OG/SS
Program
Formation Purpose
A
program is typically created when a group of students and an ES wish to pool
their instructional funding for a common purpose. The school does not establish
programs, but they are established only when requested by a parent and an ES is
identified to work with the program. Every program must fit within the school
legal requirements to operate.
Types
of Programs
·
A Coop
Program is defined as a cooperative arrangement between ESs and parents to establish
an educational program based on a specified model in which participating
students participate equitably in the coop activities to supplement their
educational plan. The coop model
parameters vary by individual program, and are approved by the school
directors.
·
A Site-Based Program (non-IS) is defined
as a cooperative arrangement between ESs and students (parents) to establish a “school within a school”
which follows the education code requirements in terms of the number of minutes
that a student must attend school based on grade level. (Some IEM school
charters may not allow a site-based program in that school.)
Procedure
to create a new school program
To begin the
process for a new program, complete and submit the New Program Worksheet (http://www.ieminc.org/genericforms/npworksheetogss.pdf)
to the school Director/Programs, by faxing or mailing to the number/address on
the form. Use the Program Start up Procedure
for SS/OG Charter Schools (http://www.ieminc.org/genericforms/npstartupssog.pdf)to
guide you through the process.
Source
of Program Funding
Each
ES is allotted instructional funding for each student assigned to them based on
their day of enrollment in the school to be spent on providing the educational
program for that student. How these
instructional funds are used is decided by the ES, in consultation and
agreement with the student’s parents/guardians. The ES/Parent can decide that
the student’s educational needs are best served by “joining” a school program,
or by following the process to create a new program.
Each
school program may have a unique “IF contribution level” for participation in
the specific program, but must follow the established guidelines in this
document. Every parent has the right to dis-enroll from a program at any time
if they feel the program no longer fits the educational needs of their student.
Program
Funding Limitations
For
a coop program, based on 175 school days, up to $1000 per student of school Instructional
funding can be placed into the Program budget. The specific amount to be
co-opted per student is determined by agreement between the program coordinator
(ES school employee) and the school directors, based on the educational needs
of the program, and is listed on the preliminary budget.
Instructional
funds transferred to a program fund/budget are available to be used to finance
all appropriate, approved program expenses.
All anticipated program expenses must be listed on a budget template (sample
available on website at: http://www.ieminc.org/genericforms/npbudgetogss.pdf
) prior to the start of each school year (for continuing programs) and prior to
spending any funding for a new program. Upon submission of a preliminary budget
to the Programs Director, the budget will be reviewed and approved/denied by
the School Directors.
Appropriate
program expenses can include:
·
educational materials allowed by school policy
·
educational activities allowed by school policy
·
salaries and related employer expenses for the ES program
coordinator
·
cp instructors (Program classes must be listed in the
school database with the students attending the classes “enrolled” in the CP
course)
·
approved vendor classes and other instruction
·
any other expenses must receive prior approval
from the school Co-directors
Inappropriate
program expenses can include:
·
Facility cost
·
Utilities
·
Transportation costs
·
Non-educational items or personnel
Program
ES Parameters
·
Each program must have an ES employed by the
school identified as the Program Coordinator.
·
The program can designate with school director
approval their program as “Regular”, “AESS A”, “AESS B”, “AESS C” or “ES
discretion” based on regular parameters for determining if a student needs AESS
services.
·
Program ESs will retain control of the remaining
portion of the IF for their students not co-opted or spend on an AESS contract
to service the unique educational needs of their students according to school
policy.
The
Program Budget
A
preliminary proposed budget for a new program or a yearly proposed budget must
be submitted to and reviewed by the school Directors before a program can spend
money each year. The continuing program
proposed budgets are due August 1 each year. The purpose of the school administration’s
review is not to evaluate the merits of the specific program but to offer
suggestions and assistance in the development of the program and/or identify
potential budgetary issues that could materially affect the program in the
future. The budget will also be reviewed for school accountability issues, and
to ensure that money will be spent according to school policies.
A
sample budget template is available
to assist in creating a budget on the
school webpage.
Included in the sample are general
budgetary accounts used to identify both sources of income or funding to
finance the proposed program and potential expenditure account descriptions of
the most typical operating expenses incurred by site based and coop programs.
Program
Contracts for Services
Any
vendors to be used for services to be used by the program must follow the same
vendor approval process as for any school vendor prior to being paid for
services. Program coordinators and other
program personnel are not authorized
to sign a legal contract/agreement and obligate the school or IEM on behalf of
the program. The only personnel who are authorized to enter into legal
contracts/agreements for the school program are the school Directors. Any
request for a service requiring a contracts/agreements must be submitted to the
school Program Director for proper review and authorization.
Program
Purchases
Program
purchases are processed only via current school expenditure policies and
processes (purchase orders) for specific items or services, the establishment
of "open POs" for recurring and scheduled expenditures, and
pre-authorized employee reimbursements, all of which must be listed in the
approved program budget.
All
Program POs must be coded with the appropriate "Program Code" created
by the school for Program expenditure tracking purposes, submitted by the
Program Coordinator or the School Program director only. Remind your program
vendors to bill monthly by the 15th of each month for timely payment.
The
Program Coordinator
The
Program Coordinator job description is available upon request to any group
creating a program. Certain duties are
required to be done by the program coordinator.
Other duties may be agreed upon between the program coordinator and the
program. This position must be filled by
a school employed Education Specialist, as an extra duty, with the pay for this
position coming from the program budget.
Volunteer
Program Personnel
Volunteer
employees, even though they will not be paid, are still being asked to perform
work on behalf of the program.
Consequently, these volunteers must also meet certain state and federal
employment requirements including successful completion of a criminal
background check via the California Department of Justice. Before using volunteers, please discuss this
issue with the school program director.
Program
Expenditure Tracking
Once
a program has been authorized to be implemented, the program will be assigned a
"program code" within the school's financial management system. The purpose of the program code is to
identify all encumbered and/or actual expenses of the program and to provide the
program coordinator with useful financial information/reports.
It
is the responsibility of the program coordinator to exercise appropriate financial
controls and to monitor program expenses monthly to ensure program costs do not
exceed program funding (contributed funds).
Webfiles access will be given to the program coordinator to enable them
to fulfill this job duty.
Program
Development Help
The
school directors have a wealth of experience in planning and implementing new
programs of all types. The better the
school understands what it is you are trying to accomplish with your proposed
program, the better they can point out potential difficulties/problems before
they occur and provide you with other alternatives.
It
is not the intent of the school director’s to implement policies and procedures
to stifle or control new and creative ideas.
It is actually their desire to help make new and creative ideas a
reality. However, in order to make these
ideas into reality, the school will work with you to implement them in a legal,
accountable way so that the program can exist as long as it is wanted by
parents/students.
On
behalf of the school directors, we look forward to working with you to develop
and implement new and successful programs!