21st Century

Community Learning

Centers

2018-19 Grant Guidance

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Absolute Priority 7

Advisory Committee 18

Allowable Expenditures 12

Annual Continuation and End-of-Grant Reporting 22

Attendance 16

Audit Requirement 23

Background of Program 4

Budget and Expenditure Reporting 21

Competitive Priority 7

Conflict of Interest 13

Contracted Services 13

Eligible Applicants 6

Enrollment 15

Family Engagement 19

Final Year of Funding 23

Funding Guidelines 9

Goals and Objectives 7

Grant Awards and Duration 5

Hours of Operation 15

Location and Accessibility 14

Personnel 16

Private School Consultation 15

Professional Development 18

Program Contacts 24

Program Design 14

Table of Contents

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Program Inventory 20

Program Monitoring and Evaluation 20

Program Record Retention 22

Public Records 23

Purpose of Guidance Document 4

Purpose of the Grant 4

Reimbursements to Staff 21

Reporting Requirements 19

Required Registration 23

School Partnership and Alignment 18

Staff Salaries 22

Student Transportation 13

Time and Effort Reporting 21

Travel Expenses 22

Unallowable Expenditures 11

Use of Funds 8

Apendix A - Definitions 25

Apendix B - Common Audit Findings 27

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This document is intended to provide guidance on compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) program. This guidance should be read in conjunction with the United States Department of Education Non-Regulatory Guidance for Title IV – Part B, the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), including the Uniform Grant Guidance (2 C.F.R. §200). The information in this document replaces all prior guidance documents for Arkansas 21st CCLC programs.

Authorized under Title IV, Part B, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. 7171-7176), the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) program is designed to establish or expand community learning centers that provide students with academic enrichment opportunities along with activities designed to complement the students’ regular academic program. 21st CCLC programs must also offer literacy and related educational development to the families of 21st CCLC student participants. Proposed programs must serve students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. Funds are distributed on a competitive basis giving consideration to applications that include schools in need of improvement.

The purpose of 21st Century Community Learning Center programs is to establish or expand activities in community learning centers that:

Provide opportunities for academic enrichment, including providing tutorial services to help students, particularly students who attend low-performing schools, to meet the challenging state academic standards;

Offer students a broad array of additional services, programs and activities, such as youth development activities, service learning, nutrition and health education, drug and violence prevention programs, counseling programs, arts, music, physical fitness and wellness programs, technology education programs, financial literacy programs, environmental literacy programs, mathematics, science, career and technical programs, internship or apprenticeship programs, and other ties to an in-demand industry sector or occupation for high school students that are designed to reinforce and complement the regular academic program of participating students; and

Purpose of Guidance Document

Background of Program

Purpose of the Grant

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Offer families of students served by community learning centers opportunities for active and meaningful engagement in their children’s education, including opportunities for literacy and related educational development.

The term “community learning center” means an entity that assists students to meet the challenging state academic standards by providing the students with academic enrichment activities and a broad array of other activities during non-school hours or periods when school is not in session.

It is the intent of the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) to award grants of sufficient size and scope to support high quality, effective programs. By statute, a 21st CCLC grant may not be made in an amount that is less than $50,000. The ADE will award competitive grants at a minimum of $50,000 to $150,000 per applicant, renewable annually for up to five consecutive years dependent upon an annual review of performance, providing that the program is able to demonstrate the following:

Progress toward program goals;

Attendance of required personnel at mandatory training and professional development;

Timely and accurate submission of all reports and data;

Appropriate grant fund management consistent with the requirements of the statute and the operational requirements set forth in the Educational Department Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), Office of Management and Budget Circulars, US Non-Regulatory Guidance and the ADE 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Guidelines;

Maintenance of an acceptable program quality score as determined by the program quality assessment tool;

Participation in required planning with data training and submittal of program improvement plans; and

Program operation is in alignment with the awarded grant application serving the target population.

Grants awards will be paid to the subgrantee listed on the application. All bank accounts, correspondence and documentation must use the subgrantee name for the duration of the program. Failure to comply with federal, state or grant guidelines may lead to implementation of a compliance plan, reduction of allocation, non-reimbursement, recoupment of misused funds, suspension or closure of the program. Misuse of funds may result in program closure.

