Sarah Thomas Education Programs Professional State Foster Care Liaison December 2023 Hello everyone! I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season. This year’s NAEHCY Conference was held in New Orleans. There was a special Foster Care Track that highlighted key issues facing educational stability for students in foster care. Below, I’ve included information and resources for each foster care session for you to review. I hope to see everyone at next year’s NAEHCY Conference in Orlando, Florida! Effective Collaboration with Child Welfare Sunday, November 12th: • This session included information from the ABA about the ESSA requirements for students in foster care and best practices for implementing this federal law. Participants heard from child welfare partners about the unique challenges students in foster care face and how they have advocated for increased education success. o   Emily Peeler, Kristin Kelly, Ashley Moore, Liliana Chakrabarti o   Effective Collaboration with Child Welfare   Best Practice Collaboration Across Systems to Improve Educational Outcomes for Students in Foster Care Sunday, November 12th: • The Every Student Succeeds Act requires interagency collaboration between schools and child welfare to support the educational needs of students in foster care. But what does that really mean in day-to-day practice? A panel of cross-systems education and child welfare coordinators talked about what best practice collaboration between education and child welfare looks like, and how to establish and sustain partnerships with your child welfare counterpart on behalf of students in foster care. This facilitated, interactive discussion gave strategies to address your toughest collaboration dilemmas. o   Dawn Rains, Liliana Chakrabarti, Shantel Tate, Megan Speck, Sandy Schmidt o   Best Practice Collaboration Across Systems Leveraging DATA and Meeting Transportation Challenges for Youth Experiencing Foster Care • This session shared key data platforms used in federal reporting for youth experiencing foster care within the k12 system in Michigan. Additionally, the session explored the new State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) data platform to examine multiple data sets intended to assist and inform Jurists during required case planning meetings. Now that the foster care data component has been addressed, many challenges remain in adequately supporting students in foster care. This session also created the space to discuss the nuances of providing transportation for students in foster care and cast a vision for school stability o   Leveraging DATA and Meeting Transportation Challenges Top Five Supports for Students in Foster Care • This presentation gave advice about the most effective strategies to provide world-class support to children and youth in foster care as observed by the GaDOE Foster are Education team over the last few years of implementation since the passage of ESSA. This session touched on techniques used by educational practitioners to leverage partnerships to increase positive educational outcomes. Each participant left the session with a new perspective on the importance of educational stability for students in foster care. o   Melanie Barner, Eric McGhee o   Top Five Supports for Foster Care Students Using BIDs to Make Appropriate School Placement Decisions for Students in Foster Care Monday, November 13th: • Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) requires educational agencies to collaborate with child welfare agencies to enhance the educational stability of students in foster care. Chief among the ESEA’s provisions is the requirement that stakeholders collaboratively identify an appropriate school placement—through a best interest determination (BID)—when a student enters the child welfare system or experiences a change in foster care placement. While the ESEA does not provide many parameters for conducting BIDs, practitioners across the country have developed effective models for making school placement decisions for students in foster care. This session featured presenters from the U.S. Department of Education, the American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law, and local practitioners. Session presenters shared practical strategies for effectively conducting BIDs and working through barriers across systems. o   Bryan Thurmond, Emily Peeler, Dawn Rains, Liliana Chakrabarti o   Using BIDs to Make Appropriate School Placement Decisions Using Data to Improve Educational Outcomes for Students in Foster Care • To effectively support students in foster care, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services have encouraged educational agencies and child welfare agencies to establish routines for sharing information and data, across agencies, about students in foster care. Having access to meaningful data and information about students in foster care enables school-based staff and child welfare staff to better understand students’ experiences and, in doing so, improve educational outcomes for students in foster care. This session featured presenters from the U.S. Department of Education, the American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law, and local practitioners. Session presenters discussed strategies for effectively gathering, analyzing, and utilizing data to improve educational outcomes for students in foster care. Attendees learned about new resources from the U.S. Department of Education and the American Bar Association to assist with program implementation at both the State and local level. o   Bryan Thurmond, Dawn Rains, Kristin Kelly, Liliana Chakrabarti o   Using Data to Improve Educational Outcomes Michigan Foster Care Collaborative Journey Between State Agencies • This session shared how the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan Department of Education have traversed federal requirements to support youth experiencing foster care through policy, training, and guidance, along with exploring and developing unique partnerships. Additionally, the session reviewed the journey in founding the collaboration between the child welfare system and the state education system, how imbedded, systemic barriers and challenges have been overcome, as well as future opportunities for growth and strengthening relationships. o   Kathleen Hoehne, Ann Rossi o   Michigan Foster Care Collaborative Journey Between State Agencies   Advancing Equity in Homeless Education: Serving Students in Historically Underserved