Source: https://pingpdf.com/pdf-2013cd7712d22c0fa279029b920b0fea8dfa26435.html
Timestamp: 2019-07-20 05:15:32
Document Index: 782497062

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 17', '§ 1101', '§ 11', 'art 200', '§200', '§200', '§200', 'art 200', '§200', '§200', 'art 300']

Mastery CHS - Lenfest Campus Charter Annual Report 07/01/2013 - 06/30/2014
School Profile Demographics 35 S 4th Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215)922-1902 Phase: CEO Name: CEO E-mail address:
Phase 3 Scott Gordon [email protected]
Governance and Staff Leadership Changes Leadership changes during the past year on the Board of Trustees and in the school administration: Our Board of Trustees passed a resolution in June 2014 to make the following changes: • Appoint Robert Victor as Chair • Appoint Charles Corpening to a new, two-year term • Allow the appointment of Judy Tschirgi to lapse effective June 30, 2014. Board members for 13-14 and 14-15 are as follows: 13-14 Judith Tschirgi (Chair) Graham Finney Ron Biscardi Charles Corpening Gerry Emery Robert Victor Donald Kimelman Tony Payton Robin Olanrenwaju (Mastery Parent Advisory Council nominee) Victoria Harrison (Mastery Parent Advisory Council nominee) 14-15 Robert Victor (Chair) Graham Finney Ron Biscardi Charles Corpening Gerry Emery Donald Kimelman Tony Payton Robin Olanrenwaju (Mastery Parent Advisory Council nominee) Victoria Harrison (Mastery Parent Advisory Council nominee)
Board of Trustees Meeting Schedule Location Mastery CS - Cleveland Elementary Mastery CS - Smedley Campus Mastery CS - Harrity Campus Mastery Charter High School - Lenfest Campus Mastery CS - Shoemaker Campus To be determined
Date and Time 9/18/2013 5:30 PM 11/13/2013 5:30 PM 1/15/2014 5:30 PM 3/19/2014 5:30 PM 6/19/2014 6:00 PM 9/10/2014 5:30 PM
4 To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
11/19/2014 5:30 PM 1/21/2015 5:30 PM 3/11/2015 5:30 PM 6/17/2015 5:30 PM
Professional Staff Member Roster There are no professional staff members. The professional staff member roster as recorded originally on the PDE-414 form XLSX file uploaded.
Chief Academic Officer/Director Principal Assistant Principal Classroom Teacher (including Master Teachers) Specialty Teacher (including Master Teachers) Special Education Teacher (including Master Teachers) Special Education Coordinator Counselor Psychologist School Nurse Totals
Further explanation: This narrative is empty.
Contracted for Following Year
All Employed per Category
Quality of Teaching and Other Staff
Fiscal Matters Major Fundraising Activities Major fundraising activities performed this year and planned for next year: Mastery Charter High School includes the Lenfest Campus and the CMO. The Lenfest Campus had $50,000 of fundraising revenue in the last fiscal year. $15,000 were a federal grant from Teacher Incentive Fund, $25,000 were received from the Mastery Charter Schools Foundation and $10,000 from other private foundations. The campus is budgeted to have $20,000 of fundraising revenue in the current fiscal year. The CMO had $5.5 million of fundraising revenue in the last fiscal year to support initiatives centered on curriculum and program development, staffing enhancements, coaching, etc. The $5.5 million included a $2.0 million federal grant from Charter Schools Program, a $1.8 million federal grant from Teacher Incentive Fund and $1.4 million from Mastery Charter Schools Foundation. The CMO has a fundraising budget of $6 million for the current fiscal year. $2 million of this represents federal grants from Charter Schools Program and Teacher Incentive Fund.
Fiscal Solvency Policies Changes to policies and procedures to ensure and monitor fiscal solvency: Mastery defines fiscal solvency as the ability to grow and to sustain itself in the long term and the ability to cover all debts and expenses. Mastery ensures that its programs are sustainable by projecting revenues and expenses 5 years into the future. As our schools reach full enrollment, they are able to cover majority of their general operating expenses with per pupil revenue from the School District of Philadelphia through the PA Department of Education. The rest is covered with federal entitlement awards and various state subsidies. Our schools also have cash reserves for future maintenance issues and potential operating budget deficits. Our Board approves projects that support the mission and strategic goals for the year; Mastery raises private funds to cover the costs of these projects and the administrative costs of the management office. Mastery ultimately ensures solvency by frequent analysis of programmatic and financial model sustainability, by maintaining target levels of cash at each school, and by active monthly analysis of cash required to cover expenses and debts. Mastery does not have any current issues with fiscal solvency or cash flow. Fiscal Solvency Policies Charter School documents that describe policies and procedures that have been established to ensure and monitor fiscal solvency (optional if described in the narrative) Files uploaded:  Fiscal Policies and Procedures updates May 2013.pdf
Accounting System Changes to the accounting system the charter school uses: There were no changes to our accounting system. Mastery uses the accrual system of accounting in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Mastery records all transactions in its Blackbaud Financial Edge accounting database. Mastery uses the Pennsylvania State Chart of Accounts for Pennsylvania Public Schools.
Preliminary Statements of Revenues, Expenditures & Fund Balances The completed and CEO signed Fiscal Template – Preliminary Statements of Revenues, Expenditures & Fund Balances PDF file uploaded.
Financial Audits Basics Audit Firm: Date of Last Audit: Fiscal Year Last Audited:
CliftonLarsonAllen 12/10/2013 2013
Explanation of the Report Detailed explanation of the report (if the previous year’s report has been submitted.) Any audit report for a school year that precedes this annual report by more than 2 years is not acceptable and may be considered a material violation: This narrative is empty.
Financial Audit Report The Financial Audit Report, which should include the auditor’s opinion and any findings resulting from the audit PDF file uploaded.
Citations Financial audit citations and the corresponding Charter School responses Description
Federal Programs Consolidated Review Basics Title I Status: Date of Last Federal Programs Consolidated Review: School Year Reviewed:
Yes 04/13/2012 2011-12
Federal Programs Consolidated Review Report The Federal Programs Consolidated Review Report, which should include the Division’s opinion and any findings resulting from the audit PDF file uploaded.
Citations Federal Programs Consolidated Review citations and the corresponding Charter School responses Description
Special Education Chapter 711 Assurances The LEA agrees to comply with all requirements of Special Education outlined in 22 PA Code Chapter 711 and other state and federal mandates. These include: Implementation of a full range of services, programs and alternative placements available to the Charter School for placement and implementation of the special education programs in the Charter School. Implementation of a child find system to locate, identify and evaluate young children and children who are thought to be a child with a disability eligible for special education residing within the Charter School's jurisdiction. Child find data is collected, maintained and used in decision-making. Child find process and procedures are evaluated for their effectiveness. The Charter School implements mechanisms to disseminate child find information to the public, organizations, agencies and individuals on at least an annual basis. Assurances of students with disabilities are included in general education programs and extracurricular and non-academic programs and activities to the maximum extent appropriate in accordance with an Individualized Education Program. Following the state and federal guidelines for participation of students with disabilities in state and Charter School-wide assessments including the determination of participation, the need for accommodations and the methods of assessing students for whom regular assessment is not appropriate. Assurance of funds received through participation in the medical assistance reimbursement program, ACCESS, will be used to enhance or expand the current level of services and programs provided to students with disabilities in this local education agency.
