April 16, 2012

Dear Consolidated Programs Directors, Consolidated Programs Cooperative Directors, and Administrators of Direct-Funded Charter Schools:

2011-12 CONSOLIDATED APPLICATION FOR FUNDING
CATEGORICAL AID PROGRAMS, WINTER RELEASE

This letter provides information related to the completion of the 2011-12 Consolidated Application (ConApp) for Funding Categorical Aid Programs, Winter Release, and highlights the most notable changes in the ConApp and its categorical programs. For other related information, such as the link to the Consolidated Application and Reporting System (CARS) and the instructions for completing the ConApp, visit the California Department of Education (CDE) Request for Applications (RFA) Web page. Using the contact information provided to us through last year’s ConApp, we will notify you by e-mail when the ConApp is available on the CDE RFA Web page.

Records Retention

Per the U.S. Code, Title 20, Section 1232f(a) (Outside Source), each recipient of Federal funds under any applicable program through any grant, subgrant, cooperative agreement, loan, or other arrangement shall keep records which fully disclose the amount and disposition by the recipient of those funds, the total cost of the activity for which the funds are used, the share of that cost provided from other sources, and such other records as will facilitate an effective financial or programmatic audit.

The recipient shall maintain such records for three years after the completion of the activity for which the funds are used. The Secretary and the Comptroller General of the United States, or any of their duly authorized representatives, shall have access, for the purpose of audit examination, to any records maintained by a recipient that may be related, or pertinent to, grants, subgrants, cooperative agreements, loans, or other arrangements to which reference is made in subsection (a) of this section, or which may relate to the compliance of the recipient with any requirement of an applicable program.

ConApp and Reporting System (CARS)-Online Submission of the ConApp

The CARS is the online version of the ConApp. The CARS will run on any computer. In order to obtain access to CARS, you must use your unique password that was selected through the Centralized Authentication System on the CARS web page and have the person you designated as the LEA Administrator assign you rights to access your LEA’s data.

All ConApps must be submitted online through the CARS. No paper copies of the ConApp will be accepted. Any subsequent revisions to the ConApp must also be submitted online through the CARS. However, LEAs are required to obtain original signatures on the Certification of Assurances, Prayer Certification and EIA Advisory Committee Approvals to certify compliance with all laws and regulations related to the ConApp programs. These original signatures must be kept on file at the LEA and be available during a compliance review, complaint investigation, or an audit. It is not necessary to mail or fax this page to the CDE, unless requested. Under the 2011-12 ConApp, Winter Release, May 25, 2012 is the due date for all collections except for the Title I Part A Notification of Schoolwide Participation. The Title I Part A Notification of Schoolwide Participation due date is June 30, 2012.

Funding Opportunities

LEAs, including direct-funded charter schools, may review a funding profile for each program on the CDE Consolidated Application Programs Web page. Each funding profile contains a brief description of the program, eligibility criteria, funding information, and CDE contacts for additional program or fiscal information.

Legal Assurances

Legal assurances for programs funded through the ConApp are located on the CDE Legal Assurances Web page. In the event an LEA cannot agree to specific assurances as a condition for receiving funds and operating programs, the issues must be identified and resolved prior to the submission of the ConApp. The CDE recognizes that some of the legal assurances do not apply to direct-funded charter schools and will work with LEAs to resolve these issues. For assistance on resolving these issues, please contact Anne Daniels, Associate Governmental Program Analyst, Education Data Office, at 916-319-0640 or by e-mail at adaniels@cde.ca.gov.

LEA Plan

As a condition of receiving federal funds from the ConApp, each LEA and direct-funded charter school must have an approved State Board of Education LEA Plan. The ConApp is the fiscal companion to the LEA Plan. The State Board of Education must approve the ConApp and the LEA Plan. In addition, each LEA shall periodically review and, as necessary, revise its Plan (Elementary and Secondary Education Act [ESEA] Section 1112[d][3]). Since the ESEA does not define “periodically,” the CDE interprets that to mean that LEAs review and update their LEA Plan annually as LEAs are subject to review at any time by the CDE. Any revisions must be approved by the local school board and kept on file with the original Plan. Additional information about the LEA Plan is located on the CDE LEA Plan Web page. Questions regarding LEA Plans should be directed to Cheryl Tiner, Education Research and Evaluation Assistant, Improvement and Accountability Division, by phone at 916-319-0414 or by e-mail at ctiner@cde.ca.gov or Laura Wagner, Manager, Improvement and Accountability Division, by phone at 916-319-0789 or by e-mail at lwagner@cde.ca.gov.

