New York State Education DepartmentCharter School Office

FY13 Federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grant Orientation for

New Recipients

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June 28, 2012 2:00 PM

Webinar Logistics

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•Blackboard is an integrated webinar software that provides both visual and audio through your computer. If you are having technical difficulties, please contact Cheri Murray at 518-402-5623 or cmurray@mail.nysed.gov for assistance.

• Please use the chat function to ask questions. We will pause to answer questions frequently.

• When asked for feedback, please use the face icons to let us know whether things are making sense.

Today’s Audience

•Representatives from SUNY and SED founding groups expected to be chartered at the June 19, 2012 Board of Regents meeting.• Consultants assisting charter schools with completing documents to access grant funds.• ALL individuals on the call should be representing eligible applicant charter schools that are first-time federal CSP grant recipients.

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Purpose of the WebinarThe NYSED Charter School Office is offering a webinar to all eligible applicants who are receiving federal CSP funds for the first time. During this webinar we hope to:

• Provide information on federal CSP funds and its non-regulatory guidance• Provide a list of documents required to access funding• Provide a timeline showing you how long it takes to complete the documents and get your initial 20% payment• Provide ongoing processes to request additional funds, make amendments, and submit reports• Provide information about federal regulations governing this grant program• Connect participants to contacts and resources• Answer questions (or collect them and get back to you)

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What is the CSP Grant?The New York State Education Department receives a Federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) grant under Title V, Part B of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, (NCLB).  The primary purpose of this grant is to award sub-grants to one or more eligible applicants in the State to enable such applicant to plan and implement a charter school in accordance with Title V, Part B of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, (NCLB).  This grant program also supports the dissemination of charter school best practices.

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PlanningPlanning and program design of the charter school educational program may include:

–Refinement of the desired educational results and of the methods for measuring progress toward achieving those results, and

–Professional development of teachers and other staff who will work in the charter school.

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ImplementationInitial implementation of the charter school may include:

–Informing the community about the school, –Acquiring necessary equipment and educational

materials and supplies, –Acquiring or developing curriculum materials, and –Other initial operating costs that cannot be met

from State or local sources.

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Grant Period• Planning and Implementation funds can be used for up to 36 months of funding (up to 18 months of planning and up to 24 months of implementation).

•Your three year master contract dates will be 10/1/12 – 8/31/15.

•Your grant will be divided into three annual budget periods.

• The grant budget period for your first year will be from 10/1/12 – 08/31/13.

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Amount of CSP FundsNYS Allocation Amounts:

– $500,000 base amount

– Incentives from applications can bring amount up to $750,000

– Underserved student population priority (Subgrantees will not know if they are eligible for this enhanced funding until the BEDS data is compiled during their contract period. If they are eligible for this funding level, they will receive an amendment that increases their award.)

– Program authorizer design priority(Will know amount when submitting grant application materials)

– Note: If you have a CMO accessing USED replication funds…no “double dipping” – you are ineligible for CSP funding.

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CSP Grant Web Help

CSP Grant help can be found at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/grants.html

There are many links on this page to help you with your CSP grant. You should bookmark this link now, as any information we post about your grants will be available from this address.

How to Apply for FundsAll of the information and paperwork necessary to request funds can be found at:

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/CSPNewFY13PlanningandImplementationGrants.html

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Applications to

Contracts: Let’s take a

tour!

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CSP Grant Application Materials1.) CSP Application Materials 12-13

2.) Grant Cover Page with Signature

3.) Project Narrative and Workplan

4.) CSP FS-10

#1-4 can be found at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/2012-2013CSPGrant.html

5.) Payee ID Form: http://www.oms.nysed.gov/cafe/forms/PIform.pdf

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Grant Cover Page• Must be filled out and signed by either Chief Administrative Officer or the BOT president. Cannot be signed by CMO.

• This binds the Charter School to the terms, assurances, and conditions specified in the CSP Application Materials 12-13.

•Must be signed in blue ink. Can then be scanned and sent in with other application materials.

• Let’s look at it.

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CSP FS-10• This is the budget form for your three year contract. You will be filling out Budget A for the time period of 10/1/12 – 8/31/13 and Budget B for the time period of 9/1/13 – 8/31/15.

• It is very important that you read the instructions in full.

• Both budget summary pages must be signed by chief administrative officer (not CMO).

• I will point out some of the features now – let’s take a look.

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Project Narrative and WorkplanThere are two sections to this part.

1. Narrative: Answer A – D in section 1 from the instructions page. You must make sure you address all portions.

2. Workplan Chart: Fill out the chart with your workplan. Examples are provided.

Let’s take a look at the chart.

Fund Use RulesNonregulatory Guidance found on the CSO website:http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/grants.html This is important! Please bookmark and read!

• Allowable Expenses:– Planning and initial implementation costs (statutory definition of both)– Staff: Start-up related and track time (VERY important to keep time and

effort sheets when school opens for staff compensated by grant)• Non-allowable Expenses:

– Operational costs (e.g.: first grade teacher)– No construction expenses, even for ADA compliance

• Note on “necessary maintenance, repair, or upkeep of buildings and equipment” described on p. 16, Question D4 of the Nonreg. Guidance. Given the fact that CSP funds cannot be expended on construction costs, expenses in this category would most likely be budgeted in the Purchased Services (Code 40) category on the FS-10 budget form. The Minor Remodeling (Code 30) costs should not be used, as this category involves a blend of expenditure types that would likely rise to the level of “construction”.

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Federal Regulations

Full information can be found at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/EDGAR.html

1.) Interest amounts earned over $100 on federal funds must be remitted to the United States Department of Education.

2.) Advance payments are allowed only when a local agency can demonstrate willingness and ability to maintain appropriate procedures that minimize the time between the receipt and the disbursement of grant funds.