Special Education Support Services Location
Mastery CHS - Lenfest Campus Mastery CHS - Lenfest Campus Mastery CHS - Lenfest Campus
Support Service Paraprofessionals Social Worker Special Education Teachers
Special Education Contracted Services Title Occupational Therapists Psychologists Speech-Language
Amt. of Time per Week
Outside Contractor Outside Contractor Outside
10 or fewer 47
Special Education Cyclical Monitoring Date of Last Special Education Cyclical Monitoring: Link to Report (Optional):
02/04/2010 Not Provided
Special Education Cyclical Monitoring Report The Special Education Cyclical Monitoring Report, which should include the Bureau’s findings PDF file uploaded.
Facilities Fixed assets acquired by the Charter School during the past fiscal year Fixed assets acquired by the Charter School during the past fiscal year: Mastery CHS - Lenfest Campus did not acquire any major facilities, furniture, fixtures, or equipment during FY2013-14. The expenditures for the year included $27,000 for equipment purchases (e.g., computers, calculators, document cameras, etc.), $40,000 for misc. furniture, and $29,000 for software purchases. We renovated some currently unused space to create additional offices for the CMO to support growth in staffing. The expansion project costs were $475,000 and another $80,000 for furniture. There were also IT equipment purchases of approximately $300,000, including the purchase of a generator, computers, etc. The total Charter School expenditures for fixed assets during the identified fiscal year: $951,000.00
Facility Plans and Other Capital Needs The Charter School’s plan for future facility development and the rationale for the various components of the plan: There are no current plans for facility development or other capital needs.
Memorandums of Understanding Organization Camelot Schools of PA CliftonLarsonAllen CORA Services GCA Services Group & Po Well Mastery Charter High School
Resources for Human Development Success Schools
Purpose Special Education Emotional Support services Financial Auditing services Special Education Psychological, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Occupational Therapy Services Cleaning Services Charter Management Organization services including support for curriculum and instruction, leadership training, information technology, data management, building operations, talent recruitment, human resources, financial and payroll, grants and fund-raising, reporting, and compliance. Psychotherapeutic Services Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth services
Charter School Annual Report Affirmations Charter Annual Report Affirmation I verify that all information and records in this charter school annual report are complete and accurate. The Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Trustee President of the charter school must sign this verification. Affirmed by Judith Tschirgi on 7/17/2014 President, Board of Trustees Affirmed by Scott Gordon on 7/17/2014 Chief Executive Officer
Charter School Law Affirmation Pennsylvania’s first Charter School Law was Act 22 of 1997, 24 P.S. § 17-1701-A et seq., which primarily became effective June 19, 1997, and has subsequently been amended. The Charter School Law provides for the powers, requirements, and establishment of charter schools. The Charter School Law was passed to provide opportunities to teachers, parents, pupils and community members to establish and maintain schools that operate independently from the existing school district structure as a method to accomplish all of the following: (1) improve pupil learning; (2) increase learning opportunities for all pupils; (3) encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods; (4) create new professional opportunities for teachers; (5) provide parents and pupils with expanded choices in types of educational opportunities that are available within the public school system; and (6) hold charter schools accountable for meeting measurable academic standards and provide the school with a method to establish accountability systems. The charter school assures that it will comply with the requirements of the Charter School Law and any provision of law from which the charter school has not been exempted, including Federal laws and regulations governing children with disabilities. The charter school also assures that it will comply with the policies, regulations and procedures of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (Department). Additional information about charter schools is available on the Pennsylvania Department’s website at: http://www.education.state.pa.us. The Chief Executive Officer and Board of Trustees President of the charter school must sign this assurance. Affirmed by Judith Tschirgi on 7/17/2014 President, Board of Trustees Affirmed by Scott Gordon on 7/17/2014 Chief Executive Officer
Ethics Act Affirmation Pennsylvania’s current Public Official and Employee Ethics Act (Ethics Act), Act 93 of 1998, Chapter 11, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1101 et seq., became effective December 14, 1998 and has subsequently been amended. The Ethics Act provides that public office is a public trust and that any effort to realize personal financial gain through public office other than compensation provided by law is a violation of that trust. The Ethics Act was passed to strengthen the faith and confidence of the people of Pennsylvania in their government. The Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission (Commission) administers and enforces the provisions of the Ethics Acts and provides guidance regarding its requirements. The regulations of the Commission set forth the procedures applicable to all proceedings before the Commission as well as for the administration of the Statement of Financial Interests filing requirements. See 51 Pa. Code § 11.1 et seq. The charter school assures that it will comply with the requirements of the Ethics Act and with the policies, regulations and procedures of the Commission. Additional information about the Ethics Act is available on the Commission's website at: http://www.ethics.state.pa.us. The Chief Executive Officer and Board of Trustees President of the charter school must sign this assurance. Affirmed by Judith Tschirgi on 7/17/2014 President, Board of Trustees Affirmed by Scott Gordon on 7/17/2014 Chief Executive Officer
CERTIFICATION VERIFICATION FORM (PDE-414) Mastery Charter High School (Lenfest) 6-30-2014
Name of Employee (List all Staff No. names in alphabetical order)
Types/Areas of Certification
Grades All Areas of Assignment Teaching or Subject Areas Teaching or Serving Services Provided
Number of Percentage Hours of Time in Worked in Certified Assignment Position
Percentage of Time in Areas Not Certified
Instructional II - Social Studies 7-12
Instructional I - Social Studies 7-12
Instructional I - Art K-12
Burnstein, Julia
Instructional I - Math 7-12
Callozzo, Marina
Cooper, Hurann
Instructional I - Biology 7-12
Didonato, Colleen
Instructional I - English 7-12
DuBois, Capri
Dyer, Kyle
Instructional I - Spanish K-12
Federer, Lauren
Gaffney, Christina
Instructional I - General Science 7-12
Irrgang, Craig
Jean-Charles, Jesula
Katzias, Amanda
Kollar, Steven
Administrative I - Principal
Levinson, Sarah
Lovett, Ryan
Instructional I - Special Education N-12
McCrary, Eupha Jeanne
Intern - English 7-12
Milnes, Brittany
Pace, Theresa
Parris, Leo
Instructional I - Chemistry 7-12
Pierce, Tifanie
AP - Specialized Services
Pimental, Matthew
Instructional I - English 7-12, Social Studies 7-12
Powell, Laretha
Intern - Physics 7-12
Sawicki, Aleksandra
Shea, Tabitha
Stanislow, Gregory
