Recent FedPro Message

Federal Program Financial Updates

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• 1.      Allocations for 2008-2009 School Year
• 2.      2008-2009 Census Data
• 3.      Core Data Screen 15 and Screen 16
• 4.      Amendments – Compare budget to actual expenditures
• 5.      2008 Federal Programs Proposed Summer School Plan

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• 1.      Allocations for 2008-2009 School Year

As school districts prepare their budgets for the 2008-2009 school year, I know that funding is a major concern.  At this time, we are not able to provide federal program allocation information for individual school districts.  We hope to have LEA information for the Title I program soon.  However, the preliminary SY 2008-09 allocations by State are now up on ED's web site at http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/statetables

Once there, go to the bottom of the page and click on to the section marked “State tables by program.”  The column labeled “2008 Estimate” provides you with the preliminary SY 2008-09 State allocations.  These preliminary estimates are based on the FY 2008 appropriation and incorporate income year 2005 census data and SY 2005-06 State per-pupil expenditure data. 

Note that Title V – State Grants for Innovative Programs will not be funded in SY 2008-09.  However, you will be allowed to budget carryover funds.  Title IV.A – Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities has a 15.4% reduction.

Keep in mind that these are estimated allocations because certain updated formula data is not yet available.  However, the USDE did use the updated census numbers to project the allocation.

• 2.      2008-2009 Census Data Available

The United States Department of Education has distributed the census poverty information that will be used to determine the school year 2008-2009 allocations.  We have been asked to check this data for accuracy of school district boundary. 
Our office feels that the census bureau has the correct school district boundary information. We are providing this data to keep you informed about the allocation process.  However, we are not allowed to challenge the validity of the numbers. If your district feels that they have a valid reason to challenge this count, the challenge procedure is detailed at the following website: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/saipe/

The challenge period ends on April 7, 2008. Challenges received after this date will not be considered. 

The census data file is on the Federal Programs web page under Financial Management, Census Data, 2008-2009 Census Data http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/fedprog/.   

These counts are for your entire school district area and include both public and nonpublic children.  Keep in mind that census poverty is much more restrictive than the free & reduced lunch count.  For instance, a family of four would have an annual income of $20,614 or less to be on census poverty.  That same family of four would qualify for free & reduced priced meals with an annual income of $38,203.   

The United States Department of Education used the income year 2005 data provided by the Census Bureau’s Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) Branch to determine the school year 2008-2009 Title I allocations.  The data is also available on the Census Bureau’s web site at http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/saipe/district.html

• 3.      Screen 15  and Screen 16 Core Data – Free/Reduced Lunch and Enrollment Data

Please make sure that the free and reduced lunch information reported on Screen 15 of Core Data is accurate.  Also, please check that you have reported accurate enrollment data on Screen 16.  We will calculate the estimated 2008-2009 Title I allocation for LEAs serving an area with a total population of less than 20,000 using the alternative data method approved by the State Board of Education.  Since the Federal Programs Headcount free/reduced lunch information from Screen 15 of the Core Data Collection system is used as part of the alternative data, I would encourage districts to make sure that their data is correct.  Errors on either of these screens could result in a decrease in your federal programs allocations. 

• 4.      Amendments – Compare budget to actual expenditures

For various reasons, some budgets may be overwritten.  If the budget for any of your programs is written for more than the available funds, you need to amend at this time.

This would also be an excellent time to compare your budgets with anticipated expenditures for programs covered by your consolidated application.  If you need to amend your budget, please submit this amendment at your earliest convenience.  Keep in mind that you should not expend funds prior to approval by Grants Management.

If your district has chosen to utilize the transferability or REAP flex options, please review these budgets/expenditures.  At a minimum, your district will need to expend all funds transferred into a program as well as the carryover amount for that program.  Otherwise, an error message will appear on your Final Expenditure Report.

• 5.      Summer School

Districts planning to use federal funds for summer school must submit the “2008 Federal Programs Proposed Summer School Plan” by June 1, 2008.  This plan can be accessed under Grants Management, Publications and Forms.

http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/fedprog/grantmgmnt/

Please feel free to contact my office at 573-751-4420 if you have questions regarding this e-mail.

Bette Morff

Director, Federal Financial Management

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

PO Box 480

Jefferson City, MO  65201

573-751-8280

Bette.Morff@dese.mo.gov