Grant Awards and Duration

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Entities eligible to receive 21st Century Community Learning Centers program funds include, but are not limited to:

Local Educational Agencies (LEA);

Indian Tribe or tribal organizations;

Educational consortia;

Non-Profit agencies;

City or county government agencies;

Community based organizations (CBO) and faith-based organizations (FBO);

Institutions of high education;

For-profit corporations. Eligible applicants will serve students who attend a school site that is eligible for designation as a Title I school-wide program. To be eligible for this designation at least 40 percent for the students must qualify to receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program. Each eligible entity receiving an award will use the funds to carry out a broad array of before- and after-school, summer, weekend and/or holiday activities that advance overall student achievement and support student success. Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) Funds shall be used solely for the purposes set forth in this grant program. No funds provided pursuant to this program shall be expended to support religious practices, such as religious instruction, worship or prayer. A faith based organization (FBO) may offer such practices but not as part of the program receiving assistance and must comply with applicable cost accounting requirements to ensure that funds are not used to support religious activities. FBOs will be required to keep grant funds in a separate account for monitoring purposes. Existing Subgrantee Eligibility Current subgrantees may compete in the general application process to expand to a maximum of three sites per fiscal agent. Previously Funded Applicants Subgrantees may re-apply following the end of the original five-year grant cycle. To be eligible to apply for a new grant, applicants who have previously been funded must have satisfactory performance at the end of the fourth grant year and must have submitted all current year reports and data by the required deadlines at the time of the new application.

Eligible Applicants

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The ADE awards sub-grants only to applicants primarily serving students who attend schools eligible for schoolwide Title I status. For the purpose of this application, Title I schoolwide status is defined as having at least 40 percent of students qualify to receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program.

The ADE may award the following competitive priority points inclusive of but not limited to the following dependent upon changing state needs and data in the state evaluation report.

Joint Application = 2 points

Program will serve students attending a school in need of comprehensive or targeted support = 2 points

Proposed program incorporates a summer program (June 1-July 31) = 2 points

Proposed program serves any students in grades 9-12 = 2 points

Four state-wide performance goals have been adopted for all 21CCLC grant programs. Goal 1: Improve both academic and non-academic outcomes for regularly attending participants.

Objective 1.1: Participants in the program will demonstrate increased performance on state mandated assessments in reading and math. Objective 1.2: Participants in the program will report high levels of personal competencies, social interaction and skills, emotional management and control, increased skills in work habits and in academic efficacy. Objective 1.3: Subgrantees will plan consistently with school day staff to ensure alignment with the school day.

Goal 2: Promote a physically and emotionally safe place to attend and continual instruction to promote healthy bodies, minds and habits.

Objective 2.1: Subgrantees will consistently offer high-quality instructional programming, regardless of content, as measured by the Youth PQA or School-Age PQA.

Absolute Priority

Goals and Objectives

Competitive Priority

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Objective 2.2: Subgrantees will provide high-quality activities in the core academic areas such as reading, mathematics and science. Objective 2.3: Subgrantees will provide high-quality activities in enrichment areas such as nutrition and health, art, music and technology. Objective 2.4: Subgrantees will consistently offer a program space that is safe and suitable for activities offered.

Goal 3: Provide opportunities for parents and students to learn and connect with their community together.

Objective 3.1: Subgrantees will establish and maintain partnerships and collaborative relationships within the community to enhance participants’ access to a variety of opportunities. Objective 3.2: Subgrantees will establish collaborative relationships that offer opportunities for literacy and related educational activities to the families of participating students. Objective 3.3: Subgrantees will maintain a high satisfaction rate among families served by the program.

Goal 4: Build organizational capacity to deliver high-quality programming to all participants attending 21st CCLC programming.

Objective 4.1: Subgrantees will identify students characterized as “at-risk” and actively recruit those students to attend 21st CCLC programming. Objective 4.2: Subgrantees will engage in the Youth Program Quality Intervention (YPQI) as a part of a program quality improvement process. Objective 4.3: Subgrantees will facilitate opportunities for communication between and among center coordinators and direct staff working in the 21st CCLC programs. Objective 4.4: Subgrantees will maintain a high job satisfaction rate among subgrantee directors, center coordinators and direct staff.

Funds must be used solely for the purpose of creating local community learning centers that provide students and their families with the activities that reinforce that regular academic program and a broad array of other activities designed to complement the school-day programs and advance student achievement.

Use of Funds

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Grant funds must be used only to supplement, not supplant any federal, state or local funds currently being used to support activities allowable under the 21st CCLC program. All costs must be reasonable, necessary, allocable and properly documented to carry out the program. Costs must be directly linked to the size and scope of the program and to specific goals, objectives and activities. Program expenditures will be reimbursed rather than forward funded. Applicants must have sufficient funds from which to spend and sustain services until the claim for reimbursement can be submitted, processed, approved and reimbursed. Program expenditure documentation is required to be uploaded monthly through Indistar. Funds will not be reimbursed without proper documentation.

