October Count Audit...2020/08/20 · October Count Audit New This Year 2020-2021 Recorded August 2020 This recorded training has been created to briefly cover only new information
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October Count Audit New This Year 2020-2021 Recorded August 2020
This recorded training has been created to briefly cover only new information or quick FYI’s relative to the October Count Audit for school year 20-21. The content is meant for both new and veteran submission contacts at CSI schools. A separate recorded training will also be available on the CSI October Count webpage that will be a more in-depth overview of the October Count audit. That training will be most helpful for new submissions contacts and for those who would like a refresher or to review only particular topics within it. CSI has also posted recorded trainings specific to just the October Count submissions related processes on the October Count Webpage.
Content Sections
• Audit Resources• Important Dates• Summary of Changes
• Including Remote Learning/COVID-19 Related
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Presentation Notes
There are 3 main topic sections that we’ll cover in this training. First, will be an overview of the primary audit resources and anything important to know about those for this year. Second, important dates related to the audit. Lastly, a summary of specific changes to guidance this year, including aspects related to remote learning environments due to COVID 19.
Audit Resources
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Presentation Notes
Resources provided for the October Count audit are a mix of those developed by the Colorado Department of Education along with those developed by CSI that are tailored specifically for CSI schools. The primary audit resources are all posted to the October Count webpage of the CSI website.
Audit Resources
• 20-21 CSI Oct Count Audit Handbook• 20-21 CDE Oct Count Audit Resource Guide
• Addendum (Focus on Remote Learning due to COVID-19)
• CSI Legal and Policy Guidance• Weekly Update Emails
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Presentation Notes
There are again four primary resources this year for audit. The first is the CSI Oct Count audit handbook, which will be highlighted in upcoming slides. Second is the CDE or state version of their handbook or what’s known as the Audit Resource Guide. For 20-21 CDE has created an associated addendum that addresses audit impacts on remote learning due to COVID-19. The CDE resource guide is highly in depth and we have used it as a basis to develop the CSI audit handbook which typically has all the detail needed for most audit scenarios. However, we do need to consult the CDE guide fairly often when it comes to more complex scenarios. Schools should direct any questions on the content of the CDE guide to CSI. If we can’t answer your questions then we’ll check with CDE. This is how the state has asked all districts to manage questions about the guide. The 3rd resource is a link to our CSI Legal and Policy Guidance page where we have general policy information on attendance, enrollment, and home school programs. What you won’t find there is anything COVID related to these topics. We’ll have that type of information available through the October Count resources. Finally, as always, please watch the Weekly Update emails that are sent to school submission contacts each week. This is the current event resource where we’ll share announcements and deadline related information each week. And of course, this is where you’ll want to check the status of your submissions for the number of errors, summary report create, and other things like that.
Checklist of supporting documents listed in the Audit Handbook
All schools must complete this in tandem with their file submissions
Presenter
Presentation Notes
One of the most important features of the CSI October Count Audit Handbook is the Audit Supporting Documentation Checklist that is in the Appendix. Even though this isn’t a new feature for the audit this year, we want to emphasize the importance of it because ALL schools need to be downloading this and completing it in tandem with completing your October Count submissions. We are still finding that many schools are coding students incorrectly in some cases and not collecting and submitting the correct supporting documentation that’s required for the October Count audit. Many times in those cases, schools are having to pay back money to the state down the road. This checklist, though it can be daunting to look at and that’s because there a ton of rules to the audit, is going to help ensure that you claim the correct funding for students and that you submit all of the correct documents to CSI that are needed to prove the funding claimed for each student.
Audit Supporting Document Checklist
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COVID related information highlighted in orange
Presenter
Presentation Notes
For 20-21, information related to COVID-19 is highlighted in orange throughout the Audit handbook, including the supporting document checklist.
