ARRA Reporting Questions and Answers
September 2009

This document lists questions and answers concerning ARRA reporting.  The questions were posed at four online sessions conducted by the New York State Education Department on September 22-25, 2009.  They are organized in the following sections:

General ARRA Reporting

  1. The Reporting System appears straightforward, but are there specific instructions available?

    A:  Yes.  See the presentation for the 9/18/09 Webcast at: http://usny.nysed.gov/arra/

  2. What are allowable uses of the ARRA funds?

    A:   Recommended Uses of ARRA Funds:

    1. Spend funds quickly to save and create jobs;
    2. Improve student achievement through school improvement and reform;
    3. Ensure transparency, reporting, and accountability; and
    4. Invest one-time ARRA funds thoughtfully to minimize the “funding cliff.”

    Stabilization Funds

    • Authorizes an LEA to use Education Stabilization funds for any activity that is authorized under the following Federal education acts:
      • The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA);
      • The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA);
      • The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA); or
      • The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins Act).
    • As part of its application for Stabilization Funding, a State must assure that it will implement strategies to:
      • Increase teacher effectiveness and address inequities in the distribution of highly qualified teachers;
      • Establish and use a pre-K-through-college-and-career data system to track progress and foster continuous improvement;
      • Make progress towards rigorous college- and career-ready standards and high-quality assessments that are valid and reliable for all students, including limited English proficient students and students with disabilities; and
      • Provide targeted, intensive support and effective interventions to turn around schools identified for corrective action and restructuring.
    • Allowable uses include but are not limited to:
      1. Retain existing teachers, administrators and support staff.
      2. 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
        • Identify and use effective teachers as coaches and mentors.
      3. 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.
      4. 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;
        • Close and re-open failing schools with new staff, new instructional programs, and additional learning time; and
        • Summer programs so that students succeed in algebra and college preparatory classes.
      5. Improving results for all students:
        • Strengthen early learning;
        • 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.
    • May not be used for:
      • Payment of maintenance costs;
      • 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; or
      • School modernization, renovation, or repair that is inconsistent with State law.

    Title I, Part A Funds

    • Allowable Uses include but are not limited to:
      • Training and dual certification for ELL or special education teachers;
      • Identify and use effective teachers as reading or math coaches and mentors;
      • Train educators to use data for decision-making to improve instruction;
      • Early Childhood Education;
      • English Language Learners;
      • Supplemental instructional staff salaries and fringe benefits;
      • Professional development;
      • Supplies and materials;
      • AIS services to eligible non-public school students;
      • Parent involvement;
      • Create accelerated tracks to college such as early college programs;
      • Equipment and contractual services;
      • Using longitudinal data systems to drive continuous improvement;
      • Extended learning opportunities; and
      • Close and re-open failing schools with new staff, new instructional programs, and additional learning time.
    • Requires equitable treatment of nonpublic school students and teachers.

    IDEA, Part B Funds

    • Allowable Uses include but are not limited to:
      • Strengthen early learning;
      • Training and dual certification for special education teachers;
      • Assistive technology devices and training;
      • Intensive professional development on evidence based school-wide strategies (e.g., RtI, PBIS);
      • Collection and use of data to improve teaching and learning;
      • Expand inclusive preschool placements;
      • Hire transition coordinators to work with employers and develop job placements;
      • Create accelerated tracks to college such as early college programs;
      • Implement online Individual Education Program (IEP) aligned to standards; and
      • Summer programs so that students succeed in algebra and college preparatory classes.
    • Requires equitable treatment of nonpublic school students and teachers.

  3. If the district has not received funding for ARRA program or received their grant award letter, is the first quarter reporting necessary for those monies?

    A:  Yes, a district should still report in the first quarter based on the district award amount and jobs saved and/or created. In addition, the district should also report on any known vendor and/or infrastructure project amounts. Quarterly reports will be cumulative and districts will be allowed to make adjustments in future quarterly reports.