1. All spending of 21st CCLC funds must adhere to the following federal and state guidelines and be clearly tied to the goals and objectives of the program:

Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) http://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/edgareg/edgar.html

Office of Management and Budget Guidance for Grants and Agreements (OMB Circulars) https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants circulars (2 C.F.R. Part 200)

Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Discretionary Grant Procedures

USDOE 21st CCLC Non-Regulatory Guidance

Arkansas 21st CCLC Grant Guidelines for the current year

2. LEA subgrantees shall follow all district policies. These include, but are not limited to: purchasing, hiring of personnel, travel and professional development opportunities. LEA subgrantees shall follow purchase order and/or expenditure policies of the school district. Written procurement, cash management and conflict of interest policies and procedures are required.

3. Non-LEA subgrantees shall comply with general applicable cost accounting requirements to ensure that funds are used only to support applicable activities. Written procurement, cash management and conflict of interest policies and procedures are required.

4. All spending must follow the approved 21st CCLC budget. Budget amendments can

be made in November and May. Expenditures made without budget approval will not be reimbursed.

5. Programs will operate on a reimbursement basis. Non-LEA subgrantees will need to

obtain initial start-up funding to cover program expenditures for the first month. All subgrantees are required to submit expenditure documentation in Indistar by the 10th of each month for the previous months expenditures. Supporting documentation for

Funding Guidelines

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all expenditures is required. Expenditures without appropriate documentation and itemized receipts will not be reimbursed. Documents must include vendor name and address, description of services or materials purchased, amount of each item and total amount of the purchase.

6. Indirect costs under this grant may not exceed 12% of the total grant amount. Indirect costs consist of administrative activities necessary for the general operation of the agency, such as accounting, budgeting, payroll preparation, personnel services, purchasing, postage machine, rent, utilities and insurance. LEAs must use the current Restrictive Indirect Cost Rate published each year in the ADE Commissioner’s Memos.

7. A plan for immediate implementation should be developed prior to applying for the

grant. Funds must be used to provide services and cannot exclusively support planning. However, subgrantees may use funds for on-going staff planning throughout the grant period to strengthen the program based on evaluation results. New subgrantees must be in operation by October 1st the first year grant funds are received. Subgrantees in the second year of funding and beyond must be in operation by September 15th.

8. Any single item exceeding $1000 or any purchase exceeding $2500 purchased with

21st CCLC funds must be pre-approved by ADE 21st CCLC staff. All expenditures must be reasonable and necessary to support the program plan as outlined in the awarded grant application.

9. 21st CCLC programs may not charge participation fees during the grant period.

Programs must be equally accessible to all students targeted for services.

10. Subgrantees may not use program funds or materials and supplies to generate money. This includes making and selling t-shirts, baked goods, artwork, etc. Funds generated from allowable fundraisers cannot be consolidated with grant funds.

11. Field trips that are linked to academic learning and contribute to meeting the program goals outlined in the original grant application are allowed. Trips to amusement parks, water parks, restaurants, movie theaters, party centers or similar places are not allowable expenses. All field trips must be pre-approved. Field Trip Request Forms are located in Indistar and must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the date of the field trip.

12. Programs are encouraged to work with cafeterias and meal providers to prepare sack

lunches and snacks for field trips. Taking students out to eat or purchasing food or drinks are not allowable expenses.

13. Reimbursements to staff, other than travel, should be limited. Reimbursements

should not exceed $100 and must be submitted to the site coordinator or program

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director using the Staff Reimbursement Request form located in Indistar and accompanied by itemized receipts.

14. All costs must be reasonable and necessary to carry out the program and directly

linked to the size and scope of the program and to specific goals, objectives and activities.

15. Funds must be used only to supplement, not supplant, any federal, state or local

funds available to support activities allowable under the 21st CCLC program.

16. Grant funds cannot be combined with any other funds. Each 21st CCLC grant awarded must have a separate bank or checking account that is non-interest bearing.

17. Funds spent on staff salaries must be supported by a timesheet. Programs are

required to use the timesheet form provided in Indistar.

18. Credit card usage is allowed only if the card is in the subgrantee’s name. Itemized receipts must be kept for all purchases. A credit card receipt or monthly statement is not sufficient documentation and will not be reimbursed.

19. Subgrantees will not be allowed to carry over more than 25% of the current year

allocation to the next year in the grant cycle.

Failure to follow expenditure guidelines may result in non-reimbursement of funds, probationary status or grant closure.

