Title II, Part A Allowable Expenses Middle Tennessee Federal Directors Conference September 24, 2009

Title II, Part A Teacher Quality accountability status under NCLB (Section 1119(a)(2)) is based on benchmarks for: Highly Qualified Teachers (HQ) Professional Development (PD)

Title II, Part A To support activities that improve teacher quality To increase the number of highly qualified teachers, paraprofessionals, and principals in Tennessee schools. To provide all students, including poor and minority, equitable opportunities to instruction by highly qualified, effective teachers. Address the GAP between quality of teachers in high poverty schools compared with low poverty school

Title II, Part A Ultimate goal is to increase student understanding and achievement in academic subjects

To comply with NCLB requirements, Local Title IIA programs must: Be aligned with state standards and assessments and be grounded in scientifically based research Focus on core subjects Be based on a needs assessment of local needs - professional development, recruitment, hiring, retention Be designed to help teachers and paraprofessionals meet the qualification requirements set under Title I and help schools recruit and retain HQ teachers Be integrated with activities funded by Title II, Part D to support teacher technology training to help teachers meet the needs of students with different learning styles, including disabled, gifted, and limited English proficient students Include activities designed to help teachers improve student behavior and use data to improve instruction

Use of Funds Systems have flexibility to develop and implement activities to address areas identified in their annual needs assessment that: result in a teaching staff that is highly qualified and able to help all students achieve high academic standards provide principals with the knowledge and skills to lead their schools efforts to increase student achievement

Use of Funds Professional Development Activities Recruitment/Employment/Retention Activities Teacher Advancement Initiatives Class Size Reduction

Professional Development Activities Designed to improve the quality of the teaching force Praxis preparation and testing Standards Training Alternative Preparation Technology literacy

Recruitment/Retention Model Development Developing and implementing a mechanism to assist schools to effectively recruit and retain highly qualified teachers, principals, and specialists in core academic areas.

Recruitment/Employment/Retention Activities Providing monetary incentives for scholarships, signing bonuses, or differential pay for teachers in academic subjects or schools in which LEA has shortages Recruiting teachers of special needs children Recruiting qualified paraprofessionals an teachers with special skills for working with high poverty and/or minority students

Recruitment/Employment/Retention Activities Retaining highly qualified teachers and principals, particularly in schools of low- achieving students induction and support for new teachers and principals during their first three years – including mentoring financial incentives to retain teachers and principals with a record of helping students to achieve academic success Providing routes to teacher certification for paraprofessionals

Teacher Advancement Initiatives Initiatives that promote professional growth and emphasize multiple career paths, such as: mentor teacher lead teacher academic coach

Class Size Reduction Hiring highly qualified teachers to reduce class size, particularly in the early grades (must be based on greatest need of student numbers or student performance) Regular classroom teacher Co-teacher part-time or 100% Resource teacher for a particular subject(s) reducing regular class numbers on continuous basis Must be supplemental in nature

Professional Development Activities Private Schools Annual notification of eligibility to participate in Title II-A Calculation of equitable participation Private school(s) included in annual needs assessment Private school opportunity for input in planning

Title II-A Funds Should be coordinated with other funding sources to meet system needs Must be used to supplement, not supplant, state and local funds LEA must demonstrate effective use

Title IIA Summary Points Know what is allowable and reasonable Include all stakeholders in process & document Plan collaboratively based on assessed needs Budget collectively based on action plan Monitor remediation of non-HQ Develop and monitor effective use of funds

Title IIA State Level Activities

Supporting activities to ensure that teachers are able to use State academic content and achievement standard and State assessments to improve instructional practices and student achievement.

Title IIA State Level Activities Developing or assisting LEAs in the development of proven, innovative strategies to deliver intensive professional development activities that are both cost effective and easily accessible, such as strategies that involve delivery through the use of technology, peer networks, and distance learning.

Title IIA State Level Activities Supporting the training of teachers and administrators in effectively integrating technology into curricula and instruction.

