FEDERAL EDUCATION FUNDING AND PA 10-111

You asked several questions about federal stimulus funds for education and PA 10-111, An Act Concerning Education Reform in Connecticut. The questions concern (1) the effective dates of requirements included in PA 10-111, (2) federal stimulus grants for education and the requirements for receiving those grants, (3) the requirements for receiving federal School Improvement grants, and (4) what enhancements in the state's education longitudinal data system are required by the federal stimulus law and PA 10-111 and available funding for implementing those requirements.

The individual questions and answers are listed below. The information on the State Department of Education (SDE's) longitudinal data system (LDS) is preliminary. We have requested additional details from SDE concerning the system enhancements required under the federal law and PA 10-111, federal and state funding available, and any new data responsibilities and costs for local and regional school districts. When we receive it, we will issue a supplementary report on those issues.

PA 10-111, An Act Concerning Education Reform in Connecticut, has an overall effective date of July 1, 2010. But, within the language of the act are deadlines for specific requirements that occur in future fiscal years. Table 1 (attached) shows the requirements that take effect in FY 11, FY 12, and FY 13. When a requirement must be completed by July 1 of any of these years, the table lists the mandate as starting in the preceding fiscal year. For example, the act requires the SDE to report to the Education Committee by July 1, 2011, on its progress in expanding the public school data system. Since the report is due by the first day of FY 12, the action must be completed sometime in FY 11. In addition, when a mandate extends over several years, the table lists it in the first year it is required.

On July 26, 2010, the U.S. education secretary announced that Connecticut has been awarded $146.3 million in additional federal funds for education. These funds are the balance of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) grant that Connecticut was scheduled to receive under the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Under that law, Connecticut's allocation was $541.9 million over two years, with 67% of the money distributed in 2009 and the remainder in 2010.

Connecticut already received $395.6 million in Phase I SFSF funds. The $146.3 million in funding announced on July 26, 2010 is the remaining 33% of the SFSF allocated under Phase II and brings the state's total to the full $541.9 million allocation.

In 2009, the governor decided to devote 100% of Connecticut's SFSF allocation to maintain Education Cost Sharing (ECS) grants to towns at 2009 levels in FY 10 and FY 11. The FY 10-11 state budget adopted in 2009 (PA 09-3, June Special Session) allocated half of the SFSF money for ECS grants in each of the two fiscal years. Thus, the $146.3 million awarded to Connecticut under Phase II is already committed to support ECS grants to towns in FY 11.

Table 2 (attached) lists (1) the education grants available under the ARRA; (2) the amounts, if any, that Connecticut has received; and (3) the requirements for each grant. The table is divided into two categories: grants distributed to all states according to federal formulas and competitive grants that states may or may not receive.

ARRA required state governors to file applications for both phases of the SFSF grants. The Phase I application required each governor to make several assurances and provide information on his or her state's status with respect to the assurances. The Phase II application is more detailed and requires states to provide information on the implementation of the assurances. (Table 2, attached, summarizes the assurances required for the SFSF grants.)

According to the U.S. Department of Education's website, all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico filed initial applications for Phase II SFSF funds. The department has so far approved 32 of them, several in revised form. The federal department's website does not show Connecticut's application as approved, although the SDE website states that it is.

If a state submits an initial application that does not meet ARRA's requirements, it must submit a revised version. The U.S. Education Department's website notes that “the Department is in the process of reviewing each initial application and, as necessary, will work with each State to ensure that its application fully meets the [federal] standards.”

Federal School Improvement Grants (SIGs) are intended to improve student achievement in Title I schools identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under the Elementary and Secondary Education (“No Child Left Behind”) Act to enable them to make adequate yearly progress (AYP). The money comes to states from the 2009 federal budget and ARRA.

In order for a school to receive SIG funds, it must have been identified either as “persistently low-achieving” or a Tier III school (one that has failed to make AYP for two years but is not identified as a persistently low-achieving school). However, Tier III schools can receive funds only after all of a state's persistently low-achieving schools have received funds.

To receive the money, a school district must also commit to reconstituting the identified schools using one of the four federal intervention models briefly described as follows:

1. Turnaround – replace the school principal, screen existing staff and rehire no more than half of the teachers, adopt a new governance structure, and improve the school through curriculum reform, professional development, extending learning time, and other strategies.

