Q.1What are the REQUIREMENTS to participate in Schoolwide Flexibility?
A.1To compete the Title I, Part A Schoolwide Flexibility process, the following requirements must be in place:
- Title I, Part A funds must be used to address specific educational needs of the school(s) identified by the Comprehensive Needs Assessment(s), articulated in the Title I, Part A Schoolwide Plan(s), and approved in the Consolidated Application budget(s)
- The Title I, Part A Schoolwide program must meet the intent and purpose of Title I, Part A
- The use of Title I, Part A funds must be governed by the cost principles in Part 200, Subpart E of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR)
- The Local Educational Agency (LEA) must account for and track
Title I, Part A funds separately (recordkeeping requirements do not change), and complete the Tool Diagnostic in AdvancED/Adaptive System of School Improvement Support Tools(ASSIST)
Q.2What are the benefits of participating in Schoolwide Flexibility?
A.2Benefits include the ability:
- To better leverage resources
- To implement reforms to upgrade the entire educational program of the school
- To serve all students
- To provide services that need not be supplemental
[Section 1114(a)(2)(A)(ii) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA)]
Q.3Will the requirements currently noted become more stringent in future years?
A.3With the passing of the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015(ESSA), the answer to this question is unknown at this time.
Q.4What is the difference between Schoolwide Consolidation and Schoolwide Flexibility?
A.4Within Schoolwide Consolidation, all Federal, State and local funds can be pooled together proportionately within a school, according to the intent and purpose of each fund described in the school’s Schoolwide Plan, to better address the needs of the students of the school.
Within Schoolwide Flexibility, only Title I, Part A funds and Title II, Part A funds transferred into Title I, Part A funds are used flexibly, according to the Schoolwide Plan and based upon the flexibility that the State of Michigan has received regarding specific requirements of the ESEA in exchange for rigorous and comprehensive State-developed Plans designed to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity and improve the quality of instruction (ESEA Flexibility).
Q.5Do all Title I Schoolwide schools in anLEA have to participate?
A.5No, this is a local decision.
Q.6How does a school provide assurance that the Schoolwide Plan meets all of the required components?
A.6The required components are met by completing and submitting the Schoolwide Plan and Diagnostics by the due date.
Q.7Will the participating Schoolwide school be held to the July 1 obligation date for submitting the Title I School Selection and Consolidated Applications?
A.7No. July 1 is the desired date for submission, however the obligation date for the use of Federal funds for 2016-17 is the date when the last of all required documents are submitted, and all are submitted in substantially-approvable form.
Q.8Are LEAs able to use the Title I, Part A funds flexibly?
A.8No. Schoolwide Flexibility applies to individual schools only.
Q.9What is the obligation of LEAs with schools participating in Schoolwide Flexibility to provide Title I, Part A funding to private schools located within the boundaries of the participating school?
A.9The rules for each LEA to serve applicable private schools continues to exist. Schoolwide Flexibility applies only to the LEA’s Schoolwide schools, not to private schools.
Q.10Does maintenance of time and effort, recordkeeping principles for budgeting of funds, and recording expenditures apply for Schoolwide Flexibility?
A.10Yes. All of these components apply.
Q.11Are LEAs and schools required to do an annual review and evaluation?
A.11The school must annually review and evaluate the implementation and outcomes of the Schoolwide Plan to determine whether the academic achievement of all students, and particularly of low-achieving students, improved, whether the goals and objectives contained in the Plan were achieved, and if the Plan is still appropriate as written.
Q.12Where can LEAs and Schoolwide schools get more information regarding Schoolwide Flexibility?
A.12Please see the materials and PowerPoint presentations located on the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Field Services website at:
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