Audit Supporting Document Checklist
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Complete the checklist, then sign (with your school leader), and submit to CSI by November 6th
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The checklist itself will have a full set of instructions within it that you will want to read before starting to complete it. CSI requires that you and your school leader sign the checklist once you complete it and then submit it to CSI by November 6th. When we look at your checklist on our end, then we will know that you have completed the required submissions for the audit and we’re aware of the special types of student funding scenarios that you will have for the year. This information is crucial to having a successful state audit of the 20-21 October count data once that is initiated.
Important Dates
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Presentation Notes
Moving along to the second main content section which is a walkthrough on the important dates associated with the October count audit this year.
20-21 Count Dates
9 30-Day Attendance Resume Date is 10/30
Presenter
Presentation Notes
This is the first year in quite a while that the count day has fallen on October 1st, which is on a Thursday. The count window, which is the 5 school days before and 5 school days after starts on September 24th and ends on October 8th. Taking attendance and reporting it is mandatory all year, but it’s crucial that you make sure to have solid records for attendance during the count window. All state funding requirements are based on both the count date and the 11-day count window. Just a quick reminder that any students absent on count day will require that you submit proof of attendance at least one day prior to count date in the current year. And, proof that the student resumed attendance within 30 calendar days following count date. For this year, that 30 day cut off is October 30th because the actual date falls on the weekend following that. Also, a student could not have transferred to another CO district during the time before resuming attendance.
20-21 Other Audit Dates
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Portion of additional dates listed in the CSI October Count Audit Handbook
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The most important audit related dates have been added to the 20-21 data submissions calendar. Please know that we don’t add all of the audit types of dates simply because it would make the calendar too cluttered. We have heard your suggestions on creating a separate October Count Audit calendar and we will work on making that happen next school year. There were just too many things that came up this year that prevented us from getting that done. This slide shows a portion of the additional audit related deadlines listed in the October Count audit handbook. Please be sure to download the handbook and check out the rest of the dates listed there. Two dates that you won’t see this year are for completing the Free and Reduced Lunch Participation Survey and completing the Home Based Student Survey. We’re determining the FRL participation in a different way this year and we’ve found that it’s no longer necessary for CSI schools to complete the Home Based Student survey.
The last content section of this training is where specific changes to the audit will be highlighted particularly for each of the unique student scenarios.
Remote Learning Policy• For 20-21 only, student contact days may
include remote learning days due to public health and safety measures (COVID-19)
• Delayed start dates resulting in fewer student contact days may require new instructional calculations and possibly make up days later in the year
• Instructional time thresholds not met• Less than 160 student contact days (if not
approved for that)
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Presentation Notes
Due to COVID-19, the state has provided a number of flexibilities for the 20-21 year only. In cases of remote learning, schools are allowed to include remote learning days in place of student contact days. If a school experiences a delayed start date as many CSI schools have already this year.. And, that results in fewer student contact days, then new instructional time calculations need to be completed. If it turns out that required instructional time thresholds are not met, or if the number of contacts days falls below 160 and the school is not approved for that, then make up days will be needed later.
Remote Learning Policy• Remote learning may be used in the
determination of funding during 20-21 if there are documented local policies
• Each CSI school required to submit policies defining the following:
• Educational process• Instructional time• Bell schedule equivalencies• Attendance practices
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Students still need at least 360 teacher-pupil contact and instruction hours for full time funding and at least 90 for part time funding
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Continuing with remote learning information …the state has said that remote learning may be used in the determination of funding for students in 20-21 as long as there are documented local policies in place. To meet this, each CSI school is required to submit written policies defining their educational process, teacher-pupil instructional time, bell schedule equivalencies, and attendance practices. The policies submitted will be supporting documentation that we’ll need to provide to CDE for the October Count audit for this year. Even with the flexibilities added for this year, please know that students still need to be scheduled for at least 360 teacher pupil contact and instruction hours for full time funding and at least 90 hours for part time funding. Much more detail on remote learning is available in the CDE Audit Resource Guide special Addendum for this year.
Contractual Education• Consult with contract providers to determine how
their services fit your educational process policies and plans for remote learning
• Schools must ensure that providers employ practices and procedures aligning with adopted local policies.
