ESSA NON-REGULATORY BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS
In accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and other federal programs, the District will conform to the procedures stated here.
1. Supplement not Supplant
The District may use Title I funds only to supplement and, to the extent practical, increase the level of funds that would, in the absence of Title I funds, be made available from non-Federal sources for the education of students participating in Title I programs. In no case may Title I funds be used to supplant--i.e., take the place of--funds from nonFederal sources.
2. Maintenance of Effort
The District shall maintain its fiscal effort related to ESSA programs at 90 percent of prior funding in compliance with the requirements of federal law.
3. Equitable Allocation
Federal funds shall be used in a manner to ensure equitable allocation of resources. Staff assignments, curriculum materials, and instructional supplies shall be distributed to the schools so as to ensure equivalence of personnel and materials among them in compliance with the requirements of federal law.
4. Resources
The procurement of resources, including contracts and purchase or service agreements, related to ESSA programs shall be in accordance with the District's written procedures for purchasing and contracting. Purchase orders and invoices shall indicate an appropriate record of expenditures. All equipment purchased with federal funds, including those used in nonpublic and other facilities, shall be appropriately identified, inventoried, and when no longer useful to the program, properly disposed. Resources that have been funded by Title I and IDEA, such as staff, materials and equipment, shall be used only for children participating in the program.
5. Maintenance of Records
All federal program records shall be kept for at least 5 years after the start date of the project.
6. Standards and Expectations
Students receiving services under Title I will be held to the same standards and expectations as all other students.
7. Identification of Eligible Children
The Superintendent and the designees shall implement an appropriate process to identify children eligible for services provided under federal programs.
8. Coordination of Services
Title I and IDEA services shall be coordinated and integrated with the regular classroom, with other agencies providing services and with other federal, state and local programs.
9. Assessments
Students receiving services in Title I are assessed with the regular population without accommodations.
10. Parents Right to Know
At the beginning of each school year, if the District receives Title I funding, the District shall notify the parents of each student attending any school receiving Title I funds that the parents may request the District to provide, in a timely manner, information regarding the professional qualifications of the student's classroom teachers, including at a minimum, the following:
(A) Whether the student's teacher-
(i) has met State qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction;
(ii) is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which State qualification or licensing criteria have been waived; and
(iii) is teaching in the field of discipline of the certification of the teacher.
(B) Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.
11. Testing Transparency
At the beginning of each school year, if the District receives Title I funding, the District shall notify the parents of each student attending any school receiving Title I funds that the parents may request the District to provide, in a timely manner, information regarding any State or District policy regarding student participation in any State or District assessments, including the District's policy or procedure on the parental right to opt the child out of such assessment(s) where applicable. The District shall make widely available through public means (including by posting in a clear and easily accessible manner on the District's website) information on each State or District assessment, including:
(A) the subject matter assessed;
(B) the purpose for which the assessment is designed and used;
(C) the source of the requirement for the assessment;
(D) the amount of time students will spend taking the assessment, and the schedule for the assessment; and
(E) the time and format for disseminating results.
12. Parental Participation in Language Instruction Programs At the beginning of each school year, if the District receives Title I funding, the District will implement an effective means of outreach to parents of English learners to inform the parents regarding how the parents can- (A) be involved in the education of their children; and (B) be active participants in assisting their children to-
(i) attain English proficiency;
(ii) achieve at high levels within a well-rounded education; and
(iii) meet the challenging State academic standards expected of all students.
The District will also inform parents of any English learner identified student of opportunities to participate in various school programs such as hearing and responding to parents’ recommendations, to comply with ESSA.
13. Suspension and Debarment
The District will follow the provisions of Policy 706.07 Suspension and Debarment in all applicable programs using federal funds.
14. Authority to Sign Applications
The Superintendent or Superintendent’s Designee is authorized to sign applications for ESSA formula grants on behalf of the District. The Superintendent shall follow Board policies in determining whether acceptance of such grant funds is appropriate to the District.
15. Compliance with Federal Programs
The Superintendent shall be responsible for District staff to take appropriate action as required by law for the District to maintain compliance with ESSA and specific grant programs under ESSA in which the District participates.