Examples of unallowable expenditures include, but are not limited to:

Expenses not directly or clearly related to the program

Food, unless used for instruction (lesson plan must be included in documentation)

Movies

Cell phones

Fuel for automobiles or buses

Facilities or vehicles

Clothing, including t-shirts and uniforms

Paying employees as contract labor

Postage machine lease

Salary paid to the superintendent

Employee insurance including health, dental, vision and life

Travel expenses of individuals not involved with the program

Membership or participation fees

Lobbying

Unallowable Expenditures

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Grant writing services

Interest rate or late fees on credit cards

New construction, capital improvement or renovations

Promotional or marketing items such as bags, cups, flags or banners

Decorative items

Bonuses or incentives including cash or material items

Incentives and rewards for students

Non-academic field trips and entertainment such as amusement, diversion and social activities

Gift cards

Cash advances

Student meals at restaurants

Overnight field trips

Any activities taking place during the regular school day

Any spending that results in supplanting of state or local funds

No advance payments for services or products

Examples of allowable expenditures include, but are not limited to:

Salaries and benefits (FICA = 6.2% and Medicare = 1.45%) for program staff

Professional development activities, including travel

Field Trips that are aligned to program goals

Educational equipment required for implementing program activities

Materials and supplies associated with program activities

Student transportation

Indirect Costs

Academic enrichment learning programs, mentoring programs, remedial education activities and tutoring services that are aligned with state and local standards;

Programs that build skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), including computer science and programs that foster innovation in learning by supporting non-traditional STEM teaching method

Participation in the arts, including visual art, music, dance and drama;

Literacy education programs, including financial and environmental literacy programs;

Programs that support a healthy lifestyle, including nutritional education and regular structured physical activity programs;

Service for individuals with disabilities;

Programs that provide activities for students who are English learners that emphasize language skills and academic achievement;

Development of physical fitness and motor skills through physical activity;

Opportunities for problem-solving that strengthen decision-making and higher level thinking skills;

Allowable Expenditures

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Cultural programs;

Technology programs; and

Parenting skills programs that promote parental involvement and family literacy

A conflict of interest is a set of circumstances that creates a risk that professional judgment or actions regarding a primary interest will be unduly influenced by a secondary interest. Program administrators (project directors and site coordinators) should make every effort to avoid conflict of interest situations within the program. If a conflict does exist, the site coordinator or project director must submit a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form found in Indistar. Within the 21st CCLC program, conflicts of interest could include:

Having an immediate family member of a program administrator work for the program in any capacity. Immediate family member includes a spouse, child, in-law or parent;

Employing immediate family members as contract labor for enrichment services;

Purchasing supplies from a company that a program employee has a financial interest in;

Immediate family members serving in program administrator roles; and

Immediate family members of the fiscal agent that work for the 21st CCLC program.

Failure to disclose conflicts of interest could result in required dismissal of employee, program suspension or closure.

Programs may contract services for enrichment activities. Vendors must have professional qualifications and a taxpayer ID for the business providing the professional service. Vendors cannot be 21st CCLC program employees. All payments made for contract labor or purchase services must have supporting documentation which includes a detailed description of services to be provided and dates services will be delivered.

21st CCLC programs funds may be used to reimburse the subgrantee entity for student transportation. The 21st CCLC program will not directly pay for fuel, driver salaries, vehicle usage or vehicle repair or maintenance. Reimbursement for transportation costs is based on daily mileage using the Transportation Mileage Form located in Indistar. The total miles driven will be multiplied by the current transportation rate for athletics as determined each year by the ADE.

Conflict of Interest

Contracted Services

Student Transportation

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The purpose of 21st CCLC grants is to fund quality afterschool programs operated by knowledgeable and creative staff and in partnership with schools and community agencies. Research continues to show success in programs that implement the following components:

Activities aligned with school-day learning through intentional planning and on-going communication between school-day and 21st CCLC program staff;

Communication scheduled regularly between the school-day and 21st CCLC program staff;

Professional development opportunities that combine school-day and 21st CCLC program staff, including professional learning communities

Youth-centered environments, including planning with participating youth to design learning experiences that are relevant and interesting to them;

Experiential learning, problem solving, self-direction, creativity, exploration and expression, using a guided inquiry approach to promote perseverance, curiosity, leadership, responsibility and self-confidence;

Project-based learning opportunities that extend across multiple sessions for students to explore;

Summer programming that engages youth in learning and reduces the potential for summer learning loss;

Partnerships that produce tangible resources that will directly benefit 21st CCLC participants;

Family engagement opportunities including literacy and educational development; and

Research methodology to evaluate and improve the program design in order to optimize positive participant outcomes, including academic achievement, engagement in learning, school attendance, social and communication skills, positive behavior and healthy choices.