Title I, Part A Participation in 2011-12

The application for funding declares that the local education agency (LEA) authorized by the local governing board is applying for specified categorical aid funds.

In order to receive Title I apportionments for 2011-12, the LEA must:

• Select “Yes” for Title I, Part A participation and certify the 2011-12 Application for Categorical Program Funding no later than March 16, 2012.
• Have a State Board of Education (SBE) approved LEA Plan.
• Submit a Cash Management Data Collection (CMDC) cash balance report during the reporting window.

Questions regarding the CMDC should be directed to Karen Almquist, Education Fiscal Services Assistant, School Fiscal Services Division, at 916-327-4406 or by e-mail at federalcashmanagement@cde.ca.gov. For Title I, Part A fiscal questions, contact Leslie Sharp, Education Fiscal Services Assistant, School Fiscal Services Division, at 916-323-4977 or by e-mail at lsharp@cde.ca.gov.

Title II, Part A, Expenditure Report for Fiscal Year 2009-10

As in the prior year, the CDE is requiring LEAs to submit expenditure reports for the Title II, Part A program. These reports will be processed through the ConApp, with a final close out report due September 30 of the following year. However, these will not be the determining factor for each LEA’s next apportionment.

As in the prior year, apportionments for Title II, Part A will be based on the cash balance reported by the LEA to the CDE, using the Federal Cash Management Data Collection (CMDC) system, discussed above.

Questions regarding the CMDC should be directed to Karen Almquist, Education Fiscal Services Assistant, School Fiscal Services Division, at 916-327-4406 or by e-mail at federalcashmanagement@cde.ca.gov. For Title II program questions, contact Jackie Rose, Associate Governmental Programs Analyst, Title II Leadership Office, at 916 322 9503 or by e-mail at jrose@cde.ca.gov.

Title III, Part A Immigrant Obligation Report

The LEAs will use the Title III, Part A Immigrant Obligation Report to record obligations by object code for the 2011-12 Title III Part A Immigrant Education Student Sub-grant Program entitlement. Each LEA receiving a Title III sub-grant in Fiscal Year 2011-12 must complete this data collection.

Title III, Part A Limited English Proficient (LEP) Obligation Report

The LEAs will use the Title III, Part A LEP Obligation Report to record obligations by object code for the 2011-12 Title III Part A LEP Student Sub-grant Program entitlement. Each LEA receiving a Title III sub-grant in Fiscal Year 2011-12 must complete this data collection.

Title IV, Part A, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities (SDSFC) and Tobacco-Use Prevention Education (TUPE)

Title IV, Part A, SDSFC was eliminated from the Federal budget for FY 2010. There is no new funding for the 2011-12 school year. The TUPE funding awarded through the ConApp (entitlement funding) was eliminated in FY 2009. The ConApp is used to report carryover funds only.

For questions regarding Title IV and TUPE fiscal reporting, contact the Coordinated School Health and Safety Office at 916-319-0914.

Economic Impact Aid (EIA)

Charter schools receive funding in lieu of EIA as part of the Charter School Categorical Block Grant. Charter schools’ funding in lieu of EIA is not included in the ConApp. For charter school funding information, contact Byron Fong, Education Fiscal Services Consultant, Charter Schools Fiscal Office, at 916-323-0498 or by e-mail at byfong@cde.ca.gov.

For more information, please see the CDE EIA Web page.

Consolidated Application Related Documents

The following documents that relate to the 2011-12 ConApp, Winter Release, are available on the CDE RFA Web page:

• 2011-12 ConApp Cover Letter
• 2011-12 ConApp Guidance
• 2011-12 Legal Assurances

If you have any questions regarding these documents, please contact the ConApp Support Desk at 916-319-0297 or by e-mail at conappsupport@cde.ca.gov. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Keric W. Ashley, Director
District, School and Innovation Branch
Educational Data Management Division