Wagstaff, Suzann
MASTERY CHARTER SCHOOLS Finance – Network Support Team 5700 Wayne Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-866-9000
\\hthfinance\finance$\Policies & Procedures\Current Procedures - FY 2013\Fiscal Policies and Procedures updates May 2013.docx
1. INTERNAL CONTROL STRUCTURE Control Environment Accounting System Control Procedures The Accounting Cycle 2. REVENUE AND CASH RECEIPTS Key Policies Control of Incoming receipts Processing Deposits Acknowledgement of Donor Contributions Review of SDP Payments Special Purpose Funds (e.g., student activities) 3. PAYROLL Key Policies Hiring New Employees Establising a Personnel File Employee Information Processing of Bi-weekly Payroll
4. PURCHASES Key Policies Bids Purchase Orders Check Requests Credit Card Policies and Procedures Receipt of Goods or Merchandise 5. USE OF CONSULTANTS Key Policies Consulting Agreements Consultant vs. Employee 6. TRAVEL AND EMPLOYEE BUSINESS EXPENSES Key Policies Authorization Mileage Documentation Travel Expense Form 7. PROCESSING ACCOUNTS PAYABLE Key Policies Processing Purchase Orders and Invoices 8. CASH MANAGEMENT Key Policies Bank Reconciliations 2
Investment of Funds Movement of Money Among Entities 9. ASSUMPTION AND AUTHORIZATION OF DEBT Key Policies Authorization 10. BUDGET MANAGEMENT Key Policies Authorization 11. RECORD RETENTION Policies Record Retention Schedule 12. GRANT REPORTING Government Contracts & Programs Non-government Grant Reporting 13. CLOSING THE BOOKS & RECORDS & DISSEMINATION OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION Finance Calendars Closing of Accounts Payable and Payroll Journal Entries Cost Allocations Required Financial Reports Key Reporting Dates 14. CAPITAL ASSETS (Property, Plant & Equipment) Key Policies 3
Acquisition Capitalization Inventory 15. INSURANCE COVERAGE Key Policies Coverages Claims & Incident Reporting 16. AUDIT PREPARATION & PLANNING Auditor Selection Audit Planning Client Assistance Checklist Year-end Close Audit Fieldwork Issuance of Audit
1. INTERNAL CONTROL STRUCTURE
The internal control structure consists of policies and procedures that have been established to achieve the financial reporting and expense control objectives of Mastery Charter Schools (MCS). More specifically, the control structure represents those policies and procedures that affect MCS’s ability to process, record, summarize, and report financial information.
This structure is established and
maintained to reduce the potential for excess spending, unauthorized use of MCS assets and/or misstatement of account balances. The internal control structure is composed of the following basic elements: (1) the control environment; (2) the accounting system; (3) control procedures; and (4) accounting cycle. (1) The Control Environment The control environment reflects the importance MCS places on internal controls as part of its day to day activities.
Factors that influence the control environment include management and Board
philosophy; organizational structure; ways of assigning authority and responsibility; methods of management and control; personnel policies and practices; and external influences such as significant funder’s expectations. Specific controls are detailed explicitly in the chapters that follow. (2) The Accounting System The accounting system comprises the methods and records used to identify, assemble, classify, record, and report accounting transactions. At a minimum, it is set up to: 1. Identify and record all of MCS ’s transactions; 2. Describe the transactions in enough detail to allow classification for financial reporting; 3. Indicate the time period in which transactions occurred in order to record them in the proper accounting period. MCS uses the Blackbaud Financial Edge System (BBFE) to record all of its accounting entries 5
according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania rules and regulations regarding charter schools and non-profits.
(3) Control Procedures Control procedures are the procedures set up to strengthen MCS’s internal control structure and thus safeguard the agency assets. They are divided into the following: 
Segregation of Duties: Allocation of tasks is established so that one individual does not have the ability to both make an accounting error (either intentionally or unintentionally) and also cover it up. This principle requires that the employee with physical access to cash or other movable assets should not also be involved in the related record keeping. In addition, each transaction must be authorized by a minimum of two employees.
Restricted Access: Physical access to valuable and movable assets is restricted to authorized personnel.
Document Control: To ensure that all documents (i.e. purchase orders/check requests) are captured by the accounting system, all documents must be pre-numbered and the sequence for documents must be accounted for by Finance.
Processing Control: To minimize the likelihood of errors, the monthly financial statement production process includes a thorough review of the general ledger to ensure that all transactions are coded to the correct accounts.
Reconciliation Controls: To minimize the likelihood of errors, the monthly financial statement production process includes reconciliation of major general ledger accounts to various accounting worksheets as a check for accuracy.
(4) The Accounting Cycle The overall purpose of the accounting system is to accurately process, record, summarize, and report transactions of MCS. The component accounting cycles fall into one of four primary functions: 1. Revenue, accounts receivable, and cash receipts Key steps in this area are: 6
Recording cash receipts in the general ledger and subsidiary records
Performing month-end reconciliation procedures
2. Purchases, accounts payable, and cash disbursements Key steps in this area are: 
Authorizing the procurement of goods and/or services
Processing purchase transactions
Recording checks in the general ledger and in cash disbursements journals
Year-end reporting-1099 forms
3. Payroll The payroll process consists of processing payroll and remitting amounts due to employees, the government, and other agencies such as health insurers, retirement plan trustees, etc. Key steps in this area are: 
Obtaining and gathering information for processing
Overseeing preparation of payroll checks and the depositing of payroll taxes
Performing any necessary month-end reconciliation procedures
Overseeing preparation of quarterly payroll tax returns
Overseeing preparation of W-2s and other annual payroll tax returns
4. General Ledger and Financial Statements The general ledger process consists of posting the period’s transactions to the general ledger and preparing the financial statements.
The general ledger is the data repository for the
financial transactions of MCS. Financial data in the general ledger includes transactions entered directly to the ledger (e.g., accounts payable, cash receipts) and transactions recorded from 7
secondary sources (e.g., transactions originally recorded in a payroll processing system, estimates, accruals and corrections). General ledger data is the basis for preparing MCS’ financial statements. Key steps in this area include: 
Posting all accounts payable (i.e. invoices) for the month
Recording all cash receipts for the month
Preparing monthly journal entries to record all other transactions, to properly accrue expenses and to record estimates
Reconciling bank accounts and other general ledger accounts
Reviewing general ledger activity and posting adjusting journal entries
Producing standard financial reports and supporting schedules.