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Presentation Notes
Just a quick mention that from this point forward each slide topic will be listed in alphabetical order. Starting with Contractual education, for this year it’s important to know if your school is contracting any educational services for students If so, then it’s the responsibility of your school to determine how those services fit with your policies for your educational process and plans for remote learning. Schools must ensure that contracted providers employ practices and procedures that align with your adopted local policies for remote learning.
Early Access• Eligibility determinations for early access students must be
made within 60 calendar days of the school receiving the child’s portfolio.
• As of May 13, 2020, the state board of education granted a statewide waiver of this timeline for the 2019-2020 school year.
• Evaluations not requiring in-person meetings, observations, or assessments may be conducted while schools are providing remote learning.
• Evaluations requiring in-person contact need to be delayed until in-person learning resumes or current guidance of the state/local health department allows such interactions.
• Communication of next steps and process adjustments should be made proactively with families.
• If needed because of school closure, determinations can be made up until September 1, 2020 as is standard practice for applications received after April 1st.
More information is available at the CDE Gifted Education and COVID-19 Guidance webpage at https://www.cde.state.co.us/gt/gecovid19guidance
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Presentation Notes
Early Access rules do have some COVID related adjustments for the year. It was hard not to reduce the wording for this slide, so please pardon the volume of text. More details are available in the audit checklist and also on the CDE Gifted Education and COVID guidance webpage linked at the bottom of this slide. Essentially early access determinations must be made within 60 calendar days from the time the school receives a portfolio. Last May the state board of ed granted a statewide waiver of the timeline for the 19-20 school year. Included in that was the guidance that evaluations NOT requiring in-person meetings, observations, or assessments may be conducted during remote learning. Evaluations requiring in-person contact need to be delayed until in person learning resumes or in person contact is allowed. Communications on next steps and adjustments need to be made to families. Finally, determinations can be made up until September 1st of this year….
First Grade (Under Age 6)• Beginning with the 2020-21 school year, first grade
students no longer need to be at least 6 years old as of October 1 for full-time funding
• Audit documentation no longer needed to demonstrate full-time funding eligibility as long as the first grader is at least 5 years old as of October 1
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Presentation Notes
There was a change in statute for 20-21 where first grade students no longer need to be 6 years by October 1st to be eligible for full time funding. Because of this, additional documentation isn’t needed to prove full time funding as long as a student is at least 5 years old as of October 1st This rule change has stirred up some controversy and may lead to a change down the road, but this is the rule that is in place for 20-21.
Free and Reduced Lunch Eligibility
• Continue to collect and report eligibility status for all students even if remote learning takes place
• Work with your SFA or complete FEDS forms if not contracting with an SFA
• For 20-21 only-- If electronic signatures cannot be collected on FEDS forms, then it’s acceptable to have families scan or photograph a copy of the signed form and submit that
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Presentation Notes
For Free and Reduced Lunch Eligibility for this year it’s important to know that… You should continue to collect and report eligibility status for all students even if remote learning takes place If you are contracting with an SFA, continue to work with them. If you are NOT contracting with an SFA, continue to have families complete FEDS forms and determine the eligibility status for each. For 20-21 only due to COVIDE, if electronic signature cannot be collected on FEDS forms, then it’s acceptable to have families scan or photograph a copy of the signed form and submit that.
Homeschool
• Schools with approved homeschool programs need to align with both the “Homeschool” and “Supplemental Online” audit rules
• Only schools with approved homeschool programs should be flagging students in SIS as homeschool/homebased (remote learning due to COVID-19 isn’t considered homeschool for traditional in-person students)
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Presentation Notes
A couple of things to point out for homeschool are the following. First, schools with approved homeschool programs need to align with the audit rules for both “Homeschool” and “Supplemental Online”. Full details on both of those student types is available in the CDE Audit Resource guide and the special Addendum for this year. The second point is that only schools with approved homeschool programs should be flagging students in your SIS as homeschool or homebased. In other words, remote learning due to COVID is not considered homeschool for traditional in-person students.