Populations Tuesday, November 14th • This session supported participants’ efforts to identify and meet the unique needs of historically underserved populations of students experiencing homelessness, including rural youth, students of color, children and youth with disabilities, English learners, LGBTQ+ youth, and pregnant, parenting, or caregiving students. Presenters shared information based on several recent NCHE publications, webinars, and podcasts that provide key information to help educators learn about historically underserved populations and spotlight innovative practices across the country for serving particular groups of students. Updates regarding USICH’s Equity Action Plan were also provided. o   Yatisha Blythe, Bryan Thurmond o   Advancing Equity in Homeless Education: Serving Students in Historically Underserved Populations Collaborative Efforts for Educational Parity: Uniting the Child Welfare System, Education System, and Community-Based Organizations • In Washington State, the child welfare system, the education system, and community-based organizations are at the table together in a shared effort to advance educational parity for children and youth experiencing foster care. Together, we are partnering to align policy, improve practice, and secure needed funding to achieve our shared goals. In this workshop, participants learned how to build trust, partner effectively, and leverage the strengths of each sector and partner to maximize progress on a shared systems change agenda. o   Nicole Herron, Stacey Klim, Peggy Carlson o   Collaborative Efforts for Educational Parity o Placement Activity

Reginald Grisham  Federal Relief Funds Programs Specialist    David Asato Federal Relief Funds Programs Specialist  December 2023 With the closing out of ESSER II and all of the focus now turning to ESSER III, we would like to revisit some of the unique features of the ESSER III grant. ESSER III, also known as the American Rescue Plan (ARP) ESSER grant, provided nearly $122 billion to States and school districts to help them to safely reopen and sustain operations, maximize in-person instruction, and address the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the Nation’s students, particularly those groups of students disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.   Allocation and Funding Period: The total amount of ARP ESSER funds awarded to Nevada was $1,071,998,392. Ninety percent ($964,798,553) of Nevada’s ARP ESSER funds were allocated to LEAs in the same way as ESSER I and ESSER II, based on the proportion of Title I, Part A funds each LEA received in the most recent fiscal year at the time (2020-21).   Funds may be used for allowable activities from March 13, 2020 (with approved pre-award) through September 30, 2023. The Tydings Amendment will then apply and LEAs will have the standard 12-month carryover period for a total grant period of March 13, 2020 through September 30, 2024.   Allowable Uses of Funds: In order to determine if an item is allowable under ESSER III, it needs to meet the following criteria: • The use of funds is intended to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including its impact on the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of students. • The use of funds falls under one of the authorized uses of ESSER funds. • The use of funds permissible under the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR Part 200). Please see the NDE Supporting Students through Federal Relief Funding: ARP ESSER Planning Guide for LEAs for allowable uses of funds.   New Provisions: The ARP ESSER statute and interim final requirements include several new provisions for LEAs to support school reopening, safe school operations, and support for students: • Reservation to Address the Academic Impact of Lost Instructional Time. • Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services. • Maintenance of Equity for High-Poverty Schools. • LEA Plan for Use of ARP ESSER Funds.   Reservation to Address the Academic Impact of Lost Instructional Time: For ARP ESSER, an LEA must reserve not less than 20% of its total allocation to address learning loss through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended school year programs, and ensure that such interventions respond to students’ academic, social, and emotional needs and address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on underrepresented student groups.   USED has provided a COVID-19 Handbook Vol. 2 as a resource for helping to address the academic impact of lost instructional time.    Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services: The Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services plan needs to include how the LEA will: • Maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other staff and the extent to which it has adopted policies, and a description of any such policies, on each of the prevention and mitigation strategies recommended by the CDC. • Ensure continuity of services, which must address students’ academic needs and students’ and staff social, emotional, mental health, and other needs, and which may include student health and food services.   Other Requirements: Plans must be made available on the LEA’s website. • The LEA must seek stakeholder comments on the plan and take such comments into consideration when developing the plan. • The LEA must regularly, but no less frequently than every six months (taking into consideration the timing of significant changes to CDC guidance on reopening schools), review and, as appropriate, revise its plan for the safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of services, and must seek and take stakeholder input into account in determining whether and what revisions are necessary.   Maintenance of Equity (MOEquity): Overview: The American Rescue Plan Act prohibits LEAs from making disproportionate cuts in: • Combined state/local funds for any high-poverty school by an amount that exceeds the total reduction, if any, of combined State and local per-pupil funding for all schools in the LEA. • The number of FTE staff per student in any high-poverty school by an amount that exceeds the total reduction, if any, of FTE staff per student in all schools in the LEA.   Exceptions: Under section 2004(c)(2) of the ARP Act, an LEA need not maintain equity if the LEA: • Has a total enrollment of less than 1,000 students; • Operates a single school; • Serves all students within each grade span with a single school; or • Demonstrates an exceptional or uncontrollable circumstance, such as unpredictable changes in student enrollment or a precipitous decline in the financial resources of the LEA as determined by the Secretary.   