Extended Learning ProgramsBasic Program Management

21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLCLottery for Education Afterschool Programs (LEAPs)

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Topics Covered

Best Practice Program Mentorship Communication Fiscal Practices Budgeting Staffing Scheduling Program Improvement

2014-2015Program Highlights

Transition to ePlan for all grantees 21st CCLC Grantees completed Annual Performance

Report (APR) for the US Department of Education New contract with UT SWORPS for data collection and

evaluation 21st CCLC fiscal audit Program manuals rewritten for both grants New Program and Fiscal Monitoring Tool developed Extended Learning Programs website updated

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Best Practice Program Mentors

Mentors have been selected to offer their expertise to grantees about programming planning.

Each mentor has a minimum of 3 years of experience managing 21st CCLC and/or LEAPs grants

Currently there are 15 Best Practice Mentors assisting programs in the core regions.

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Best Practice Mentors By Region

• Memphis/Shelby/Southwest – Darrell Wooden• Northwest – Nikki Netherland, Anessa Ladd• Mid Cumberland – Marijo Monette• South Central – Vera Davis, Cathrine Gordon• Upper Cumberland – Karen Benningfield• Southeast – Angie Dahle, Joyce Hardaway• East Tennessee – Michelle Davis• First Tennessee – Sonya Miller, Cathy Kitts• Specialized Mentors:

– Tommy Durham (STEM/West TN)– Tammy Knipp (STEM/ Middle TN)– Valerie Brook - Evaluation/Data Analysis

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Communication

Communication between the project director and site staff

Communication between the project director and Extended Learning Program staff

Plan of succession when a project director leaves the program

Communication between the project director and school district personnel

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Fiscal Management - Planning

At the beginning of the year review the Extended Learning Program documents in ePlan or program manuals with key staff so everyone has an understanding of proper use of funds.

Project directors need to have permissions to upload documents into ePlan and view the budget. We recommend that agencies have the project director in the approval chain.

Adequately plan for an entire school year – the award you receive in July or August is it; there will be no additional funds or supplemental grants

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Fiscal Management - Salaries

Timesheets should reflect the actual time worked in the program.

District personnel who work before or afterschool time should be paid for time worked in the program. If a teacher’s regular school day ends at 3:30, then he/she should be paid for time worked after 3:30. No double dipping.

PAR (Personal Activity Report) for 21st Century grantees whose salary is partially paid for through the grant

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Budgeting

Good stewardship is required.

Programs that misuse grant funds will have to pay money back for unallowable expenses.

Continued misappropriation of funds may result in the termination of the grant contract.

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Budgeting (cont.)

Draw funds out of ePlan on a monthly basis and be sure to follow the approval chain on reimbursement requests.

Submit budget revisions as needed in ePlan and remember to provide detailed explanations for changes in line items in the budget narrative.

If a budget revision is returned Not Approved, there will be comments in the history log outlining changes that need to be made.

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Budgeting – Technology Purchases

Technology requests should come from the project director not individual site staff.

The project director will submit a technology request form to Extended Learning staff for approval prior to purchase.

A maximum of 10 technology items can be purchased per year for the project (not per site)

A minimum of 3 bids or price quotes must be attached to the technology request form.

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Staffing

Find the best people.

Consider creating annual contracts with people who work in the program.

Develop basic job descriptions for your project staff as well as staff handbooks or policy manuals.

Staff according to the number of students participating in the program at each time of the program day

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Scheduling

The program schedule should include snacks, homework assistance, tutoring, STEM activities, guided physical fitness activities etc.

Participants in the afternoon/evening project need to participate a minimum of one hour a grant day to count towards attendance. Morning participants a minimum of 30 minutes.

A regular attendee is a student who participates in the program for a minimum of 30 days.

Keep as current as possible entering attendance data into the Extended Learning student tracking system.

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Extended Learning Programing Quality

Extended Learning Grantees corner http://www.tennessee.gov/education/instruction/grantees.shtml

New evaluation tool http://www.tennessee.gov/education/instruction/extended_learning/21st_cclc_leaps_program_fiscal_monitoring_instr.docx

Extended Learning and School Based Support Services staff work together to improve overall program quality• The Extended Learning Program office issues the grant award

and provides program and fiscal monitoring of projects