Education Stabilization Fund, CFDA No. 84.394
Supplemental Application - Guidance Document

February 2010

The State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) for Education is an appropriation under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The intent of these funds is to help stabilize the budgets of local educational agencies (LEAs) and ensure that they have the resources to avert cuts and retain teachers and programs. Please refer to Attachment 1 for Recommended and Allowable Uses of ARRA Education Stabilization Funds.

The April 2009-10 enacted State Budget included a Deficit Reduction Assessment (DRA). The DRA was offset with federal ARRA funds known as the Deficit Reduction Assessment Restoration (DRAR), which was funded under the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF). School districts applied for the ESF in late summer 2009.

Chapters 502 and 503 of the Laws of 2009 enacted in December 2009 included a Supplemental Deficit Reduction Assessment (SDRA), which was fully offset with federal ARRA funds known as the Supplemental Deficit Reduction Assessment Restoration (SDRAR).

This Supplemental Application is only for the SDRAR funds and is to be obligated with the original ESF amount by June 30, 2010. Districts will report on the combined original and supplemental ESF amount in the next quarterly report, due March 31, 2010 and thereafter as the total 2009-10 ARRA ESF amount.

The supplemental allocation for each eligible LEA has been computed pursuant to Chapters 502 and 503 of the Laws of 2009, as adopted in December 2009 and is shown at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/mgtserv/arra/html/
ARRA_Reporting_and_Supplemental_Deficit_Reduction_Assessment_Restoration.html
. These federal funds may be used by LEAs for allowable costs incurred from 7/01/09 until 6/30/10.

LEAs are required to apply online for these funds at http://portal.nysed.gov. For password and user code assistance, LEAs should contact the SED Delegated Account System (SEDDAS) Help number at: 518-473-8832.

Applications must be certified and submitted by the Chief Administrator, and should be submitted by 3/15/2010 to ensure timely payment.

The State Education Department maintains information about LEAs in a system called SEDREF, which can be accessed on the NYSED Business Portal http://portal.nysed.gov. For changes to the payee information and correspondence address changes, LEAs must notify the Office of Information and Reporting Services, Education Building Annex-Room 863, Albany, NY 12234. The Payee Information is available at http://www.oms.nysed.gov/cafe/forms/

ARRA Requirements for DUNS Numbers and CCR Registration: To be eligible for ARRA funds, LEAs must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and register with Central Contractor Registration (CCR). LEAs that anticipate the receipt of ARRA funds must take immediate steps to comply with this requirement. Additional information about obtaining a DUNS number and registering with CCR is available at http://www.oms.nysed.gov/cafe/guidance/dunsccrfaqs.html. LEAs will not be able to apply online until they have a DUNS number and a current CCR registration date.

Project period: July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010.

Reporting Requirements: An unprecedented level of accountability for the use of all ARRA resources is expected. LEAs will have to report on ARRA-related financial data and data related to jobs created, jobs retained and infrastructure costs.

New Revenue Account Code: The State Comptroller has issued guidance directing LEAs to adapt their current financial accounting system, if necessary, to be able to separately identify ARRA funds. A new revenue account code has been created - A4285 - to report the ARRA revenues on the annual financial reporting document, ST-3. ARRA funds received from the Education Stabilization Fund must be recorded in the General Fund as revenue account code A4285. For additional information relative to account codes for ARRA, please refer to http://usny.nysed.gov/arra/


Instructions for Completion of Online Supplemental Application

Step 1: Access the Department’s web portal http://portal.nysed.gov and log on using your SEDDAS account information
Step 2: Click on SEDREF Query, locate your district and review information currently on file to ensure all information is correct
Step 3: Return to http://portal.nysed.gov and click on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) under “My Applications”
Step 4: At bottom of screen, select period ending March 31, 2010
Step 5: Under “Select a Fund” click on ESF-Supplemental Application
Step 6: Complete online application