SPED - IEPs• For 20-21, IEPs must be current (i.e., not more than
365 days old)• Age of IEPs has not been an issue in years past--
schools must be diligent in updating out of date IEPs for this year if they expect to receive funding when an IEP is required
• To be funded the IEP must include a SPED service window that encompass the October count date
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Presentation Notes
The following change for 20-21 for SPED students and IEPs is extremely important to know about. School submission contacts need to partner with SPED coordinators to ensure that you are taking steps right away to address this new rule. What is new for audit in 20-21, is that IEPs must be current and can no longer be more than 365 days old. The age of IEPs has not been an issue in prior years. Schools must be diligent in updating IEPs that are out of date early this school year if you expect to receive funding when an IEP is required. Scenarios where an IEP is required for funding are identified in the audit checklist, so you will see where those are needed. What remains the same and is an important reminder, is that to be funded, the SPED services within the IEP must encompass the October count date. So, the IEP service delivery page, which is the documentation required for audit has to show an IEP window of dates this year that is not more than one year old and also encompasses the count date.
Kindergarten Grade Level Coding
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Presentation Notes
The following isn’t a change for this year, but it is something we want to call out as a problem area of reporting in the October Count. For Kindergarten there are two grade level codes that are for half day and full day. What’s important to know is that these actually refer to the Kindergarten program itself and not to whether a student is part or full time funded. We do see students coded incorrectly in half day programs because of the confusion with part time funding. So, if you have a student attending a full day Kindergarten program, but the student only attends long enough for the October Count semester to be funded at a part time level, you still need to code the student in grade level 007 for a full day program. You would then also code them with an 82 for part time in the funding status field.
Kindergarten Retained
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• KG retained for a 2nd year due to an SRD and who participate in a half day program are eligible for full time funding
• SRD determinations from the prior year spring READ collection
• READ was cancelled for 19-20• Evidence of SRD can be based upon mid-
year 19-20 assessments
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The following information in this slide is a change related to students who are retained for a second year of Kindergarten due to a significant reading deficiency or SRD. Proof of SRD determinations are taken from the prior year spring READ collection. Since the READ collection was cancelled for 19-20, evidence of an SRD for the October Count this year can be based on mid-year 19-20 assessments. There are specific types of assessments that can be used and the results have to clearly show the student’s name, date of testing, and the scores. CSI will work with any schools that believe they have students who meet this scenario prior to the close of the October Count collection.
Passing Periods
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• For 20-21, CDE will allow up to 10-minute passing periods in order to accommodate health and safety concerns
• Explanations are required for longer passing times—contact CSI
• Passing periods are still allowed to be included when determining instructional time for funding, but CSI suggest that schools do not include it in case of unexpected closures
Presenter
Presentation Notes
For 20-21, CDE will allow up to 10-minute passing periods to accommodate health and safety concerns due to COVID. In regular years up to 7 minutes has been allowed. If a school wishes to use longer than 10-minutes for this year, then CDE requires an explanation and you’ll need to contact CSI so that we can work with CDE on an approval for a longer passing time. Lastly, passing periods are still allowed to be included when determining instructional time for funding, but CSI suggest that schools do not include it in case of unexpected closures
Work-Based Learning
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• No changes this year, but ensure that students complete a work-based contract signed and dated prior to count date
• This will serve as proof for funding even if the student cannot complete the program due to COVID-19
• CDE will not be checking if the student completed the program
Presenter
Presentation Notes
For Work-Based learning programs there are not rule changes this year. However, please be sure to that you have students complete a work-based contract that they sign and date prior to count date. Then if a student is unable to complete the program for the year due to COVID 19, the contract will serve as proof for funding. We do hope that students can complete their programs, but CDE has said that they will not be check to make sure they have completed.
This concludes the primary new changes and important reminders for the October Count Audit for school year 20-21. Thank you very much for watching this recording. If you have questions, please be sure to send those to our submissions email listed on this slide.
