Comprehensive Monitoring involves collaborating with or coaching a small group of LEAs, selected based on risk assessment factors, to support requirements that focus on the coordination among ESEA programs and program implementation at the district-level as well as school-level. It includes monitoring of all requirements not covered under the Universal or Targeted Monitoring procedures.
The Comprehensive Monitoring process consists of a selection, document submission, desk review, monitoring visit, report findings, any necessary corrective action, and final completion once all requirements are met under ESEA law.
ESEA Comprehensive Monitoring Process Timeline:
- Selection
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LEAs are selected for comprehensive monitoring based on a risk assessment. Being selected for comprehensive monitoring does not mean the LEAs have done something wrong. It simply means they have been identified as potentially needing more support and technical assistance from DPI based on the risk assessment.
The risk assessment factors used to determine which LEAs are selected for comprehensive monitoring include:
- student assessment and graduation data;
- inequitable distribution of teachers;
- combined allocations for all ESEA grants;
- monitoring history;
- history of past single audit findings; and
- history of late application and report submissions.
On very rare occasions, an LEA is selected for monitoring because DPI learned they intentionally choose not to comply with one or more requirements of the federal law.
- Document Submission and Desk Review
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Once notified, selected LEAs should begin gathering the required evidence to demonstrate compliance with requirements outlined in Sections 1-15 (below). Shortly after notification, DPI will provide LEAs with the necessary information, tools, instructions, and resources to complete the submission process in a sufficient amount of time. The submission tools are customized and only include those requirements that the LEA is responsible for.
LEAs will have until five weeks prior to the scheduled monitoring visit to submit the required documentation, at which time the submission folders will be locked giving DPI staff time to review and prepare for the visit. Once the submission folders are locked, no additional documentation can be submitted prior to the monitoring visit.
LEAs must observe all requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) when developing and submitting documents to DPI. In other words, documents MUST NOT include any personally identifiable information (PII). LEAs should not upload narrative responses to the guiding questions, but should be prepared to discuss them during the monitoring visit. DPI’s Document Submission Procedures provides greater details on uploading documentation for review.
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Monitoring Visit
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Once the document submission process begins, DPI will reach out to each LEA to schedule a mutually agreed upon date for the monitoring visit and whether it will be held in person or virtually. Comprehensive monitoring visits will be held in late winter/early spring.
The purpose of the monitoring visit is to discuss the evidence provided for each requirement, gather additional information and provide support if appropriate. LEAs should be prepared to discuss the guiding questions at the visit, although DPI staff will only ask questions that will help them better understand the LEA’s level of compliance with a requirement. DPI will not accept narrative responses to the guiding questions as submitted evidence.
It is important that LEA staff who implement the program(s) funded by ESEA grants participate in gathering and uploading required documentation, as well as speak in-depth to the programs monitored during the visit. The visit gives the LEA the opportunity to seek support where needed and to highlight and celebrate promising practices..
- Report Findings
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Preliminary findings will be presented to LEAs at the conclusion of the visit. A formal written report will be sent to LEA leaders approximately six weeks after the visit. The formal report will identify strengths, weaknesses, any necessary corrective action, and will provide technical assistance if needed. If the monitoring report indicates the LEA successfully met all requirements, a formal closure letter will accompany the monitoring report. If corrective action is necessary, DPI will send the LEA a final closure letter once all corrective actions are complete.
- Corrective Action and Closure
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If the LEA didn’t meet at least the “Developing” level as described in a requirement’s rubric, then corrective action will be assigned for that requirement in the monitoring report, along with deadlines to submit it. LEAs are expected to work with DPI to complete their corrective action in a timely manner. DPI consultants are available to support LEAs as they work to complete their requirements. Once all requirements are successfully met, DPI will send a final closure letter to the LEA leadership.
- Closure
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