QUESTIONS/COMMENTS for EBRPSS from

To: David Phillips,EBRPSS

Compliance

  1. Is there a list of required submissions and due dates to EBR either through eSchoolPlus or other means?
  2. Are there items not submitted through any systems that EBR wants us to submit beyond the below listed in the Charter Contract?
  • Budget by July 1 to EBR
  • Budget modifications with 14 days of approval to EBR
  • Audited Financial Statements to EBR and Legislative Auditors Office by October 1
  • Quarterly Financial Statements to EBR within 45 days after quarter end
  • Board minutes within 10 days after approval
  • Litigation notices within 10 days after receipt
  • Certificate of Insurance upon request
  1. What portions of the EBR student handbook are required of charter in particular, do areas regarding discipline and uniforms apply or are we permitted to implement our own policies if in compliance with law and not conflicting with EBR policies?
  2. What is the Parish’s at-risk percentage as of October 1? This percentage should include the count of free and reduced students as well as those reading at two or more grade levels below grade level and those identified as an exceptional child (not including gifted/talented).

Admissions

  1. Is our own Application and Admissions Form acceptable? Or do we need to only follow EBR form?
  2. Confirm that other EBR schools don’t begin open enrollment until January1 each year and find out what period of open enrollment is typical (Charter Bulletin 126 Sec. 2707B).
  3. With a required application period starting January 1 and lasting no more than three months, how do we handle applications received outside of that period?
  4. What proofs of residency are required and do we need to provide evidence to the Parish?

Technology

  1. According to Tonia Yglesias, ‘All technology related services provided to our current 85 schools, will be provided to the charter”. Besides the student information system, what other services are there and are they required?
  2. Need to understand SunGard’s eSchoolPlus and eSchoolTAC software that is expected to be used. Can we interface or will double –entry is required?
  3. What data is housed in each system: eSchool Plus and eSchool TAC?
  4. What are the data required to be entered into eSchool Plus and eSchool Plus. The EBR system will generate a unique student number if Social Security numbers are not collected. Is this number compatible with other systems?
  5. What is AFR data and the required submissions?
  6. On the list of optional services, there is an item under Technology called Annual DTS costs-eSchool Plus. What is this and is it optional?

Operations

  1. We need to understand the expectations of the Visiting Teacher position and Child Welfare Department.
  2. What are the typical EBR site visit dates and expectations/content of review?
  3. Is there an annual education report (operational or otherwise) that we submit to EBR or LDOE or are we part of the Parish’s report?

Any comprehensive report at the end of three or five years?

  1. Are we permitted to use our own food service? What reporting requirements are there through the Parish on Free/Reduced count and meal information?
  2. Transportation: we may need to use the Parish transportation services for special education students having transportation need. How will this work?
  3. Is a nurse required in a school?
  4. On the list of optional services, there is an item called Accountability which contains an annual cost per student and annual Edusoft usage costs. What are these and are they optional?
  5. What are the required emergency drills? It was noted that 2 fire drills in August and one per month, thereafter. Are there any other required drills like loc-down, evacuation, tornado, and hurricane? Do we need to use EBR form for recording or can we use our own? Do we need to report drills to EBR office? Are there required fire marshal inspections or do those occur as requested? We have our own building safety/emergency plan. Does that need submission to any parties?
  6. How are health screenings (vision/hearing) completed at the schools?

Finance

  1. Do we need to use the EBR Budget templates/ Chart of Accounts? A more detailed discussion will be held at our meeting and thereafter.

Special Education

  1. Do they do all the state reporting on their SIS system (eSchool Plus)?
  2. Do all copies of IEP’s need to be submitted to the Parish since we will be chartered by the local Parish?
  3. Monitoring of the IEP’s for compliance will this be Charter or Parish? If we are not going to be an LRE want to be clear where the oversight is going to be.
  4. Will all support staff come from the Parish? If so, will the Parish collect all the state/federal funding and bill charter for the related services? What is the flow – through?
  5. Will our own software be compatible with EBR’s if we are to write our own IEP’s?

People Services

  1. License requirements
  • Are charter school principals excempt from license requirements?
  • Do service providers (nurse, social workers) have to hold a BESE issued license?

Does charter stand alone in the 75% calculation? Or is the 75% for the entire Parish?

  1. Pre-Employment
  • Is there any pre-employment testing required such as TB test or drug tests?
  • Is the prior employment check on former school employers only? Or all previous employers? How many attempts do we have to make to contact a previous employer who does not respond?
  • Does the Parish have a standard for substitute teachers we need to follow?
  • What is the criminal background check process?
  • Electronic prints or cards?
  • State only check? Or state and FBI?
  • Are we allowed to ask for an applicant to disclose their criminal history on the application? Can we ask about pending charges?
  1. Personnel Requirements
  • When will state reporting for personnel start?
  • Will we report through the Parish or independently?
  • What information are we required to report for personnel?
  • Will personnel information be audited by the Parish? How often?
  • How does Louisiana address the license compliance of special education teachers in light of the 75% rule?

How does Louisiana view the highly qualified status of a person who is teaching social studies?

Intervention Services

  1. Does the East Baton Rouge Parish use free and reduced lunch student information, or just free lunch information, in determining poverty numbers for the purpose of Title1, Part A allocations?
  2. Is there a process for allocating Title 1, Part A and Title 11, Part A funds for a new school?
  3. Is there a process for applying for Title 1, Part A and Title 11, Part A funds for a new school?
  4. Is the process for allocating and applying for Title 1, Part A and Title 11, Part A different for a new school vs. an existing school?
  5. Technology Plans- will we fall under the Parish’s plan or will we need to write our own plan? If we have to write our own plan, is there a guidance document or example of an approved plan that we could review and consider as we develop or own plan?
  6. Homeless- Will the Parish collect the homeless forms or will we need to do this? If we need to collect this info, is there a particular form we’ll be required to use or can we use our own form? Are there any other local or State reporting requirements we need to comply with? Will the Title 1 set aside for homeless students come out of the Parish’s grant, or will we need to set this aside in our grant?
  7. School wide Status- since we anticipate a high % of free and reduced lunch students (over 40%), can we submit a request for Title 1 School Wide status? If so, what is the process for doing so? Since we’ve used the planning year as our School wide plan, will the Parish and/ or state consider us for Title1 school wide status upon opening of the school? Is there a required template to use for theSchoolwide Plan or can we use our own?
  8. English Language Learners (ELL) - Will the parish collect the Home Language Questionnaires or will we need to do this? If we collect this info, is there a particular form we’ll be required to use or can we use our own form? Are there any other local or State reporting requirements we need to comply with? If we have ELL students, will the Parish provide services?
  9. Federal Formula Grants Management-
  1. Question #1- Does the east Baton Rouge Parish use free and reduced lunch student information, or just free lunch information, in determining poverty numbers for the purposes of Title 1, Part A allocations?
  2. Question#2- Is there a process for allocating Title1, Part A and Title 11, Part A funds for a new school?
  3. Question #3- is there a process for applying for Title 1, Part A and Title 11, Part A different for a new school vs. an existing school? What is the process?

10. IDEA- what is the allocation, application, and implementation process for these funds?

11. Charter School Grant-what level of involvement will the Parish have in this grant’s application and fund management process?