2. Restart – convert the school or close and re-open it as a charter school or under an education management organization.

3. School closure – close the school and send the students to higher-achieving schools in the district.

4. Transformation – replace the principal and improve the school through comprehensive curriculum reform, professional development, extending learning time, and other strategies.

Connecticut received $25.7 million in the first phase of the SIGs funded through the ARRA. The grant was awarded on April 15, 2010.

SDE can set aside 5% of the $25.7 million award for grant management and monitoring, leaving $24,461,137 available for distribution to school districts. The funds must be used over three years, starting with the 2010-11 school year. SDE has awarded grants to six districts for use in a total 14 schools. All 14 are either Tier I or Tier II schools. (Both Tier I and Tier II are among the lowest-achieving schools, but Tier II consists only of high schools.)

Table 3 below shows the annual grant for each of the 14 schools and the intervention model it will implement. SDE is expecting to receive about $6 million in additional SIG funds, possibly as early as January, 2011, according to Michelle Rosado, the SDE education consultant overseeing the program. These funds will be awarded to districts for additional qualifying schools, but the amounts and the schools depend on federal rules for distributing the second round of funds.


*School*	*Intervention Model*	*Year 1* *2010-11*	*Year 2* *2011-2012*	*Year 3* *2012-13*
*Bridgeport School District*
Barnum School	Transformation	$500,000	$500,000	$500,000
Bassick High School	Transformation	700,000	700,000	700,000
Harding High School	Restart	800,000	700,000	700,000
District Amount – Turnaround Office		170,000	170,000	170,000
Total		2,170,000	2,070,000	2,070,000
*Hartford School District*
Milner Core Knowledge School	Turnaround	430,569	400,000	400,000
Burns Latino Studies Academy	Turnaround	430,568	400,000	400,000
Sand School	Turnaround	400,000	400,000	400,000
Dr. Ramon E. Betances School	Turnaround	400,000	400,000	400,000
Total		1,661,137	1,600,000	1,600,000
*New Britain School District*
Smalley Academy	Transformation	700,000	700,000	700,000
*New Haven School District*
Katherine Brennan School	Turnaround	590,000	500,000	500,000
Hill Central Music Academy	Turnaround	590,000	500,000	500,000
James Hillhouse High School	Transformation	700,000	700,000	700,000
Wilbur Cross High School	Transformation	700,000	700,000	700,000
District Amount – Turnaround Office		170,000	170,000	170,000
Total		2,750,000	2,570,000	2,570,000
*Stamford Academy*
Stamford Academy	Transformation	400,000	400,000	400,000
*Windham School District*
Natchaug School	Transformation	700,000	700,000	700,000

SDE plans to post the district grant applications on its website soon to meet federal requirements. For more information on School Improvement Grants see the SDE website: www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2703&Q=322312.

One of the assurances the ARRA required each state receiving SFSF funds to give is that it will establish a longitudinal data system (LDS) that includes the 12 elements described in the America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69; 20 USCA 9871). ARRA requires states to implement these data systems by September 30, 2011. PA 10-111 also requires SDE to upgrade the state's LDS (known as the public school information system or PSIS) to incorporate additional elements to allow school districts to (1) evaluate teacher and school administrators based partly on their students' academic growth and (2) track individual students through up to four years of post-secondary education. There is considerable overlap between the longitudinal data required by PA 10-111 and that required because of the state's SFSF assurances.

In addition, state law requires every local school district to collect and report demographic, academic, and other data for each of its schools and the district as a whole (CGS § 10-220 (c)). This data is currently published in annual strategic school profiles for each school and school district but can also be incorporated into the PSIS to meet the requirements of ARRA and PA 10-111.

To illustrate the overlapping data requirements and the data the state and school districts already collect, Table 4 (attached) compares the data (1) required by the SFSF and PA 10-111; (2) already reported in the strategic school profiles; and (3) that, according to state's SFSF Phase II application (p. 91), is already included in the PSIS.

In August 2009, SDE received a federal Longitudinal Data Systems grant of $2,937,416 over three years to support enhancements to the state's LDS. The grant runs from August 3, 2009 to August 2, 2010. (See Table 2 under competitive grants for additional information about these grants.)