Screen 1 – District Information and Instructions

Data Entry or Chief Administrator Role

  • District Name, Address, Contact, Telephone, E-Mail, BEDS Code and Project Code will have already been populated
  • DUNS Code Number and date for Central Contractor Registration have been pre-populated from information provided on the original ESF Application. Review and update if applicable.
  • Education Stabilization Fund Supplemental Amount will also be pre-populated
  • Read Instructions

Screen 2 – Program Narrative and Budget Summary

Data Entry or Chief Administrator Role

  • Complete Amended Original Allocation Narrative. Describe any changes to your original ESF application. This should reflect any program changes reported in the September 2009 and December 2009 Quarterly Reports and be consistent with the Amended Original Budget Summary below. If there are no changes, please state this in the narrative.
    • Due to the revised guidance issued by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget on December 18, 2009 each districts’ estimated jobs created or retained must include only positions supported directly with ARRA funds.
  • Complete Supplemental Allocation Program Narrative. Describe program(s) that will be supported with the supplemental ARRA funds specifically explaining how one of the reform areas is addressed. Provide as much detail as possible about the employment impacts from the supplemental funds being provided as well as any amount/activities included in the Budget Summary that relate to Purchased Services, Construction or Renovation, Equipment and Other expenses. FTEs should be consistent with the revised guidance issues by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget on December 18, 2009.
  • Complete Budget Summary Sections
    • Original Allocation is pre-populated with data provided that was the basis of the original application’s approval. It is view only
    • The Amended Original section will also be pre-populated with the original figures. If there are changes that have occurred since the approval of the original application on how the ARRA funds were used, please make these changes here. This includes modifying FTEs reported, if the new Federal guidance as described earlier causes these numbers to change.
      • For information on each data element refer to Attachment 2. Please note that numbers in ( ) refer to the codes used in the Budget Summary section of an FS-20 form.
      • For information on how to calculate FTE for each category, please refer to Attachment 3.
    • Complete the Supplemental Allocation section including only those programs and elements funded directly with the supplemental allocation only. Screen 3 – Certification and Submission Chief Administrator Role

Screen 3 – Certification and Submission

Chief Administrator Role

  • Read Segregation of Funds to become familiar with new Revenue Account Code to be used for recording monies received from the Education Stabilization Fund. Please note that supplemental funds may be combined and recorded in the same account codes as the original allocation. These total amounts are what will be reported on in the March 31, 2010 report period.
  • Review the Chief Administrator’s Certification statement and assurances located at http://usny.nysed.gov/arra/
  • Click Certify and Submit button*

*Please note that by certifying you have agreed to all of the terms, conditions, assurances and certifications as noted and will submit any reports prescribed by the Department and/or the Federal Government by any deadlines set in the future.


Instructions to Claim Funds For 2009-10 ARRA -ESF Projects

Review the expenditures your district has made for the allowable costs of this project on a regular basis. To obtain reimbursement for the expenditures, complete Form FS-25, Request for funds, and submit it to the NYS Education Department, Grants Finance, Room 510W EB, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234.

There will be no automatic first payment issued upon Department approval of the Education Stabilization Fund application. Payment will not be made for anticipated expenditures. Therefore, you may enter zero on line 4 of the FS-25. (If line 4 is completed, the amount on that line will not be included in the payment calculation.)

FS-25 claims may be submitted as frequently as monthly but monthly claiming is not required.

Upon Department approval of an LEA’s application for available supplemental funds, the total available for this project will be increased to reflect the sum of the funding from the original and supplemental allocations.

Up to 70% of the total available for this project will be payable prior to April 1, 2010.

Up to 90% of the total available for this project will be reimbursed through the FS-25 process. Information about additional requirements that must be met in order to obtain full reimbursement will be provided as reporting requirements are finalized.

The FS-25 form and other information about the grant payment process can be accessed from the Grants Finance web site at http://www.oms.nysed.gov/cafe/.

