Phase I of random validations for federal program compliance monitoring ended on Oct 23rd. If you dodged that bullet (yee haw!), take heed — there is another round that begins Nov 28! For charters, this mainly concerns two areas of compliance: the Unsafe School Choice Option (USCO) and the Title I Ed Flex waiver. CSS … Read More
Title IV Special Data Collection Due Dec 1, 2023
Do you remember last March when the weather was cool? You might also vaguely remember submitting a Title IV report of your measurable goals and objectives for the program. The next phase of the Title IV special reporting is coming up just in time for the holidays! Even if you transfer your Title IV funds … Read More
Title I Comparability of Services
Before the big shift to holiday mode happens, some business must be handled, and we don’t mean picking out your favorite pie! IF your Charter District receives Title I, Part A funds, Comparability reports must be done. This “test” is completed each year to make sure local (FSP) staffing and funds are distributed equally between … Read More
Bilingual/ESL Allotment (PIC 25) and Written Policy and Procedures
A new student enrolls in your charter district indicating another language on the home language survey. What do you do? Do you have the process written down? Bilingual/ESL written policies and procedures are required as part of your annual financial report. Your compliance will be collected by your auditor and on the annual Use of … Read More
SHARS Survey Due Nov 3, 2023 for IDEA-B Recipients
Did you receive IDEA-B funding for SPED last year (2022-23)? If so, your LEA is required to complete the SHARS survey by Nov 3, 2023. SHARS is a program by which districts can receive funding from Medicaid for certain SPED services. Even if you do not have a SHARS program, you must complete the survey if … Read More
Random Validations Begin – Title I, II, IV, and SNS
You could be the lucky winner in the random validation drawing this month! Unfortunately, the prize is sending TEA a bunch of paperwork! TEA will select districts for phase 1 of random validations for Title I, II, and IV. You can rest easy that if you are selected for validation, you do have time and … Read More
Silent Panic Alert Technology (SPAT) Grant – Due Dec 12, 2022
Your school may have previously benefitted from the School Safety and Security grant that the State issued in an effort to prevent school violence. More safety funding is being made available with the SPAT Grant being due in the very near future. The SPAT grant is to purchase silent alert technology, and to be honest, … Read More
LASO Grant – Learning Acceleration Support Opportunities
Ready to “round up” some new funding? The latest release of post-COVID funding is called LASO (aka TCLAS II), and CSS is here to be your partner as we wrestle up all the dirt on this new grant that is due December 22, 2022. Preliminary training for LASO has already happened in October (don’t worry, … Read More
Maintenance of Equity Requirement Due Dec 9, 2022
Many small charter schools are exempt from the Maintenance of Equity requirement; however, if you have multiple campuses with duplicate grade spans, your LEA will not be exempt. The MOEquity requirement is part of compliance for receiving ARP funds: ESSER III, ESSER Supplemental, or TCLAS. The purpose of checking for MOEquity is to ensure that … Read More
ARP Maintenance of Equity Test
Note: CSS is re-running this Tip from November because MOEquity testing was delayed by TEA, and now is up and running again. We are seeing red this February –red tape that is! The extra COVID funds sure are nice, but with them comes extra reporting. CSS has another compliance test to warn you about that … Read More