Federal Programs
Title I
Please click on the link below to access our Title I ESSA School Report Card. The information can be confusing because of the small number of students compared to most schools. Sometimes, we don’t have enough students to complete a category which can skew the data. Please contact Vanessa Robisch at vrobisch@doe.k12.ga.us if you have any specific questions.
Parents and Families:
This short video explains Title 1 as AASD. It contains all the content covered in each year's Annual Title 1 Meeting.
It outlines the programs and policies supported with Title 1 funding.
A text copy of the content covered in the video can be found below.
Please contact Patti at plombardi@doe.k12.ga.us, if you have any questions regarding Title 1 or any of our programs.
Title I, Part A is a part of the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965 (ESSA). Title I is the nation’s largest assistance program for schools. It provides funding for increasing student achievement in schools selected on the basis of the economic level of families in a school’s attendance zone. This support is to ensure that all children meet challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards.
Title I funds supplement local and state educational programs to ensure all students achieve in all academic areas. The Title I program offers a variety of services which may include additional teachers, support staff, extra time for instruction, resource materials, smaller classes, and additional training for staff.
What is the eligibility requirement?
Meeting the needs of academically at–risk children (as determined by the percentage of students that qualify for free and reduced lunch).
What is the purpose of Title I?
The purpose of this Title I, is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments. We reach this goal by:
- Ensuring that high-quality academic assessments, accountability systems, teacher preparation and training, curriculum, and instructional materials are aligned with challenging State academic standards so that students, teachers, parents, and administrators can measure progress against common expectations for student academic achievement;
- Targeting and distributing our resources sufficiently to make a difference where needs are greatest.
- Significantly elevating the quality of instruction by providing staff with substantial opportunities for professional development.
- Help every child receive a high quality education.
- Build capacity for parent involvement.
Title IX
The Atlanta Area School for the Deaf does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
The following person(s) has been designated to handle inquiries regarding Title IX non-discrimination policies:
Louis J. Erste
State Schools Chief Policy Officer and Title IX Coordinator
Georgia Department of Education
1562 Twin Towers East
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, SE
Atlanta, GA 30334
404-326-3663
lerste@doe.k12.ga.us
Reports about violations of Title IX, including reports of sex discrimination and sexual harassment (sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and/or stalking) by any employee or student that occurs in a situation in which the school has substantial control over both the respondent AND the context in which the sexual harassment occurs (including online sexual harassment if it occurs in an education program or activity), can be made at any time, including during non-business hours, by using the Title IX Coordinator’s listed telephone number or e-mail address above – or by any other means that results in the Title IX Coordinator receiving your verbal or written report.
Training materials used to train our Title IX personnel can be accessed at the following links:
- https://icslawyer.com/posting-for-review-2022-k-12-title-ix-coordinator-training/
- https://icslawyer.com/posting-for-review-2022-k-12-investigator-training/
- https://icslawyer.com/posting-for-review-k-12-virtual-certified-level-2-investigator-training/
- https://icslawyer.com/posting-for-review-k-12-decision-maker-all-sessions/
- https://icslawyer.com/posting-for-review-virtual-k12-informal-resolution/
- https://icslawyer.com/posting-for-review-domestic-and-dating-violence/
Intervention Plans and Policies
Intervention Plans and Policies
Parent Policies
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2022-2023 Title 1 Documents for Families
Family Engagement Policy
English-
Family Engagement Policy FINAL 2022-23 ENG.pdfSpanish -
Family Engagement Policy FINAL 2022-23 SPAN.pdfSchool-Parent Compacts
Elementary
English -
Elementary Compact ENG FINAL 2022-23 .pdfSpanish -
Elementary Compact SPANFinal 2022-23.pdfMiddle School
English -
Middle School Compact ENG FINAL 2022-23.pdfSpanish -
Middle School Compact 2022-23 FINAL SPA.pdfHigh School
Parent Notifications
Grant Fraud Indicators
A significant amount of federal dollars is lost each year to grant fraud. As a result of the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), grant spending will increase significantly. This guide is designed to help those GaDOE employees who administer and monitor grants aware of possible grant fraud indicators.
What is a Grant?
Grants are an important tool used by government agencies to achieve goals. They are legal instruments through which funds are transferred to support a public purpose.
According to www.usaspending.gov :
“A federal grant is an authorized expenditure to a non-federal entity for a defined public or private purpose in which services are not rendered to the federal government.” Grants are categorized as either formula or project grants. Formula grants are awarded to state or local governments, in accordance with distribution formulas prescribed by law or administrative regulation for activities of a continuing nature not confined to a specific project. Project grants are funded for specific projects to be completed within a fixed or known period of time. Projects can include fellowships, scholarships, research, training, experiments, evaluations, planning, technical assistance, surveys, and construction.
General Grant Fraud Indicators
These indicators may indicate fraud, waste, or abuse related to grant funded programs. The existence of such indicators does not necessarily mean that problems are present, but that the program may require additional scrutiny, follow-up, or analysis.
1. An underperforming or failing grant program. Grantee is dishonest about performance or completion of the grant.
2. A program that by its design or purpose is difficult to objectively assess or track. For instance, a grant to buy equipment is easier to monitor than a program to increase awareness about a particular issue.
3. A grantee that is unresponsive to reporting requirements or requests from GaDOE, or others to provide documentation or other information about the status of their program. Grantee has lengthy unexplained delays in producing requested documentation.
