Kingston Public Schools

Federal Programs

Director of Federal Programs/Homeless Liaison

Wesley Burnett

580-564-9033

KINGSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL ARP ESSER III – Safe Return Plan Update

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1makAzvmqkcIzEYS44qH42dCKFFDOG6xR/view?usp=sharing

Title I

Title I is the largest federal program supporting elementary and secondary education. Title I targets districts and schools where the needs are the greatest. It is intended to help ensure that all children have the opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach proficiency on challenging state academic assessments. Title I provides the flexible funding that may be used to provide additional instructional staff, professional development, extended programs, and other strategies for raising students’ achievement in disadvantage schools. Title I funds are most commonly used for instruction in reading and mathematics.

Parental Involvement is an integral part in assisting their child’s learning. Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school. Kingston Pubic School encourages parents to become partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child.

As a parent of a student at Kingston Public School, you have the right to know the professional qualifications of the classroom teachers who instruct your child. Federal law allows you to ask for certain information about your child’s classroom teachers. The school district is required to provide this information in a timely manner, if asked. Specifically, you have the right to ask for the following information about each of your child’s classroom teachers: Whether Kington Public School has a certified or qualified teacher for the grades and subjects he/she teaches.

Kingston Public School is a schoolwide Title 1 school/district.

TITLE II

Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High-Quality Teachers and Principals

The purpose of Title II, Part A is to increase the academic achievement of all students by helping schools and districts improve teacher and principal quality and ensure that all teachers are highly qualified. Through the program, State and local educational agencies (SEAs and LEAs) receive funds on a formula basis.

Title II, Part A can support teacher professional development across all core academic subjects. The term “core academic subjects means English, Reading or Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Foreign Languages, Civics and Government, Economics, Arts, History, and Geography. The importance of professional development in Reading, Mathematics and Science remains a high priority, but many other activities are now allowed as well.

In exchange for these funds, agencies are held accountable to the public for improvements in academic achievement. Title II, Part A provides these agencies with the flexibility to use funds creatively in order to address challenges in teacher quality, whether they concern teacher preparation and qualifications of new teachers, recruitment and hiring, induction, professional development, teacher retention, or the need for more capable principals and assistant principals to serve as effective school leaders.

Use of Funding

Title II funds are used district-wide to promote teacher and principal effectiveness. Training events primarily depend upon the results of the annual Staff Development Survey completed by certified staff throughout the district. The results of this survey, coupled with other data sources (i.e. test results, national and state trends in education and curricular needs) are examined by the district Professional Development Committee, whose members are chosen by the site principal.

TITLE IV PART A

The purpose of Title IV, Part A is to improve students’ academic achievement by increasing the capacity of States, local educational agencies (LEAs), schools, and local communities to—

provide all students with access to a well-rounded education;
improve school conditions for student learning; and
improve the use of technology in order to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students.

In Oklahoma, Title IV, Part A funds are part of a comprehensive strategy known as the Oklahoma Champions of Excellence Initiative. Through this initiative, rubrics for Programs of Excellence will augment the existing accountability system by providing schools the option to celebrate aspects of their school programs. Title IV, Part A funds serve the role of investing into schools who are seeking to improve or advance student achievement by addressing well-rounded education, safe and healthy schools, and effective use of technology.

Use of Funding

Computer Science (coming soon)
English Language Arts
Fine Arts
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies and Civics
World Languages (coming soon)
Safe and Healthy Schools

Rural and Low-Income Schools (RLIS)

RLIS Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to participate in the RLIS grant program, an LEA must meet the following criteria:

1. 20 percent or more of the children ages 5 to 17 served by the LEA are from families with incomes below the poverty line; and

2. all schools that comprise the LEA have been assigned a school locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43 by NCES, or are located in an area of the State defined as rural by a governmental agency of the State.

RLIS Allowable Program Activities

1. Activities authorized under Part A of Title I.

2. Activities authorized under Part A of Title II.

3. Activities authorized under Part A of Title III.

4. Activities authorized under Part A of Title IV.

5. Family and parent engagement activities.

Office of Inspector General (OIG)

FEDERAL PROGRAMS COMPLAINTS

The district receives federal funds and has established a complaint process to help ensure compliance with federal grant requirements. Any student, parent, community member or employee who believes the district has violated any regulation connected with the expenditure of federal funds should notify the district.

Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse. To report fraud, waste, abuse, misuse or mismanagement of U.S. Department of Education (ED) program funds (this could include complaints concerning employees, fund recipients, educational institutions, contractors, collection agencies, or lending institutions), please use the online Hotline Complaint Form. To down load a hard copy of the Hotline Complaint Form , and completing, mailing or faxing to: (202) 245-7047

OIG HOTLINE

You may also call toll-free or write to the OIG

1-800-MISUSED

1-800-647-8733

Inspector General Hotline

US Department of Education

Office of Inspector General

400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20202

Your report may be made anonymously or in confidence. No classified information should be submitted to the Hotline. If your complaint involves classified information, please submit your contact information to the Hotline (via phone or complaint form) and request that you be contacted to make separate arrangements so we can receive your complaint.

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act

Definition

The federal definition of homelessness used by all public schools in the United States includes children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This definition specifically includes children and youth living in shelters, transitional housing, cars, campgrounds, motels, and sharing the housing of others temporarily due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reasons. This is the same definition of homelessness used by Head Start, special education, child nutrition, and other federal family and youth programs.