  4. What should be entered in the Program Narrative section?

    A:  While this should be a brief overview of your use of the grant amount, it should address how these activities address the federal goals in the answer to Question 5 and also the specific allowable uses for a particular program.

  5. What jobs should be counted as created? Saved?

    A:  A job created is a new position created and filled or an existing unfilled position that is filled as a result of Recovery Act funding. A job retained is an existing position that would not have been continued to be filled were it not for Recovery Act funding.

    A job may be counted regardless of whether or not the employee filling the position is paid for with Recovery Act funds as long as the job would not have been created or retained in the absence of the Recovery Act funding.  In other words, Recovery Act funds are either being used to pay the employee or the availability of Recovery Act funds for other purposes is freeing up funds that are being used to pay the employee.

    Recipients should report jobs created and directly funded with ARRA funds by vendors.  Recipients should not attempt to report on the employment impact on vendors from whom recipients are purchasing materials, equipment, or other supplies  (so-called “indirect” jobs), except in those instances where the value or the quantity of the purchases is so significant as to have an identifiable employment impact on the vendor.

  6. How should I calculate FTEs?

    A: There are two basic ways to calculate and report FTEs. For jobs created directly by the expenditure of ARRA funds, you should follow the guidance on the Department’s website http://usny.nysed.gov/arra/ and use the Excel template located there to both calculate the appropriate FTEs and to document your estimate.

    U.S. DOE issued revised guidance on this issue on September 11, 2009 that allows a second method to capture jobs not directly paid for with ARRA funds, but created or saved due to existence of the ARRA funds. This is an appropriate means, in particular, to estimate the job impacts of the ESF funds that allowed school districts to avoid cutbacks or layoffs.

    You may include these estimates on your spreadsheet, but be sure to see the federal guidance on calculating a baseline employment level and subtracting it from your job creation estimate.  See http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance-on-jobs-creation.doc external link icon, particularly Section 1.11.

  7. Given a full-time, 10-month contracted teacher who also works over tFebruary 6, 2014 retained or created related to the summer school program - do you reflect the summer school hours in addition to the regular school hours in the calculation?

    A:  This is directly addressed in the new USDOE guidance.  The sub-recipient defines a full-time position and if the person works more than that (during the school year or summer) they calculate hours worked as more than one FTE (e.g., 1.2 FTE's etc.)

  8. Would any additional hours an individual worked above their regular work day (i.e. professional development, before and after school programs) be handled the same?

    A:  Yes.

  9. If a substitute fills in for a teacher who is out on professional development that we are funding using ARRA funds, I assume we could also use ARRA funds to fund the substitute and the FTE created would be 1/180 FTEs per day?

    A:  Correct. In addition, due to new federal guidance (DOE), you need not directly fund the substitute or the regular teacher with ARRA funds in order to count the jobs created. If the project supported with ARRA funds allows the jobs to be saved or created, you should include them in your FTE calculations.

  10. What construction/renovation projects may we use ARRA ESF or IDEA for?

    A:  Facilities used to educate children, such as classroom buildings, but not administration, maintenance or sports facilities.  Infrastructure expenditures must conform to all applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

  11. I understand we should be counting jobs created at vendors with ARRA funds, but I don’t see a place to enter that on the Vendor page.

    A:  Direct jobs created at vendors (including BOCES) using ARRA funds may be counted by adding to the jobs created on the individual award Reporting page. Note that you should not report existing jobs at vendors that merely receive ARRA funds. These would not be direct jobs created or saved.

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Use of ARRA Funds for BOCES Expenses

  1. Can ARRA funds be used to purchase BOCES services?

    A. Yes

  2. Are all BOCES ser vices purchased with ARRA funds BOCES-aidable?

    A. BOCES services purchased with Education Stabilization Funds are eligible to generate BOCES Aid, where applicable. BOCES services purchased with any grant-funded ARRA funds, i.e. Title I or IDEA, are not eligible for BOCES Aid.

  3. If a school district purchases a BOCES service that is provided via a cross-contract, which BOCES should be listed as the vendor on the on-line ARRA reporting?

