ESEA Monthly Updates

April 2025

We hope to provide you with helpful information monthly through the newsletter and office hours. Our newsletters will often include:

General and Title-Specific Updates
Friendly Reminders for Planning and Program Implementation
Fiscal Corner
Professional Learning Opportunities
Contact Information

Virtual Office Hours: April 8 at 9 AM (Zoom link is provided through Grants4ME notifications)

GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES

Annual CNA Updates

As part of an annual process, SAUs should be meeting with a variety of stakeholders to update their district and school Comprehensive Needs Assessments based on most recent available data.

As part of the ESEA Consolidated Application, SAUs are asked to document the high needs areas of their SAUs and schools, as well as the data sources they used to make those determinations, the names of the stakeholders involved, and dates the updates were conducted on. SAUs must update as much of their CNA as possible, prior to the initial submission of the FY26 ESEA Application, in order determine high areas of need and to generate goals and projects.

Title IA 15% Carryover Rule

Rule: If an SAU receives $50k or more in Title I, Part A funds, the SAU can only keep up to 15% of the funds in carryover unless given a waiver by the State of Maine. This waiver can only be granted once every 3 years.

If a SAU has accepted a 15% carryover waiver in FY23, the SAU will not be eligible for one again until FY26 if no more waivers are received from USDE. If an SAU has accepted a 15% carryover waiver in FY24, the SAU will not be eligible for one again until FY27 if no more waivers are received from USDE. A district can check this information in the PERFORMANCE REPORT: Title I, Part A Waiver page within their ESEA Consolidated Performance Report in FY23 and FY24. Please reach out to your Regional Program Manager with any further questions.

Please note, the Maine Department of Education has received waivers from the USDE to enable us to grant 15% carryover waivers for FY24 and FY23 even if the SAU had received a waiver the previous two years.

The Maine Department of Education applied for a carryover limitation waiver from Section 1127(a) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended for Federal Fiscal Year 2024/State Fiscal Year 2025 Title I, Part A funds. The carryover limitation waiver seeks to waive the requirement that limits the Maine DOE’s ability to grant to its LEAs a waiver of the 15-percent Title I, Part A carryover limitation of more than once every three years. This request is not guaranteed so plan accordingly.

FY25 Title I Summer Reallocated

The application for Title I Summer School programming was due Monday, March 31^st. Now, we will be reviewing the program and budget requests. Please be on the lookout for returned applications and communication through Grants4ME notices. The timelier SAUs are with responses and corrections, the sooner we can provide results around which districts will be awarded these funds. At this time, there will not be enough funding for all requests.

FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

FY25 ESEA Federal Programs Monitoring: Winter Collection Window

All monitoring results for the winter window have now been entered. SAUs can see these on the “Monitoring Results – LEA Response” page. In order to begin uploading any corrective actions, make sure you change the status of the Monitoring Instrument to “LEA Results Review Started.”

To access training, resources, and guidance relevant to ESEA Monitoring, including the Winter collection period, please visit the ESEA Monitoring homepage.

FISCAL CORNER

The Federal Fiscal office hours will be offered quarterly, and the next office hours will be held on:

When: May 1, 2025
Time: 10:00 - 11:00am
Where: via zoom

Go to Federal Fiscal Office Hour Registration and register to join us for an hour of important fiscal requirements. Representatives from all federal programs will be on hand to answer any of your federal fiscal questions. Please send any requests for topics to be covered to Tyra Corson at tyra.corson@maine.gov.

We are also happy to announce another fiscal training coming to you during the FY 25 Educator Summit, August 5^th and 6^th. Once the date and time is confirmed we will share that information with all of you.

Spending Down Funds

FY 2023 ESEA Funds are ending 9/30/25

As of March 26, 2025, $1,282,114.75 in ESEA funds remain available for drawdown. This may present a challenge if the Tydings Amendment Waiver for FY 2024 ESEA funds is not approved.

Districts with remaining FY 2023 funds are encouraged to submit their invoices as soon as possible to ensure timely processing and utilization of the available funds.

Reimbursement Requests

All invoices submitted for reimbursement in Grants4ME must be accompanied by a detailed expenditure report. This report should reflect only the service period being billed on the invoice.

For expenses such as tuition reimbursement, professional development, and travel, additional backup documents are required to verify the dates of completion. Please note that federal funds do not reimburse for tuition, travel, or professional development until after the coursework, training, or travel has been completed.

When submitting backup documentation, editable forms (e.g., Excel workbooks or spreadsheets) will not be accepted. Ensure that all files are saved as PDFs and uploaded to Grants4ME.

First In First Out

First In First Out, a phrase you have heard several times used by the ESEA team, which simply means use the oldest funds first. However, if you have a considerable amount of funds remaining from past grants and using these funds first puts you in jeopardy of exceeding the amount of Title I funds that can be carried over then move to current year funds. Start drawing down your FY 25 funds if you have not done so already.

ESEA allows expenses for the same service period to be split between grants. When doing so, please ensure that the audit report, expense report, and/or trial balance clearly indicates which expenses reimbursement is being requested.

The following must be true:

The expenses must be incurred during the period of performance for both grants
Be allocable to both grants

For example, if you are splitting an October invoice between FY 2024 ESEA funds and FY 2025 ESEA funds, make sure the detailed trial balance clearly identifies the corresponding fiscal year which funds will be used to reimburse the expense.

Additionally, when requesting reimbursement for salaries, be sure to include the associated benefits. This applies when splitting invoices between two grants as well.

Professional Learning Opportunities

Professional Learning offered through the Department of Education is a fantastic resource for supporting leadership development for administrators and educators. The Department’s Professional Development Calendar is updated regularly with the latest professional development opportunities.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Please remember, the best person to connect with to answer questions related to ESEA Federal Programs is outlined below. They will get you the answer if they do not have it readily available.

Aroostook County & Kennebec County: Jessica Caron at jessica.s.caron@maine.gov or (207) 458-0334.
Washington County & the Midcoast Region: Ryan Reed at ryan.reed@maine.gov or (207) 530-2129.
Penquis Region: Travis Doughty at travis.w.doughty@maine.gov or (207) 624-6709.
Western Maine & Cumberland County: Daniel Weeks at daniel.r.weeks@maine.gov or (207) 624-6676.
Hancock County & York County: Rita Pello at rita.pello@maine.gov or (207) 530-6469.
Continuous School Improvement Coordinator: Monique Sullivan at monique.sullivan@maine.gov or (207) 441-5763.
Management Analyst: Tyra Corson at Tyra.Corson@maine.gov or (207) 530-0488.
ESEA Federal Programs Director: Shelly Chasse-Johndro at shelly.chassejohndro@maine.gov or (207) 458-3180.