All cash transactions are recorded by the Accounting Manager and reviewed by the Director of Finance to ensure segregation of duties and control over cash
Bank accounts are reconciled by a Finance Staff member and reviewed by the Director of Finance
2. REVENUE AND CASH RECEIPTS
This section outlines the policies and procedures for the controlling, processing and recording revenue and cash receipts for Mastery Charter Schools (MCS). Policies 
All revenue must be verified by at least two employees.
Directors of Operations should reconcile student enrollment counts against School District of Philadelphia (SDP) records on a monthly basis.
Cash and/or check deposits should be made weekly. No cash or check receipt should be held at the school for more than one week. Cash and/or check receipts should be kept in a locked safe or drawer prior to the deposit being made.
Procedures 
The per pupil subsidies from the School District of Philadelphia are the largest sources of revenue. School District of Philadelphia (SDP) revenue is deposited electronically into the campus’ operating bank account and is calculated by the SDP based on the School District computer system (SCN) for tracking students. The Directors of Operations (DO) are responsible for verifying the SDP student numbers against MCS’ enrollment data on a monthly basis to ensure MCS is paid for the correct number of students both in total and by Regular Education or Special Education classification. Discrepancies should be reported to the SDP representative via e-mail. The DO should follow up regularly until the discrepancy is resolved. SDP payments are recorded into the Financial Edge system by the Accounting Manager.
Payments from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) are received electronically based on quarterly federal financial reports and monthly PSERS submissions.
The Director of Development oversees other fundraising activities and major donor tracking. Donor checks are recorded on a revenue tracking form and deposited by the Finance Department. The Director of Development sends acknowledgement letters to donors.
Other revenue for parking, tokens and student activities are managed by each DO. Deposit slips are prepared by the DO and deposited by into the campus’ operating or student activities account (s). Copies of deposit slips and related documentation are forwarded to the Accounting Manager who enters the transaction into Financial Edge. The SDP sends transit passes to the schools based on the student’s distance from school. Distribution of student transit passes is handled by the APOs.
The Administrative Assistant (AA) at each campus receives the mail and is responsible for sorting the mail. Campus mail is directed to the appropriate party at the campus (e.g., 9
Principal, DO). Mail for the NST, which is currently housed at the Pickett Campus, is brought to the NST daily by the Administrative Assistant of the Pickett Campus. This person has no role or involvement in the fiscal operations of Mastery Charter School (MCS).
All checks must be restrictively endorsed and deposited as soon as possible (within one week) after receipt. All cash and checks received are deposited weekly.
Checks from donors are copied and all material accompanying the check including the envelope is given to the Director of Development who sends out a thank you note. The Director of Development is responsible for a tax letter to the donor.
3. PAYROLL Background
This section outlines the policies and procedures for payroll within Mastery Charter Schools (MCS) including: 
Establishment and maintenance of personnel files
Designation of employee status as exempt or nonexempt
Monitoring of employee time records
Steps to processing payroll
United States work authorization status
Policies 
All personnel files are kept secure, locked and confidential by the HR Manager. The files are also accessible to the following employees: CEO, COO, CFO, or their designees.
Every position at MCS is supported by a job description and, in the case of a full time position, an employment agreement or offer of employment. Each position hired is budgeted, unless authorized by the CEO.
Completed and signed W-4 forms are retained for four years after the annual employment 10
tax returns are filed. 
Employees submit the required background checks and compliance documents to Human Resources by a specified due date.
All deductions from the employees’ payroll are supported by appropriate documentation to authorize each deduction.
Upon hiring, MCS examines and maintains all required information verifying the individual’s immigration status in the United States.
Payroll expense per the accounting records is reconciled to payroll as reported on the quarterly payroll tax returns.
Hiring the New Employee Employees are hired for budgeted positions. Hires for unbudgeted positions must be approved by the CEO. Jobs are first offered to candidates by phone by the CAO or COO followed by a job offer letter, which is composed by the HR Director and approved by the CEO or COO. Offer letters may be mailed or emailed to the candidate. When a candidate accepts a job offer per the terms of the letter, the HR Manager mails the following information to the new hire to complete: Personnel Action Form Employee Handbook (signed form to acknowledge receipt) Benefits Information (including Benefit Waiver form if applicable) Form I-9 (INS) Form W-4 (IRS) Direct Deposit Form with bank information (all employees are paid by direct deposit) Background check documents and instructions New hires must pass the relevant state background checks. In PA, this includes the following documents: PA Child Abuse PA Criminal Record History FBI Criminal Background check PA School Personnel Health Record Teaching Certification (or other relevant certifications)
Documents must be completed and returned to the HR Manager within assigned deadlines; compliance is monitored by the HR Manager. Every position at MCS is supported by a written job description. Upon completion, the Personnel Action Form, I-9 and W-4 are submitted to the Finance Department for payroll setup and initial processing. The Finance Department is responsible for the setup and ongoing processing of payroll. Obtaining Payroll Information Establishing a Personnel File for Each Employee The Human Resources Manager (HRM) accumulates information and files it in the employee personnel file along with documentation of all employee evaluations and pay or job status changes. Secured paper and electronic files are maintained and updated by HR staff. Employee Information To prepare a payroll, the following information is collected by HR for each employee with the data forwarded to the Finance Department in Finance for processing: Source of Data Name and address Social Security Number (SSN) Job Title Wage Rate Withholding Status Other authorized deductions Immigrations Status Criminal Background Child Abuse Training
W-4 W-4 Job Description Employee Agreement/Offer of Employment/ Annual Compensation Adjustments W-4 Other applicable documentation I-9 State Criminal Record History State Child Abuse Clearance
Once employee information is entered into the payroll system, it is modified only after receipt of authorized notification of changes. Withholding Status The completed W-4 forms serves as a basis for employee withholding. An employee may amend his/her withholding allowances as needed. If the employee does not submit a completed W-4, federal income tax is withheld at the rate for single, no dependents, until the W-4 is submitted. Job Classification Employee minimum wage and overtime requirements are set by the FLSA and the states where MCS operates. Job positions are classified as either exempt or nonexempt from the wage and overtime requirements; these classifications must appear on each job description. These requirements are summarized below and are adhered to by MCS. 12
Non-Exempt The employer pays an exempt employee a fixed salary for any and all work performed during a workweek. Generally, deductions for time not worked may not be made from the weekly salary. Employers are not legally required to record hours worked; however, time sheets are required for employees that are partially funded by grants. Employees who work in a position that is fully funded by a single grant funder are certified by their supervisor for a 6 month period. Exempt The employer may pay a nonexempt employee using an hourly, salary, commission, or any other method. Total compensation must be at least the minimum wage for all hours plus overtime pay for hours over the maximum as defined by state and/or federal law. The employer pays a nonexempt employee only for the hours worked. Therefore, wage deductions may be made for tardiness, full or partial day absences, and any time the employee does not work. Employers must maintain accurate daily and weekly records of all hours worked. Completing Time Sheets Salaried and Hourly Employees MCS may not require timesheets but assumes that employees are present unless a Time-Off Request form is completed in the Ultipro payroll system. Recording Category of Time Used An employee indicates how time was spent other than work through the Ultipro web-based payroll system. In categorizing time used, MCS adheres to the following FLSA guidelines: 
Paid or unpaid leave does not count toward overtime.
