ESEA Consolidated Monitoring

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), reauthorized in 2015 as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), was passed as a civil rights law to provide funding and resources to states, districts, and school leaders to enhance their capacity to meet the strengths and needs of educators and students in their community. Each Title program under ESSA has a specific purpose to provide focused resources to support students who are historically, or currently, marginalized and/or are experiencing barriers to an academically enriching curriculum in a safe and inclusive environment.

The purpose of ESEA Consolidated Monitoring is to provide the support districts need with the implementation federal programs while navigating the requirements that each program has within the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The intent is not to look for things that are wrong, but to learn from districts what they are doing with their federal funds, assure that they are meeting the requirements within each fund, and if this is not the case, assist the district with implementing changes that will help them meet the requirements while also strengthening their programs. This process is done to help protect districts and the state of Montana from any consequences that may occur from state or federal audits of federal programs and funds in the consolidated application. The objectives of the OPI for monitoring are centered around three key areas:

Building Relationships – We're in this together. 

The main objective for the Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) is to raise student achievement for Montana's public school children. Through cooperative assessment of the federal programs between the OPI and Montana school districts the quality of services to students will be strengthened and improved.

Technical Assistance – We're here to help. 

The OPI Federal Programs team provides technical assistance during the review and beyond. It is not the OPI's intent to tell the district how to run its title programs, but rather to answer questions, facilitate dialogue, and exchange ideas and information for program improvement while, at the same time, meeting all federal requirements.

Compliance – It's the law. 

Monitoring federal programs helps ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education. Monitoring is intended to be a collaborative partnership between the OPI and districts to ensure compliance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

While accountability to federal requirements is important, the goal of monitoring is to provide technical assistance and support districts in their implementation of federal programs.

The responsibility for monitoring resides with the OPI, mandated by ESEA statute. The Federal Programs unit has synthesized ESEA program requirements into a meaningful and manageable collection of requirements in a Monitoring Organizational Tool. The Monitoring Organizational Tool includes information on the requirements within ESEA for which districts will be monitored. While the indicators listed in this document provide a comprehensive overview of the programs, it does not encompass every requirement in a grant program. A table is included for each title program that contains:

• a description of each of the monitoring indicators.
• the relevant portion of ESEA law that applies.
• supporting documentation that should be maintained by the district.

All districts are encouraged to use this tool as a resource for organizing, collecting, and submitting documentation related to ESEA federal programs when a district is selected for monitoring. The Federal Programs unit will use the Monitoring Organizational Tool and its indicators to  evaluate ESEA program compliance.

LEAs chosen for ESEA Consolidated Monitoring receive notification in March regarding the monitoring scheduled for the following school year.

 

 

 

Notice to all districts: Due to the wide range of district and school parental notification forms, and the fact that many do not meet federal  requirements, beginning with School Year (SY) 2021-22, TransACT documents must be used by ALL LEAs. Those sections where TransACT forms must be used are identified within the Monitoring Tool. The Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) pays for a state subscription to TransACT for all Montana districts.

• TransACT Parent Notices must be completed with LEA contact information, updated annually, and made available/accessible to parents and families.
• LEAs are encouraged to include annually updated TransACT Parent Notices as part of student enrollment packets, parent/student handbooks, and district webpages.
• Required TransACT Parent Notices are listed on each program's monitoring tool.

The Montana OPI has partnered with TransACT Communications to provide state approved and legally-reviewed parent notices, forms, and letters at no cost for district and school staff. TransACT Customer Care: support@transact.com | 425-977-2100