A community learning center may be located in a facility other than a public school building. However, the facility must be at least as available to the participants as if the program were located in a public school. Whether the program takes place in a school building or other facility, the applicant must have a plan of how students will travel safely to and from the 21st CCLC program and home. Transportation cannot be a barrier for students participating in the program. Subgrantees should be prepared to offer daily transportation to 21st CCLC participants during both the school year and summer programming.

Program Design

Location and Accessibility

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Federal guidance specifies that 21st CCLC programs must offer services during non-school hours or periods when school is not in session. This time may include before and/or after school, evenings, weekends, school vacations and/or summer. Pre-kindergarten or kindergarten students enrolled in a half-day program may receive 21st CCLC services before or after their class during regular school hours, as this may be the most suitable for serving these populations. Subgrantees should design the operating schedules of their programs to meet the needs of participating students and their families. To best serve the children of working families, centers should consider establishing consistent and dependable hours of operation including fall, winter, spring and winter breaks. Programs must operate a sufficient number of hours per week to allow each eligible student the opportunity to benefit program services. Programs should be available to students a minimum of twelve hours (12) each week, four (4) days per week and twenty-five (25) weeks per year or 37.5 hours a week for eight (8) weeks for a summer only program. Requests to alter hours of operation requirements will be considered by the ADE on a site-by-site basis. Research suggests that more time spent engaged in sustained learning activities yields greater benefits.

All students are eligible to participate in 21st CCLC programs on an equitable basis, including private school students and their families within the community. Subgrantees must document consultation with private school officials during the design and development of the 21st CCLC program on issues such as how the children’s needs will be identified and priority must be given to students at risk of academic failure, including English language learners, students in special education and students with social and emotional needs. Services may be provided for youth in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

Specific student needs should be identified and explicitly targeted in program design and operation. Students identified in priority groups should be allowed first entrance into the program. As space is available following the priority group enrollment, other students may be enrolled.

Hours of Operation

Enrollment

Private School Consultation

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Studies have shown that the more a child participates in afterschool programs, the more likely they are to show academic and social gains. To allow youth to take advantage of all that 21st CCLC programs offer, there must be steady attendance and access to programs over a significant period of time. Subgrantees are expected to develop and communicate policies to the parents that emphasize the importance of regular daily attendance in the 21st CCLC program. Subgrantees cannot limit students’ participation within program hours. Student attendance records, including daily hours of participation, must be maintained by all subgrantees. Standard grant award amounts are designed for programs with an average daily attendance of 100 students. After the first year of grant funding, award amounts will be adjusted yearly according to the following scale:

Avg Daily Attendance

Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

80-100 Students $150,000 $120,000 $120,000 $120,000

60-79 Students $120,000 $96,000 $96,000 $96,000

Below 60 Students $90,000 $72,000 $72,000 $72,000

The careful selection and hiring of appropriate personnel to conduct and manage the program services and activities described in the application is imperative. Program staff should be qualified and experienced in teaching and/or providing positive youth development services. All persons, employees, volunteers and contracted personnel must have a current child abuse and criminal background check on file. All programs are required to have a Program Director and a Site Coordinator to fulfill the following responsibilities: Responsibilities of the Program Director

Manage and implementing staffing, budgeting and report commitments to the Arkansas Department of Education.

Ensure programs are in compliance with federal, state and grant guidelines Manage day-to-day operations of the program Secure necessary resources for program delivery Attend professional development with other lead staff members Recruit, interview, hire and supervise staff, volunteers

Attendance

Personnel

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Create and monitor budgets Monitor accounts receivables and payables Coordinate payment of staff, including time sheets and invoices Create and plan a sustainability plan Build collaborations to strategically secure resources for a sustainable program Maintain accurate records, files, and data systems for grant reporting Establish and maintain partnerships with community-based organizations, public

agencies, city agencies, local universities, and other collaborators involved in youth development

Regularly attend meetings with school staff and administration to provide updates and solicit support

Demonstrate advocacy for the program, its mission, intended outcomes and the benefits for all stakeholders

Ensures required data collections and submissions are completed on time

Responsibilities of the Site Coordinator Assists staff in developing the program structure and curriculum Ensures program includes activities that contribute to the cognitive, social,

emotional, and physical well-being and growth of each participant Ensures the program implementation reflects the use of best practices in program

structure, learning environment, learning strategies, programming, and building effective relationships with staff, families, children/youth, and the community

Regularly communicates with staff, administration, partners, and families/guardians regarding program goals and strategies to achieve the goals

Facilitate regularly scheduled staff meetings to review progress toward program goals, debrief activities, communicate expectations, and review evaluation strategies