Only the excess of 40 hours worked during the workweek is considered overtime.
Paychecks for payment without proper authorization will not be processed.
Calculating Gross Pay: Exempt Employees 13
The gross pay of exempt employees is calculated by dividing the annual salary by the number of pay periods during the year. Exempt employees receive the same gross pay each pay period regardless of the number of hours worked. Nonexempt Employees For nonexempt employees, gross pay is calculated by dividing the annual salary by the number of pay periods during the year. MCS employees are paid bi-weekly; there are 26 pay periods in one year. Payment of Overtime Under FLSA guidelines, MCS must pay overtime to workers in nonexempt positions who work more than 40 hours during the workweek. No overtime pay is required for employees in exempt positions regardless of the hours worked. Overtime pay represents one and one-half times the amount of regular hourly wages paid, applied to the workweek hours worked over 40. Entering Time Data Payroll is processed on a bi-weekly basis. Pay dates are every other Friday, based on time worked for the 10 business day period ending the previous Friday. On Monday of payroll processing week, Finance electronically transmits the employees’ hours worked, including other pertinent information such as sick and vacation days taken, to the payroll processing company. The payroll processing company calculates gross pay and all withholdings. In cases of emergencies where a manual payroll check needs to be issued, the manual check will be issued only after consultation with the Director of Finance and following the payroll processing company’s recommended breakdown of gross pay and applicable deductions. All manual payroll checks will be submitted to the payroll processing company on the very next payroll submission, for purposes of updating the employee payroll records. Terminations and Resignation HR will notify the Finance Department when an employee is terminated from employment and provide any relevant date such as end date, leave time and severance pay to be provided. Distribution of Pay Checks All pay is distributed by direct deposit to an employee’s account. Paystubs are accessible to employees by viewing the web-based Ultipro system and because of this accessibility are not mailed or distributed to the employee. Role of the Payroll Processing Company Payroll is processed through a 3rd party service provider (Ultipro from Ultimate Software). The payroll processing company services include the calculation and electronic deposit of all federal 14
and state taxes, preparation of all quarterly payroll tax returns, and preparation of the annual Form W-3, and supporting W-2 statements. The Finance Department is the point of contact with Ultipro to resolve all payroll processing related matters. Issues concerning the electronic interface of the payroll and General Ledger systems are handled by the Accounting Manager while payroll tax and tax reporting matters are handled by the Director of Finance. Recording Payroll into General Ledger Based on the payroll processing company records, the Accounting Manager records the payroll into the general ledger on a monthly basis. This entry is a routine part of the monthly financial close and all payroll entries are reviewed by the Director of Finance. Reconciling Employee Payroll Deductions On a monthly basis, Finance reconciles deductions made from employees to the payments made to insurers, benefit plan providers, and other payees. Quarterly Reconciliation of Payroll to Accounting Records On a quarterly basis, Finance performs a reconciliation of all salary accounts in the general ledger, as compared to the salary reported by the payroll processing company on the Form 941 and/or other Quarterly Payroll Return. Any variances are researched and cleared within the month following quarter end. Annual Reconciliation of Payroll to Accounting Records On an annual basis, Finance performs a reconciliation of the following: - Gross salaries per all Forms 941 - Gross salaries per W-2 forms - Gross salaries per General Ledger - Variances are researched and cleared before trial balances are finalized for the fiscal year. 
Work Authorization Status In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), between the time MCS offers employment and the third day after a new employee starts employment, MCS is required to inspect certain documents (chosen by the employee) proving the employee’s identity and authorization to work in the United States and to complete INS Form I-9. Failure to properly complete and maintain INS Form I-9 carries a penalty of $100 to $1,000 per employee. For MCS, this inspection is performed by the HRM. See Form I-9 for instructions highlighting the documents that are acceptable in fulfilling the evidence requirements of Form I-9. All Form I-9s will be retained for the longer of three years or one year after employment termination in files separate from the personnel files.
Form I-9s are filed as follows by the HRM: - Alphabetically, in one file, all Form I-9s of current employees except those whose documents are subject to expirations (such as work visas). - Separately, all Form I-9s that are subject to expiration, in expiration date order. - Separately, all Form I-9s of terminated employees, by termination date.
4. PURCHASES Background
This section outlines the purchasing policies and procedures established and in effect at MCS. Policies 
All purchases at a campus must be approved by the Assistant Principal/Director of Operations (APO). All budgeted purchases of up to $2,000 can be approved by the AP/Director of Operations
Budgeted purchases of $2,000 or more must be approved by the Principal and Controller.
Budgeted purchases of $10,000 or more must be also be approved by the Director of Finance.
All technology purchases (all IT items, e.g., computers, software, printers) must be approved by the Director of Information Technology (IT) and the Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Unbudgeted purchases must be approved by the Principal, in consultation with the CFO.
Purchases of supplies, equipment and materials must be processed through the electronic WebPurchasing system which is linked to the Blackbaud Financcial Edge (Blackbaud) accounting system. The WebPurchasing system links purchase authorization with the Blackbaud system budgets.
Purchases of services may, at the school’s option, be processed through WebPurchasing or processed with a paper Check Request form.
Finance, with help from IT staff, is responsible for maintaining and updating the WebPurchasing system. Approval Rules are established and updated for specific categories of purchase, including, but not limited to the following: 16
Campus specific (APO, Principal)
Network Support Team (NST) specific (Academic Team, College Purchases, Facilities, Hunan Resources, Innovation, Recruitment).
Purchases that are recurring in nature, or are part of annual service contract can be approved by the Director of Finance, or CFO, without the express approval of campusbased staff.
Annual service contracts of $2,000 or greater must be approved by the CEO.
Purchases cannot be broken up into smaller pieces for the purpose of circumventing the approval process.
Three written bids must be obtained for procurement of furnishings, equipment, and technology items over $10,000 or purchases in aggregate of $50,000 total. If the lowest bid is not accepted, the purchaser must submit documentation explaining why the lower bid was not accepted.
The receipt of goods by mail shipment or other carrier must be signed for and received by someone who is independent of both the ordering and payment process (i.e. Administrative Assistant (AA)).
Mastery Charter Schools (MCS) will present a request for exemption from sales tax on all qualifying purchases and will maintain current sales tax exemption certificates in the states in which it operates. Sales tax exemption certificates are maintained and updated by the Controller, as needed.
Additional procurement requirements for specific grants or contracts, including written bids if required by the specific grant or contract, are followed and procedures are modified as needed. Compliance is monitored by the Grants Controller.