*Action*	*Description*	*Responsible Party*
School Governance Councils	Requires low-achieving schools to establish school governance councils by January 15, 2011 if the school's failure to make adequate yearly progress in mathematics and reading at the whole school level occurred before July 1, 2010 and the school is among the lowest 5% of Connecticut schools based on achievement.	Boards of Education
School Governance Councils – Reconstituting Schools	Requires SDE to report to the Education Committee by July 1, 2011 on (1) the number of school governance councils that initiate school reconstitutions under the act, (2) a comparison of the councils that have initiated reconstitutions with those that have not, and (3) whether there is increased parental involvement at schools with governance councils. (Because the act includes two conflicting reporting schedules, it is unclear whether SDE must submit the report every year or every two years.)	SDE
Parent-Teacher Conferences	Requires, starting with the 2010-11 school year, district policies to require two flexible parent-teacher conferences per year.	Boards of Education
Online Credit Recovery	Requires districts with dropout rates of 8% or greater to establish an online credit recovery program for students in danger of failing to graduate. Each school in the district must designate, from existing staff, an online learning coordinator.	Boards of Education
Achievement Gap Task Force	Establishes a nine-member task force (later increased to 10) to study, monitor, and consider effective ways to close the achievement gap between racial and socioeconomic groups in Connecticut. The taskforce must report its findings and recommendations to the Education Committee by January 1, 2011.	SDE, task force members (which may include legislators)
Public School Information System Expansion	SDE must report annually to the Education Committee, starting July 1, 2011, on SDE's progress in expanding the public school information system to including data on student, teacher, and school district performance growth. The system expansion must be completed by July 1, 2013.	SDE
School Administrator ARC Program Initial Administrator Certificate for ARC Graduates	Requires SDE to review and approve proposals for school administrator alternate route to certification (ARC) programs according to criteria the act specifies and any other criteria the department requires. Starting July 1, 2010, SBE must issue an initial certificate to a qualifying administrator who graduates from the ARC program even if the applicant does not meet a statutory requirement that all applicants for initial and provisional educator certificates complete a minimum 36-hour course in understanding the growth and development of exceptional children, including handicapped and gifted and talented children and children who may require special education.	SDE SDE
Charter Schools and Teachers' Retirement System (TRS)	Requires, rather than allows, otherwise qualified charter school professionals first employed by any charter school on or after July 1, 2010 to participate in the TRS. Voluntary participation still allowed for those hired before July 1, 2010.	Charter Schools

*Action*	*Description*	*Responsible Party*
Secondary School Reform—Alternative to Regular Requirements	For each school year, starting July 1, 2011, a board of education must permit a student to graduate from high school upon the successful completion of the pilot program that may be created under the act in lieu of the regular credit and exam requirements under the law or this act. (Note: The State Board of Education (SBE) has discretion whether to create the program.)	Boards of Education
Advanced Placement Courses	Starting July 1, 2011, requires local and regional boards of education to provide high school level courses for which an advanced placement (AP) examination is available through the College Board. Requires SBE to develop guidelines to help school districts train teachers to teach AP courses to a diverse student body.	Boards of Education & SBE
School Governance Councils	Requires low-achieving schools that are not among the lowest 5% of Connecticut schools based on achievement to establish school governance councils by November 1, 2011 (see FY 11, above, for councils and low-achieving schools among the lowest 5%).	Boards of Education
School Governance Councils – Reconstituting Schools	By January 1, 2012, SDE must report to the Education Committee on the number of school governance councils established under the act, the number of reconstituted schools, and the reconstitution models adopted.	SDE
Public School Information System Expansion	SDE must report by July 1, 2012 (the first report was due July 1, 2010) to the Education Committee, on SDE's progress in expanding the public school information system to include data on student, teacher, and school district performance growth. The system expansion must be completed by July 1, 2013.	SDE

