February Business Office Calendar

An indispensable member resource, to help you keep up on upcoming state deadlines

SPECIFIC TASKS TO ADDRESS DURING FEBRUARY 2024

  • February 1 – Statement of Economic Interests: Alphabetical list of names and addresses of board members and school employees required to file the Statement must be prepared by the chief administrative officer, or his or her designee (usually the Superintendent or Business Official). The list is to be certified and then sent to the county clerk (5 ILCS 420/4A-106).  Each individual must file the Statement on or before May 1 with the county clerk 
    (5 ILCS 420/4A-105). 

  • February 1 – Posting of annual summary of occupational injuries and illnesses for each workplace.  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Form #300A or an equivalent form containing the same information must be posted until April 30th (Administrative Code, 56 Ill. Adm. Code 350 Section 350.250.d and e).  The posting is required by the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL).  

  • February 1 – Seniority List: Established by the Board of Education and distributed to the exclusive bargaining representative(s) (105 ILCS 5/24-12).

  • February 1 – National School Lunch Program regulations require multi-site sponsors to complete an On-Site Review (form ISBE 67-35) by district officials to ensure accountability of meal counts and claiming procedures.  The review form is filed with District records.

  • February 1 – Non-Certified Staff Salary Study is submitted to the Illinois State Board of Education (105 ILCS 5/2.3-103).  File on IWAS.  (Information on IWAS indicates that the report should be submitted by public school districts with an enrollment of 1,000 or more students.)

  • February 13 – Estimated Best Three Months Average Daily Attendance for the  school year is submitted to the Illinois State Board of Education on IWAS. 

  • February 29 – Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements (Form W-3) and the Annual Summary and Transmittal of U.S. Information Returns (Form 1096).


OTHER TASKS THAT CAN BE ADDRESS DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2024

·       2/01/2024: Noncertified Salary Study (NCSS) - Close CollectionNCSS Closes

·       2/01/2024: Teacher Salary Study (TSS) - Close CollectionTSS Closes

·       2/01/2024: ISTAR and Special Education - Verification of correction of SPP 11 and SPP 12 open findingsReview data in I-Star and SIS to verify correction of noncompliance

·       2/01/2024: ISTAR and Special Education - Extract Data Sample for SPP 8 SurveyExtract Data Sample for SPP 8 Survey

·       2/22/2024: ISTAR and Special Education - All corrections/additions for the Dec. 1 Child Count closed.All corrections/additions for the Dec. 1 Child Count closed.

·       2/23/2024: ISTAR and Special Education - Final verification and cleanup of Dec. 1 approval records by ISBE begins.Final verification and cleanup of Dec. 1 approval records by ISBE begins.

·       2/28/2024: Student Information System (SIS) - Last Day of ACCESS TestingLast day for Districts to test ACCESS

Think about the following…

What are the registrations for students next year?

What FTE do we need? Anything NEW, Modified or changing?

Do I have retirements in key, hard to hire positions that I need to have posted early to get the best candidates? Nurses? AP Teachers?  Hard to fill coaching positions?

Am I set for all the construction this summer? Did all the communications go out?

Is summer school all set with needs and supplies?

What Contracts with outside vendors is expiring?  Do I need to RFP? RFQ? 

Transportation?

Food Service?

Custodial/Maintenance outsourcing?

What negotiations end at the  fiscal year… Tee them up if you have not done so yet!

This information is posted for your benefit only and may be subject to change without notice. Illinois ASBO does not guarantee this calendar’s accuracy and will not be responsible for damages caused by reliance on it. It is not intended to be all inclusive and is not a substitute for legal advice. Although job responsibilities and procedures vary among districts, this timetable highlights the major tasks performed by school district officials relative to business office operations. Dates listed indicate the last day to submit the report or complete the task unless otherwise noted.

LEARNING RENEWAL

Each week this section will focus on the learning renewal that is taking place in Illinois schools. We invite you to share how you are investing federal relief funds to help students recover.

FROM RELIEF TO RESILIENCE: FOSTERING STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND TACKLING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM

Significant efforts have been made in Germantown Hills School District 69 to tackle chronic absenteeism by identifying underlying causes and implementing effective strategies. The reasons behind absenteeism are diverse, but the impact of the pandemic on student behavior was unmistakable. The transition from remote learning to in-person classes posed challenges for some students, who struggled to readjust to the traditional school setting. Academic gaps exacerbated by the pandemic heightened anxiety and contributed to increased absences. 

