American Association of School Administrators - = Publications - Understanding Supplemental Educational Services

Understanding Supplemental Educational Services

May 2005

By Terri Duggan = Schwartzbeck

What are supplemental = educational=20 services under No Child Left Behind?

Title I schools that have failed to make = adequate=20 yearly progress under NCLB for three or more years must provide = low-income=20 students with supplemental educational services. These services = consist of=20 extra academic assistance designed to boost student achievement in = reading, language arts and mathematics.

Instruction is provided outside of regular school hours, such = as before=20 or after school, on weekends or during the summer, and it = generally is=20 provided by an outside entity, such as a for-profit company, = non-profit=20 group, local community program, college or university or a = faith-based=20 group. This aspect of the law is expanding the number of options,=20 particularly after-school programs, that are available to = low-income=20 students whose families might not otherwise be able to afford = them.

Schools and districts that have made adequate yearly progress = are also=20 eligible to become providers. Providers are responsible for = ensuring that=20 content is aligned with state standards and assessments.

How are these supplemental services = secured?

First, states must identify and publish a list of eligible = providers.=20 The state must ensure the provider has a demonstrated record of=20 effectiveness and that the services are of high quality, research = based=20 and designed to increase student achievement.

Districts then identify eligible schools and eligible students = and must=20 notify parents that services are available. Next, the district = must=20 identify accessible providers and make that information available = to=20 parents. Districts need to make sure this information is easy to=20 understand (which could mean providing translation in the = family=E2=80=99s native=20 language). The information to parents must describe availability, = the=20 identity of approved providers and at least a brief description of = the=20 services, qualifications and demonstrated effectiveness of each=20 provider.

The district is required to offer consistent information about = each of=20 the available service providers. Many school districts choose to = do this=20 by hosting a provider fair.

Districts then must help parents choose a provider, upon = request; tell=20 parents how to sign up for services for their child; enter into = contracts=20 with providers; ensure providers are paid; coordinate with = parents,=20 schools and providers in setting goals for students; and provide=20 information to allow the state to monitor performance.

How are supplemental educational services = funded?

School districts have the responsibility of setting aside money = from=20 state, local or federal sources. Districts must spend an amount = equal to 5=20 percent and up to 20 percent of their Title I Part 2 allocation = unless a=20 lesser amount is needed. Notice that it says amount equal = to=E2=80=94not=20 of=E2=80=94the Title I allocation. The 20 percent amount = includes school=20 choice and choice-related transportation as well as SES.

How long does that money have to be set aside? =

The law and regulations are somewhat vague, but guidance = indicates that=20 school districts must hold that 20 percent for a reasonable amount = of time=20 to allow all interested and eligible families to avail themselves = of SES.=20 Districts may set a reasonable deadline by which parents must = apply.

Miscellaneous Issues and Concerns

=E2=80=A2 Safety Requirements: One commonly voiced = concern districts=20 have about SES is the lack of a federal requirement for = fingerprinting and=20 criminal background checks for all SES provider staff who will = interact=20 with children. This is up to the states, which are responsible for = approving providers. However, districts can make information about = background checks available to parents, and recent guidance from = the=20 federal government has stated that districts can require such = checks of=20 providers themselves as well.

=E2=80=A2 Accountability: States have the = responsibility for=20 monitoring providers and removing any from the list that do not = show=20 results. However, many districts remain concerned about = accountability.=20 While providers must show that curriculum is aligned with state = standards,=20 whether they do so is determined by the state as it makes its = approved=20 list. Districts have no influence or control over the content = children are=20 taught in services run by outside providers, yet they remain = accountable=20 for the academic performance of those children.

=E2=80=A2 Funding: Some districts face the challenge = of having too=20 many students apply for SES. In this case, they are encouraged to, = first,=20 ask parents to rank several provider choices instead of only = choosing one,=20 maximizing the possibility that a family will be matched. Second,=20 districts will need to create their own priority list, ranking = students by=20 lowest achieving and by poverty to ensure the most needy students = are=20 first in line. This will maximize the use of set-aside funds.

On the other hand, and more commonly, not all families choose = to take=20 advantage of supplemental services. While SES is more popular than = the=20 NCLB-required school choice option, many districts find only a = small=20 percentage of eligible families apply. In that case, a school = district may=20 find itself, as one already has, forced into a contract with the=20 community=E2=80=99s lone provider, which required payment for 10 = children,=20 regardless of how many signed up. In this instance, only two = students did.=20 Other districts find that when only a small percentage of students = apply,=20 the set-aside money could be going to help other students instead. =

=E2=80=A2 Rural Districts: Many rural and small school = districts find=20 limited numbers of available providers. Some find only online = services=20 available, which are limited by connectivity and access to = computers.

=E2=80=A2 Students With Special Needs: Many = districts have=20 expressed concerns that providers will not be willing or able to = serve=20 students with disabilities or students with limited English = proficiency.=20 Many districts and schools have become providers expressly to = serve this=20 need, although some cannot continue to do so.

=E2=80=A2 Districts Serving as Providers: Many = districts choose to=20 offer SES in lieu of choice for some of their students, which is = an option=20 if the choice of school alternatives is limited. Many districts = also have=20 chosen to become providers themselves. However, some districts = have run=20 into an obstacle. After getting initial approval as providers and = setting=20 up an SES system, they find themselves declared a district in need = of=20 improvement, and under the law they become prohibited from serving = as=20 providers.

Terri Schwartzbeck is a policy analyst with AASA. E-mail: tschwartzbeck@aasa.org

Additional=20 Resources

Terri Schwartzbeck recommends these web resources:

=E2=80=A2 www.tutorsforkids.org/=E2=80=94a website = developed by the=20 American Institutes for Research with a grant from the U.S. = Department of=20 Education with well-organized information for families, providers, = states=20 and school districts, including basic descriptions of aspects of=20 supplemental services under No Child Left Behind, a matrix listing = the=20 roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders and = state-by-state=20 information;

=E2=80=A2 www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/choicesupp/=E2=80=94a = list of forms=20 and letters for districts to use in informing parents about = supplemental=20 services, developed by the North Carolina Department of Public=20 Instruction;

=E2=80=A2 www.nycboe.net/Administration/NCLB/SES/default.htm=E2= =80=94examples=20 of fliers and information for parents regarding supplemental = services from=20 New York City organized by the New York City Board of = Education;

=E2=80=A2 www.mynclb.com/=E2=80=94The TransAct Corp. = offers forms, letters=20 and notices that can be used by districts to inform parents about=20 supplemental services for a subscription fee. =20