*Action*	*Description*	*Responsible Party*
Secondary School Reform—State Grants, Status Reports	SDE must provide grants, within available appropriations, for FY 13 to FY 18, inclusive, to school districts specifically to assist with implementing the new high school graduation standards and student support services the act requires. Requires local boards of education to give a status report on implementing the higher standards to SDE by November 1, 2012, and biennially thereafter. Requires SDE to give a status report on implementing the higher standards to the legislature by February 1, 2013, and biennially thereafter.	SDE Boards of Education SDE
Secondary School Reform--Remedial Services	Beginning with 7^th graders in the 2012-13 school year (the graduating class of 2018), requires local boards to provide adequate support and remedial services for students. For students who are unable to successfully complete any of the required courses or exams, requires the services to provide an alternate way for a student to meet the requirements.	Boards of Education
Secondary School Reform – Data Collection	For each school year starting July 1, 2012, requires local boards to collect information for each public school student, starting in 6^th grade, that includes the student's career and academic choices in grades 6through 12, inclusive.	Boards of Education

*Action*	*Description*	*Responsible Party*
School Governance Councils – Reconstituting Schools	By January 1, 2013, the department must report to the Education Committee on (1) the results of the monitoring of reconstituted schools, (2) recommended changes in the available reconstitution models, (3) whether school governance councils should continue to recommend reconstitution, (4) a comparison of the models adopted, and (5) the progress of the schools adopting each model based on the above-listed indicators.	SDE
Public School Information System Expansion	Requires SDE to complete, by July 1, 2013, the expansion of the public school information system to include data on student, teacher, and school district performance growth, among other things, and report on this to the Education Committee.	SDE
Model Teacher Evaluation Program Guidelines	Requires the SBE, by July 1, 2013 and in consultation with the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (established by the act), to develop model teacher evaluation program guidelines that give guidance on using multiple indicators of student academic growth in evaluations. Requires local boards of education to implement evaluation programs that meet the SBE guidelines; presumably by July 1, 2013.	SBE and Performance Evaluation Advisory Committee Boards of Education


*Grant Name*	*State Agency*	*For*	*Additional CT* *Funding*	*Distribution of Funds*	*State Requirements*
FORMULA GRANTS
State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) -Phase I & Phase II	State Department of Education (SDE)	Stabilizing state and local government budgets in order to minimize and avoid reductions in education and other essential public services and avoid cuts in staff and personnel.	Total: $541,872,683 Phase I: $395,599,571 Phase II: $146,273,112	Distributed to states by formula, with 61% of the distribution based on each state's relative share of the population aged 5 to 17 and 39% on its relative share of the total population. Sixty-seven percent of the funds were distributed between July and September 2009 and 33% between July and September 2010 Governor Rell opted to use 100% of the funds to support state funding for the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) formula for FY 10 and FY 11. Under the state biennial budget for FYs 10-11, ECS grants are held at FY 09 levels in each year. Also in each year, 50% of SFSF funds the state receives is proportionately distributed to boards of education through each town's ECS grant. SFSF funds make up approximately 14% of the each town's ECS grant amount in each year.	A state application is required for funding each phase. The governor must (1) make five assurances and provide baseline data on state's status with respect to the assurances in Phase I application and (2) submit a plan to implement the assurances in the Phase II application. The assurances are that the state will: ● provide state support for elementary, secondary, and higher education for FYs 09, 10, and 11 of at least the level provided for FY 06 (education secretary has some discretion to waive this requirement); ● ensure equitable distribution of teachers between high- and low-poverty schools and take actions to comply with ESEA requirements for highly qualified teachers in Title I schools; ● establish longitudinal data systems as required by federal law; ● enhance quality of state assessments measuring student achievement in reading, math, and science, comply with federal law relating to including students with limited English and students with disabilities in assessments, and improve state secondary academic content and achievement standards; and ● support struggling schools identified for corrective action and restructuring.
Title I-A (ESEA) Grants to States	LEAs through SDE	Educational & related services to low-achieving and other students in pre-K-12 schools with high concentrations of low-income families.	$70,714,174	Primarily based on number of children ages 5-17 in poor families and state expenditure factor based on average per-pupil expenditure in state for K-12, plus weighting factors to drive most money to high-poverty districts. Districts with school-age child poverty rate under 5% receive zero.	Each district must file with SDE school-by-school expenditure listing of per-pupil expenditures from state and local sources by 12/1/09. SDE must file data with USDOE by 3/31/10.
Title I-A (ESEA) School Improvement Grants	SDE and LEAs	Funds to support school improvement to enable low-achieving schools to meet goals of school improvement plans and provide adequate resources to such school. ARRA supplemental funds are available for school years 2009-10 and 2010-11 to mitigate local and state cuts to education.	$24,461,137	In proportion to each state's share of funding under Title I grants. State must use at least 95% of its grant to make subgrants to LEAs of between $50,000 and $500,000 per school. USDOE must encourage states to use 40% of grants for middle and high schools.	State must apply for grants. Eligible LEAs must have one or more schools identified for school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring. Each district must file with SDE school-by-school expenditure listing of per-pupil expenditures from state and local sources by 12/1/09. SDE must file data with USDOE by 3/31/10.

