Special Education Programs – Fiscal Training

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

http://www.pattan.net/category/Training/Calendar

July 10, 2017

TO:

School District Superintendents

School District Special Education Directors

Intermediate Unit Executive Directors

Intermediate Unit Special Education Directors

Charter Schools Chief Executive Officers

Charter Schools Special Education Directors

FROM:

Ann Hinkson-Herrmann, Director

Bureau of Special Education

SUBJECT:      Training in Response to Recent Changes by the Federal Office of Special Education Programs

The federal Office of Special Education Programs has oversight of states’ compliance with federal special education regulations and requirements.  The Office of Special Education Programs has incorporated a component of its compliance monitoring verification visits to include a fiscal verification review.  Some components of its fiscal verification review will include a review of the use of funds for coordinated early intervening services, maintenance of effort, and general use of federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B (IDEA-B) funds.

To assist the local educational agencies in working with these components of the federal on-site visits, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is providing training to familiarize special education directors and business administrators with clarifying information.  This training will address three topics:  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Fiscal Programming, Contingency Funding, and Approved Private School Electronic Management System (New Enrollment System for Approved Private Schools/Chartered Schools for the Blind and Deaf).

It is required that each school district and charter school sends participants to this training.  Because the training is highlighting the fiscal program data verifications associated with the IDEA-B fiscal reporting requirements, it is strongly recommended that the participants whom you send to this training be your special education director and business administrator.  Also, if a school district or charter school contracts for business services, its contracted business representative should attend.

Additionally, beginning November 20, 2017, PDE will accept applications for Special Education Contingency Funds for Extraordinary Expenses.  Interested local educational agencies will have until January 5, 2018 to submit applications to PDE.  The application and review process for the 2017-2018 school year will be similar to the process that has been used in previous years.  Local educational agencies are urged to send personnel who are new to the process to training at one of the sites.

Applications for the Special Education Contingency Funds are to be submitted electronically through the contingency funds request system website at https://apps.leaderservices.com/cfunds/index.asp.

Local educational agencies that have not previously used the system may request a password from Leader Services by emailing cfunds@leaderservices.com.  The local educational agency’s address will be verified and a password will be issued, along with the information regarding the primary account.

This training will be held at the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) offices as well as Intermediate Units 6, 17, 24 and 26.

Please register at the following link:

http://www.pattan.net/category/Training/Calendar

Any questions regarding the fiscal training should be directed to Sue Leonard, Chief, Division of Analysis & Financial Reporting, at 717.772.1114 or mleonard@pa.gov.  Questions regarding Special Education Contingency Funds for Extraordinary Expenses should be directed to Dr. Ronald O. Wells, Special Education Adviser, at 717.783.6882 or ronwells@pa.gov. Any question regarding the APSEM System should be directed to Holly Fan, at 717.346.9644, or zfan@pa.gov.   Any questions about registration should be directed to Sharon Kennedy at PaTTAN-Harrisburg, 717.901.2265, 800.360.7282 (in PA only), or skennedy@pattan.net.