March 2025

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) intends to apply for a Tydings Amendment waiver and a Title I Carryover of Excess Funds waiver from the U.S. Department of Education (USED). Maine will be seeking:

A Tydings Amendment waiver from Section 421(b) of the General Provisions Act to the USED. The Tydings Amendment waiver seeks an extension to the availability of Federal Fiscal Year 2023/State Fiscal Year 2024 ESEA funds.
A carryover limitation waiver from Section 1127(a) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended for Federal Fiscal Year 2024/State Fiscal Year 2025 Title I, Part A funds. The carryover limitation waiver seeks to waive the requirement that limits the Maine DOE’s ability to grant to its LEAs a waiver of the 15-percent Title I, Part A carryover limitation of more than once every three years.

As required, the Maine DOE is seeking public comment from February 24 to March 14, 2025, on the request to waive the period of availability for ESEA funds and Title I, Part A carryover limitations. As the Maine DOE moves forward to provide as much flexibility as possible, and continued support for expending ESEA federal funds, please take a moment to submit comments to Shelly Chasse-Johndro at shelly.chassejohndro@maine.gov. For additional information, visit the newsroom article.

FY26 Approved Non-Public School ESEA Enrollment Verification Survey

Approved, non-profit non-public schools must provide data in order for the Maine Department of Education (DOE) to determine equitable services percentages for Titles II, III and IV. There are two ways for this data to be provided: confirmation of NEO's October 1 student enrollment data or submit October 1, 2024 student counts. Both of these can be done by completing the ESEA Enrollment Verification Survey.

For public SAUs that have non-public schools within their geographic boundaries, please share this information with your non-public partners. Approved, non-profit non-public schools are strongly encouraged to provide this data as soon as possible, but by no later than April 1, 2025.

New Title IA Nonregulatory Guidance Released on Family Engagement

In January, the US Department of Education released Nonregulatory Guidance for Title I Family Engagement, which covers a wide range of topics. If you have any questions about what is written in the guidance, please reach out to Rita Pello at rita.pello@maine.gov.

FY25 Title I Summer Reallocated Application

For SAUs interested in pursuing the Title I Summer Reallocated grant opportunity, please apply by March 31. You can find the application under FY25 > Title I Summer Reallocated. The training was recorded and can be found on our Guidance webpage.

FY26 Title IIA Allocations Memorandum of Agreement

The Maine DOE recently entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the US Education Department (ED) about adjustments that will be made to Title IIA allocations over the next several fiscal years. Districts that were most adversely affected were contacted directly through Grants4ME. You can read more about the MOA and the changes it will cause to future allocations it in our recent Priority Notice.

FY25 Title IIA Use of Funds Survey

In the coming weeks, several SAUs will receive outreach from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) asking them to complete ED’s annual use of funds survey for FY25 Title IIA funds. Please complete this in a timely manner, as it helps provide a snapshot of what funds are being utilized for and inform policy at the federal level. If you represent an SAU that is part of an ESEA co-op, please note that the survey will be about individual member SAUs of the co-op. Anyone with questions about the survey should reach out to titletwo@air.org.

New Title IIA Nonregulatory Guidance Released

In January the US Department of Education released new Nonregulatory Guidance for Title IIA, which covers a wide range of topics. If you have any questions about what’s written in the guidance, please reach out to Title IIA Coordinator Ryan Reed at ryan.reed@maine.gov.

FY25 ESEA Federal Programs Monitoring: Winter Collection Window

The Winter Collection period began February 1 and the submission deadline was February 21, 2025. SAUs can expect results to appear on the “Monitoring Results – LEA Response” page by March 17.

To access training, resources, and guidance relevant to ESEA Monitoring, including the Winter collection period, please visit the ESEA Monitoring homepage.

Equitable Services Training

Please join us for comprehensive training concerning ESEA Equitable Services on Tuesday, March 4 at 10 AM. Please use this Zoom link to join. A recording will be available on the Guidance webpage of our website for those unable to attend.

ESSA Dashboard Webinar Series

The Maine Department of Education will be hosting a series of webinars regarding the ESSA Dashboard.

Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the Maine DOE publishes state, district, and school information every year known as the ESSA Dashboard. This dashboard is one of the Maine DOE’s most utilized dashboards both by internal DOE staff and the public and it is also utilized in Maine’s accountability system, the Maine Model of School Supports.

This webinar series will provide an overview of the ESSA Dashboard including ESSA requirements and purpose of the dashboard, data reporting sources, and how this data informs the Maine Model of School Supports.

The Federal Fiscal office hours will be offered quarterly, and the next office hours will be held on:

When: May 1, 2025
Time: 10:00 - 11:00am
Where: via zoom

Communication

Whether your SAU is emailing its Regional Program Manager or the ESEA Management Analyst regarding payment or challenges submitting invoices, please indicate in the email the Fiscal Year (FY), Title (I, II, III, IV, V), invoice service period so that we can assist you with ease. If your RSU or School is not identified in your email signature, make sure you identify the subrecipient (RSU or School).

Spending Down Funds

FY 2023 ESEA Funds are ending 9/30/24

All invoices submitted for reimbursement in Grants4Me need to be accompanied by a detailed expenditure report. This report should only be run for the service period that the invoice is billing for. In addition, an editable form will not be accepted for backup, such as an editable excel workbook or spreadsheet. Please save your file as a pdf and upload it in Grants4Me as backup documents.

First In First Out

Splitting Reimbursement Requests

ESEA allows expenses for the same service period to be split between grants when doing this please make sure the audit report, expense report, and/or trial balance clearly indicates which expense reimbursement is being requested. For example, if you are going to split your October invoice between FY24 ESEA funds and FY 25 ESEA funds then make sure your detailed trial balance is notated beside the FY 24 or FY 25 whichever is applicable. Also, remember when asking for reimbursement of salaries to also ask for the associated benefits. This holds true when splitting invoices between two grants.

February 2025

GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES

FY26 Title IIA Allocations Memorandum of Agreement

The Maine DOE recently entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the US Education Department about adjustments that will be made to Title IIA allocations over the next several fiscal years. Please be on the look out for a more detailed explanation in a Priority Notice that should be released in the coming weeks.