Principal Kate Williams at Germantown Hills Middle School shared how her school is combating absenteeism with a multifaceted approach. This has already yielded promising results, as evidenced by a 64% decrease in chronic absenteeism reported on the 2023 Illinois Report Card. The school has ramped up efforts to educate and communicate with students and parents about the importance of attendance through various channels, including phone calls, individual meetings, letters, emails, student check-ins, morning announcements, and school assemblies. 

Another approach has been the establishment of a three-tiered attendance system, mirroring the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support utilized for academic interventions. Tier 1 interventions are universal for all students, while Tiers 2 and 3 provide more targeted support, including monthly meetings and individualized plans for students requiring additional assistance.  

Additionally, school leaders have prioritized creating a positive and engaging school culture to foster students' desire to attend. Initiatives such as morning sports intramurals, buddy programs pairing middle schoolers with elementary students, and house competitions inspired by themes like those in the Harry Potter series aim to cultivate an inviting environment. The district incentivizes attendance through weekly and monthly prizes, including rewards for improved attendance, with the intention of transitioning from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation over time. 

The district is committed to ongoing improvement in this area and has included chronic absenteeism reduction as a priority in its School Improvement Plan for the 2023-24 academic year, demonstrating a dedication to enhancing student engagement and academic success.

Does your district have a data-driven success story waiting to be shared? We invite you to contribute by sharing your data-driven success story with us.

EMPOWERMENT THROUGH EDUCATION: FREE SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING

ISBE recognizes the critical importance of equipping our educators and school personnel to address the sensitive and pressing issue of suicide prevention. Educators are uniquely positioned to identify warning signs and provide vital support. ISBE is partnering with the Illinois Department of Public Health to offer free suicide prevention training courses tailored to empower and educate educators. All school personnel are invited to participate in one of two training courses:

  • Assessing and Measuring Suicide Risk Training - 6.5 credit hours 
    This training is offered in two formats -- asynchronous and a virtual, self-paced format -- targeted to school support personnel, including school social workers, counselors, psychologists, and nurses. 
  • Question, Persuade, Refer Training – 1 credit hour
    This training is available for all school staff to recognize the warning signs of suicide and learn more about preventing suicide. The registration deadline is March 1, with the option to complete the training during the 2024 calendar year.

If you have any questions related to registration, contact klee64@bsd.uchicago.edu. For all other questions, contact DPH.Safety@illinois.gov.

ARP ESSER III GRANT PROGRAMS END SEPT. 30

Grantees must obligate American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) III funds no later than Sept. 30. Per the statutory guidance, grantees have 120 calendar days after the obligation deadline (until Jan.  28,  2025) to liquidate funds.

The following ARP ESSER III grants end on Sept. 30:

  • ARP - Community Partnership Grant
  • ARP - Coop American Rescue Plan (ESSER III)
  • ARP - LEA American Rescue Plan (ESSER III)
  • ARP - Social Emotional Learning and Trauma Response
  • Digital Equity III
  • Elevating Educators - Bilingual
  • Elevating Educators - Special Education
  • New Principal Mentoring
  • Out of School Time Opportunities (ESSER)

To comply with federal obligation and liquidation requirements, grantees with unexpended funds must complete the following steps:

  • Grantees that do not plan to liquidate their full grant allocation should submit a denial of funds letter on district letterhead to ESSERGEERReporting@isbe.net as soon as possible.
  • Submit an April 20 Expenditure Report, if applicable.
  • Amend fiscal year 2023 grant application, if applicable.
    • FY 2023 application amendments are due by May 31. Remaining funds carry over, and grantees must complete an FY 2025 application by Aug. 31 to expend the carryover funds.
  • Submit a timely July 20 Expenditure Report.
  • Amend FY 2024 grant application, if applicable.
    • FY 2024 applications may be created and amended through Aug. 31.
  • Submit a timely Oct. 20 Expenditure Report.
    • If all expenditures are complete, mark this Expenditure Report final.
    • If funds are still being liquidated, submit this Expenditure Report with outstanding obligations.

