Completing the Semi-Annual Certification for Federally Funded Staff

Completing the Semi-Annual Certification for Federally Funded Staff

December 30, 2024 | Grants Management

When does your first semester end? Most likely that date falls in January, and CSS is here to remind you to do your time and effort for all federally-funded and State Comp Ed* staff. The purpose of time and effort documentation is for the employee and supervisor to attest that the work performed during the previous semester was for the duties on the job description (federal) that was signed at the start of the year, and no other type of work was paid for by the federal funds. The Semi-annual Certification form is the most common form, and it becomes part of time and effort documentation that is frequently asked for by auditors.

The CSS team will be reminding our partner schools about the first semester time and effort requirement to be sure that federally funded staff salaries are appropriately documented. We will remind again in May since it is required twice a year!

Types of Time and Effort

There are three types of documentation depending on if the employee is paid 100% from the grant, split funded, or has an inconsistent schedule on federal grant time.

  1. 100% paid by the federal grant all the time – use a Semi-annual certification form. See pages 4-5 of most recent TEA Time and Effort Manual
  2. Split funded (aka multiple cost objectives) – MAY use substitute system of time and effort if you are on the approved by TEA list, and employee follows a consistent split of time on their weekly schedule (ex. Always 50/50 split, etc.). If not approved, you must use a PAR.

See TEA Substitute System Website – click here

  1. PAR – employee time on the federal grant always varies and is inconsistent. Keep a daily log of time and adjust paycheck each month according to the amount of time (%) spent working on the grant job. (CSS has template forms for our partner schools).

Time and effort should always be done after the work is performed, and the forms should be dated as such. Be on the alert to collect it should any staff resign or leave early (the supervisor should sign it if you are unable to obtain the employee signature)! This will be done again at the end of the second semester.

What about ESSER funded staff?

Time and effort is not required for ESSER funds unless it is split funded with another fund that does require time and effort (such as Title I or IDEA).

Time and effort is required for any position paid whole or in part by ANY federal grant including all Title funds, IDEA, Carl Perkins, School Improvement, or any grant fund except ESSER.

*CSS also recommends doing time and effort for State Comp Ed funded positions unless you have a local policy stating that your LEA will not do it for SCE. Local agencies may decide for State Comp Ed, but must have written procedures; however, it is not a local decision for federal time and effort.

Need help?

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