FY25 ESEA Federal Programs Monitoring: Winter Collection Window

The Winter Collection period began February 1. The submission deadline is February 21, 2025. To begin uploading submission, be sure to move to “Draft Started” and go to each required item’s page to upload documentation and provide narrative.

To access training, resources, and guidance relevant to ESEA Monitoring, including the Winter collection period, please visit the ESEA Monitoring Homepage

FY25 Comparability Reports

Section 1118(c) of Title I of ESEA requires that school administrative units (SAUs) with multiple attendance areas maintain comparability of local/state resources between the Title I schools and the non-Title I schools; or if all the schools at a grade span are Title I schools, comparability of local resources must be maintained among the Title I schools.

The ESEA Title I Comparability Report for FY25 has been automated and will be produced by the Maine Department of Education using the NEO certified October 1 enrollment and December 1 instructional staff counts in the data warehouse.

As the FY25 Comparability reports and data are reviewed and accepted by the ESEA Team, a copy of the report and backup documentation will be sent to the Superintendent of Schools and the ESEA Coordinator by the end of February. This documentation must be maintained by each district, as it is one of the required documents for the Single Audit Process.

If it is determined that comparability is not met, an ESEA Regional Program Manager will be contacting the ESEA Coordinator for additional information and data to finalize the determination and next steps.

FY25 Title I Summer Reallocated Application

Districts seeking Title IA Reallocated funding to facilitate summer programming will have an opportunity to apply for Title IA Summer Reallocated funds again this year. Jess Caron and Rita Pello will host a basic, informational session about the application on Wednesday, February 26 at 10 AM. You may join us by using this Zoom link. As a reminder, this grant application and funding is specifically intended for Title I students’ summer programming.

FY24 Performance Report Deadline was November 1

For SAUs that have received feedback from your Regional Program Manager, please use the “Consultant Checklist” page and click the “+” icon near the items to view feedback provided. Reminder: FY22 close-out is part of the approval process for the FY24 Performance Report.

Please watch our ESEA recorded training for completing the FY24 Performance Report.

FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

Equitable Services Training

Please join us for comprehensive training concerning ESEA Equitable Services on Tuesday, March 4 at 10 AM. Please use this Zoom link to join.

Applying for Title I Schoolwide Programming

Are you a Title I school with a targeted program? Are you interested in applying for schoolwide but are not sure how? The Schoolwide Program application process is rooted in the completion of the Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) (the Schoolwide Plan) for the specific school(s) seeking schoolwide programming.

If a school is thinking about applying for Title I Schoolwide Authority, it was recommended that the school begin planning at least 6 to 9 months prior to the submission. Schoolwide Plans for the 2025-2026 school year are due by July 1, 2025.

Fiscal Monitoring

Monitoring for the FY 25 Fall collection has ended. If your SAU still have outstanding fiscal items (E-1 and E-4), please get these items uploaded as soon as possible.

E-1 – the requirement is to upload detailed expenditure reports for all ESEA titles and Tier III School Improvement (if applicable) for a service period 7/1/23-6/30/24.
E-4 – Time and effort documentation that was collected and maintained for all those paid in part or full with ESEA funds or Tier III School Improvement Funds.

Now is the time to start preparing for the Winter Monitoring Collection. This collection window is heavy with fiscal items.

Medium Level

E-2 – Written Travel Reimbursement Policy, please refer to 2 CFR 200.475 for specifics to be included in this policy.
E-7 – Written Procurement Standards (procedures), 2 CFR 200.318-327

High Level includes the medium level items

E-3 – Procurement Standards Staff Code of Conduct (Conflict of Interest) 2 CFR 200.318 Written Policy
E-6 – Equipment Management Written Procedures 2 CFR 200.439

TYPICAL TURNAROUND TIME

We strive for effective, efficient, transparent, and collaborative communication. Communication is Key outlines the best practices for optimal communication with the Office of Federal Programs. Giving your regional program manager an appropriate amount of time to respond before reaching out to another ESEA Team Member allows us to maintain these best practices. Thank you for your help with this.

We will continue to work to strengthen areas of support by utilizing the ones that are most effective and efficient, so we can continue to provide you with strong customer service collectively and individually.

January 2025

GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES

ESEA Federal Funding Update

The Maine Department of Education is expecting to see bills come through to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education, but we do not expect that they will receive the unilateral bipartisan support necessary to pass. The Maine DOE does anticipate a decrease in federal funding for Title related programming, but we do not know by how much. We will work to mitigate these reductions where applicable and as much as possible.

Given that the continuing resolution for the federal budget is set to expire in mid-March, it is unlikely we will have allocations before then. Currently, a Cabinet member nomination has been put forward, Linda McMahon; however, until the nomination is vetted and approved, we will not have details on any changes to amounts of funding, funding shifts within programs, and general changes in operations. This nomination will not be confirmed until approximately the end of February although some confirmations can take longer. We will be sure to continue to share any information we receive with the field as soon as we are able.

FY25 ESEA Federal Programs Monitoring: Winter Collection Window

As we wrap up the Fall collection window of ESEA Monitoring, keep in mind that the Winter Collection period begins February 1st. The Grants4Me instrument will open for item submission early January and the submission due date is February 21, 2025. To access training, resources, and guidance relevant to ESEA Monitoring, including the Winter collection period, please visit the ESEA Monitoring homepage.

FY24 Performance Report Deadline was 11/1

Please watch our ESEA recorded training for completing the FY24 Performance Report.

Title III Immigrant Children and Youth Subgrant

Each year, one Maine LEA is awarded the Title III Immigrant Children and Youth Subgrant. The purpose of the subgrant is to provide supplemental programs to enhance the education of immigrant students.

The subgrant is awarded to the LEA that has at least 10 multilingual learners and has experienced the greatest percentage increase (at least a 300% increase) in the enrollment of immigrant students, based on the average immigrant enrollment of the two prior years as compared to the current year. For the school year 2024-2025, the $25,000.60 subgrant was awarded to Biddeford School Department. If you have any questions related to Title III, please contact Daniel Weeks at daniel.r.weeks@maine.gov

Applying for Title I Schoolwide Programming

If a school is thinking about applying for Title I Schoolwide Authority, it was recommended that the school begin planning at least 6 to 9 months prior to the submission. Use this guidance document to understand the entirety of the process for creating a schoolwide plan. Please reach out to Rita Pello at rita.pello@maine.gov with any questions concerning the process.

Schoolwide Plans for the 25-26 school year are due by July 1.