    A. Because the school district’s contract is with their “home” BOCES, they should only list their home BOCES as a vendor. Districts should however, maintain documentation for all cross-contracts for audit purposes.

  4. How will a school district know if the BOCES providing the cross-contracted service has any jobs created or saved?

    A. Districts should work with their own BOCES to request any necessary data from other BOCES providing cross-contracted services.

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Education Stabilization Funds

  1. I have submitted my application for Education Stabilization Funds (ESF) on-line and the system shows my application as approved. Does that mean I will be receiving these funds soon?

    A:  Yes, based on SED program office review and approval of your application as indicated in the system, you should be receiving a grant approval notice in the near future which will confirm the amount. Note that the ESF does not provide an automatic first payment upon budget approval. You will follow the FS-25 expenditure submission and reimbursement process with the Grants Finance Office. No payment will be provided for anticipated expenditures.

  2. What if I haven’t submitted my application for Education Stabilization Funds on-line yet?

    A:  The system will show your application as Not Submitted. You must complete the on-line ESF application and have your Superintendent submit and certify it before reporting for the quarter. We have left this as the first selection in the drop-down box in the Reporting System.

  3. I understand that the ESF funds are meant to restore State Aid cuts including the Deficit Reduction Amount (DRA) as proposed in the Executive’s 2009-10 budget as presented in December 2009. However, the Fund Amount shown in the Reporting System is different. Can you explain why?

    A:  The bulk of the ARRA ESF funds were attributable to the DRA, however there were some additional amounts of lost revenue that the federal government approved in our ESF. Also, the actual DRA was recalculated at the time of the final enactment of the 2009-10 State budget in April, based on the updated February 2009 State Aid database. The final DRA for each district was posted on the State Aid website on April 13, 2009. See https://stateaid.nysed.gov/budget/html_docs/dra_restoration.htm

  4. What are allowable uses of the ESF amount?

    A:  This should have been answered in the ESF application process. In brief, any activity that is authorized under federal acts ESEA, IDEA, AEFLA (Adult Education and Family Literacy Act) or the Perkins Act. In addition, expenditures should meet at least one of the stated federal goals of increasing teacher effectiveness and equitable distribution; supporting a pre-K to college and career data system to foster improvement, and/or develop a rigorous, high-standards assessment system. Funds may also provide support and interventions for schools identified for corrective action and restructuring. Additional specific guidance is available at http://usny.nysed.gov/arra/.

  5. What should be entered in the Program Narrative section?

    A:  While this should be a brief overview of your use of the ESF amount, it should address how these activities address the federal goals in the answer to Question 5 and also the specific allowable uses in Recommended Uses of ARRA – Education Stabilization Funds PDF file icon (106 KB) .

  6. What is the difference between tax increases averted and tax relief? I don’t see a place to enter this information in the reporting system.

    A:  Tax increases averted were asked as an information item in the ESF application, due to federal guidance at that time. It is not a reporting element from the State to the Federal system. However, reducing taxes, increasing fund balances or creating “rainy day” funds still are specifically prohibited activities under the ESF. Districts must actually obligate the funds for specific allowable educational activities.

  7. What construction/renovation projects may we use ARRA ESF for?

    A:  Facilities used to educate children, such as classroom buildings, but not administration, maintenance or sports facilities.  Infrastructure expenditures must conform to all applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

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ARRA IDEA Reporting

  1. Does the quarterly reporting mechanism include the IDEA ARRA grant amounts, or just the DRA-Stabilization money?

    A.  The ARRA reporting system includes reporting for 20 ARRA funded programs including ARRA IDEA grants.

  2. For the ARRA IDEA funds is there an online application process for the grants or are we just reporting expenditures?

    A.  The applications have been on line since the end of May, and they are available at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/finance/. If you have any questions about the Application, please contact the VESID Special Education Budget and Finance Unit at (518) 486-4734.  Once you receive your grant award letter you can begin to draw down funds by reporting expenditures to the Grants Finance Office using the standard format.

