October Count Audit New This Year 2020-2021

October Count Audit

New This Year
2020-2021

Recorded August 2020

Content Sections

     • Audit Resources
     • Important Dates
     • Summary of Changes
      • Including Remote Learning/COVID-19
        Related

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Audit Resources

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Audit Resources

    • 20-21 CSI Oct Count Audit Handbook
    • 20-21 CDE Oct Count Audit Resource
      Guide
        • Addendum (Focus on Remote Learning
          due to COVID-19)
    • CSI Legal and Policy Guidance
    • Weekly Update Emails
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Audit Supporting Document
     Checklist
    Checklist of
    supporting
    documents
    listed in the
    Audit Handbook

       All schools must
       complete this in tandem
       with their file
       submissions

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Audit Supporting Document
     Checklist
    COVID related information
    highlighted in orange

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Audit Supporting Document
    Checklist

      Complete the checklist, then sign (with your school
7     leader), and submit to CSI by November 6th

Important Dates

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20-21 Count Dates

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                   30-Day Attendance Resume Date is 10/30

20-21 Other Audit Dates

     Portion of additional dates listed in the CSI
     October Count Audit Handbook
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Summary of Changes

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Remote Learning Policy
     • For 20-21 only, student contact days may
       include remote learning days due to public
       health and safety measures (COVID-19)
     • Delayed start dates resulting in fewer
       student contact days may require new
       instructional calculations and possibly make
       up days later in the year
       • Instructional time thresholds not met
       • Less than 160 student contact days (if not
         approved for that)

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Remote Learning Policy
     • Remote learning may be used in the
       determination of funding during 20-21 if
       there are documented local policies
        • Each CSI school required to submit policies
          defining the following:
           • Educational process
           • Instructional time
           • Bell schedule equivalencies
           • Attendance practices
      Students still need at least 360 teacher-pupil contact and instruction
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        hours for full time funding and at least 90 for part time funding

Contractual Education
     • Consult with contract providers to determine how
       their services fit your educational process policies
       and plans for remote learning
     • Schools must ensure that providers employ
       practices and procedures aligning with adopted
       local policies.

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Early Access
     • Eligibility determinations for early access students must be
       made within 60 calendar days of the school receiving the
       child’s portfolio.
     • As of May 13, 2020, the state board of education granted a
       statewide waiver of this timeline for the 2019-2020 school year.
         • Evaluations not requiring in-person meetings, observations, or
           assessments may be conducted while schools are providing
           remote learning.
         • Evaluations requiring in-person contact need to be delayed until
           in-person learning resumes or current guidance of the state/local
           health department allows such interactions.
         • Communication of next steps and process adjustments should be
           made proactively with families.
         • If needed because of school closure, determinations can be
           made up until September 1, 2020 as is standard practice for
           applications received after April 1st.
     More information is available at the CDE Gifted Education and
     COVID-19 Guidance webpage at https://www.cde.state.co.us/gt/gecovid19guidance
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First Grade (Under Age 6)
     • Beginning with the 2020-21 school year, first grade
       students no longer need to be at least 6 years old
       as of October 1 for full-time funding
     • Audit documentation no longer needed to
       demonstrate full-time funding eligibility as long as
       the first grader is at least 5 years old as of October
       1

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Free and Reduced Lunch
     Eligibility
     • Continue to collect and report eligibility status
       for all students even if remote learning takes
       place
     • Work with your SFA or complete FEDS forms if
       not contracting with an SFA
     • For 20-21 only-- If electronic signatures cannot
       be collected on FEDS forms, then it’s
       acceptable to have families scan or photograph
       a copy of the signed form and submit that

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Homeschool

     • Schools with approved homeschool programs need to
       align with both the “Homeschool” and “Supplemental
       Online” audit rules
     • Only schools with approved homeschool programs
       should be flagging students in SIS as
       homeschool/homebased (remote learning due to
       COVID-19 isn’t considered homeschool for traditional
       in-person students)

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SPED - IEPs
     • For 20-21, IEPs must be current (i.e., not more than
       365 days old)
        • Age of IEPs has not been an issue in years past--
          schools must be diligent in updating out of date
          IEPs for this year if they expect to receive funding
          when an IEP is required
     • To be funded the IEP must include a SPED service
       window that encompass the October count date

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Kindergarten Grade Level
     Coding

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Kindergarten Retained

      • KG retained for a 2nd year due to an SRD and
        who participate in a half day program are
        eligible for full time funding
      • SRD determinations from the prior year spring
        READ collection
         • READ was cancelled for 19-20
         • Evidence of SRD can be based upon mid-
            year 19-20 assessments

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Passing Periods

      • For 20-21, CDE will allow up to 10-minute
        passing periods in order to accommodate
        health and safety concerns
      • Explanations are required for longer passing
        times—contact CSI
      • Passing periods are still allowed to be included
        when determining instructional time for funding,
        but CSI suggest that schools do not include it in
        case of unexpected closures

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Work-Based Learning

     • No changes this year, but ensure that
       students complete a work-based contract
       signed and dated prior to count date
     • This will serve as proof for funding even if
       the student cannot complete the program
       due to COVID-19
     • CDE will not be checking if the student
       completed the program
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Thank you for watching this recording!

             Send questions to
       submissions_csi@csi.state.co.us

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