ARP ESSER LIQUIDATION EXTENSION REQUEST UPDATE FROM U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

ED has issued an ARP ESSER liquidation extension update. Please see ED’s letter to states. ARP ESSER grantees are eligible to request a liquidation extension for any allowable costs that are properly obligated by Sept. 30. ISBE will begin formally collecting ARP liquidation extension requests no later than October 2024 for grantees that wish to request a liquidation extension for any allowable costs properly obligated prior to Sept. 30. Liquidation extension requests approved by ED will allow grantees an additional 14 months to liquidate funds beyond the Jan. 28, 2025, liquidation deadline. However, submission of an ARP liquidation extension request to ISBE does not guarantee approval by ED.

ISBE will begin reviewing grantees’ ARP liquidation extension requests and supporting documentation no later than the fall of 2024. All requests will be due to ISBE by Dec. 2.

Grantees’ ARP ESSER liquidation extension requests must be accompanied by a written statement explaining how the extension contributes to the acceleration of academic success for students, including those furthest from opportunity and with the greatest need. Grantees are encouraged to highlight investments in three of the evidence-based strategies that can significantly contribute to improved student performance:

Grantees also may discuss other activities that contribute to academic success, such as providing counseling services to address mental health needs, offering professional development, or making targeted improvements to school infrastructure to enhance air quality and environmental safety.

Only expenditures properly obligated according to 34 C.F.R. § 76.707 are eligible for liquidation extension. Please note that staff salaries and benefits for work performed after Sept. 30 are NOT eligible for liquidation extension, according to point (b) of these federal regulations.

Note:

  • ISBE does not approve liquidation extension requests.
  • ISBE is responsible for collecting liquidation extension requests from grantees, verifying that the requests were properly obligated prior to Sept. 30, and submitting them to ED.
  • ED approves liquidation extension requests for properly obligated funds upon review of written requests made by ISBE on behalf of itself and its subrecipients.
  • Should funds be properly and timely obligated by Sept. 30, ED has the authority to approve liquidation extension requests based upon the specific facts and circumstances of a given obligation and upon written request of a grantee, in accordance with 2 CFR § 200.344(b).
  • If a liquidation extension request is approved, grantees may have up to 18 months beyond the end of the obligation period (until March 28, 2026). A liquidation extension specifies that the delivery of goods and services may continue to be provided through the end of the liquidation period, so long as a timely and valid obligation had been made pursuant to 34 C.F.R. § 76.707.

Please contact ESSERGEERReporting@isbe.net with questions about liquidation extension eligibility.

NEW

FINANCE

EVIDENCE-BASED FUNDING HALF-DAY TO FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN CONVERSION SY 2024-25

The Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) formula creates an Adequacy Target for each district based on total average student enrollment, English learner enrollment, and the low-income student count. Kindergarten students are assigned a value of 0.5 in the data if they attend a half day and a value of 1.0 if they attend a full day. Per the EBF statute, a school district may inform the State Board of Education of its intent to convert from half-day to full-day kindergarten. Doing so will prompt conversion of all half-day students to appear as full-day students in the FY 2025 EBF calculation data for both average student enrollment and English learner enrollment. The statutory deadline to report the intent to move to full-day kindergarten instruction is March 1.

Any school district that wishes to make this change for the 2024-25 school year must provide ISBE with a board resolution expressing the intent to make the change for the next school year, as well as the minutes from the meeting when the resolution was approved. School district staff are asked to submit these documents to State Funding and Forecasting staff to sff@isbe.net.

Email or call State Funding and Forecasting staff at 217-782-0249 if you have questions.

NEW

WELLNESS

DEADLINE EXTENDED: 2023 CLEAN SCHOOL BUS REBATE PROGRAM APPLICATION DUE FEB. 14

In response to stakeholder feedback requesting additional time to engage with partners like utilities and school boards, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the 2023 Clean School Bus application window to 3 p.m. on Feb. 14. Late applications will not be accepted, so be sure to submit your application before the deadline.

EPA is offering at least $500 million for electric, propane, and compressed natural gas school buses through the 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate Program. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to receive up to $345,000 per bus to help your community make the transition to clean school buses. Eligible applicants can also apply for up to $40,000 per bus in IRS tax credits and up to $100,000 total for charging infrastructure.