Federal Fiscal Office Hours

The Federal Fiscal office hour will be offered quarterly, and the next office hour will be held on:

When: January 23, 2025
Time: 10:00 - 11:00am
Where: via zoom

Liquidation Period

The liquidation period for the following funds ends 12/30/24:

FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds
52 districts with >$100.00 available for a total of $250,235.86
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds
61 schools with >$100.00 available for a total of $650,569.50

FY 24 Literacy Grant

Now is the time to get in your final invoices for expenses that were obligated by 9/30/24 for these grants. Please keep in mind that the turnaround time for payment of an approvable reimbursement request is approximately 30 days. Act now to avoid losing these funds.

FY24 Invoicing

Are you a business manager wondering why your FY24 invoice hasn’t been paid? Check your application for FY 24 funds and make sure the performance report has been completed and submitted for approval. FY24 invoices that have a service period beginning 10/1/24 and beyond will not be approved for payment until the FY24 Performance Report is approved.

Invoicing Reminders

Please make sure to upload the appropriate backup with the request for reimbursement. Expenses such as travel, professional development, and supplies need additional backup to include but not limited to:

Agendas
Class schedules for tuition reimbursement
Invoices
Receipts

The Maine DOE reserves the right to request additional backup at any time.

Accrued salaries from the 2023-2024 school year are not eligible for reimbursement using FY25 ESEA funds.

FY25 funds need to be invoiced monthly if your SAU receives an amount greater than $250,000.00. If you are struggling to get caught up on your FY25 invoicing due to this requirement, please contact Tyra Corson at tyra.corson@maine.gov. Let’s work together to make this a successful transition.

If you are not a receiver of greater than $250,000, then you must invoice for a service period of three months or less.

Fiscal Monitoring

Monitoring for the FY 25 Fall collection has ended. If your SAU still have outstanding fiscal items (E-1 and E-4), please get these items uploaded as soon as possible.

E-1 – the requirement is to upload detailed expenditure reports for all ESEA titles and Tier III School Improvement (if applicable) for a service period 7/1/23-6/30/24. E-4 – Time and effort documentation that was collected and maintained for all those paid in part or full with ESEA funds or Tier III School Improvement Funds.

Now is the time to start preparing for the Winter Monitoring Collection. This collection window is heavy with fiscal items.

December 2024

FY25 ESEA Federal Programs Monitoring: Winter Collection Window

As we wrap up the Fall collection window of ESEA Monitoring, keep in mind that the Winter Collection period begins February 1st. To access training, resources, and guidance relevant to ESEA Monitoring, including the Winter collection period, please visit our ESEA Monitoring Homepage.

FY24 Performance Report Deadline was 11/1

Please watch our ESEA recorded training for completing the FY24 Performance Report.

Title IA Carryover Rule: Waived for FY24

Maine received a waiver for the Title I, Part A 15% Carryover rule for FY24 funds. If an LEA takes a waiver for FY24, then they will not be eligible for another one for 3 years (FY27).

If an SAU has a Title IA allocation of less than $50,000, there is no carryover restriction.

If the SAU is eligible and wishes to apply for the waiver, please indicate so within the FY24 Performance Report under the page title “PERFORMANCE REPORT: Title I, Part A, Waiver.”

Title II and III Evidence of Professional Development

SAUs should ensure, as they are completing professional development paid for with ESEA funds, that they maintain evidence of the work that is done as a part of that professional development. For example, things like agendas, slideshows, handouts, attendance lists, etc. should all be saved and may be asked for during monitoring. As with any record keeping, these should be saved somewhere that is accessible by multiple people within your SAU, so that if you leave the historical record is not lost.

Title III Immigrant Children and Youth Subgrant

The subgrant is awarded to the LEA that has at least 10 multilingual learners and has experienced the greatest percentage increase (at least a 300% increase) in the enrollment of immigrant students, based on the average immigrant enrollment of the two prior years as compared to the current year. For the school year 2024-2025, the Department will notify the subgrant recipient of its award once October 1 student enrollment counts are finalized.

The LEA will then have the remainder of the grant period to expend these funds. The anticipated amount of the FY25 Immigrant Children and Youth Subgrant is $25,000.60. If you have any questions related to Title III, please contact Daniel Weeks at daniel.r.weeks@maine.gov

FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

Seeking Feedback on Professional Development Opportunities

Our October ESEA Office Hour saw an increase in attendance, and we believe it was due to the focused training on the FY24 Performance Report. Our team would like to start incorporating specific topics focused on professional learning quarterly into our office hours. If you have a topic that you would like more information about (ie. Schoolwide flexibility, stakeholder engagement, non-public consultation) please reach out to your Regional Program Manager (RPM).

FISCAL CORNER

Federal Fiscal Office Hours

The Federal Fiscal office hours will be offered quarterly, and the next office hours will be held on:

When: January 23, 2025 Time: 10:00 - 11:00am Where: via zoom

The Maine DOE reserves the right to request additional backup at any time.

Invoicing Reminders

Agendas Class schedules for tuition reimbursement Invoices Receipts

FY24 Invoicing

Liquidation Period

The liquidation period for the following funds ends 12/30/24:

FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds
- 52 districts with >$100.00 available for a total of $250,235.86
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds
- 61 schools with >$100.00 available for a total of $650,569.50
FY 24 Literacy Grant

Invoicing Reminders

Agendas
Class schedules for tuition reimbursement
Invoices
Receipts

The Maine DOE reserves the right to request additional backup at any time.

October 2024

GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES

FY25 ESEA Federal Programs Monitoring is Due October 1

For districts identified as “Medium” or “High” risk status, please submit all required items by the deadline of Tuesday, October 1. For recorded trainings, fact sheets, and monitoring guidance, please see: ESEA Monitoring | Department of Education (maine.gov).

FY25 ESEA Substantial Approval Dates

The ESEA Team has been made aware of a bug in Grants4ME that is showing many SAUs the wrong substantial approval date in the invoicing system. Our developers are currently on a solution to this, and we will notify SAUs when it has been implemented. In the meantime, SAUs can find their substantial approval date in the History Log of their ESEA application.

Title I Equitable Service Data Collection Process is Changing

To qualify for FY26 ESEA equitable services for Title I non-public schools, student enrollment data will need to be submitted in NEO. To assist with this change, the ESEA and Data team hosted a webinar in September and are offering individualized technical support. To receive the links to those trainings, please reach out to rita.pello@maine.gov. For Synergy and NEO support, reach out to Alexandra.Cookson@maine.gov.