  3. My question concerns IDEA money. If the district has not received approval on the grants, is the first quarter reporting necessary for those monies?

    A.  If you have not received an award letter, indicating the grant is approved, the district should submit ARRA reporting data if it knows its award amount and has job estimates.

  4. What is the expected turnaround for approval of 611 ARRA and 619 ARRA FS10 grant applications?  611 ARRA and 619 ARRA FS10 grants applications were submitted around 6/15/09.

    A.  Once applications are approved and the State has released funds, funds will flow according to normal time frames for the Office of Grants Finance.  Every attempt is made to release funds as soon as possible after a claim is submitted.  Payment is typically provided within 10-20 days of receipt of the claim.

  5. If our ARRA IDEA application has yet to be approved, how can we report on expenses?  Would we have the availability to report Quarter 1 expenses on the Quarter 2 report?

    A.  You should not report expenditures until you have.  Expenses are reported to the Grants Finance Office, after receiving your grant award letter and are not reported on quarterly reports of the ARRA reporting system.  The Department will aggregate information from the ARRA reporting system with information on expenditures from Grants Finance to report to the federal government.

  6. Typically with IDEA funds, we cannot add teachers to the 611 grant for the student whose expenses districts 1.) reimburse with high cost public excess cost aid via the STAC system and 2.) bill for Medicaid.  With the ARRA funds, the State has allowed BOCES to use ARRA funds for shared services expenditures and use these expenditures to generate BOCES aid.  Is it possible to have teachers who provide Medicaid (reimbursable) services to students in the ARRA/IDEA portion of the grant?  Is that the same as allowing a BOCES expenditure in the grant?

    A. Staff funded through Medicaid should not be included on the ARRA grant application.  Allowing ARRA funds to generate BOCES aid only applies to Education Stabilization Funds that were appropriated to restore cuts in State Aid to school districts.  All other federal grants cannot be used to generate BOCES Aid.

  7. Relating to IDEA funding, what is meant by reduction of Maintenance of Effort with 50% of the increase in IDEA funds from 2008-09 to 2009-10?

    A: For any fiscal year in which the total allocation received by the Local Education Agency (LEA) under IDEA Part B exceeds the amount of the previous year, the LEA may, if eligible, reduce the level of expenditures required to demonstrate local maintenance of effort by 50% of the increase. While all IDEA funds must still be used for special education services consistent with IDEA, the districts may use an amount up to 50% of the increase to reduce their local maintenance of effort so long as an equal amount of local funds are used for allowable ESEA activities. So, for example, a district whose IDEA allocations between 2008-09 and 2009-10 increased by $100,000 may reduce their IDEA maintenance of effort (i.e., the amount previously spent on special education services using State and local funds) by up to $50,000. However, they must retarget the $50,000 of State or local funds that previously paid for special education services towards allowable activities under ESEA. This flexibility applies only to some districts; certain districts are prohibited reducing their local maintenance of effort if they are in a certain status. Further details and information have been provided in the IDEA application packet which was disseminated to districts recently.

  8. Will Approved Special Education Programs Schools (ASEPs) receive any of the increased funding provided to districts under IDEA?

    A: Yes. Education Law section 4410-b requires that when federal funds are provided to local educational agencies under sections 611 or 619 of the IDEA, a per capita amount must be paid to approved special education providers (ASEPs) from local funds or from IDEA Part B funds. The additional ARRA IDEA funds are provided as a part of the total 2009 IDEA allocation, and this requirement applies to the total amount, including the ARRA funds. If the school district chooses to use IDEA funds for payments to ASEPs, the regular IDEA funds must be used for this purpose. Information about IDEA funds and the application, including IDEA ARRA funds is available at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/finance/.

  9. Will Parentally-Placed Students receive any of the increased funding provided to districts under IDEA?

    A: Yes, the total amount of the 2009 Part B allocation, including ARRA and regular IDEA funds, are subject to the requirements of the IDEA for funding equitable services to students with disabilities who are parentally placed in nonpublic schools. A proportionate share of the total 2009 IDEA allocation must be used for special education programs and services for students with disabilities parentally placed in nonpublic schools.

