EHCY Program Office Q4 Updates

1. EHCY Program Office Q4 Updates John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

2. Agenda • Overview of NCHE’s updated Guide to Federal Data Collection and CSPR Changes, SY 11-12 & SY 12-13 • Checking Homeless Graduates/Completers and Dropouts Data in EDFacts • Fiscal Maintenance of Effort for EHCY Subgrant Programs • Use of Grant Funds for Conferences and Meetings Q&A or Solicitation of Topics (time permitting) John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

3. Consolidated State Performance ReportFederal Data Collection GuideforState Coordinators of Homeless EducationSY 2011-12 Beth Hartness – NCHE

4. Title • Concept Beth Hartness – NCHE

5. Guide Layout • Overview and Purpose • Federal Data Collection – EDFacts and the CSPR • General Instructions • Annual Data Collection and Submission Steps • Data Collection Question Clarification • Appendices Beth Hartness – NCHE

6. Section 1: The CSPR and EDFacts • Consolidated State Performance Report • CSPR timeframe • Finalized version of CSPR collection tool • Section 1.9 • EDFacts • State EDFacts Coordinators and State CSPR Coordinators • Data submission requirements and processes • EDFacts collection process • File specifications Beth Hartness – NCHE

7. Section 1: The CSPR and EDFacts(continued) • Manual CSPR collection process • New SY 2011-12 data collection requirements • Facilitating collection of quality data • State Coordinator planning and responsibilities • Pre-fill reports • Data verification and certification • Edit checks • Verification reports • Correction window • Certification of data Beth Hartness – NCHE

8. Section 2: General Guidance • Annual timeline • Which students are reported • Data collection requirements • School year • Definitions • Actual counts versus estimated data • Comment box • Duplicated counts • Missing data Beth Hartness – NCHE

9. Section 3: Data Collection Question Clarification • CSPR Section 1.9.1 – All LEAs (With and Without McKinney-Vento Subgrants • Question 1.9 – Number of LEAs with and without Subgrants in the State • Question 1.9.1.1 – Number of Homeless Children and Youths by Grade Level Enrolled in Public School at any Time during the School Year • Question 1.9.1.2 – Primary Nighttime Residence of Homeless Children and Youths Beth Hartness – NCHE

10. Section 3: Data Collection Question Clarification • CSPR Section 1.9.2 – All LEAs With McKinney-Vento Subgrants Only • Question 1.9. 2.1 – Number of Homeless Children and Youths by Grade Level Served by McKinney-Vento Subgrants • Question 1.9.2.2 – Subgroups of Homeless Students Served by McKinney-Vento Subgrants Beth Hartness – NCHE

11. Section 3: Data Collection Question Clarification • CSPR Section 1.9.3– Academic Progress of Homeless Students • Question 1.9. 3.1 –Reading Assessment • Question 1.9.3.2 – Mathematics Assessment • Question 1.9.3.3 – Science Assessment Beth Hartness – NCHE

12. Appendices • Appendix A – McKinney-Vento Definition of “Homeless” • Appendix B – Support and Contact Information • Appendix C – CSPR/EDFacts Crosswalk • Appendix D – Example of Federal Data Collection Form SY 2011-12 • Appendix E – Glossary of Terms • Appendix F – EDFacts File Specifications for CSPR Section 1.9 • Appendix G – Other EDFacts File Specifications • Appendix F – Steps for State Coordinators Beth Hartness – NCHE

13. CSPR Changes Beth Hartness – NCHE

14. Checking EDFacts Data on Homeless Graduates/Completers and Graduates Spring 2010: Submission of EDFacts data is mandatory for all States (i.e., for SY 08-09 reporting year) Early 2011: EHCY office requested a cohort graduation rate be reported for homeless students in the CSPR (still pending) Early 2012: EHCY office promised to check the quality of EDFacts data on homeless student graduate/completers and dropouts grade 12 and create a data quality tool for use by State Coordinators Spring/Summer 2012: Checking of EDFacts-only data, now based on enrollment in all LEAs rather than served by LEAs (i.e., only for subgrantees) John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

15. Data Quality Issues Concerning Homeless Graduates and Dropouts • 13 of 53 SEAs did not submit data on homeless graduates for SY 10-11; • 1 SEA reported 0 graduates and 2 SEAs reported more graduates than homeless students enrolled in grade 12 • 13 SEAs did not submit data on homeless dropouts, grades 7-12, or were missing grade 12 • Some minor discrepancies between the SEA and LEA-level data were noted John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

16. Improving Data Quality • Have all SEAs submit SEA and LEA-level data via EdFacts for SY 11-12 (due by 12/21/12); EHCY office will let you know if your SEA was missing SY 10-11 homeless graduates or dropouts data • Have SC’s review SY 10-11 SEA and LEA-level data and check data quality; EHCY office will send out a data quality checking tool with Webinar slides and notes John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