Reminder: Maintaining Title I Rank and Distribution

As SAUs close out FY22 and spend down FY23 and FY24, please be mindful of the Title IA Rank and Distribution that was approved as part of the original application. The rank order, by poverty and/or grade span, must continue to be followed. Additionally, if an application revision is made that involves allocating funds from one school project to another, the effect on rank and distribution has to be considered. SAUs that attempt to close out a grant without following rank and distribution will be forced to return funds. If this occurs after the grant closeout, they will not have an opportunity to resubmit for those funds.

Title I Summer Reallocated Performance Report is Due October 30

To complete the Title I Summer Reallocated Performance Report successfully by the deadline of October 30, please:

Complete all invoicing related to the grant Move the application to “Revision Started” status if it is not already Navigate to the “Title I Summer School Performance Report” page that is now available Fill out the required sections of the Performance Report

Program Details
Goal Outcomes
Expenditures

When finished with the Performance Report page, click “Save and Go to” the Sections page. To officially submit the PR, click “Revision Completed."

FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

Go to Federal Fiscal Office Hour Registration and register to join us for an hour of important fiscal requirements as we embark on a new school year. Representatives from all federal programs will be on hand to answer any of your federal fiscal questions.

Professional Development Opportunity

The Maine DOE is excited to bring The Bruman Group to Maine on October 22-23, 2024. The Bruman Group is a law firm that specializes in federal grants compliance on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Uniformed Grant Guidance (UGG), as well as the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), and the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA). This is an opportunity that should not be missed, and the best part is it’s FREE to attend. More information and registration will be coming soon.

You’re encouraged to learn more about this firm by visiting their website at https://bruman.com/.

Reimbursement Reminders

When requesting reimbursement please keep in mind:

All expenses need to be reasonable, necessary, and allocable to the program and align with the SAU’s approved application.
Invoices submitted for reimbursement should only include expenses that were incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
Subscriptions or license fees for digital access that exceed the period of performance for the grant will not be reimbursed.
Some things to consider when budgeting for professional development using grant funds:
Registration, attendance, and travel must all be incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
Reimbursement is only available after the completion of the professional development.

Two important dates to be mindful of when requesting reimbursement:

Substantial approval date and
Period of Performance for the grant

Grants4ME

Grant Award Notice (GAN) changes for FY 25, if you receive more than $250,000 in ESEA funds a change to the terms and conditions requires monthly invoicing. We are working on updates to the FY 23 GAN which will include amended dates for the period of performance and liquidation of expenditures. The Maine DOE received a Tydings Amendment Waiver which extends the Period of Performance through 9/30/25.

Grants Closing

The grants closing out are highlighted in yellow below. FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds and FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds period of availability has expired. Please invoice for expenses against these grants as soon as possible. If your school exited Tier III in FY 2024 then your FY 24 Tier III School Improvement funds have also expired. The liquidation period for these funds ends on 12/31/24.

The following chart includes ESEA federal grants that are currently open to access funds. Please note that several grants will close this year. It is recommended that you make a cheat sheet like the one below and set aside some time each month to review the status of your grants and reimbursements. This will mitigate the risk of losing funds that will be ending soon.

Grant Period of Performance

FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds	Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds	Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds	9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated	Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement	Substantial Approval – 9/30/24* or 9/30/2025^
2024-2025 21^st CCLC Grant Awards	7/1/24 – 6/30/25
FY 25 ESEA Consolidated	Substantial Approval – 9/30/26
FY 25 Tier III School Improvement	Substantial Approval – 9/30/25

*This date is for schools that exited Tier III in FY 2023-2024.

^Schools that are continuing in Tier III status have until 9/30/25 to obligate funds. This date may be shortened if schools exit Tier III status in Fall 2024.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CALENDAR

Professional Learning offered through the Maine DOE is a fantastic resource for supporting leadership development for administrators and educators. The Department’s Professional Development Calendar is updated regularly with the latest professional development opportunities.

September 2024

GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES

FY25 ESEA Federal Programs Monitoring: Due October 1, 2024

All monitoring statuses have been added to the FY25 Grant Award Notifications within the FY25 ESEA application. For more information on the monitoring process, please see: ESEA Monitoring | Department of Education (maine.gov).Grants4ME’s monitoring instrument will open on September 4, 2024.

In addition, the ESEA Team will be hosting a training for LEAs that were identified as “Medium” and “High” Risk Status on Tuesday, September 10^th at 3 PM. The training will be recorded; however, attendance is highly recommended so questions and clarifications can be communicated in a timely manner. All monitoring items are due by Tuesday, October 1, 2024.

Title I Equitable Service Data Collection Process is Changing: Non-Public students will need to be reported in the October 1 Student Enrollment Count.

To qualify for FY26 ESEA equitable services for Title I non-public school student enrollment data will need to be submitted in NEO. To assist with this change, the ESEA and Data team is hosting a webinar: Title I Equitable Service Data Collection on September 11^th at 10:30 AM for Non-Public School Officials and ESEA coordinators.

We encourage ESEA Coordinators and Non-Public School Officials to register and attend to understand the process for capturing enrollment data. The training will be recorded so that those that cannot attend can still learn the required process.

Title I Summer Reallocated Performance Report is Available and Due 10/30

To complete the Title I Summer Reallocated Performance Report successfully by the deadline of 10/30, please:

Complete all invoicing related to this grant
Move the application to “Revision Started” status if it is not already
Navigate to the “Title I Summer School Performance Report” page that is now available
Fill out the required sections of the Performance Report
- Program Details
- Goal Outcomes
- Expenditures
When finished with the Performance Report page, click “Save and Go to” the Sections page
To officially submit the PR, click “Revision Completed”

The Performance Report is due October 30. The district has till September 30 to obligate these funds.In preparation of this deadline, please complete all invoicing for the summer programming. The Performance Report will not be reviewed and/or accepted until ALL invoicing is complete.

Title IIA Spending Snapshot Updated

We have made some robust updates to the Title IIA Spending Snapshot. It can be found on the Guidance section of the ESEA website. Those of you who regularly read these updates and attend office hours will note many of these updates are things we have reviewed individually, but we wanted to get the most updated guidance written down and all in one place. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your Regional Program Manager.

FY25 ESEA Application: Deadline to Submit was 8/1

Please work to complete the FY25 ESEA Application so that Substantial and Final Approval can be granted by the Maine DOE Regional Program Managers. If you need assistance, please reach out to your RPM with specific questions related to the application and comments made.

FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

New ESEA Coordinator Trainings Available

With the start of the new fiscal year, we recognize we have many new ESEA coordinators joining us! To help with the transition, the ESEA team has a series of training videos on the Resources page of our website that new coordinators will find useful. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your Regional Program Manager.

Title I Parent and Family Engagement Requirements

Parent’s Right to Know Letter

As part of Title I, Part A, districts and schools must implement important family engagement practices, including sending the “Parent’s Right to Know” within the first four weeks of school, which should be a letter that notifies parents of their right to know:

Professional qualifications of student’s teachers and paraprofessionals

State/local assessment policies

A sample Parent’s Right to Know can be found here. The letter can also be posted in the student handbook and/or on the district’s website.

Title I Annual Meeting

Section 1116(c) for family engagement requires each Title I school to convene an annual meeting, at a convenient time, to which all parents of Title I children shall be invited and encouraged to attend. Districts sometimes include a Title I presentation on the agenda at the Open House as part of the annual meeting requirement, but this requirement can surely be met in other ways. Essentially, the meeting should inform parents of their school’s participation in Title I, explain the requirements and services provided as part of Title I and discuss the rights of the parents to be involved.

In a Targeted Assistance Program, it is the parents of students who are served by Title I who are invited to the meeting. In a Schoolwide Program, it is all parents of all students attending the school who are invited to attend. This meeting is also a time for the school to explain what it means to be a targeted assistance or schoolwide program, how student supports are available for students, how the delivery of these supports will be implemented, and what other Title IA requirements, such as parent notices, policies, compacts, and other communications and expectations will be forthcoming.

School-Parent Compacts

Title I family engagement policies/plan and school-parent compacts must be developed and updated annually with input from parents. This may be completed in the spring for the upcoming year or at the beginning of the school year. Districts should ensure that they have updated documents and can demonstrate that parents were involved in the update process.

Section 1116(d)(2) of the Title I School-Parent Compact addresses the importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis through, at a minimum—

parent-teacher conferences in elementary schools, at least annually, during which the compact shall be discussed as the compact relates to the individual child’s achievement

frequent reports to parents on their child(ren)’s progress

reasonable access to staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and observation of classroom activities; and

ensuring regular two-way, meaningful communication between family members and school staff, and, to the extent practicable, in a language that family members can understand

Please see a sample school-parent compact.

FISCAL CORNER

Federal Fiscal Office Hours

We are excited to announce the return of the Federal Fiscal Office Hours.

When: September 26, 2024
Time: 10:00 - 11:00am
Where: via zoom

Professional Development Opportunity

You’re encouraged to learn more about this firm by visiting their website at https://bruman.com/.

Reimbursement Reminders

When requesting reimbursement please keep in mind:

All expenses need to be reasonable, necessary, and allocable to the program and align with the SAU’s approved application.
Salaries accrued during the 2023-2024 school year are not eligible for reimbursement using FY 25 funds.
Invoices submitted for reimbursement should only include expenses that were incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
Subscriptions or license fees for digital access that exceed the period of performance for the grant will not be reimbursed.
Some things to consider when budgeting for professional development using grant funds:
- Registration, attendance, and travel must all be incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
- Reimbursement is only available after the completion of the professional development.
Two important dates to be mindful of when requesting reimbursement:
- Substantial approval date
- Period of Performance for the grant

Grants4ME

When completing the expenditures page in Grants4Me you receive an error message as the amount you are entering exceeds what was budgeted for the object code; do not just move the expense to an object code that has funds remaining to cover the costs. A budget adjustment in the application is necessary. Once the budget revision is completed in the application, submitted, and approved by the Regional Program Manager, the funds will become available on the invoicing side in the correct object code.

Grants Closing

The grants closing out are highlighted in red below. Please obligate any remaining FY 22 ESEA funds or FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds as soon as possible. The liquidation period for these funds expires on 12/31/24.

Grant Period of Performance

FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds	Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds	Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds	9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated	Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement	Substantial Approval – 9/30/24* or 9/30/2025^
2024-2025 21^st CCLC Grant Awards	7/1/24 – 6/30/25
FY 25 ESEA Consolidated	Substantial Approval – 9/30/26
FY 25 Tier III School Improvement	Substantial Approval – 9/30/25

*This date is for schools that exited Tier III in FY 2023-2024.

^Schools that are continuing in Tier III status have until 9/30/25 to obligate funds. This date may be shortened if schools exit Tier III status in Fall 2024.

August 2024

GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES

FY25 ESEA Federal Programs Monitoring Status

In addition, the ESEA Team will be hosting a training for SAUs that were identified as “Medium” and “High” risk status. Please join us on Tuesday, September 10^th at 3 PM. The training will be recorded; however, attendance is highly recommended so questions and clarifications can be communicated in a timely manner.

Grants4ME Automated Message

Please be aware that the following message is now created in Grants4ME after submitting application revisions. This message does not impact submission of the revision.

To find who your ESEA Regional Program Manager is, please look at the Program Consultant column on the Applications page within Grants4ME.

Title I, Part A Poverty Data Source Resource

For SAUs who have Community Eligibility Provision, Special Provision II, and Traditional National School Lunch Programming, the Title I team has created the guidance Title I, Part A Data Sources to explain what poverty data source options are available for Rank & Distribution. This guidance also includes additional information on the data sources used for Title I, Part A district allocations created by the State of Maine.

Title I Equitable Service Data Collection Process is Changing: Non-Public students will need to be reported in the October 1 Student Enrollment Count.

To qualify for FY26 ESEA equitable services for Title I and to meet the student count requirements, non-public school student enrollment data will need to be submitted in NEO. The ESEA and Data team is hosting a webinar: Title I Equitable Service Data Collection on September 11^th at 10:30 AM for Non-Public School Officials and ESEA coordinators. We encourage ESEA Coordinators and Non-Public School Officials to attend to understand the process for capturing enrollment data. This new data collection aligns the ESEA team’s data processes with protocols used throughout the Maine Department of Education.

The ESEA team will use the enrollment report to collect the information necessary for ESEA equitable services for FY26 moving forward. The Qualtrics survey that was used in previous years to collect Title I student counts for ESEA Equitable Services will no longer be used.

General trainings around enrollment reporting are hosted by the Data team, visit Maine DOE Events Calendar for more information.

ESEA Coordinators, please reach out to your non-public contacts to share this information.

