Recent FedPro Message

Nonpublic Information

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• 1.      U.S. Department of Education Publication
• 2.      Evaluation of Nonpublic Services
• 3.      Nonpublic Reports Available
• 4.      Statement of Nonpublic School Consultation and Participation Forms
• 5.      Complaint Procedures for Nonpublic Schools

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• 1.      U.S. Department of Education Publication

The U.S. Department of Education has published a Title I Resource Tool Kit entitled Ensuring Equitable Services to Private School Children.  This publication is available at the Financial Management, Nonpublic site on DESE’s web at www.dese.mo.gov/divimprove/fedprog/

• 2.      Evaluation of Nonpublic Services

An LEA must annually assess the progress of the Title I program toward enabling private school Title I participants to meet the agreed-upon standards.  Every year the LEA and private school officials must consult on what constitutes annual progress for the Title I program.  The district may assess the progress of the nonpublic Title I students during the same meeting in which they assess the public school Title I students.  The district must keep documentation of this evaluation process.

For more information on these requirements review Section E of the non-regulatory guidance.  This document is available under No Child Left Behind, Legislation and Guidance, Title I Services to Eligible Private School Children, Non-Regulatory Guidance, October 17, 2003 at the following website:

www.dese.mo.gov/divimprove/fedprog/

This is also available in Section 5 – Standards, Assessments, And Program Modifications in the publication Ensuring Equitable Services to Private School Children – A Title I Resource Tool Kit. 

• 3.      Nonpublic Reports Available For LEA

It is the public school district’s responsibility to review for accuracy the information submitted on the Nonpublic Registration Forms.  This information will be used to determine allocations for nonpublic services for the 2008-2009 school year.  If you feel the information is not accurate, consult with the nonpublic schools.  If errors are found, the nonpublic schools may make changes to their registration form through the end of March.  No changes will be accepted after March 31, 2008.

There are two reports available at the Federal Programs web page under Financial Management, Nonpublic, Nonpublic Reports www.dese.mo.gov/divimprove/fedprog/

For Title I purposes, review the information on the Nonpublic Title I Report to determine which nonpublic schools have students residing within your school district.  For the rest of the federal programs, review the enrollment information on the Nonpublic Information Report. 

• 4.      Statement of Nonpublic School Consultation and Participation Forms

The public school is required to consult with nonpublic schools before decisions are made that could affect nonpublic services.  This consultation must be timely and meaningful.   The consultation must include discussions of what services will be provided, when and where the services will be provided, and how and by whom the services will be provided.  The Public/Private Design for Education Service form should be used to document this discussion.

After consultation with the nonpublic schools, districts are required to submit the Statement of Nonpublic School Consultation and Participation forms to DESE.  These forms are required before the consolidated application can be accepted.  The Nonpublic Reports mentioned in item three above will help you determine which nonpublic schools should be included in the consultation process.  For public school districts that are on the Title I bypass program, you are not required to submit consultation forms for the Title I program.

The consultation forms and the public/private design form can be found under Financial Management, Nonpublic at www.dese.mo.gov/divimprove/fedprog/

• 5.      Complaint Procedures For Nonpublic Schools

The public school district must distribute a copy of the Complaint Procedures for Nonpublic Schools to the nonpublic schools during consultation.  This complaint procedure may be accessed under Financial Management, Nonpublic at www.dese.mo.gov/divimprove/fedprog/

If you have questions, please contact my office.

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