*Grant Name*	*State Agency*	*For*	*Additional CT* *Funding*	*Distribution of Funds*	*State Requirements*
Education Technology (ESEA Title II-D)	SDE and LEAs	Increase access to educational technology, support integration of technology in instruction, enhance technological literacy, and support technology-related professional development for teachers. ARRA supplemental funds are available for school years 2009-10 and 2010-11 to mitigate local and state cuts to education.	$4,614,065	In proportion to each state's share of funding under Title I grants, with state minimum grant of 0.5% of all state grants.	State must use at least 95% of its grant to make subgrants to LEAs or consortia of LEAs and other entities. State must distribute money to LEAs 50% in proportion to Title I formula and 50% competitively
Impact Aid § 8007: Construction (ESEA Title VIII)	LEAs with high percentages of students living on Indian land or with parents in the military	School construction, repairs, modernization.	None Received	40% formula based on proportion of military and Indian children; 60% competitive grants.
Special Education –Grants to States (IDEA, Part B)	SDE and LEAs	Extra cost of educating children with disabilities. Funds are available for school years 2009-10 and 2010-11.	$132,971,468	In general, funds are distributed based on the amounts each state received for FY 1999 and the relative numbers of children age 3 through 21 in their general populations and living in poverty, who are within the age range for which federal and state law mandate services to children with disabilities. The formula contains numerous provisions for situations in which the appropriation for the program remains constant, increases or decreases, and for several maximum and minimum funding limitations.

*Grant Name*	*State Agency*	*For*	*Additional CT* *Funding*	*Distribution of Funds*	*State Requirements*
Special Education – Preschool grants (IDEA Part B)	SDE and LEAs	Extra cost of educating children with disabilities. Funds are available for school years 2009-10 and 2010-11.	$5,089,013	Funds are distributed based on the amount each state received in FY 1997 and on the relative number of children age 3 through 5 in the state's general population and the number of these children living in poverty. The formula contains numerous provisions for situations in which the appropriation for the program remains constant, increases or decreases, and several maximum and minimum funding limitations.
Special Education – Infants and Toddlers (IDEA, Part C)	Department of Developmental Disabilities	Extra cost of educating children with disabilities. Funds are available for school years 2009-10 and 2010-11.	$4,089,969	Number of in-state children from birth through age 2 relative to number in all states. Under IDEA, the education secretary must reserve a share of Part C funds for incentive grants to encourage states to continue early intervention until kindergarten. The ARRA requires the secretary to determine the amount of the incentive grants by July 1, 2009.
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance	SDE and LEAs	Education of homeless children and youths.	$336,688	Education secretary must make grants 60 days after enactment. SDE must make subgrants to LEAs on a competitive basis or using a formula based on the number of homeless students identified by districts. Formula is based on '07-08 number of homeless children identified by the state relative to national numbers.	Must make subgrants within 120 days of receiving funds. SDE awarded grants to 15 recipients.

*Grant Name*	*State Agency*	*For*	*Additional CT* *Funding*	*Distribution of Funds*	*State Requirements*
Pell Grants	Higher Ed Institutions	Direct, need-based grants awarded through participating institutions to students attending college in Connecticut.	$113,233,244	For the 2009-2010 award year, the maximum Pell Grant award was increased from $4,713 to $5,350. Awards are based primarily on the financial resources of student and family.
Work-Study Program	Higher Ed Institutions	Need-based funds to students attending college in Connecticut. Funds are earned through part-time employment. Financial aid administrators at participating institutions have substantial flexibility in determining award amounts.	$2,347,766	Allocated partly on past year's grant and partly on institutional need-based allocation formulas.	With a few exceptions, the federal-share of work-study grants paid to a student may not exceed 75%.
Independent Living Services Funds	Department of Social Services (DSS); Board of Education and Services for the Blind	Support services for people with significant disabilities and older people who are blind to maximize their leadership, empowerment, independence, and productivity, and to promote the integration and full inclusion of individuals with disabilities into the mainstream of American society.	$670,664	States are eligible to receive ARRA funds under these programs based on their approved State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) and Older Individuals who are Blind (OIB) applications and the certification required by ARRA. The assurances in a state's SPIL and OIB application, as well as the requirements of the ARRA, apply to the use of ARRA funds.	Same as required under federal Rehabilitation Act
Vocational Rehabilitation Funds	DSS	Help individuals with disabilities, especially those with the most significant disabilities, prepare for, obtain, and maintain employment.	$3,334,533