Title IIA Questions/Comments

Title IIA 1. Professional Development Benchmarks The percentage of instructional personnel receiving high-quality professional development: Exceeds the previous years percentage or Averaged over three years exceeds the baseline. A response rate of 30% or more on the professional development survey (Tennessee Professional Development Teacher Questionnaire)

Title IIA 2. Highly Qualified Teachers Benchmark 100% of core academic courses are taught by highly qualified teachers

Lagged Data IIA Status for school year will be based on data from The HQ percentages determining IIA status for school year will be from the HQ snapshot. The same HQ %s will appear on the 2009 Tennessee State Report Card (opens in fall 2009).

HQ Data Snapshot Once the HQ Snapshot is taken, the HQ data freeze. If your districts HQ % is less than 100%, explain why in your IIA Improvement Plan.

IIA Status for School Year Good Standing - met the IIA benchmarks Target – failed to meet one or more of the IIA benchmarks (missed PD or HQ or both) Title II A Improvement - failed to meet a Title II A benchmark for 2 consecutive years Title II A Corrective Action - did not meet one of the Title II A benchmarks AND the LEA is high priority (i.e. did not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for 3 consecutive years)

Section 2141 Requirements LEAs identified as IIA Improvement are required to develop Improvement plans. The plans: identify problems that prevented achievement of the benchmarks and specify actions that will be taken to achieve the benchmarks. LEAs identified as IIA Corrective Action are required to enter into more extensive improvement agreements with SEA.

IIA Improvement Plan Template

HQ Teacher Requirement: 100% of Core Academic Courses Taught by HQ teachers ___ % of core academic classes taught by HQ teachers during SY (based on August 29, 2008 Snapshot). Subsequent Progress:____ Check this box if the LEA subsequently achieved the 100% benchmark. Strategies and Actions Taken or that Will be Taken to Achieve the 100% HQ Teachers Benchmark (Add as many rows as necessary.) Reasons for SY Status (based on prior year data)Strategies and Action Step(s)TimeframeDocumentation Sample Reasons for SY HQ Teachers Status Inaccurate data was provided to the state through EIS. Teachers who did not meet HQ requirements were assigned to core academic subjects. Sample Strategies for HQ Teachers Ensure Accurate Data in EIS and on the Preliminary Report. Assign Core courses to HQ teachers. Hire Teachers that are HQ. Assist teachers to meet HQ requirements as soon as possible. Sample Action Steps for HQ Teachers (Actions that will or are being taken to achieve the benchmarks) Revise the data collection process to enhance tracking of HQ status and improve accuracy of course coding. Insure that class assignments are accurate in EIS and the Preliminary Report. Initiate a screening procedure prior to making class assignments to ensure teachers are HQ for core courses assigned. Develop and implement a system to determine HQ status prior to employment such as including HQ documentation in application packets. Insure that special courses with core subjects in the title are assigned to teachers HQ in the core subject. Include in the Principals Fall Training: information on class assignments, completing the preliminary report and Title II –A Accountability. Develop Individual Action Plans for teachers to achieve HQ status. Promote small study groups or hold prep sessions for teachers completing Content Area or Praxis exams. Reimburse teachers for graduate course tuition or for PRAXIS test fees to help teachers attain HQ status. Notify teachers who have not documented HQ status that they will not be rehired unless they meet HQ requirements. Do not rehire teachers who do not meet HQ status. Sample Documentation for HQ Teachers HQ website, Written description of process or procedure, Principals Training Agenda, List of Contents of Application Packet

Taking Action – Improve Record Keeping Revise data collection process to enhance tracking of HQ status. Insure that class assignments are accurate from the earliest Preliminary Report. Enter teachers and assignments accurately in EIS. Develop and implement a system to determine HQ status prior to employment.

Enhance Application of HQ Requirements Apply HQ requirements to Special Course assignments. Provide additional training and guidelines to principals to insure that HQ teachers are assigned to core academic subjects.

Assist Teachers Seeking HQ status Meet with individual teachers to evaluate progress on Individual Action Plans. Promote small study groups / hold preparation sessions for teachers completing Content Area and Praxis requirements. Reimburse teachers for Praxis exam fee.

Title IIA Questions/Comments

Contact Information Karen Moody, Accountability, Teaching and Learning, Trish Kelly, Federal Programs,