All documentation related to any purchase or transaction must be aggregated into one payment document that will include a requisition, check request/purchase order, invoice, bids, comments, packing slip (if applicable), receipt etc.
MCS credit cards may be used for purchases with vendors who will not conduct business under the standard MCS Purchasing process. Credit cards should be used only as necessary or in case of an emergency.
Procedures 17
STEP 1: Employee who is making purchase submits request to AP/Director of Operations (APO). APO’s are allowed to develop their own site based process for collecting purchase requests.
STEP 2: APO logs into Web Purchasing System and creates an online requisition including product information, account number, project ID and grant to be charged, service to be provided, vendor preference & price.
Requisitions should be created for check request transactions
(services) as well. 
STEP 3: APO checks budget availability via check budget button on Web Purchasing requisition screen. If an item to be purchased exceeds the available budget, an error message will be generated and the desired purchase may be blocked. The APO can request a budget line revision to be approved by the Controller, Director of Finance or the CFO. Usually such approval will involve a reallocation of budget funds from one or more underspent lines to the budget line that needs additional budget dollars.
STEP 4: Requisitions of up to $2,000, once approved by the APO are routed to the Controller for approval.
The next approver (e.g., Controller) will receive an e-mail notification prompting
him/her to log into Web Purchasing to approve each line item. The receipt of the e-mail is not required for approval, but is a helpful prompt to log into the WebPurchasing system.
approver may log into Web Purchasing at any time to process outstanding requisitions and should do so regularly (e.g., weekly). 
STEP 5: The Controller reviews quotes, or other supporting documents submitted by the APO and confirm budget line availability. The Controller contacts the APO if there are questions about the purchase, or if additional supporting information is needed.
STEP 6: Upon completion of all approvals, the Accounts Payable Manager will be notified by email and will convert the Web Purchasing requisition to a Purchase Order to be printed and signed by the Accounts Payable Manager. A copy of the completed Purchase Order can be sent to the APO for their records or to send to the vendor, as needed. Completion of the Purchase Order also creates an encumbrance in Blackbaud. An encumbrance is a financial commitment of budgeted resources. Encumbrances are included in schools’ standard monthly financial reports. 18
STEP 7: The original requisitioner receives periodic e-mail notifications of the status of the requisition during the process and a signed purchase order or check request ready for release at STEP 9 of the process. The employee may now order his/her items.
STEP 8: Upon receipt of tangible goods the APO or AA gives packing slip and invoice to Finance Department for accounts payable processing (see Chapter 7: Accounts Payable Processing).
5. USE OF CONSULTANTS Background
This section outlines the policies and procedures for the establishment and evaluation of consulting arrangements: 
Confirming that the relationship qualifies as a consulting relationship
Drafting and approval of consulting agreements
Implications of reclassification to employee status Policies
Schools may negotiate contracts up to $2000 on the authority of the Principal. Contracts in excess of $2000 must be approved by the CEO.
It is expected that most persons engaged in temporary, or project-based, services for MCS will be hired as temporary employees, paid on an hourly basis. A consulting engagement will only be considered if the person engaged possesses unique skills, qualifications or experience for the service performed.
The nature and specific details of each consulting relationship must be approved by the CFO or COO to ensure that the individual does not qualify for employee classification. The CFO in partnership with the Director of Finance must determine if the consultant is an employee or independent contractor. The consultant/independent contractor must meet the requirements of an independent contractor as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)/Department of Labor. 19
Three competitive bids are required to retain a consultant if there are a variety of consultants available and the contract exceeds $50,000. Exceptions to the three bid rule is if a consultant is a known expert in the field or possesses specialized skills not available in others; such exceptions must be documented by the CFO or Director of Finance based on information provided by the MCS manager in charge of the engagement.
Every consultant relationship must be supported by a consultant agreement and a completed W-9 before the first check request or invoice will be honored.
Determination of Need for Consulting Services
MCS engages consultants to perform professional services, or provide a service only when the service is beyond the expertise, experience or capability of current staff. These services can include, but are not limited to: testing, professional development, computer services, business operations, and fundraising.
The CFO/COO or Director selects a consultant or independent
contract using a competitive bidding process if there is a pool of qualified candidates to do the job. Competitive Bidding While a sealed bid may not be required, it is necessary to have three documented bids, unless a sufficient case could be made to single source. A sealed bid results from a pre-circulated request for proposal (RFP) where independent vendors are requested to provide the estimated cost for their services on a predetermined date, in a sealed envelope.
This process is intended to ensure
confidentiality of information, and this maintains competitiveness on the process. In certain circumstances, there may be only one potential consultant. requirement include:
Exceptions to the bidding
referrals, extensions or amendments, or when a consultant/independent
contractor is a known expert in the field. In this case, the reason why only one consultant is contacted and a ―sole source‖ agreement is executed must be well documented by the CFO and/or Director. The Consulting Agreement The CFO or COO negotiates a draft Consulting Agreement with the Consultant or Independent Contractor and forwards it to the Director of Finance who reviews the Consulting Agreement, 20
checks for its compliance with IRS regulations regarding independent contractor agreements and either approves the agreement or recommends changes to bring the agreement into compliance with IRS Publication 15-A.
(See the section below called ―Determining if
Relationships Qualify as Consultant Arrangement.”) Consultant Agreements All services performed by a consultant should be documented in a written agreement, signed by the Consultant and the CEO, including the following: 
Name, address, and Federal Tax Identification Number/Social Security Number of the consultant
Dates covered by the agreement
Time frame for completion of the deliverables
MCS staff in charge of the engagement
Dollar amount of the agreement, including expenses for which the consultant will be reimbursed
Rates of personnel by classification
Indemnification of MCS from any liability of the consultants actions
Certification of confidentiality
Estimate of total cost of services and product to be delivered
In addition the consulting agreement should:
Stipulate that invoices should be on the independent contractor’s stationary and list services rendered.
Include contractual provisions requiring that the independent contractor cooperate with the organization in any employment tax audit, including presentation of the 21
worker's IRS Form 1040 Schedule C or other tax forms showing that the income was reported as an independent business. 
The independent contractor must provide proof of insurance.
All agreements should be submitted to the Director of Finance for review and approval prior to commencing services and the release of funds. Invoices Invoices submitted by the consultant should be signed by the consultant and should detail the deliverables completed, and dates of service covered by the invoice presented. Consultant versus Employee Prior to entering into a consultant agreement, MCS must determine that the relationship meets the criteria outlined by the Internal Revenue Service for consulting relationships. Reclassification as an employee by the Internal Revenue Service can trigger additional payroll taxes and potential penalties to MCS. The consultant must indemnify MCS that if he/she is deemed not to be an independent contractor, he/she will be responsible for any additional taxes and penalties. The following represents a general guideline to be considered when making this determination. For additional guidance, consult the following Internal Revenue Service website: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=99921,00.html
Note also that IRS guidelines are subject to change. Please consult the website for additional ongoing updates.