*Grant Name*	*State Agency*	*For*		*Additional CT* *Funding*	*Distribution of Funds*	*State Requirements*
COMPETITIVE GRANTS
Race to the Top Grant, Round 1 and Round 2	SDE and LEAs	Advancing reforms in four specific areas: ● adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace and to compete in the global economy; ● building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction; ● recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most; and ● turning around the lowest-achieving schools.	None. The state's application was not selected in either round.		From $60 million to $175 million over four years.	Applications required for both rounds addressing the reform areas through various reform initiatives.
Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Programs	SDE with Higher Ed. Institutions and School Districts	(1) Modernize the teaching workforce, (2) address teacher shortages, and (3) provide new routes to teaching for jobless individuals seeking to enter the teaching field.	No Connecticut awards for FY 09 or FY 10		FY 09 award list is here. FY 10 award list is here.

Grant Name

State Agency

For

Additional CT

Funding

Distribution of Funds

State Requirements

Institute of Education Sciences Longitudinal Data Systems grant

SDE

Support the design, development, and implementation of statewide longitudinal data systems to allow states to manage and use individual student data in ways required by ESEA.

The grant was established by the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-279) and under that law was funded at $65 million for FY 2009. The ARRA added another $250 million in grant funds.

The state did not receive any grant paid through ARRA. However, Connecticut was awarded $2,937,416 under the regular FY 09 funding round.

Connecticut's grant runs from 8/3/09 to 8/2/12.

Up to $5 million of funds appropriated nationally may be used for state data coordinators and awards to public or private organizations to improve data collection

USDA Equipment Assistance Grants for School Food Authorities

School food authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch program

Equipment that (1) improves (a) the quality of school food service meals, (b) safety of food served in the school meal programs, or (c) overall energy efficiency of the school foodservice operations; or (2) allows SFAs to support expanded participation in a school meal program.

$784,504

Priority for equipment in schools in which at least 50% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches

(Connecticut award list is here.)

Grant recipients strongly encouraged to fully expend their grants within three months of the award (September 30, 2009)

Grant Name

State Agency

For

Additional CT

Funding

Distribution of Funds

State Requirements

Investing in Innovations Fund (“i3”)

LEAs and nonprofit organizations in partnership with one or more LEAs or a consortium of schools

Grants to applicants with a record of improving student achievement and attainment in order to expand the implementation of, and investment in, innovative practices demonstrated to have an impact on improving student achievement or student growth, closing achievement gaps, decreasing dropout rates, increasing high school graduation rates, or increasing college enrollment and completion rates.

Grants will (1) allow eligible entities to expand and develop innovative practices that can serve as models of best practices, (2) allow eligible entities to work in partnership with the private sector and the philanthropic community, and (3) identify and document best practices that can be shared and taken to scale based on demonstrated success.

None. No entities from or in Connecticut applied. Application deadline

May 12, 2010.

Highest rated applications and funding requests are here.

Requires a 20% private-sector match to be secured by September 8, 2010.

Education Improvement (ESEA Title V-D)

Teacher Incentive Fund

(1) LEAs, including charter schools that are LEAs, (2) states, or (3) partnerships of: a LEA, a state, or both; and at least one nonprofit

organization

Develop and implement performance-based teacher and principal compensation systems in high-need schools.

None. State did not apply for the 2010 competition. Application deadline was 7/6/10.