Additional Resources:
http://usny.nysed.gov/arra/
http://www.recovery.ny.gov/ external link icon
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/index.html external link icon
http://www.nysed.gov


Attachment 1

Recommended Uses of ARRA – Education Stabilization Funds

Allowable uses include but are not limited to:

  • Retain existing teachers, administrators and support staff.
  • Improving teacher effectiveness and the equitable distribution of highly qualified teachers by:
    • Establishing fair and reliable evaluation systems that provide feedback, help educators improve, and ensure that poor performers are dismissed;
    • Establishing a system for identifying and training highly effective teachers to serve as instructional leaders and modifying the school schedule to allow for collaboration among the instructional staff;
    • Implementing innovative strategies for identification of, advancement of, and compensation for highly effective teachers and leaders;
    • Training and dual certification for ELL or special education teachers; and
    • Identifying and using effective teachers as coaches and mentors.
  • Establishing data systems and using data for improvement, including:
    • Strengthening the use of longitudinal data systems to drive effective decision-making and continuous improvement efforts; and
    • Developing and providing intensive professional development on use of data to improve instruction.
    • Implement online Individual Education Program (IEP) aligned to standards.
  • Turning around the lowest-performing schools by:
    • Attracting teams of committed educators who are compensated for taking on new assignments and roles in a school in corrective action or restructuring;
    • Extending time for learning, including activities provided before school, after school, during the summer, or over an extended school year;
    • Providing intensive, year-long teacher training in reading that aggressively works on improving students’ oral language skills and vocabulary or, in some other way, builds teachers’ capacity to address academic achievement problems;
    • Strengthening and expanding early childhood education;
    • Providing intensive training to all teachers in new curriculum and the use of assessment data to improve instruction;
    • Using high-quality, on-line courses as supplemental learning materials to help secondary students meet core content requirements;
    • Closing and re-opening failing schools with new staff, new instructional programs, and additional learning time; and
    • Providing summer programs so that students succeed in algebra and college preparatory classes.
  • Improving results for all students:
    • Strengthen early learning;
    • Use technology to improve teaching and learning;
    • Create accelerated tracks to college such as early college programs; and
    • Invest in school modernization that advances energy efficiency, community and early childhood education.

Non-Allowable Uses include:

  • Payment of maintenance costs;
    • Maintenance costs, as defined by the USDOE, are those costs associated with the regularly scheduled activities that are intended to prolong the useful life of facilities, systems, and equipment. For example, annual servicing of an HVAC system would be considered maintenance and not an allowable expenditure. However, replacing the HVAC system, considered to be capital construction, would be allowable.
    • Janitorial and cleaning positions or services are considered to be ongoing operational (not maintenance) costs that are allowable under the program. Similarly, IT support would be an operational expense and therefore allowable.
  • Payment for stadiums or other facilities primarily used for athletic contests or exhibitions or other events for which admission is charged to the general public;
  • Purchase or upgrade of vehicles;
  • Improvement of stand-alone facilities whose purpose is not the education of children, including central office administration or operations or logistical support facilities;
  • Financial assistance for students to attend private elementary or secondary schools, unless the funds are used to provide special education and related services to students with disabilities, as authorized by the IDEA;
  • School modernization, renovation, or repair that is inconsistent with State law;

Other Non-allowable uses include:

  • Public relations, law services, or labor relations;
  • Food Service swiper card system;
  • Interscholastic sports programs;
  • Extra-curricular activities of non-academic nature including faculty stipends for advisory duties associated with them;
  • Building and grounds equipment; or
  • Cleaning supplies.

Attachment 2

Definitions of Data Elements

Data Element

Definition

Jobs Retained An estimate of the number of jobs to be retained. This estimate shall include only existing filled positions that were retained to support or carry out Recovery Act projects or activities managed directly by the school district. The number shall be expressed as ‘‘full-time equivalent’’ (FTE), calculated as all hours worked divided by the total number of hours in a full-time schedule, as defined by the recipient. For instance, two full-time employees and one part-time employee working half days would be reported as 2.5 FTE in each. See Attachment 3 for a detailed description of the methodology.

Associated costs for each of these elements may include salaries (15 and 16) and benefits (80).

NEW: Only jobs that will be funded (or reimbursed) directly with Recovery Act funds are to be included in these estimates. Jobs funded partially with Recovery Act funds should only be counted based on the proportion funded with ARRA ESF funds.