6. TRAVEL AND EMPLOYEE BUSINESS EXPENSES Overview Mastery Charter Schools (MCS) will reimburse staff for authorized travel expenses incurred while conducting MCS business and for authorized and allowable vehicle mileage. Note that all other purchases, including those for materials and supplies, should be made through the MCS Purchasing Process outlined in Chapter 4 of the Finance Policy & Procedure Manual. The purpose of this section of the handbook is as follows: 22
o To define MCS policies and procedures pertaining to employee expense reimbursement o To clearly state the types of expenditures that are reimbursable by MCS o To clearly state the types of expenditures that are not reimbursable by MCS o To minimize overall travel costs for MCS The Policy may be revised by the MCS from time to time. Although MCS will endeavor to provide notice of changes, employees are responsible for making sure they are in compliance with the current policy.
General Expense Reimbursement for Purchases Made o Purchases of materials and supplies made with the personal funds of an MCS employee are not reimbursable. Each entity has a budget for materials and supplies. Such items should be acquired through the purchasing process outlined in Chapter 4 of the Finance Manual. Purchases made with the personal credit card of an MCS employee are not reimbursable. Long distance travel is an exception to this policy. Other exceptions may be made for school Principals and Assistant Principals/Directors of Operations. o Other exceptions to this policy will be considered jointly by the school Principal and the Finance Director on a case-by-case basis. In all cases, advanced purchase approval from Finance is required. In all cases, requests for reimbursement must be made within 30 days of the expense being incurred. o Original receipts evidencing expenses will be required for all amounts except meals and incidentals which are covered under the Federal Guidelines relative to the location of the travel. Travel costs not considered local and hotel costs are all subject to the same Federal guidelines. Detailed travel instructions are located in a separate employee travel policy (in draft form) located in the Appendix.
Local Travel Mileage o Local travel is defined as travel that is within 50 miles of the MCS location where the employee works. o MCS employees will be reimbursed for local mileage when traveling for professional 23
development and conferences. o
Mileage will be reimbursed according to the prevailing IRS standard mileage rates. For 2012, the standard mileage rate is 55.5 cents per mile.
o MCS employees whose job descriptions require them to travel between MCS campuses will be offered a monthly gas stipend of $50. The stipend must be approved in advance by the employee’s manager and approved in advance by Finance. Employees receiving the monthly gas stipend will not be eligible for standard mileage reimbursement. This stipend is paid via payroll and is subject to applicable government taxes. o Employees who drive their personal vehicle while on MCS business must maintain valid automobile insurance. o Employees will not be reimbursed for travel between home and work or for travel between MCS locations for meetings. o Parking fees and tolls incurred during business travel will be reimbursed if original receipts are provided. o Parking tickets and moving violations incurred while on MCS travel will not be reimbursed.
Long Distance Travel Expenses o Long distance travel is defined as travel by plane, travel by train/bus, or travel by personal vehicle for more than 50miles. o Long distance travel plans must be approved by the employee’s manager and communicated to Finance one month in advance via a Travel Authorization form located within the employee travel manual. o Employees must choose the most cost effective travel option available at the time. o Employees must fly coach and will not be reimbursed for expenses incurred due to changes in flight plans made by the employee. o Rental cars should be economy only. Mid-sized vehicles are allowed if more than 2 people will be traveling in the vehicle. o The MCS corporate insurance policy covers property damage and bodily injury when an employee rents a car for MCS business. There will be no reimbursement for additional optional rental car insurance. Employees involved in an accident in a rental vehicle must advise the car rental company immediately. If necessary, file an accident report with the local police department. It is also necessary to advise your supervisor. 24
o Lodging expenses should not exceed the GSA published rates. o An overnight stay is required for the employee to be reimbursed for meals. o The total cost for employee meals should not exceed the GSA per diem rate. o Original receipts evidencing expenses will be required for all costs not covered by the GSA per diem. o The following expenses are not reimbursable: o Alcohol o Room service o Hotel long distance service o Hotel room movies o Expenses incurred by traveling companions (i.e. spouse, children, etc) o Rental car insurance o Rental car GPS o Tips exceeding 15% o Dry cleaning o Entertainment
Procedures The Standard Expense Report/Mileage Reimbursement Form should be used to document all expenses including mileage. The form should be completed and submitted within 30 days of the expense being incurred. Incomplete and/or inaccurate forms will not be processed. Employees will not be reimbursed for items submitted without receipts. Finance will process approved reimbursements within 30 days via the MCS payroll system. Reimbursements will be received as non-taxed deposits into the employee’s payroll direct deposit account on file with Human Resources. All requests for business meeting expense reimbursement must include the names and titles of all employees who attended the meeting. The date, location, and purpose of the meeting should also be listed.
The Standard Expense Report/Mileage Reimbursement Form should be used to document vehicle mileage for local or long distance travel. The form should be completed and submitted within 30 days of the expense being incurred. Incomplete and/or inaccurate forms will not be processed. 25
Finance will process approved reimbursements within 30 days via the MCS payroll system. Reimbursements will be received as non-taxed deposits into the employee’s payroll direct deposit account on file with Human Resources.
The Long Distance Travel Form should be used to request advance authorization from both the employee’s manager and Finance at least one month prior to the date on which the travel will occur. MCS will reimburse the employee after receipt of the Standard Expense Report/Mileage Reimbursement Form.
All forms referenced above may be obtained from the Controller.
MCS reserves the right to deduct any item or disallow any expense that is not in accordance with MCS policy or is deemed an unreasonable or inappropriate business expense. Any expense item in question will be brought to the attention of the employee and the employee’s manager by the Director of Finance. The Director of Finance will recommend an appropriate course of action on a case by case basis.
7. PROCESSING ACCOUNTS PAYABLE Background
This section outlines the policies and procedures for the processing of accounts payable: 
Agency’s authorized signatories
All invoices should be stamped with a ―Received Date‖ immediately upon receipt.
All complete voucher packages should be reviewed and approved by the Finance Department.
A complete voucher package includes the following: a purchase order or check request, an invoice, a packing slip of contract if applicable.
All MCS checks must have two original signatures. The authorized signers are the CEO, COO, CFO, Director of Finance, Board Chair, and Board Treasurer.
All invoices should be assigned credit terms of 30 days, unless other arrangements are made in advance.
Vendor statements should be forwarded to the Finance Department for review and reconciliation to the vendor files.
All blank check stock should be kept under lock and key with access limited to the Finance Department only.
A separate record of all voided checks should be maintained.
Payments are made on approved invoices only, not statements.
Processing Purchase Orders and Invoices 
Finance Department Staff collect invoices from schools on a twice weekly basis. Invoices are immediately stamped with a ―Received Date‖ by the Finance Department. The Finance Department is responsible for assembling the payment package including: 1. Purchase order (if applicable) 2. Invoice 3. Packing slip (if applicable) 4. Contract (if applicable) 27
Finance Department examines voucher package for accuracy and clears any discrepancy with the vendor and/or APO/DO.
