EL Funding Process Letter
Dear County and District Superintendents:
FUNDING PROCESS FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
As you may know, the professional development training for teachers of English learners (ELs), authorized by the Senate Bill 472 Mathematics and Reading Professional Development Program, is now available. For fiscal year (FY) 2007-08, $18,750,000 is available to reimburse districts for teachers completing English Learner Professional Development (ELPD) under SB 472. Since the funding methodology for this training component differs from the rest of the program, this letter will explain the funding process for the new 40-hour ELPD.
Funding Process
While all local educational agencies (LEAs) are eligible to participate, the law requires that the California Department of Education (CDE) award priority in funding to any LEA that meets one or more of the following criteria:
- Twenty percent or more of the district’s total enrollment are EL pupils.
- One or more schools in the district are in program improvement under the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
- One or more schools have not met their English language learner subgroup targets pursuant to California Education Code Section 52052.
Claims for FY 2007-08 submitted to the CDE by November 15, 2008, and meet at least one of the above criteria shall receive first priority for funding. If funding is insufficient to fully fund all first priority claims, then the CDE shall calculate the percentage of teachers that can be funded within the available appropriation and prorate funds evenly among all first priority claims. The CDE anticipates that payment for first priority claims will be issued in January 2009.
If a balance remains after fully funding all first priority claims for FY 2007-08, the CDE will fund FY 2007-08 claims that do not meet any of the priority criteria providing they were received by the November 15, 2008, deadline. If the remaining funding is insufficient to fully fund all of these second priority claims, then the CDE shall calculate the percentage of teachers that can be funded within the available appropriation and prorate funds evenly among all second priority claims received by the deadline. The CDE anticipates that payment for second priority claims will be issued in January 2009. Claims for FY 2007-08 received after the November 15, 2008, deadline will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis.
Teacher Eligibility
An LEA may request reimbursement for the 40-hour ELPD if a teacher: (1) teaches EL pupils; (2) completes the 40-hour initial program training before attending the 40-hour ELPD; and (3) completes the 40-hour ELPD training by a training provider approved by the State Board of Education (SBE). Please note that meeting these requirements does not guarantee that the LEA will receive funding. Funding will be distributed according to the priorities listed on the first page of this letter. LEAs may also request ELPD reimbursement for teachers who meet the above criteria and who have already completed the entire 120 hours of program training at any time in the past. The 40-hour initial or 120 hours of program training may have been completed under either Assembly Bill 466 or SB 472 and in either mathematics or reading.
Training Hours and Reimbursement
After an eligible teacher has completed the 40-hour ELPD, an LEA may submit a claim to the CDE for $1,250 reimbursement. The law permits, but does not require, the district to use up to $500 of the $1,250 to pay the teacher a stipend. Funding for ELPD is limited to a total of 40 hours for each eligible teacher of EL pupils.
At the teacher’s option, a teacher may count the 40-hour ELPD towards the 80 hours of follow-up training in either mathematics or reading. If the teacher chooses this option, the LEA may request $1,250 after the teacher has completed the 40-hour ELPD and another $1,250 after the teacher has completed the remaining 40 of the 80 hours. Of these amounts, the LEA may issue an individual teacher stipend up to $500 after completion of the 40-hour ELPD and up to another $500 after completion of the remaining 40 of the 80 hours follow-up.
A teacher may also choose not to count the 40-hour ELPD towards the completion of the 80 hours follow-up. In this case the teacher would complete both the 80-hours of follow-up and 40-hour ELPD for a total of 160 hours of training; however, the total reimbursement and stipends available is the same as for those completing 120 hours of training. The enclosed chart displays the various funding and hour scenarios for teachers completing the 40-hour ELPD.
To claim reimbursement for teacher ELPD, the LEA must complete an EL form using the SB 472 online system. If an application for FY 2007-08 has not previously been submitted by your LEA, you will first need to complete an application form. You may link to the SB 472 online system on the Request for Applications Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r12/mard07rfa.asp or you may access it directly on the WestEd Mathematics and Reading Professional Development Program (SB 472) Web page at http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/capd/print/htdocs/capd/home.htm (Outside Source).
Excess Funds
If an LEA has any remaining program funds after paying for ELPD, then those funds must be spent for additional ELPD under the Mathematics and Reading Professional Development Program or for other professional development which focuses on improving the delivery of mathematics or reading/language arts instruction to EL pupils.
If you have any questions regarding the program aspects of ELPD, please contact
Eli Johnson, Education Programs Consultant, Reading/Language Arts Leadership Office, at 916-323-4711 or by e-mail at ejohnson@cde.ca.gov. If you have any questions regarding the fiscal aspects of ELPD, please contact Pat Boncella, Associate Governmental Program Analyst, Administrative and Fiscal Services, at 916-323-4965 or by e-mail at pboncell@cde.ca.gov.
Sincerely,
JACK O’CONNELL
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Enclosure
1430 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814