17. EDFacts File Specs and Public Comment Period • EDFacts file specifications are available at http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/edfacts/sy-11-12-nonxml.html (not enabled in ESS yet) • EDFacts clearance package for SY 12-13 to SY 14-15 is available for public comment until Nov. 12 from http://edicsweb.ed.gov (browse pending collections and click on link 04929) John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

18. Maintenance of Effort in EHCY Section 723(b)(3), Subtitle B, Title VII of the MVHAA states that LEA applications to the SEA for a subgrant shall include: “An assurance that the local educational agency’s combined fiscal effort per student, or the aggregate expenditures of that agency and the State with respect to the provision of free public education by such agency for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the determination is made, was not less than 90 percent of such combined fiscal effort or aggregate expenditures for the second fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the determination is made.” What does this mean? John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

19. Summary of EHCY MOE Requirements • It’s an LEA assurance to the SEA, which the SEA should check • It can be calculated on a per pupil basis or aggregate basis of State and local funding for public education (excluding all Federal funding) • FY ‘12 MOE: compares State and local fiscal effort between three fiscal years ago and two fiscal years ago (e.g., FY 2009 and 2010 MOE data were probably available by Spring 2012) John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

20. SEAs and MOE for EHCY • SEAs have a choice of determining how to calculate MOE—per pupil or aggregate • State fiscal years may vary but they usually are from July 1-June 30 • Ask the Title I State Director for a list of LEAs not meeting MOE by June of every year • Unlike Title I, Parts A or D, there are no provisions for grant reductions for failing to maintain effort, NOR does the Secretary of Education have waiver authority for the EHCY MOE assurance John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

21. MOE under ESEA • Under Section 1120A of Title I, Part A, “Fiscal Requirements”, an LEA may receive a grant only if the LEA and the SEA have maintained effort • Section 1125A(e) describes MOE, reduction of funds, and waivers for Title I, Part A • Also Section 9521 outlines the methods of calculating MOE, reducing a grant award amount, and a waiver process through ED’s secretary due to “exceptional or uncontrollable circumstances, such as a natural disaster” or “a precipitous decline in the financial resources” of an LEA. John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

22. EHCY MOE in Practice #1 • ED allocates EHCY funds to States by July 1 and they are available for 27 months • Subgrants should be awarded between then and no later than September so services can be provided to homeless students • Check with the Title I State Director whether approved EHCY subgrantees meet MOE • If any LEA subgrantees don’t, their funds for that grant year should be reallocated John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

23. EHCY MOE in Practice #2 • 3-Year Grants: If the LEA subgrantee has been approved for a three-year grant, and maintains fiscal effort by the next determination, it can receive grant funds the following year without recompeting. • Consortia: If the LEA is in a consortia, it cannot receive grant-funded services for the year it was determined not to maintain fiscal effort. If it’s a fiscal agent or host LEA, another LEA must assume this responsibility. John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

24. Use of Grant Funds for Conferences and Meetings • Enclosure 7 on this topic went out with GANs in July 2012. It’s a reminder memorandum from ED’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO). • While the information is not new, in the past year, there has been additional scrutiny of meals and travel funded through Federal agencies and programs John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

25. Deciding Whether to Host or Attend a Conference or Meeting • Ensure it is reasonable and necessary to achieve the goals and objectives of the grant (including the number of attendees being sent) • Consider whether there are more effective and efficient alternatives that can accomplish the desired results at a lower cost, e.g., webinars, video or teleconferencing • Ensure that the primary purpose is to disseminate technical information: i.e., information, research advances, training or PD, and work planning and coordination John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

26. Food for Conferences and Meetings • Should not be paid for by grant funds unless doing so is necessary to accomplish legitimate business. • Working lunches may be allowable if attendance is needed to ensure full participation in essential discussions and speeches concerning the purpose of the conference and objectives of the project. • Breakfasts, coffee breaks, receptions and dinners are generally discouraged. Any meals should be reviewed on a case by case basis. • No alcoholic beverages or entertainment may be paid for by Federal grant funds John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

27. Conference Sponsorship If there’s approval to use the ED seal on conference materials and signage, there must also be the following disclaimer: “The contents of this (type of publication) were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.” Note: Swag is also discouraged, such as bags, notebooks, folders, pens and pencils, coffee cups, etc. John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

28. Consequences and Questions • Please contact the program office if you have any questions or concerns about whether using grant funds for a meeting or conference is allowable prior to obligating the funds • Grantees may have to repay funds if they violate the rules on the use of grant funds, including the rules for meeting- and conference-related expenses • Questions and further topics: e.g., obligating grant funds for Fall conferences (when Tydings Amendment applies) John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

29. Short Announcements, Other Topics and General Q&A Contact information: John.McLaughlin@ed.gov Tel. no. (202) 401-0962 John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator

30. Thanks for joining us • Questions? Contact: • John McLaughlin, John.McLaughlin@ed.gov,Ph: (202) 401-0962 • Beth Hartness, bhartnes@serve.org,336-315-7452 John McLaughlin, Federal Coordinator