Teachers
Administrators
Support Staff
 
Jobs Created An estimate of the number of jobs to be created. This estimate shall include only new positions created to support or carry out Recovery Act projects or activities managed directly by the school district. The number shall be expressed as ‘‘full-time equivalent’’ (FTE), calculated as above.

Associated costs for each of these elements may include salaries (15 and 16) and benefits (80).

NEW: Only jobs that will be funded (or reimbursed) directly with Recovery Act funds are to be included in these estimates. Jobs funded partially with Recovery Act funds should only be counted based on the proportion funded with ARRA ESF funds.

Teachers
Administrators
Support Staff
 
Purchased Services, Construction or Renovation, Equipment and OtherAn estimate of the number of direct jobs to be created as a result of purchasing services from private vendors (40) and BOCES (49).

An estimate of the number of direct jobs to be created as a result of direct expenditures related to Construction and/or Renovation (30), Equipment (20) or any item categorized in “Other”. This estimate shall include any new positions (or additional hours for hourly employees) created or added to support or carry out Recovery Act projects or activities in agencies providing services to the LEA. The number shall be expressed as ‘‘full-time equivalent’’ (FTE), calculated as above. If number of FTEs is unknown at this time, please note that in the future LEAs will be required to report this information. All contracts should include requirements for contractors and/or vendors to provide this information.

Associated costs for “Other” may include Supplies and Materials (45), Travel Expenses (46), or Indirect Services (90) and must be detailed in the Program Narrative.



Attachment 3

ARRA Jobs Worksheet for 2009-10 *

STEP 1: Calculate Hours in a Full-Time Schedule

  1. Start by determining the standard hours in a full-time work week schedule as illustrated below. This example uses 40 hours, but other standards are possible.
  2. Multiply this amount by the number of weeks in the 2009-10 school year (July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010) to determine the annual number of hours for full-time work:

40 Hours in full-time work week X 47 weeks per school year = 1,880 Total Annual Hours

STEP 2: Calculate the Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Funded Directly by ARRA - ESF

  1. Determine the number of hours worked in positions that will be funded directly by the Recovery Act within the 2009-10 school year. For example, a full-time employee working 40 hours per week during the entire year will work 1,880 hours.
  2. Divide this number by the “Total Annual Hours in a Full-Time Schedule” number calculated in STEP 1. This calculation should be performed for each employee working under Recovery Act funding during the 2009-10 school year (add each together to calculate an FTE total):
1,880 Hours to be Worked and Funded by ARRA - ESF
_________________________________________________
1,880 Hours in a Full-Time Schedule

For this example, the FTE figure “1.0” should be entered in the “Total FTE” data field in the Application.

STEP 3: Calculate Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) for Less Than Full-Time or Full-Year Jobs

  1. Determine the total number of hours worked in positions that will be funded directly by the Recovery Act within the 2009-10 school year. For example, a part-time employee working 20 hours per week during the entire year will work 940 hours. A full-time employee working for 26 weeks (less than the full year of 47 weeks) will work 1,040 hours. Use this methodology for jobs partially funded with ARRA ESF funds, also.
  2. Divide these numbers by the “Total Annual Hours in a Full-Time Schedule” number calculated in STEP 1. This calculation should be performed for each employee working under Recovery Act funding during the 2009-10 school year (add each together to calculate an FTE total):
Part-time employee: 1,880 Hours to be Worked and Funded by ARRA - ESF
  ____________________________________________
  1,880 Hours in a Full-Time Schedule

For this example, the FTE figure “0.5” should be entered in the “Total FTE” data field in the Application.

Part-year employee: 1,040 Hours to be Worked and Funded by ARRA - ESF
  ____________________________________________
  1,880 Hours in a Full-Time Schedule

For this example, the FTE figure “0.53” should be entered in the “Total FTE” data field in the Application.

See: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/assets/memoranda_2010/m10-08.pdf external link icon for additional federal guidance on revised calculation of job estimates.

Last Updated: February 6, 2014