Title I: Schoolwide Plans Reminder

For LEAs with schoolwide programs, please ensure that ESEA Applications provide strong summaries of the annual updates made to the district and schoolwide plans on the School Needs Assessment pages.

Schoolwide plans must include data analysis of relevant student subgroups: Economically Disadvantaged, Multilingual Learners, Special Education students, and students from major Ethnic and Racial groups. That analysis of student performance should then include a synopsis of the students most at risk of failing and how the action steps and goals align to meet those students’ needs. In the school-based needs assessment within the application, it should be obvious that this type of planning and steps were taken.

When the ESEA Team formally monitors LEAs, we will ask for the Annually Updated Schoolwide Plans and will look for data analysis and action steps that meet statutory requirements and align with the needs and goals outlined in the ESEA Consolidated Application.

FY25 ESEA Application: Deadline to Submit was 8/1

The FY25 ESEA application is available for completion Grants4ME! To access the application, navigate to Funding > Funding applications, and then change the year to 2025.

If your SAU wishes to apply for funds, the application’s status will need to be changed to “Draft Started” before you can begin editing any pages. If your SAU wishes to refuse funds, the application’s status will need to be changed to “ESEA Funds Refused.”

The application was due to Maine DOE by August 1. Your SAU may not begin obligating any FY25 ESEA funds until the SAU has received substantial approval, which will be the date it is received by Maine DOE in substantially approvable form.

In addition, we have a few updated requirements for the FY25 ESEA Application around ESEA Program Assurances, Family Engagement Reservation project, Title IIA, and Title III.

FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

New ESEA Coordinator Trainings Available

FISCAL CORNER

Federal Fiscal Office Hours

As a reminder, the Maine DOE Federal Fiscal Office Hours have been suspended for the months of July and August. We anticipate the next office hours will be held on September 26, 2024. In the meantime, if your SAU would like to have the Federal Fiscal Team cover a specific topic during these office hours, please reach out to a member of the team.

FY25 ESEA Funds

Now is not the time to engage in contracted services using FY25 ESEA funds to support such services. Remember, a contract cannot contain any dates prior to the substantial approval date of the FY25 application. Services must be rendered during the period of performance for the grant and invoiced for before the expiration of the liquidation period.

For the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year, it is imperative that SAUs seeking to leverage FY25 ESEA funds for a particular contract do not enter into that contract before the substantial approval date for the FY25 ESEA Application. If the SAU is planning on contracting for services using FY25 ESEA funds, make sure that:

The contract period does not precede the substantial approval of the FY25 ESEA Application.
The SAU leverages carryover or local funding for (a) contract work that is taking place and/or (b) contracts that have been signed by both parties prior to its substantial approval date on the FY25 ESEA Application; and
The service period is within the period of performance for the grant(s) from which the SAU plans to funds the contract.

In the event the SAU needs to have a contractual agreement in place for services prior to the substantial approval date of the FY25 ESEA Application, and carryover funding from a prior fiscal year is not available, the SAU would need to request pre-award costs within the FY25 ESEA Application.

Please note that pre-award costs, if approved, would only change the SAU’s substantial approval date to July 1, 2024. Any contracts for services that were entered into prior to July 1, 2024, cannot be paid for with FY25 ESEA funding. SAUs are not eligible for pre-award costs if the FY25 ESEA application is submitted after August 1, 2024.

Invoicing

The Department reserves the right to ask for additional backup at any time for billable expenses. All expenses need to be reasonable, necessary, and allocable to the program and align with the SAU’s approved application.

Please be mindful that salaries accrued during the 2023-2024 school year are not eligible for reimbursement using FY 25 funds.

All invoices submitted to Grants4Me must be accompanied by a detailed expenditure report that aligns with your request. When invoicing for professional development please upload backup documents (registration receipt/invoice, travel receipts, etc.) to support the purchase.

Invoices submitted for reimbursement should only include expenses that were incurred during the period of performance for the grant.

Subscriptions or license fees for digital access that exceed the period of performance for the grant will not be reimbursed.

Some things to consider when budgeting for professional development using grant funds:

Registration, attendance, and travel must all be incurred during the period of performance for the grant.
Reimbursement is only available after the completion of the professional development.

Be mindful of the obligation date and review 76.707 in Edgar.

Two important dates to be mindful of when requesting reimbursement: 1) Substantial approval date and 2) Period of Performance for the grant.

Grants4ME

Open Grants

Grant Period of Performance

FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds	Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds	Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds	9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated	Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement	Substantial Approval – 9/30/24* or 9/30/2025^
2023-2024 21st CCLC Grant Awards	7/1/23 – 6/30/24

*This date is for schools that exited Tier III in FY 2023-2024.

^Schools that are continuing in Tier III status have until 9/3025 to obligate funds. This date may be shortened if schools exit Tier III status in Fall 2025.

July 2024

Title I Equitable Service Data Collection Process is Changing: Non-Public students will need to be reported in the October 1 Student Enrollment Count.

To qualify for FY26 ESEA equitable services for Title I and to meet the student count requirements, non-public student enrollment data will need to be submitted in NEO by October 30, 2024. The ESEA team will use the Maine Department of Education’s October 1 enrollment report to collect the information necessary for ESEA equitable services for FY26 moving forward. The Qualtrics survey that was used in previous years to collect Title I student counts for ESEA Equitable Services will no longer be used.

General training around October 1 enrollment reporting and resources will be hosted by the Data team. More information will be forthcoming on training recommendations and how to access these trainings. We encourage ESEA Coordinators and Non-Public School Officials to attend to understand the process for capturing enrollment data. This new data collection aligns the ESEA team’s data processes with protocols used throughout the Maine Department of Education.

ESEA Coordinators, please reach out to your non-public contacts to share this information. The ESEA Team will also release targeted information for non-public school data specialists and equitable services contacts before the collection period begins.

This information pertains to Title I only and more information pertaining to Titles II, III, and IV will be forthcoming.

FY25 ESEA Application Now OPEN in Grants4ME
The FY25 ESEA application is now available to begin drafting in Grants4ME with preliminary allocations! To access the application, navigate to Funding > Funding applications, and then change the year to 2025.

Please remember that since these are preliminary allocations, they are subject to change. Additionally, the application cannot be changed to “Draft Completed” status until final allocations are determined by Friday, July 12.

The application is due to Maine DOE by August 1. Your SAU may not begin obligating any FY25 ESEA funds until the SAU has received substantial approval, which will be the date it is received by Maine DOE in substantially approvable form.