  10. Will Charter Schools receive any of the increased funding provided to districts under IDEA?

    A: Yes. Section 2856 of the Education Law requires the school district of residence, as the local educational agency, to pay to each charter school that opts to provide special education services to a student with a disability attending the charter school the state and federal aid attributable to that student, in proportion to the level of service provided by the charter school. This requirement applies to all IDEA Part B funds, including the ARRA IDEA funds.

  11. As many of these fund expenses revolve around salaries can we expend these funds even if we have not received formal notice of the approval of the application?

    A: Yes

  12. When do you anticipate approval for the ARRA applications?

    A:  The regular 611 and 619 IDEA approvals are going out now.  The ARRA 611 and 619 approvals will be released shortly.  Check the VESID website to see if further information is needed in order for your application to be approved.

  13. Why does our application status read as "NOT SUBMITTED" on the ARRA website, even though we submitted our application?

    A.  This reference to Not Submitted means that your ARRA IDEA report is not submitted.  It doesn’t refer to your application for ARRA IDEA funds, as this is handled separately by the program office.

  14. Can we submit expenses on FS-25's for the 1st quarter but not submit the jobs created & saved?

    A.  Remember that expenditure reporting and reporting on jobs saved and created are two separate processes.  You may submit on the ARRA reporting system the number of jobs created and saved, if you know your award amount and have job estimates. Note that you don’t submit dollar amounts for jobs saved and created on the ARRA reporting system. You cannot submit expenditures to the Grants Finance Office to draw down funds until you receive your award letter.

  15. Could we get the URL for grants finance to be able to check for grant approval?

    A.: http://www.oms.nysed.gov/cafe/

  16. How do we report purchased services for the first quarter?

    A.   If your district hasn't had the Section 611 ARRA grant approved yet, you should report zero expenditures this quarter and then for the second quarter all expenditures since July 1st (assuming the grant is approved in the second quarter) should be reported.  Quarterly reporting is cumulative and expenditures will be retrieved from the Grants Finance system.

  17. For vendor reporting, what exactly is the Sub Award number?

    A.  The Sub Award number is the number the district assigns to identify the vendor.

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ARRA Title I and McKinney-Vento Homeless Education

  1. When will the Title I application for ARRA funds be available? What is the expected turnaround for approval?

    A. The ARRA Title I application has been now been posted and can be found at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/nclb/.  Applications will be due by the end of October. Title I staff will approve them as soon as possible after they are received. Award notices will be dated 7/1/09.

  2. Are we to report on how we project to use the Title 1 ARRA funds even if we may not have submitted the application before the reporting is due?

    A.  The issue is whether to report job estimates if award letters have not been sent to recipients. We are recommending that, if recipients know their award amount and have job estimates, they report the data, subject to approval by the program office. Please see the ARRA Reporting power point that was viewed during the September 18 webcast on Reporting. Both the power point and the (archived) webcast are at:  http://usny.nysed.gov/arra/

  3. Given the first cut off for reporting of 9/23/09 for the 1st quarter of the year, due by October 1st, what are the future cutoffs? Will the reporting be quarterly or monthly? Will FS-25s be required as well?  If so, what is the requested time period for those?

    A. 1) Future cutoff dates for the ARRA reporting system will be 12/24/09; 3/24/10; and 6/23/10.  Reporting will be quarterly. 2) FS-25’s will be required to draw down funds from the Grants Finance unit. They may be submitted on a monthly or quarterly basis. 3) The ARRA reporting system and the Grants Finance system function independently.

  4. Concerning jobs estimates for payments to sub-recipient vendors, are jobs saved the jobs in our school district or do they refer to a job saved by a vendor?  If it pertains to the vendor, are we to contact the vendor to provide us with that information?

