New Hampshire Department of Education

Bureau of Integrated Programs

Title II, Part A, Reallocation of Funds

Section 2121 of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires the State Educational Agency (SEA) to develop procedures for the reallocation of Title II, Part A funds. Funds must be reallocated to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in a timely fashion and must be allocated in accordance with State guidelines for reallocation.

D-10. How may the SEA distribute any unclaimed LEA funds?

Title II, Part A funds available for LEA use are considered unclaimed if or when one or more LEAs decide not to participate in the program, or agree that they cannot use all or a portion of the funds they receive. The SEA must distribute these funds to other LEAs, but it has the flexibility to determine how this redistribution will occur. It may, but is not required, to proportionally increase the subgrant amount provided to all participating LEAs. Alternately, an SEA could establish special procedural and distribution criteria (e.g., LEAs with high proportions of teachers who are not highly qualified and need additional professional development) and make these funds available to those LEAs that meet these criteria. However, an SEA may not reserve for itself any portion of these LEA funds to augment either its State Activities or its administrative funds.

The New Hampshire Department of Education and the Bureau of Integrated Programs will reallocate Title II, Part A funds in accordance with the reallocation guidelines outlined below.

ELIGIBLE FUNDS

Title II, Part A funds eligible for reallocation are:

·  Funds allocated to an eligible LEA that has chosen not to participate in the Title II, Part A program;

·  Funds returned by an LEA because of its failure to meet federal maintenance of effort requirements; and,

·  Funds not obligated by an LEA and returned to the New Hampshire Department of Education.

PRIORITIZATION

When distributing reallocated Title II, Part A funds to LEAs, the Bureau of Integrated Programs has the flexibility to determine how the redistribution will occur based on the following:

1.  LEAs with a high percentage (above the state average) of teachers not highly qualified.

2.  LEAs with a large average class size (above the state average).

3.  LEAs seeking supplemental support in Mentoring and Induction

4.  LEAs seeking supplemental technology training

5.  LEAs seeking to support attendance at the NH Statewide Educators’ Summit

6.  LEAs seeking supplemental leadership training or coaching.

7.  LEAs seeking supplemental training in competency implementation or assessment literacy.

APPLICATION & ELIGIBILITY

The Bureau of Integrated Programs will communicate to LEAs about available funds for reallocation in the spring. An Intent Form must be submitted by the Superintendent and must specify the amount of funds requested and the intended use of the funds. LEAs must be able to describe how the receipt of these funds will improve teacher quality and help students meet achievement targets. LEAs must also align project to one of the criteria above and to the professional development needs assessment submitted with the most current needs assessment.

The Bureau of Integrated Programs will review requests for reallocated funds and will determine eligibility and funding using a rubric.

2015-2016 PROCESS INFORMATION

1.  LEAs submit the Intent Form to the Title IIA Director via email prior to 4pm on February 26, 2016.

2.  LEAs will receive notice via email by March 11, 2015 that the intent form has been approved and that a new Professional Development grant is available in the Online Grants Management System.

3.  LEAs will submit this new grant to be approved by the Title IIA Director.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1.  What is the end date for the funds?

Funds need to be obligated by September 30, 2016.

2.  How much can I apply for?

There is no “set amount” for the intent form, though the one activity that you select needs to be clearly aligned with the needs outlined in the Professional Development Needs Assessment. It also needs to be reasonable and necessary with an appropriate budget. Please bear in mind that the activity also needs to be approvable under the Title IIA non-regulatory guidance and align with the supplement/supplant provisions.

3.  When will I know if my LEA got the money?

Intent Forms will be accepted on a rolling basis up until February 26, 2016 at 4:00pm. The Title IIA Director will review Intent Forms and get back to the Program Manager within a week of Intent Form submission with questions and other technical assistance if needed. Notice of grant awards will be given by March 11th. If there are remaining funds, a second round of allocations will be announced.

4.  Who reviews the Intent Forms and how are decisions made?

The Title IIA Director, Bureau Administrator, and program accountant read and review the Intent Forms, along with other relevant staff (Title I Consultants, for example). Intent Forms are read with a rubric that highlights the prioritization areas, target criteria, professional impact, and alignment to the Professional Development Needs Assessment of the LEA. With this information, award notifications will be made by March 11, 2016.