	*Data Required by SFSF* *(12 Elements Listed in the federal America COMPETES Act of 2007 - P.L. 110-69)?*	*Data Required* *by Existing Law or PA 10-111* *(§ 3 (c))?*	*Data Included in Current* *Strategic School* *Profiles (CGS § 10-220 (c))?*	*Data Included in Connecticut's* *Current Public School Information System?*
1	A unique statewide student identifier that does not permit a student to be individually identified (except as permitted by federal and state law)	Required by existing law (CGS § 10-10a)	No	Yes
2	Each school's enrollment history, demographic characteristics, and program participation record for every student	Information on primary language spoken in each student's home; percentage of students in each school whose primary language is not English (PA 10-111)	By school and district, number and % of students: ● eligible for free and reduced price meals ● not fluent in English ● identified as gifted or talented ● with disabilities ● in kindergarten who attended preschool, nursery school, or Head Start ● in grades above school entry grade who attended the same school in the previous year ● who are homeless ● students present on October 1 ● number of disciplinary incidents by offense category ● disciplinary offenses committed in and out of school	Yes
3	Information on when a student enrolls, transfers, drops out, or graduates from a school	Information on student attendance and mobility; annual student graduation rates; school population (PA 10-111)	School and district attendance, graduation, and dropout rates	Yes
4	Students' scores on tests required by the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (also known as No Child Left Behind)	Same (PA 10-111)	By school and district, % of students meeting state goals on statewide mastery tests	Yes

	*Data Required by SFSF* *(12 Elements Listed in the federal America COMPETES Act of 2007 - P.L. 110-69)?*	*Data Required* *by Existing Law or PA 10-111* *(§ 3 (c))?*	*Data Included in Current* *Strategic School* *Profiles (CGS § 10-220 (c))?*	*Data Included in Connecticut's* *Current Public School Information System?*
5	Information on students who are not tested, by grade and subject	No	No	No
6	Students' scores on tests measuring whether they are ready for college	No	By high school and district – SAT tests ● % tested ● Average scores for math, critical reading, and writing	No
7	A way to identify teachers and match them to their students	Same (PA 10-111)	No	No
8	Information from students' transcripts, specifically courses taken and grades earned	Same (PA 10-111)	No	No
9	Data on students' success in college, including whether they enroll in remedial courses	Same (PA 10-111)	No	No
10	Data on whether K-12 students are prepared to succeed in college	No	By high school and district: ● % graduates pursuing higher education ● % graduates employed (including in armed services)	No
11	A system of auditing state data quality, validity, and reliability	No	No	Yes
12	The ability to share data from pre-school through postsecondary education data systems	Same (PA 10-111)	No	System covers P-12 but cannot currently access higher education databases
	No	Track and report to local and regional school boards, data on performance growth by students, teachers, schools, and school districts (PA 10-111)	No	No

*Data Required by SFSF* *(12 Elements Listed in the federal America COMPETES Act of 2007 - P.L. 110-69)?)*	*Data Required* *by Existing Law or PA 10-111* *(§ 3 (c))?*	*Data Included in Current* *Strategic School* *Profiles (CGS § 10-220 (c))?*	*Data Included in Connecticut's* *Current Public School Information System?*
No	Information on teacher credentials, such as masters' degrees, teacher preparation programs completed, and certification and endorsement areas (PA 10-111)	For each school and district: ● Average number of years of experience in education ● % with Masters' degree or above ● % assigned to same school in the previous year	No
No, but SFSF requires states to ensure equitable distribution of highly qualified teachers between high- and low-poverty schools	Information on teacher assessments, such as whether a teacher is considered highly qualified under NCLB or meets any other designations established by federal law or regulations to measure the equitable distribution of instructional staff (PA 10-111)	No	No
No	Absenteeism rate in the teacher's classroom (PA 10-111)	By school and district: ● Average days teachers are absent due to illness or personal time	No
No	Presence of substitute teachers and a teacher's aide (PA 10-111)	No	No
No	Class size (PA 10-111)	Yes, by district	No
No	Number of professional credentials of support personnel (PA 10-111)	No	No
No	Information relating to instructional technology, such as access to computers (PA 10-111)	For each school and district: ● Number of students per computer ● % of computers with internet access ● % of computers of high or moderate power	No


August 16, 2010		2010-R-0336
FEDERAL EDUCATION FUNDING AND PA 10-111

By: Judith Lohman, Assistant Director John Moran, Principal Analyst Alan Shepard, Principal Budget Analyst