In addition, we have a few updated requirements for the FY25 ESEA Application around ESEA Program Assurances, Family Engagement Reservation project, Title IIA, and Title III.

Adding, Removing, and Changing User Access in Grants4ME

Each SAU should be mindful of their Grants4ME address book especially if new folks have started in new or changed roles in the SAU. The address book and people's roles help with submission, workflow, timely communications, notifications, and internal controls. It's very important the address book within Grants4ME is accurate particularly at the start of each Fiscal Year.

It is the responsibility of the User Access Administrator to keep the Grants4ME Address Book up to date with the assigned Users and Roles. For more information on how to add users and roles, please see this section of our training video on the platform or refer to the User Access Guide.

Barring extraordinary circumstances, the SAU should only have one person in the role of LEA Authorized Representative (the Superintendent) and two people in the role of User Access administrator (usually the Superintendent and one other Central Office person). There should also be only one “LEA ESEA Consolidated Application Director,” with anyone else needing access to update the application given the role of “LEA ESEA Consolidated Application Update”.

FY25 Title IA Equitable Shares Update & Non-Public Consultation Reminders

At this time, ESEA Coordinators should be reaching out to their partners at any non-public schools within the SAU’s geographic boundaries to begin the consultation process. The form to document this process has changed significantly from past years, and you can find a new copy of it, along with a number of new resources, by clicking on the “Equitable Services” icon on our Resources page.

Please note, for FY25 all non-public partners must have reviewed the state-required training on ESEA equitable services as denoted on the FY25 Equitable Services Participation Form in the red box below. Note, that Title I Part D Subpart 2 Subrecipients have their own ESEA Local Residential Facility Consultation Form to use.

Graphical user interface, application, table

Description automatically generated

Equitable service percentages for Titles IIA, IIIA, and IVA apply to the total amount of funding allocated in each Title after any transfers between Titles have occurred. This means that if the SAU plans to transfer funds between Titles, that must be agreed upon during the consultation process with its non-public school(s).

The consultation process must also include a discussion of the needs of the students in the non-public school(s), plans for how funds can be spent to meet those needs, and SMART goals to help measure the extent to which those needs will be met. Keep in mind that the public SAU must always retain fiscal control of all ESEA funding, and federal ESEA funds may never be paid directly to a non-public school. All the SAU’s policies and procedures must be followed, just as they would be if the funds were being spent at the SAU’s public schools, including requirements around supplies, inventories, and staff travel.

FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

New ESEA Coordinator Trainings Available

Additional Reminders for FY25 ESEA Application

Public Comment Period

SAUs must assemble an ESEA application development team and hold planning meetings on the use of the SAU’s ESEA funds. Once a plan is made, the public must be given ample opportunity to provide comments on this plan, and if comments are submitted, they must be considered as the final application is developed.

Annual CNA Updates

Another annual process for SAUs is meeting with a variety of stakeholders to update SAU and school Comprehensive Needs Assessments (CNA) based on new data. As part of the ESEA application, SAUs are asked to document the high needs areas of SAUs and schools, as well as the data sources they used to make those determinations, the names of the stakeholders involved, and dates the updates were conducted on.

FISCAL CORNER

Federal Fiscal Office Hours

FY25 ESEA Funds

The contract period does not precede the substantial approval of the FY25 ESEA Application.

The SAU leverages carryover or local funding for (a) contract work that is taking place and/or (b) contracts that have been signed by both parties prior to its substantial approval date on the FY25 ESEA Application; and

The service period is within the period of performance for the grant(s) from which the SAU plans to funds the contract.

Invoicing

Please be mindful that salaries accrued during the 2023-2024 school year are not eligible for reimbursement using FY 25 funds.

Invoices submitted for reimbursement should only include expenses that were incurred during the period of performance for the grant.

Subscriptions or license fees for digital access that exceed the period of performance for the grant will not be reimbursed.

Some things to consider when budgeting for professional development using grant funds:

Registration, attendance, and travel must all be incurred during the period of performance for the grant.

Reimbursement is only available after the completion of the professional development.

Be mindful of the obligation date and review 76.707 in Edgar.

Two important dates to be mindful of when requesting reimbursement: 1) Substantial approval date and 2) Period of Performance for the grant.

Grants4ME

Open Grants

Grant Period of Performance

FY 22 ESEA Consolidated Funds	Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 ESEA Consolidated Funds	Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
FY 23 Tier III School Improvement Funds	9/1/22 – 9/30/24
FY 24 ESEA Consolidated	Substantial Approval – 9/30/25
FY 24 Tier III School Improvement	Substantial Approval – 9/30/24
2023-2024 21^st CCLC Grant Awards	7/1/23 – 6/30/24

Maine.gov

April 2025

Virtual Office Hours: April 8 at 9 AM (Zoom link is provided through Grants4ME notifications)

GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES

Annual CNA Updates

Title IA 15% Carryover Rule

Professional Learning Opportunities

GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES

TYPICAL TURNAROUND TIME

GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES

FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES

Grants4ME

Grants Closing

Grant Period of Performance

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CALENDAR

GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES

FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

New ESEA Coordinator Trainings Available

Title I Parent and Family Engagement Requirements

Grants4ME

Grants Closing

Grant Period of Performance

GENERAL & TITLE-SPECIFIC UPDATES

FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

New ESEA Coordinator Trainings Available

FISCAL CORNER

Federal Fiscal Office Hours

FY25 ESEA Funds

Invoicing

Grants4ME

Open Grants

Title I Equitable Service Data Collection Process is Changing: Non-Public students will need to be reported in the October 1 Student Enrollment Count.

FY25 ESEA Application Now OPEN in Grants4METhe FY25 ESEA application is now available to begin drafting in Grants4ME with preliminary allocations! To access the application, navigate to Funding > Funding applications, and then change the year to 2025.

Adding, Removing, and Changing User Access in Grants4ME

FY25 Title IA Equitable Shares Update & Non-Public Consultation Reminders

FRIENDLY REMINDERS FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

New ESEA Coordinator Trainings Available

Additional Reminders for FY25 ESEA Application

Public Comment Period

Annual CNA Updates

FISCAL CORNER

Federal Fiscal Office Hours

FY25 ESEA Funds

Invoicing

Grants4ME

Open Grants

Grant Period of Performance

FY25 ESEA Application Now OPEN in Grants4ME
The FY25 ESEA application is now available to begin drafting in Grants4ME with preliminary allocations! To access the application, navigate to Funding > Funding applications, and then change the year to 2025.