Important Deadlines: • July 8, 2022 - Deadline for NDE to post the list of each LEA excepted for SY 2021-2022 and the reason for the exception. Deadline for NDE to post the list of high-poverty schools in each non-excepted LEA. • November 1, 2022 - Deadline for NDE to post the list of each LEA excepted for SY 2022-2023 and the reason for the exception. Deadline for NDE to post the list of high-poverty schools in each non-excepted LEA. • December 31, 2022 – Deadline for NDE to submit MOEquity data for SY 2021-2022 for each non-excepted LEA. • December 31, 2023 - Deadline for NDE to submit MOEquity data for SY 2021-2023 for each non-excepted LEA.   LEA Plan for Use of ARP ESSER Funds: The LEA Plan for Use of ARP ESSER Funds needs to contain, at a minimum: • The extent to which and how the funds will be used to implement prevention and mitigation strategies that are, to the extent practicable, consistent with CDC guidance. • How the LEA will use the funds it reserves under section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act to address the academic impact of lost instructional time. • How the LEA will use its remaining ARP ESSER funds; and how the LEA will ensure the interventions it implements will respond to the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of all students and particularly those students disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Other Requirements: • Plans must be made available on the LEA’s website. • In developing its plan, an LEA must engage in meaningful consultation with stakeholders. • An LEA should translate relevant materials and obtain the services of interpreters, as needed, to engage its English learners and families with limited English proficiency. • An LEA must provide the public the opportunity to provide input on the development of the plan, take such input into account, and post the LEA ARP ESSER plan on its website.   The interim final requirements, which contain information on the LEA plan, can be accessed at: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2021-08359/american-rescue-plan-act-elementary-and-secondary-school-emergency-relief-fund   Domestic Preferences for Procurement: Awards made under the ARP Act are subject to 2 CFR § 200.322 (Domestic Preferences for Procurement), a new regulation that applies to Federal grants made after November 12, 2020. It establishes domestic preferences for procurements under Federal grants that are subject to the Uniform Guidance. Please see 2 CFR § 200.322 for more information   Uses of Funds and Reservations: An LEA must reserve not less than 20 percent of its total ARP ESSER allocation to address learning loss through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended school year programs, and ensure that such interventions respond to students’ academic, social, and emotional needs and address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on underrepresented student subgroups. The remaining ARP ESSER funds may be used for the same allowable purposes as ESSER and ESSER II, including hiring new staff and avoiding layoffs. Note: Section 2001(e) specifically authorizes an LEA to use ARP ESSER funds to develop strategies and implement public health protocols including, to the greatest extent practicable, policies in line with guidance from the CDC for the reopening and operation of school facilities to effectively maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other staff. An LEA may also use its ESSER and ESSER II funds for this purpose, although it is not expressly listed in the CARES or CRRSA Act.   Closing Thoughts: Thank you for your hard work and for your commitment to supporting students across the state of Nevada. If there is anything that the ESSER Core Team can do to support you, or if you have any questions tied to your ESSER III grant, which were not addressed in this article, please do not hesitate to reach out to your ESSER Core Team representative.

Jessica DeLallo Title I Director December 2023 Happy December, and the official start to Winter! So far, the towns and cities around Nevada have started to decorate for the Holiday Season, and I could not be more excited to spend time with family and friends! We want to inform you all that we are restructuring our Title I Office Hour. Moving forward (December 2023 on), we will have a monthly Title I Informational Hour (previously titled "Title I Office Hours), where new information, reminders, and important updates are shared with LEAs. As always, these meetings will be recorded, and the link will be sent out to anyone unable to attend. During the week following these informational meetings, the Title I Team will host "Title I Open Office Hour," a completely optional drop-in session for our Title I partners to ask any questions they may have of the Team. New information will not be shared during these sessions, and the Title I Office Hour meeting will not be recorded. We welcome all partners to participate in both offerings for technical assistance by the Title I Team. Desktop Monitoring is coming! We will have information about key dates, training, and windows for LEAs to provide evidence of all the beautiful things happening across Nevada. We apologize that Desktop Monitoring is starting later than in previous years. Based on LEA feedback, we wanted to update the process to be more user-friendly. We wish you all a safe and happy Holiday Season! Although many members of the Title I Team will be taking time off to be with friends and family, there should always be someone here for support on days that NDE is open for business. For important program updates, please make sure that you attend our monthly Title I Informational Hour and Title I Open Office Hour. Our next Title I Informational Hour is planned for December 27, 2023, at 9:00 am and will be recorded. The first Title I Open Office Meeting will be held on January 3, 2024, from 9:00 am – 9:30 am. Please sign up for invitations to these important events in this newsletter's "Office Hours" section. Also, to cut down on the number of emails that come to you each week/month from the Title I Team, we send out a Weekly Update each week with programmatic updates from the members of the Title I Team; if you do not currently receive these updates, and would like to, please email me at jessica.delallo@doe.nv.gov.