The Rights of Homeless Students

Students who meet the definition of "Homeless" and are identified or identify themselves as such have the right to:

Receive a free, appropriate public education;
Enroll in school immediately, even if they lack documents normally required for enrollment (i.e. birth certificates, transcripts, vaccinations, etc.);
Enroll in school and attend classes while the school works with the family/student to gather the needed documents;
Enroll in the local school; or continue attending the school they last attended, if that is their preference and is possible. If the district believes that the school chosen is not in the student's best interest, a written explanation will be provided and the student has the right to appeal this decision;
Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested; and,
Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to the student's needs.

Identification

At Kingston Public School, students are primarily identified at enrollment or through the school Counselor or Administration Office. Families or students’ who believe that they are homeless, should identify themselves as such to the school Counselor/Principal.

Dispute Process

Parents/Guardians/Students who feel that their request to enroll has been incorrectly denied or wish to contest their child's placement should be encouraged to contact the Director of Federal Programs for consultation.

Should the final result of the district dispute process be unsatisfactory to the parent/guardian/student, they may appeal the district’s final decision by contacting the State Homeless Liaison at the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

Homeless Liaison

Kingston Public School is required to identify a person to act as a Homeless Liaison. This person's duties involve training school staff in identification procedures, serving as an advocate for homeless students, arranging for services and arbitrating disputes that may arise.

Kingston Public School – Homeless Liaison:

Wesley Burnett, Director of Federal Programs

580-564-9033 or wburnett@kingstonisd.org

Foster Care Plan

The Kingston Public School District is committed to provide all students with sound educational experiences, we recognize that foster children are at an increased risk of grade retention, gaps in academic achievement, low high school graduation rates and postsecondary enrollment. The provisions promote greater stability for children in foster care so that they can continue their education without disruption, maintain important relationships with peers and adults, and have the opportunity to achieve college and career readiness.

The educational stability includes assurance that:

A child in foster care will remain in the child’s school of origin, unless a determination is made that it is not in the child’s best interest in that school and
If a determination is made that it is not in the child’s best interest to remain in the school of origin, the child will be immediately enrolled in the school of residence, even if the child is unable to produce records normally required for enrollment.

Enrollment of Foster Care Students

Foster care parents, social workers or other legal guardians will be allowed to immediately enroll children in Kington Public School. We understand that all necessary paperwork (birth certificates, shot records, academic records, special education records, etc.) may not be immediately available and want to provide a smooth transition for the student into our district. Kingston Public School will contact the home school district for the records and make adaptations as needed. After enrollment the following guardianship or legal custody documents shall be provided for verification by the foster family or Child Welfare Agency (CWA).

Power of attorney, affidavit, court orders, etc.

IDEA

The IDEA, Part B directs school districts to make a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) available to all eligible children with disabilities in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). FAPE under IDEA includes the provision of special education and related services at no cost to the parents in accordance with a properly developed Individualized Education Program (IEP). Each child’s placement decision must be made by a group of knowledgeable persons.

The Kingston Public School District will operate in accordance with all state and federal laws regarding special education students. Special education services will be provided to foster care students as they are to all students following the guidelines below:

Educational placement will be determined annually and will be based on the child’s IEP in accordance with the child’s individual needs.
The child will be place in the least restrictive environment and unless they require some other arrangement they will attend the school that he/she would attend if not disabled.
Timely and expedited evaluations and eligibility determinations for highly mobile children with disabilities will be made when possible.
Children in foster care will have access to related aids and services that are designed to meet their educational needs.
Children will have access to comparable services including summer and extended school year services if applicable.
Children in foster care will not be discriminated against and are considered a protected group.

EL Students

Kingston Public School District will ensure that EL students in foster care will participate meaningfully and equally in educational programs by doing the following:

Identifying and assessing all potential EL students in a timely, valid and reliable manner;
Provide EL students with a language assistance program that is educationally sound and proven successful
Sufficiently staff and support the language assistance programs for EL students;
Ensure that EL students have equal opportunities to meaningfully participate in all curricular and extra-curricular activities;
Avoid unnecessary segregation of EL students;
Ensure that EL students with disabilities are evaluated in a timely and appropriate manner for special education and disability-related services and that their language needs are considered in these evaluations and delivery of services;
Meet the needs of EL students who opt out of language assistance programs;
Monitor and evaluate EL students in language assistance programs following federal guidelines;
Continue to evaluate the effectiveness of school districts language assistance program and progress of each student;
Ensure meaningful communication with the parents of the students.

Transportation

The Kingston Public School District will collaborate with the Child Welfare Agency (CWA) to develop and implement clear written procedures governing how transportation is provided to maintain children in foster care in their schools of origin. Kingston Public School District will also work with Child Welfare Agency to reach an agreement in regards to covering the transportation costs. The agreement will cover how the transportation will be provided, arranged, and funded for the duration of the child’s time in foster care. Each agreement can/will vary greatly because the needs of each child should be considered in making the decision on transportation.

Student Records

Kingston Public Schools will share educational records with CWA that are allowed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This allows educational agencies to disclose without parental consent educational records, include IDEA, of students in foster care to State and Tribal agencies.

Foster Care Liaison – Terri Girdley

Kingston Public School

580-564-2384

tgirdley@kingstonisd.org

TITLE IX AND SCHOOL SPONSORED SPORTS

TITLE IX

Title IX Coordinator

Brian Brister

Superintendent

Kingston Public School

580-564-9033

bbrister@kignstonisd.org