Upcoming office hours and links to register are:

2023-24 5ESSENTIALS SURVEY OPENS

Due to unanticipated rostering challenges, the 5Essentials Survey opening was delayed until Tuesday, Jan. 30. ISBE and UChicago Impact have been working diligently to get these issues resolved. The 2023-24 5Essentials Survey window will run from Jan. 30-March 29.

Participation in the 5Essentials Survey or an approved alternate survey is required annually, as they are part of the non-academic indicators for the summative designation for accountability. We have been working with UChicago Impact to get data ready for loading to the survey administration system. Emails will be sent to administrators prior to the survey opening to give them access to their survey accounts. You can also review the Survey Administration Technical Assistance Overview recorded webinar.

ISBE encourages administrators to work with school personnel to ensure that students accounted for on the roster take the 5Essentials Survey using their state student ID number to log in. Provisional surveys are only to be used for students and teachers who are not listed on district rosters. As a reminder, principals and survey coordinators should not ask for or require teachers to submit proof that they have completed a survey. Doing so is in violation of the Ethical Code of Conduct

Visit the UChicago Impact 5Essentials webpage or the ISBE 5Essentials Survey webpage for more information about the survey.

Please reach out to 5Essentials@isbe.net if you have questions.

2024 ILLINOIS YOUTH SURVEY

ISBE is encouraging all schools to participate in the 2024 Illinois Youth Survey (IYS). Visit the Illinois Youth Survey website for more information and to register.

The IYS is a free self-report survey administered in Illinois schools with eighth, 10th, and 12th grades. It is funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services and administered by the Center for Prevention Research and Development at the University of Illinois. IYS gathers information about a variety of health and social indicators, including drug use and perceptions, violence, bullying, depression, school climate, nutrition, and fitness. Administering the survey in schools makes it possible for data collection to reach all areas of the state while maintaining student anonymity.

Principals and district superintendents receive customized reports of their school or district’s data that can be used for local prevention initiatives.

An IYS sample report for the state of Illinois as well as four weighted region reports will be produced in the fall. Comparison reports by county, Chicago community areas, and other geographic areas will also be available online if there is enough school participation. Accurate data is a first step in assessing need and is a critical element when applying for funding. Help us help you!

Contact cprd-iys@mx.uillinois.edu with any questions.

DATA, ACCOUNTABILITY, & ASSESSMENT

NEW DATA AVAILABLE ON MY DATA DASHBOARD

Learn more about My Data Dashboard and the newest visualizations at a webinar from 2-3 p.m. on Feb. 20Register for the My Data Dashboard webinar via Go to Webinar.

The My Data Dashboard portal, accessible through MyIRC, provides administrators the ability to use and understand data reported publicly at a more detailed level – through cohort, trend, and snapshot views; via detailed rosters filterable by performance levels and more; and by historical data.

New screens released Jan. 19 focus on ACCESS, the Illinois Science Assessment, 9th Grade on Track, and Chronic Truancy. Each screen provides extensive information that was previously not available from ISBE systems (securely and within Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act and Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act guidelines for the protection of students’ rights to privacy). The information include:

  • Data via cohort, trend, and snapshot data as well as a detailed filterable roster allowing users to analyze and dissect data at a nuanced level.
  • Business rules presented on screen for each metric, including explanations of how each are calculated, using references to your local data in the explanation.
  • Complete student rosters that allow for quick and flexible analysis of student group performance, dependent on the availability of active students within the district/school for a particular metric.
  • The ability to sort and filter by proficiency level at the student level.
  • Additional historical data and ability to see data at all performance levels.

Additional details, including many resources, such as quick start guides and videos, can be found on the ISBE My Data Dashboard webpage.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

DYSLEXIA GUIDE INFORMATION WEBINARS FOR PARENTS AND EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS

The Illinois Specific Learning Disability Support Project is holding informational webinars to introduce ISBE's updated Dyslexia Guide: A Handbook for Parents, Educators, and Students and its accompanying Dyslexia Toolkit.

The Dyslexia Guide Informational Webinar for Parents is scheduled from 7-8 p.m. Feb. 6, and the Dyslexia Guide Informational Webinar for Educators is scheduled for 7-8 p.m. Feb. 7. Please visit the SLD Support Project website for more information about these webinars and their many other professional development opportunities.