Ensures a flexible daily schedule is established which offers children/youth security, independence, and choices among a variety of youth-centered and age-appropriate activities

Ensures activities are well planned, adequate materials are available, and staff members are prepared to lead activities

Ensures activities and curriculum reflect the wants and needs of the children/youth, their families, and their schools

Ensures children and youth are supervised at all times by qualified adults Coordinates on-going family/guardian workshops, services, and special events Develops positive relationships with children/youth, families/guardians, regular day

school staff and administration, partners, and the community Create professional development plans for all staff member

Ensures activities and in alignment with regular day school Conduct regular performance planning and feedback sessions with staff Collaborate with staff in developing strategies for ensuring newly acquired

knowledge and skills are integrated into program delivery Leads the staff in creating program improvement plans

Works with external evaluators and program staff to measure programmatic, operational, and youth outcomes; ensures all reporting on outcomes is accurate

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Subgrantees must promptly report any personnel changes in program administration to ADE 21st CCLC staff using the Key Staff Changes form located in Indistar.

21st CCLC programs must ensure that services provided are aligned with the school’s curriculum in the core subject areas. Programs should develop partnership agreements with schools that outline how ongoing collaboration and communication regarding student needs will occur.

To sustain a quality program, staff and volunteers who will be delivering academic support and enrichment services shall participate in required learning opportunities. These opportunities may include a host of different types of learning including, but not limited to, conferences, workshops, professional learning communities (PLC), on-line learning, webinars and program visits. Follow all district policies concerning professional development and travel related to professional development. At a minimum, the program director and site coordinator must attend:

New program training for program directors and site coordinators;

Arkansas 21st CCLC Annual Summer Institute;

National 21st CCLC conference and/or one out of state training event each year of the grant award (maximum of two may attend each event);

Arkansas 21st CCLC annual conference; PQA Basics or Basics Plus during the first two years of the grant.

The role of an advisory committee is to function as a leadership group to the 21st CCLC program. Duties of the advisory committee include advising and guiding the program director and staff in the implementation of the 21st CCLC program. It is encouraged that the advisory committee be involved in major aspects of the program and regularly participates in events, activities and various aspects of the program. Programs are encouraged to establish a student advisory board to empower student participants to take ownership of the program, build leadership and conflict management skills and understand due process. Student advisory boards should be developmentally appropriate in responsibilities, flexible, and allow for student creativity, voice and choice, ingenuity and gradual development of skills.

School Partnership and Alignment

Professional Development

Advisory Committee

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In addition to providing parents with opportunities for their own literacy training and related educational development, engaging families in their child’s education is a required component of Arkansas’ 21st CCLC program. The success of an afterschool program depends on both family and community involvement. Many afterschool programs depend on and draw upon parent and community volunteers. Family and community members with an investment in an academically connected afterschool program will tend to be more interested and involved in their own child’s learning, in the learning of all children in the program and in the life of the program and school as a whole. Examples of family engagement in a 21st CCLC program include, but are not limited to: .

Involving Families in Program Planning – Programs designed to include families and children in the planning draw greater support from participants and their families and from the community at large. Successful programs seek to involve families in program planning, orientation sessions, workshops, volunteer opportunities, parent advisory committees and in a wide range of adult learning opportunities, such as parenting education, computer training, and English as a second language classes.

Attending to the needs of Working Parents – Good programs are aware that their consumers are not only the children they serve, but their families as well. Programs are designed that are sensitive to the communication styles, schedules and needs of working parents.

Accommodating Family Schedules – Activities are often scheduled during morning and afterschool hours, when many parents are either commuting to work or already at the workplace. However, learning, enrichment and recreation activities should also be planned for school holidays and fall, spring and summer breaks to accommodate the needs of working parents and others.

Annually, subsubgrantees must collect data that will assist them in analyzing, refining and assessing their programs based on the impact of the activities and quality of programming. Required data submissions include, but may not be limited to:

Youth Program Quality Assessment

Program Self-Assessment

Stakeholder Surveys

Family Engagement

Reporting Requirements

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Summer, Fall and Spring Program Data and Attendance Information

Plan of Improvement Technical assistance and training will be provided to all subgrantees to assist in submitting the necessary reports and program evaluation data.

All 21st CCLC subsubgrantee programs are required to undergo a periodic evaluation in conjunction with the state educational agency’s overall evaluation plan, to assess the program’s progress toward achieving the goal of providing high-quality opportunities for academic enrichment and overall student success. The results of program evaluations shall be:

1. Used to refine, improve and strengthen the program or activity and to refine the performance measures;

2. Made available to the public upon request; and 3. Used by the state to determine whether a subgrantee is eligible to be renewed.