    A.  Job estimates for sub-recipient vendors refer to jobs saved or created by the vendor and directly supported with ARRA funds. Sub-recipients should include a requirement for this information in their contract or otherwise contact the vendor in order to receive this information. The jobs saved or created by the vendor, if any, should be included in the total amount reported for each separate ARRA fund.

  5. What documentation are we required to provide from Non-Public schools funded through our Title I ARRA award?

    A.  Sub-recipient school districts providing funds to non-public schools should collect information from non-public schools on jobs saved and created and vendor information.

  6. Is Title I ARRA funding effective July 1st or can we cover the same period as our Title I  Grant?  Our Title I Grant covers the period from 9/1/09 - 8/31/10.

    A.  The reporting period for ARRA funds received in the current year is July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010.  We are currently seeking advice from the federal government as to whether sub-recipients can claim expenditures that pre-date their ARRA grant award.

  7. Can we view or receive in advance a sample of the reporting screens we will be required to input so that we can have data/responses prepared?

    A.  The ARRA reporting system is now available on the portal. Please refer to the power point for last week's webcast for information regarding accessing the system:  http://usny.nysed.gov/arra

  8. Can we spend Title I ARRA funds based on Title I regulations or are we subject to proving we are saving jobs, averting taxes, etc.?

    A.  Sub-recipient LEA’s must spend Title I ARRA funds consistent with Title I regulations and in addition, they must provide information on jobs saved or created as a result of receipt of these funds.

  9. We calculated the allocation of Title I and Title I ARRA funds, we allocated parent involvement monies under both as we were advised to use both in our calculations.  Was   this correct as parent involvement is not used to "save jobs"/"avert taxes"?

    A.  That is fine.  Not all ARRA funds are used to save or create jobs.  If you use funds on activities that do not save or create jobs, you will not produce any job estimates for these funds.  Taxes averted was something mentioned in the original legislation but is not a data element in the Section 1512 reporting, so will not be collected or reported at this time.

  10. I see on the ARRA reporting system that there is a space for the number of jobs created and the number of jobs saved. Are we supposed to report the number and the dollar amount? I thought we were reporting expenditures through Grants Finance.

    A.  No, you will not report dollars associated with your job estimates.  The ARRA reporting system collects information on the number of jobs saved or created and dollar estimates of funds allocated for infrastructure or for contracts with vendors.  You are correct that expenditure information is collected from the information you submit to Grants Finance to draw down funds.

  11. Is the dollar amount on the reporting system supposed to match the total award for each program area? Further, does this amount include set-sides? For example, how do I show jobs saved or created while meeting my set aside amount for parent involvement?

    A.  Yes.  The dollar amount on the reporting system should match the amount of your award for each ARRA funded program.  This amount does not include set-asides.  If you were to use funds for parent involvement (or any other program) you need to report the number of jobs saved or created with these funds, if any.

  12. How do we account for the benefits associated with salaries?   Are Teacher Retirement System (TRS), Workmen's Comp, and Health Insurance providers considered vendors and need to be entered into that section?

    A.  This information should be provided to the Grants Finance office on the FS-25. These should not be reported as vendor expenses on the ARRA Reporting system but accounted for along with the teacher salaries.

  13. On page 8 of the Webcast PowerPoint, it says that we're reporting the "contract amount" for the vendors.  On the slides relating to the ARRA Reporting portal, however, it says we're reporting the "payment amount", which I assume means the actual expenditures under the contract as of September 23, 2009.  Given that SED is reporting expenditures based on claims, I assume that the former - the contract amount - is the piece of information you need, right?

    A.  Not exactly. What we are after is an estimate of ARRA funds used to support contracts during the 2009-10 school year.  Reporting is cumulative so you should enter your contract amount as soon as you know it, and then continue entering the same amount for succeeding quarters.

  14. If a substitute fills in for a teacher who is out to receive professional development (that we are funding using ARRA funds) could we also use ARRA funds for the substitute? Would the FTE created be 1/180 FTEs per day?

