Flexibility of Scheduling under QBE

Lou ByarsChief Financial OfficerCalhoun City Schools

Lack of Flexibility of Scheduling under QBE

Lou ByarsChief Financial OfficerCalhoun City Schools

Expenditure Controls

19 Direct Instruction Programs• Kindergarten • Kindergarten EIP• Primary Grades 1-3• Primary Grades 1-3 EIP• Upper Elem 4-5• Upper Elem 4-5 EIP• Middle Grades• Middle School• High School• CTAE Grades 9-12

• SWD Category I• SWD Category II• SWD Category III• SWD Category IV• SWD Category V• Gifted• Remedial• Alternative Ed• ESOL

O.C.G.A. 20-2-167

“For each such program, each local school system shall spend a minimum of 90% of the funds designated…”

Note: Designated not state funded. Some districts have received as little as 15% of designated funds from the state but with expenditure controls must spend 90%.

Waivers

• Under 20-2-167(f) all districts had expenditure controls waived through FY 2015.

• Charter Systems are supposed to continue to have expenditure controls past FY 2015.

In Practice Are Expenditure Controls Actually Waived

• To earn QBE funds districts must report each student as outlined in 20-2-160.

• Twice per school year on dates specified in 20-2-160, the district will report how each student is enrolled on that day.

• This report will have the student’s day broken out into six segments using the programs outlined earlier

In Practice Are Expenditure Controls Actually Waived

With expenditure controls waived, the district does not have to report spending the funds as earned on the allotment sheet. However, in order to earn the funds the district must schedule their students in these programs which will require the schools to spend the funds on these programs. This is in essence is a form of expenditure control but on the front end.

Options to current model

• Block Grant

• Establish Base Year and adjust annually based on changes in the number of students

• Use a Student Based Profile based on the current 19 Programs

Student Based Formula

How to accomplish a Student Based Formula without major reconstruction

Instead of forcing scheduling to follow the six segment formula and reporting this twice each year, the recommendation was made to create a Student Profile using the current 19 program codes we have (can be reduced if desired). Each student’s profile will have a profile of 6 building blocks. These building blocks will be based on the needs of the student using the programs within the current allotment sheet.

Comparison of three student profiles

Student One

• HS General Ed• Remedial• Remedial• CTAE• CTAE• CTAE

Student Two

• HS General Ed• HS General Ed• HS General Ed• CTAE• CTAE• Gifted

Student Three

• HS General Ed• HS General Ed• HS General Ed• CTAE• Gifted• Remedial

Student Based Formula

Once the district determines the profile of each student, it can now determine the best way to meet the needs of each individual student without having to conform to scheduling a 6 segment day or converting a block schedule or other schedule into six segments in order to report to DOE.

Student Based Formula

Benefits Allows district FLEXIBILITY in determining how to

meet the students needs

If the desire is to combine programs, eliminate programs or even add programs such as having a low-income block, this can still be done.

Maintains the current basic funding formula for each program which is based on a sound formula that just needs updating for things such as technology, etc.

QUESTIONS?