Program evaluation will include fiscal monitoring through budget approvals and monthly expenditure reviews, periodic on-site visits to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations and the original grant application, timely submission of required reports, documentation and data and compliance with ADE guidelines, recommendations and directives. Programs receiving an unacceptable rating on a yearly evaluation may be placed on probation and required to implement a compliance plan, suspended, non-renewed or closed. Misuse of funds will result in program closure.

All programs will maintain current inventory for review during site monitoring. As directed by the USDOE Uniform Grant Guidance, the inventory should include all non-consumable items purchased with 21st CCLC funds. Non-consumable products include items that will last beyond one year of the program and may extend through the life of the grant. All materials should be securely and appropriately stored and must be labeled as 21st CCLC property. Inventories must be updated monthly in Indistar. Upon completion of the program or early closure of a program, the program assets remain the property of the USDE. It is the common practice of the ADE to work with the subgrantee to reassign assets to other federal programs where the participating students attend.

Program Monitoring and Evaluation

Program Inventory

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The following information must be included on the inventory list:

Fund Source

Description of Equipment

Serial Number

Acquisition Date

Acquisition Cost

Location of Purchase

Federal Use Percentage

Current Condition of Item

Disposal Date For further guidance, please refer to the USDE Uniform Grant Guidance, 2 C.F.R., part 200 for disposition regulations.

Subgrantees are required to submit the following reports in Indistar:

Budget for the upcoming year is due by June 15th

Previous month expenditure documentation due by the 10th of each month

Mid-year budget report by January 15th

Final budget report for grantees in year one through four by July 15th

Final budget report for grantees in year five by June 15th

Amendments to approved budgets are accepted in November and May. Spending that exceeds the amount allocated per line item will require a budget amendment. Any costs exceeding the approved budget will be not be reimbursed.

All employees that are paid with federal funds must keep records of their time to ensure that a program does not use federal funds to compensate an employee for time spent on any other program. All individuals paid with federal funds must document their time an effort on the timesheets provided in Indistar.

Reimbursements to staff for program expenses should not exceed $100.00 and must be submitted using the Staff Reimbursement Form, located in Indistar, along with itemized receipts. The program director or site coordinator must approve all reimbursements.

Budget and Expenditure Reporting

Time and Effort Reporting

Reimbursements to Staff

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Program funds may be used to pay for employee travel expenses while attending required meetings or professional development. Reimbursements made to staff for travel expenses must follow school district policies or the General Services Administration per diem rates (www.gsa.gov/travel). Meals will only be reimbursed if there is an overnight stay. Employees must pay for their own meals and submit expenditures on the Travel Reimbursement Request Form. Grantee organization credit cards cannot be used to pay for staff meals during travel. Grantee organization credit card can be used for airfare, hotel rooms, taxi or shuttle services and baggage fees.

All employees working for 21st CCLC subsubgrantee programs will be paid hourly and cannot exceed 28 hours per week. Total salaries and employer taxes (FICA and Medicare) for each 21st CCLC program must not exceed 70% of the total yearly budget. Each program must have a Pay Rate Schedule (found in Indistar) approved by ADE 21st CCLC program staff prior to the first payroll.

All programs will be required to complete a year-end report summarizing their program successes, challenges and progress towards grant goals identified in the application process. A template for reporting will be provided by ADE. As part of the annual continuation process, program performance data will be reviewed for each subgrantee. Possible results of this review include full refunding of the program, partial refunding with conditions, probationary status, implementation of a performance plan and/or discontinuation of funding.

21st CCLC programs are required to maintain financial records of all expenditures, including purchases of material, supplies and equipment, as well as, staff and salary information. Itemized receipts should include a description of the item or service are required for all expenditures. Credit card receipts are not acceptable. Program records and expenditure documentation must be kept for five years following the end the grant.

Staff Salaries

Annual Continuation and End-of-Grant Reporting

Program Record Retention

Travel Expenses

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An annual audit is required for 21st CCLC program funds. LEA subgrantees will follow the audit procedures of the school district/state. Non-district subgrantees are required to have an annual audit of 21st CCLC funds conducted in accordance with the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR). Audit results must be submitted to the ADE annually with the continuation report.

Programs that are in year five (5) of their funding cycles must adhere to the following:

Program must end my May 15th of the operation year;

All spending will end by the last day of the program;

All final budget reports and end of the year documentation should be submitted by June 15th;

No purchases for electronics or individual supplies over $500 per item are allowed in the final funding year; and

Spending should follow the approved budget. Spending to deplete funds is not allowed. Remaining funds will be reimbursed to 21st CCLC/ADE.