    A.   Yes. In addition, due to new federal guidance (DOE), you need not directly fund the substitute or the regular teacher with ARRA funds in order to count the jobs created. If the project supported with ARRA funds allows you to fund other positions with other funds, you should include them in your FTE calculations.

  15. Given a full time 10-month contracted teacher who also works over the summer as a summer school teacher, when calculating the FTE retained or created related to the summer school program - do you reflect the summer school hours in addition to the   regular school hours in the denominator of the calculation?

    A.  Yes. In this example the teacher would be in excess of 1.0 FTE if she works beyond a full-time teacher’s schedule during the summer and she was getting paid out of Title I (ARRA Supplemental)

  16. Will school districts be audited by the State or Federal government? If so, when?

    A.   We have been told that there will be an unprecedented level of accountability and transparency related to the reporting of ARRA funds, but we do not know yet know specifically how this auditing function will be carried out.

  17. The Title I Supplement that has just been released for Title I ARRA funds is for two years.  How does this impact our Title I budget that has already been submitted?

    A.  The Title I ARRA funds are supplemental to the funds received through the consolidated application process. They must be budgeted separately and reported separately, otherwise all Title I rules apply.  The district will need to make their own decision regarding how much of their two year allocation they are applying for in each year. Reporting should reflect the amount of funding request.

  18. When you talk about vendors, do you mean only vendors from whom we get services or does it also include supplies?

    A.  It includes all contracts with vendors, including supplies.

  19. It is unclear how to report jobs saved when expending funds on professional           development. In contracting with outside individuals to provide professional development in the district, have I saved a job(s)?

    A.  In this scenario you should reflect this information in the vendor category and check with the vendor as to whether any jobs were saved.

  20. Are we still to report jobs created even if those people haven't been hired yet?

    A.  No. If the job has not yet been created, do not report it.

  21. Can we simply report having spent no money in the quarter ending September 23 and use the next deadline/report to capture these expenditures?

    A. Data reporting through the online ARRA system is not the same as claiming expenditures which is part of the grant finance system. Please review the webcast on reporting for additional clarification.

  22. We budgeted our ARRA funding to include most of the Professional development expenditures for our Title 1 related programs. If I did not have this money, I would not eliminate a budgeted FTE to allow the Professional development to happen. I could technically say that I saved a job but the reality is that the professional development would not happen. How do I or why would I report an FTE saved in this situation?

    A.  In this scenario, only if the professional development trainer may have lost their job would the job be considered, “saved”.

  23. If there is professional development and we need to bring in substitutes, those subs would those jobs be jobs created (for the number of hours they worked)?

    A.  Yes.

  24. What if I am not exactly sure about which jobs were created or saved by the time I have to do my reporting?

    A.   The job estimates that you are submitting can be clarified in 2nd quarter reporting, as the reporting is cumulative and will capture the first quarter.

  25. This is a wonderful tool the Department is using, but given all of the questions and   limited time, will you be following up with answers to individuals that have submitted?

    A.  If   your question was specific to Title I, please contact that office directly. If you have an ARRA reporting question that was not answered please email us at: emscmgts@mail.nysed.gov.

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ARRA Education Stabilization Fund - Other Government Services

Teacher Centers
Mentor Teacher Internship Program
Grants to HESC and SUNY and CUNY community colleges
Grants for Cafeteria Equipment
Say Yes to Education—Syracuse
Educational Television and Radio
Foreclosure Prevention

  1. Is the deadline for reporting on ARRA funded programs to be entered and certified by COB 9/30/09?

    A.  The deadline is COB 10/1/09.

  2. Is it too late to apply for the Cafeteria Equipment Grant?

    A.  Yes.; However, some of the grantees did not spend all of the money and we will be looking at this and notifying other districts that applied but were not selected for funding.

  3. We pay teachers hourly for any teaching, curriculum development, and leading or participating in professional development.  Which of these activities should be part of our jobs saved/created FTE reporting?

