Moving from Compliance to Collaboration
As district leaders, our mission is anchored in the belief that every child deserves the best possible path to academic success. While much of our daily work focuses on the students within our public school buildings, the heart of Title I, Part A is its commitment to all eligible children in our community, regardless of the school they attend. Our responsibility as a local educational agency (LEA) is to ensure no child is overlooked simply because of where they sit in a classroom.
This guide is designed to help you navigate toward timely and meaningful consultation that fosters genuine partnership. In this journey, the LEA serves as the primary coordinator of services, while the state ombudsman acts as a vital partner to monitor and enforce the requirements that guarantee equitable participation. When we move from a compliance mindset to a collaborative one, we don’t just meet regulations; we serve our entire community.
Step 1: Start Early and Cast a Wide Net
For consultation to be effective and lawful, it must be timely. This means our dialogue must begin well before final decisions are made about Title I funding or services that could affect private school participants.
The LEA is responsible for reaching out to all non-profit private schools that serve students living within district boundaries. The recommended window for initial contact is between October and February of the preceding school year. We start this early because we respect the planning cycles of our private school colleagues. Early outreach allows for the deliberate procurement of instructional supplies, the thoughtful hiring of staff, and the organization of professional development that aligns with the private school’s calendar.
Step 2: Define "Meaningful" Through Shared Agenda-Setting
Meaningful consultation is a two-way dialogue. It requires us to listen to the unique academic needs identified by private school officials before we determine the scope of services. The goal of the consultation is to arrive at an agreed-upon service plan that benefits the qualifying students in the non-public school and is allowable, allocable, and reasonable according to the grant.
Topics for Meaningful Consultation
| Topic | Description of Discussion |
|---|---|
| Identification of Needs | How will the LEA identify the academic needs of eligible children? |
| Service Offerings | Which services like tutoring, mentoring, counseling, or summer school will be offered? |
| Service Delivery | How, where, and by whom will services be provided (LEA staff vs. third-party contractors)? |
| Assessment & Improvement | How will the LEA academically assess services and use those results to improve the program? |
| Scope & Funding | How are funds allocated and what is the size and scope of equitable services? |
| Families and Teachers | What specific services will be provided to the teachers and families of participating students? |
Step 3: Collaborate on Data and Equitable Funding
Demystifying the allocation process is a key step in building trust. We calculate the equitable proportion of funds based on the number of low-income students living in participating public school attendance areas. As an expert leader, it’s important to be transparent: LEAs may reserve funds “off the top” for administration and other qualifying expenses. Sharing this helps our partners understand why the total per-pupil allocation (PPA) is what it is. We offer flexibility to our private school partners to ensure they can provide data without undue burden. Some options may include free and reduced lunch data, parent income surveys, and proportionality (applying the public school’s poverty percentage to the number of private school residents). Each state provides in-depth training to LEAs to ensure the correct data collection options are available and utilized properly. If you are unsure of your process in your state, contact your state ombudsman.
Step 4: Commit to an Ongoing Partnership
Timely and meaningful consultation is not a “one-and-done” meeting; it is a cycle that continues throughout the school year. This includes ongoing discussions about how “roll forward” or carryover funds will be used to provide further equitable services.
Once an agreement is reached, the LEA must obtain a written affirmation signed by private school officials. This document confirms that the required timely and meaningful consultation has occurred. We must then transmit the results of this agreement to the state ombudsman. This ensures that the state is aware of our collaborative plans and can support the program’s integrity.
The Shared Goal of Student Success
At the end of the day, our focus is on the people behind the paperwork: the students who need extra reading support, the teachers seeking new instructional strategies, and the families looking for ways to engage in their child’s learning. When we prioritize transparency regarding administrative costs and respect privacy through voluntary data sharing, we build the foundation for a lasting partnership.
Moving from compliance to collaboration benefits both the public and private schools and their students. At 806 Technologies, our goal is to make compliance easier for you so that you can focus on the most important people, your students. We have provided the checklist below as a starting point to help you ensure compliance with equitable services. All of these items can be added to your Crate in seconds, allowing you to refocus your efforts on student learning and achievement. Reach out to see how we can help you move from compliance to collaboration!
Record-Keeping Checklist for District Leaders
- Annually updated list of notified private schools
- Proof of non-profit/tax-exempt status for participating schools
- Signed "Intent to Participate" forms
- Official meeting notices, agendas, and detailed minutes
- Contact log for ongoing communication throughout the year
- Signed “Written Affirmation of Consultation”
- Record of agreement transmittal to the State Ombudsman
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