4. “Ghost” or non-existent employees. This is difficult to ascertain but excessively high administrative costs or high employee counts may be indicators.
5. Members of the Board overseeing the program are related to program staff or Board is ineffective.
6. Inconsistent or illogical explanations from a grantee about how they are using federal funds or the status of their program.
7. The identification of unapproved sole-source or no-bid procurements.
8. Funds used to pay for generic, non-specific, or nebulous consulting.
9. The use of funds that is materially different from the approved grant budget.
10. Any information that indicates the grantee lacks proper internal controls, such as separation of duties. This can occur whenever one person is given too much responsibility or control or many of the financial duties are assigned to one staff.
11. Any queries from local, state, or federal law enforcement or audit offices concerning potential fraud issues related to the grant program.
12. Any questionable or unusual transactions immediately preceding the end of a grant award period.
13. Any related party transactions such as hiring family members, purchasing goods or services from a company owned or controlled by individuals associated with the grantee. Any transaction conducted at less than an “arms-length.”
14. Unclear, unsupportable or inconsistent indirect cost rates. Indirect cost rates must be approved, supported, and properly applied.
15. Any information related to forgeries of signatures, alteration of invoices, receipts, timecards or other documentation. Missing signatures is also another red flag.
16. Any evidence that a grantee is receiving previously undisclosed support from another federal, state, local, or private entity for the same program currently being funded by GaDOE.
17. Illogical or unusual financial drawdown transactions or reporting on financial status reports.
18. Excessive, illogical, or unmonitored high risk transactions such as cash, credit, debit or gift cards, or checking accounts.
19. Photocopied documents instead of originals. Copies are of poor quality or illegible.
20. Missing documentation for key business areas, such as not having an operating manual, not having written policies or procedures.
21. Lack of oversight to enforce regulations.
22. Overly complex organizational structure.
23. A lack of qualified employees to perform the work called for in the grant.
24. Employees of the grantee appear to be living beyond their means.
Management Related Grant Fraud Indicators
Management sets the tone of an organization through its control environment. The control environment provides both discipline and structure to the organization; therefore, GaDOE staff must consider management characteristics and influence over the control environment not only as fraud risk factors but also as fraud indicators along with the general grant fraud indicators. Possible management fraud indicators are listed below. This list is not meant to be all-inclusive and should not preclude GaDOE employees from considering other fraud indicators that they might identify.
1. Failure to display and communicate an appropriate attitude regarding the importance of internal control, including a lack of internal control policies and procedures; ethics program; codes of conduct; self-governance activities; and oversight of significant controls.
2. Displaying through words or actions that senior management is subject to less stringent rules, regulations, or internal controls than other employees.
3. High turnover of senior management.
4. Hostile relationship between management and auditors or program monitors. This would include domineering behavior towards the auditor or monitor, failure to provide information, and limiting access to employees of the organization.
5. Failure to establish procedures to ensure compliance with laws and regulations and prevention of illegal acts.
6. Indications that key personnel are not competent in the performance of their assigned responsibilities.
7. Adverse publicity concerning an organization’s activities or those of senior management.
8. Lack of, or failure to adhere to, policies and procedures requiring thorough background checks before hiring key management, accounting, or operating personnel.
9. Inadequate resources to assist personnel in performing their duties, including computers, access to information, and temporary personnel.
10. Failure to effectively follow-up on recommendations resulting from external reviews or questions about financial results.
11. Nondisclosure to the appropriate government officials of known non-compliance with laws, regulations, or significant contract or grant provisions.
12. Directing subordinates to perform tasks that override management or internal controls.
13. Undue interest or micromanagement of issues or projects that most knowledgeable individuals would identify with a substantially lower level manager.
14. A manager claims disinterest or having no knowledge about a sensitive or high profile issue in which you would expect management involvement.
15. Constant over usage or inappropriate use of cautionary markings on management or organizational documents such as “Attorney Client Privilege/Attorney Work Product,” “For Official Use Only”, or other markings indicating an item is business sensitive or has a higher security classification than is appropriate.
Definitions
Fraud – generally accepted government auditing standards describe fraud as a type of illegal act involving the obtaining of something of value through willful misrepresentation. Black’s Law Dictionary defines fraud as a false representation of a material fact, whether by words or by conduct, by false or misleading allegations, or by concealment of that which should have been disclosed, which deceives another so that he cast, or fails to act to his detriment. Ex. Grantee creates fake invoices to receive payment for services not performed.
Abuse – involves behavior that is deficient or improper when compared with behavior that a prudent person would consider reasonable and necessary business practice given the facts and circumstances. Abuse also includes misuse of authority or position for personal financial interests or those of an immediate or close family member or business associate. Abuse does not necessarily involve fraud, violation of laws, regulations, or provisions of a contract or grant agreement. Ex. Grantee hires their brother as a contractor.
Waste – a reckless or grossly negligent act that causes funds to be spent in a manner that was not authorized or represents significant inefficiency and needless expense. Waste relates primarily to mismanagement, inappropriate actions and inadequate oversight. Ex. Grantee does not adequately manage contractors and pays them for services not related to the program.
Sources and Links:
1. Improving the Grant Management Process (February 2009) The U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/special/s0903/final.pdf
State Schools is requesting an Ed-Flex Waiver of TITLE I, Part A Limitation on Carryover- ESSA Section 1127(a) (Unspent Title I, Part A FY24 funds carried over to FY25)