What does this mean?No parking of money in a bank account!

Other Required Documents• Corporate Documents: The SED Charter School Office will be issuing these. It may not occur until late July (or later).• These will be sent to the lead applicant or BoT president when prepared.• You may need these for certain paperwork (bank account, etc.). If you do and do not have them yet, please contact Kristen at khamilto@mail.nysed.gov. We can issue a letter that may help move things along.

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Other Required Docs, cont.• ASAP: Submit a signed (in blue ink), hard copy Payee ID Form by July 16, 2012 to:

Kristen Hamilton NYS Education Department Charter School Office - Room 465 EBA 89 Washington Ave.Albany, NY 12234

(I will then walk them all over to the SED department that processes them).

Initial contracts cannot be created until this form is on file. Please do this ASAP!!!

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Other Required Docs, cont.• EL 2853(1)(a) requires Trustees to obtain federal tax-exempt status – 501(3)(c). You can find information on http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4220.pdf.• Start work to obtain a bank account NOW. You will need it for certain required steps.•E-Pay Sign-Up: E-Pay is a requirement of your grant contract. Additionally, it’s faster. You still need to be sure to have a physical address on file for the Payee ID Form. To sign up, please visit:

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/epay/about.htm

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Timeline for Approval1. ASAP: School snail mails Payee ID form to Kristen at SED CSO. 2. 7/16/12: School emails FY13 CSP Grant Documents to SED. 3. 7/16/12 – 7/31/12: SED CSO staff review documents. 4. 7/31/12: SED CSO staff sends documents to SED Grants Finance.5. 8/13/12: Grants Finance develops your contract and emails it to the contact person listed on your cover page for signature.6. ASAP: You have up to 4 weeks to sign and return the contract but you will want to do so ASAP. The contract cover letter provides an address for return to SED Contract Administration. 7. Allow 4 Weeks: Office of Counsel, The Attorney General, and the Office of the State Comptroller approve the contract.8. About 2 Weeks: After all approvals, a copy of the contract is mailed back to the contact person and the initial payment of 20% of the 2012-2013 budget period is issued.

Earliest possible transfer of initial cash payment: Early October 2012. This depends on rapid turnaround of documents by the school.

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Contracts• Please read your contracts. Much of the information needed can be found within them.

• When staff or leadership changes, make sure the new person has a copy of the contract and reads it. It contains important information!

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Reporting and Monitoring• Grants can and will be monitored for compliance to federal and state regulations during your award period. Good recordkeeping from the start will make this process easier on the schools.

• There will be a semi-annual and annual report due each budget year of your grant. You will be required to report on the performance measures in your workplan as well as certain financial information.

• Some issues identified with prior monitoring (Be aware!):

Initial funds not being used in reasonable time period

Checks not deposited in timely fashion

Not signed up for E-pay

Need stronger systems in place for schools with staff funded by grant after opening.

Payments (FS-25)• Upon contract approval: You receive an initial 20% payment of your Budget A total.

• Monthly: FS-25 forms are used to request 70% of your Budget A funds. To help expedite payments, it is recommended you complete these forms on a monthly basis. Cash payments prior to the end of the grant period cannot exceed 90% of a grant’s budget.

• End of Budget Period: FS-10-F forms are used to request the remaining 10% of your Budget A funds and close out your budget period.

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Amendments (FS-10-A)Amendments to your CSP grant’s budget are allowable.  However, the following guidelines must be followed in order for the NYSED Charter School Office (CSO) staff to process your amendment.Amendments have to be initiated no less than two months before the end of your current budget period. Example: If your 2012-2013 budget period ends 8/31/13, the CSO needs to have received your email request by July 1, 2013. To be approvable, budget amendments must:

– Fall within the already approved activities listed in your grant application – Stay within the confines of the non-regulatory and federal guidance that govern

your grant.  Non-regulatory guidance can be found at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/documents/2011cspnonregulatoryguidance.pdf, and

– Contain a valid justification for the change(s) requested.

Visit http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/Amendment.html for full instructions on submitting amendments.

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Grant Close-Out (FS-10-F)• To access the last 10%, complete a FS-10-F at the end of your 2012-2013 budget period. • This form must be filed no later than 90 days from the end of a budget period. • You will be notified by email when you are required to submit continuation information for the 2013-2014 budget period, as well a project report to close out the 2012-2013 budget period.

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Resources• NYSED’s Charter School Office

• SED Grants Finance Guidance and Information

• National Charter School Resource Center

• United States Department of Education Charter Schools Home Page

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Contacts: Update SEDREF• To make sure you get all communications from NYSED, please

make sure that your school’s contact info is updated in SEDREF, NYSED’s administrative information system:

• For assistance in updating your school’s info, see: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/sedrefupdate.html. Please also email changes to: CHARTERSCHOOLS@MAIL.NYSED.GOV

• The Department currently maintains the contact info for the following at a charter school Board of Trustees President Chief Executive Officer (direct report to the Board of Trustees) Director of Special Education Information Officer Title I Coordinator

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Contacts and Addresses: CSP• You may submit 2 contacts (primary and alternate) to khamilto@mail.nysed.gov for your CSP grant. If there are other people you want to keep in the loop, you should pick a primary that is able to forward information to them.

• Please choose people who you are fairly sure will not be changing anytime soon.

• When choosing a contact and address to put on your grant application (cover page and CSP FS-10), you should choose carefully. This will be the address that is used for all grant related documents. This address should match your mailing address in SEDREF and your OSC Vendor ID address. If you will not have a school location for several months, please choose a fairly permanent address that will likely still be able to be utilized 3 years from now.

Questions?

Email: charterschools@mail.nysed.gov with the subject line: CSP Grant: Question

OR

Call: Kristen Hamilton at

(518) 474-1762

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