All applicants must have both a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) and a valid Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), the U.S. Federal Government’s primary registrant database. Each applicant must maintain an active SAM registration that will be verified by ADE program staff before an application is deemed eligible for funding. DUNS number assignment is free and is required to receive funds from the ADE. DUNS numbers can be obtained at www.dd.com. ADE staff will verify that potential grant recipients are not suspended or debarred or otherwise excluded by checking the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) maintained by the General Services Administration (GSA) prior to entering into the agreement. The electronic version of EPLS is located on the www.sam.gov website.

All correspondence and submitted grant applications are subject to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act and will be disclosed to a third party by request.

Audit Requirement

Final Year of Funding

Required Registration

Public Records

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For assistance with matters concerning the 21st CCLC grant program, please contact: Tracy Webb, 21st CCLC Program Coordinator

Arkansas Department of Education Four Capitol Mall, Slot 26 Little Rock, AR 72201 501-683-0737 Tracy.webb@arkansas.gov

Program Contact

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21s Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) – According to the program’s authorizing statute 20 U.S.C. §7171(b)(1), a 21st CCLC assists students in meeting state and local academic achievement standards in core academic subjects such as reading and mathematics, by providing the students with opportunities for academic enrichment during non-school hours.

Afterschool – For purposes of ease and flexibility in 21st CCLC grant guidelines, the term ‘afterschool’ may be used interchangeably with any time outside of the normal school day, week, or year.

Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) – The state governmental education agency for the State of Arkansas charged with determining policies, and directing administration and supervision of the public school system of Arkansas.

Community Based Organization (CBO) – A private entity which is representative of a community or significant segments of a community and which provides educational or related services to individuals in the community.21

Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) – The U.S. Department of Education code of federal regulations; these regulations may be reviewed at http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCFO/grants/ edgar.html.

Faith Based Organizations (FBO) – Non-public school district entity such as churches, religious or parochial schools, and other faith based groups.

Local Education Agency (LEA) – A public school or school district located within the applicant community.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) – The United States Office of Management and Budget oversees the performance of federal agencies, and administers the federal budget. To view circulars detailing cost principles and uniformity for the use of federal funds, please visit the Office of Management and Budget at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb.

Online Scores Reporter – A web-based, data reporting program available to network and program site leaders using the Youth or School-Age PQA as part of quality improvement efforts.

State Educational Agency (SEA) – The state governmental education agency charged with determining policies, and directing administration and supervision of the public school system of a given state.

Uniform Grant Guidance (UGG) – 2 CFR, Part 200 - The Uniform Guidance streamlines and consolidates government requirements for receiving and using federal awards so as to reduce administrative burden and improve outcomes. It was published in the Federal Register (79 Fed. Reg. 75871) on December 19, 2014, and became effective

Appendix A: Definitions

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for new and continuation awards issued on or after December 26, 2014. Please note the new regulations do not affect grant funds awarded prior to December 26, 2014, unless funds made available under those grants are carried forward into a new Federal fiscal year or a continuation grant.

United States Department of Education (USDE) – The agency of the federal government that establishes policy for, administers, and coordinates most federal assistance to education.

Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA) – A validated instrument created by the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality, designed to evaluate the quality of middle and high school youth programs and identify staff training needs.

Youth Program Quality Intervention (YPQI) – A data-driven, continuous improvement model for afterschool systems created by the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality.

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Unallowable expenditures

Program did not pay appropriate employee taxes.

Depositing unrelated funds into the program’s checking account.

Inadequate or no supporting documents/itemized receipts for expenditures

Incomplete or missing timesheet for employee payroll.

Timesheets missing employee or supervisor signature.

Hours logged on timesheets outside of program hours.

Overpayment of employees.

Variance in amounts paid and the supporting documentation.

Entity lacking financial stability (net loss on tax return for previous year) before

receiving grant award.

Use of personal credit card for program purchases.

Late fee or interest paid with grant funds.

Paying minimum credit card balance instead of entire amount.

Program payments written to cash.

Spending funds on non-program related expenditures such as decorative items,

promotional items, restaurants, entertainment expenses, prescription drugs, rental

house, hotel concierge and in-room movie charges.

No documentation for voided checks.

Payment of medical insurance for program employee.

Equipment items valued at $100 or more and have an estimated useful life of greater

than one (1) year not included in program’s inventory list.

Lack of accountability for equipment or materials

Lack of appropriate record keeping

Late or no submission of required reports

Inaccuracies in financial records

Large carry over balances

Appendix B: Common Audit Findings