets are reasonable and allowable for all applicable ESEA funding streams (all items are labeled for Substantial Approval and in the top half of the Consultant Checklist).
Please note, the date of Substantial Approval is not necessarily the first date an application is submitted, as applications are sometimes submitted that do not meet those requirements and therefore cannot be granted substantial approval. The status of the application can always be noted in the History Log, as well as in the email notifications sent automatically by Grants4ME. The ESEA team prioritizes applications that are working towards substantial approval, and we advise SAUs to do the same.
34 CFR 76.708 When certain subgrantees may begin to obligate funds
Obligations
With budget and planning season in full swing, the ESEA Team wants to remind SAUs of some important considerations when obligations are made. Obligations should not be made prior to the substantial approval date for ESEA Consolidated Application. If Pre-Award Costs have been approved, keep in mind this means the requested funds are available beginning on 7/1.
Caution: If you have already signed a contract for services to be received for 2023-2024 school year, the contract is not eligible for reimbursement using FY 24 funds. Any contractual services should not be entered into until after the substantial approval date of your application.
The link below provides the regulations for obligations.
34 CFR 76.707 When obligations are made.
Travel Reimbursement
This is a reminder that travel expenses are not eligible for reimbursement until after the fact. These expenses include but are not limited to airfare, meals, lodging, mileage, registration fees, etc. If the SAU has a written travel reimbursement policy that is based on actual costs, then the receipts must be included with the reimbursement request.
The following is an example of receipts for meals that are not acceptable. Receipts for expenses must be itemized. Credit card machine authorization receipts are not itemized.