    A.  Include as jobs saved and created any ARRA funds that are used for salaries.  You can also include positions not funded by ARRA that would have been lost if not for the ARRA funds coming into the organization.  For example, teacher professional development provider positions could be funded by ARRA and in jobs saved/created.  Using ARRA funds for professional development activities could be counted for the portion of funds used to support salaries, such as the professional developer.  ARRA funds used for materials, supplies and equipment generally would not be counted as jobs saved or created.

  4. I have been on the portal and the vendor screen requests payment amount.  I understand this to mean the full yearly amount we expect to pay.  Is this correct?

    A.  Yes.  Payment amount is an estimate of what the recipient expects to pay from ARRA funds to a given vendor over the school year 7/1/09—6/30/10.  The amount of full year contracts is reported quarterly.  However, if you know the job estimates or full amount, you can report it in the 1st quarter and it will remain the same each quarter if the estimate is not known in the 1st quarter, you can report it in the 2nd quarter.

  5. Is Cafeteria Equipment recorded in cafeteria funds or in the Special aid?

    A.  Cafeteria equipment must be recorded separately.  It has its own CFDA number.  All of the ARRA federal funds should be accounted for separately in the special aid fund.  For guidance on accounting for the use of ARRA funded programs see:

  6. Do districts and BOCES that have Teacher Centers need to report on ARRA expenditures used for Teacher Center committees?

    A.  Yes, districts and BOCES with Teacher Centers must report on the use of ARRA funds. Committee grants are included in the total amount of the Teacher Center award shown for host LEA’s and all grantees, including committees, have the same award as in 2008-09.

  7. We are using ARRA funds to support a summer school teacher position; what the appropriate way to compute the FTE?

    A.  Recipients should report the number of hours worked in the summer divided by the total hours worked by a full-time teacher.  For example, if full time employment for a teacher is eight hours a day for 10 months and this adds up to be 2,000 hours and the time the teacher worked in the summer is Hours, you divide 500/2000 = .25 FTE.

  8. Should narrative reflect the entire plan for the year, and the vendor information and FTE’s only for the quarter?

    A.  The narrative should be descriptive of your entire plan, including a description of jobs saved or created. The vendor payment amount is an estimate of ARRA funds to be used to support vendor contracts from July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010.  The recipient should report this estimate when it is known and continue to report it each quarter.  FTE’s are reported cumulatively each quarter.  See the Excel Template for Calculating Jobs Created/Saved at http://usny.nysed.gov/arra/.

  9. Should recipients who expect to receive Teacher Center funding report even though funding has not been released?

    A.  Yes.  If you know your award amounts and have job estimates we encourage you to report jobs that you expect will be saved or created with the funds.

  10. Should Teacher-Mentor Internships and Teacher Centers be reported as one grant?

    A.   No.  These are two separate ARRA funded programs and should be reported separately.

  11. What is the role of CEO and how do I know who this is for ARRA reporting?

    A.  The CEO has access to the NYSED business portal and may delegate access to the ARRA reporting system to another staff member in the organization.  The CEO, and only the CEO, must certify the ARRA report for each grant program to be received.  You can go to the portal (portal.nysed.gov), click on SEDREF Query and enter the popular name of the organization to find the identifying information including the CEO name and contact information.  See the presentation for the 9/18/09 Webcast at: http://usny.nysed.gov/arra/ for general guidance on accessing the portal and the reporting system. If you still cannot get into the portal, please contact your SED program office representative for assistance.

  12. Where should I go if I have more questions?

    A.  You may ask program questions of your SED program office contact noted below and you may direct reporting questions to emscmgts@mail.nysed.gov.

    Teacher Centers—Alysan Slighter
    Mentor Teacher Internship Program—Nancy Brennan
    Grants to HESC and SUNY and CUNY community colleges—Byron Connell
    Grants for Cafeteria Equipment—Frances O’Donnell
    Say Yes to Education—Syracuse—Jeanne Post
    Educational Television and Radio—Mark Waldman
    Foreclosure Prevention—Deborah Cunningham

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Further Guidance

What is key guidance to which sub-recipients should be paying attention?

Other:

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Last Updated: February 6, 2014