The Finance Department is responsible for doing the following: 1. Verifying the proper accounting codes are assigned per the approved Chart of Accounts 2. Checking the extensions on purchase orders and invoices 3. Resolving any discrepancies with extensions or accounting codes 4. Accruing the expense to the appropriate expense category and fund 5. Checking for travel authorization where appropriate 6. Investigating and resolving any outstanding back order issues 7. Filing the purchase request, the purchase order, and the invoices in the accounts payable file
Requesting Checks When There Are No Invoices Expenditures that are not supported by an invoice are handled via a Check Request Form. The employee or consultant initiating the disbursement request will prepare a Check Request Form, which is submitted, to the Finance Department for approval. The Check Request Form is processed and approved for payment in the same fashion as an invoice with proper documentation and approvals. 
A check request authorization voucher should include the following: 1. Date prepared 2. Name and address of vendor 1. Vendor code (number assigned by us in the accounting system) 2. Amount 3. Account number (Fund—Function—Account Code) 4. Expense allocation and/or project – grant when necessary
Authorized Signatures All MCS checks require 2 signatures. Currently, the authorized signers are the CEO, CFO, COO, Director of Finance, Board Chair, and Board Treasurer. If Electronic (ACH) payment is made the signatures of two check signers must appear on the Purchase Order or Check Request Form. Selecting Invoices to Pay 28
As determined by the MCS’ timetable, the Finance Department runs an Aged Payables Report from BBFE accounting system and selects the items to be paid, generally all items that are due and payable within the next week based on the standard 30 days. All vendor invoices are assigned a credit term of 30 days, unless other arrangements are made in advance. The Finance Department compares the total of invoices to be paid to the currently available cash balance, taking into consideration other cash requirements for the two-week period immediately following. If available cash is low for a particular check run, the Controller and/or the Director of Finance will decide on the timing and prioritization of payments. Blank check stock is kept under lock and key with access limited to the Finance Department. Unopened boxes of checks remain sealed and also under lock and key. Laser checks are placed in the printer, and the system automatically prints the information on the preprinted, pre-numbered checks. Upon completion of the check printing process, a Check Register is prepared, and the total of the check register is compared to the total of the Cash Requirements Report generated prior to the printing of the checks. The physical checks are reviewed for proper printing and confirmation of check numbers against the check register, and if all is acceptable, the Check Register is updated by the computer system. This update process reduces the accounts payable balance and the cash account balance to the general ledger. MCS utilizes laser checks that have two stubs attached. The check, along with stub number and any supporting remittance documentation, is mailed to the vendor by the Finance Department verifying that the check and stub number properly identifies the invoice number being paid. The 2nd check stub is stapled to the vendor invoice and filed in the Accounts Payable paid invoice file in alphabetical order by vendor, by school. In addition, the actual invoices are stamped or noted ―PAID‖ and documented with a reference as to date, check number, and amount paid. Vendor Statements Vendor statements are forwarded to the Finance Department for review and reconciliation to the vendor files. Any invoices noted on the vendor statement that have not been processed by the accounting system are identified for follow-up with the vendor, if appropriate.
In no event will payment be
processed without the original vendor invoice. No payments to vendors may be made on the basis of a statement – only invoices are valid documentation for payments. Tracking/Processing Manual Checks 29
No manual checks are necessary as BBFE accounting system permits batches as small as one check to be cut.
Stop Payments If a vendor reports an unpaid invoice, the Finance Department will determine if a check was cut for the invoice. If not, the invoice will be processed in accordance with normal Accounts Payable procedures. If a check was cut, the Finance Department reviews the BBFE check register through the date of the last reconciliation to see if the check cleared the bank. If the check is outstanding, the Finance Department will look at the bank statements and online bank records for dates subsequent to the last bank reconciliation to make sure that the check had not cleared. After determining that the check is outstanding the Finance Department will initiate a stop payment request through the Firstrust online banking system. At the end of stop payment process, a Stop Payment Request from is printed from the website, signed by the Finance Department and mailed to the bank for a written record of the stop payment request.
Processing in Financial Edge If the stop payment is being made in the same month as the effective date of the original transaction (post date), then follow the normal procedure for voiding checks. If the original transaction was processed in an earlier month that has already been closed, do not void the check. Open the bank register for the bank account the check was drawn on, click the New Adjustment button. On the Adjustment tab, select the Deposits in Transit category, enter the current date in the Date and Post Date fields, and enter the amount of the original check and a transaction description. Post status should be Not Yet Posted. In the GL Distribution tab, enter the original general ledger account charged. Select save and Close, then post the transaction. This Bank Adjustment has the effect of cancelling the expenditure in the current month so the expenses reported in the previous month are not affected. A new invoice must be posted for the same amount and accounts so that a new check can be generated. This invoice is processed through the normal Accounts Payable procedures.
8. CASH MANAGEMENT Background 30
The following is a summary of MCS’s cash management policies and procedures. These standards exist to protect the assets of MCS and ensure that cash is tracked carefully and managed responsibly. Cash Management – Policies         
MCS will track all revenue receipts in the Financial Edge accounting software system. Mastery Charter Schools (MCS) will reconcile cash general ledger balances to bank. balances for all entities on a monthly basis. MCS will produce monthly cash analysis statements for all entities. MCS will create cash flow statements on a quarterly basis and as needed. MCS will maintain $100-300k in cash at each entity for working capital purposes. MCS Leadership will determine any reserve requirement based on the school’s financial condition and the school’s stage of growth. School’s that have not yet reached full enrollment may be exempt from the reserve requirement. MCS will work with foundation partners to determine an investment strategy for private donor contributions. MCS will allow cash transfers between schools and foundations with Finance Committee, CEO & CFO approval MCS will invest in conservative bank instruments as allowed by Act 72 & with Finance Committee, CEO & CFO approval
MCS seeks to safeguard its assets and grow its cash balances while maintaining enough liquidity to fund ongoing campus operations and to fund ongoing new school expansion. It is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees, CEO, and CFO to establish the desired level of investment risk tolerance and to ensure that investments meet the criteria of Act 72. MCS will, with approval of the Board, invest in the following types of accounts: 1.
Short term US Treasuries
Certificates of Deposit (terms no longer than 12 months)
9. ASSUMPTION AND AUTHORIZATION OF DEBT Background
The purpose of this chapter is to outline the policies & procedures for assuming and authorizing debt, including but not limited to loans, lines of credit, mortgages & capital leases.
Key Agency Policies 
Mastery Charter Schools (MCS) will assume debt only in the event that financial goals cannot be via existing fund balances, grants from foundations, and/or district lease purchase agreements.
All debt must be authorized by the CEO & Board of Trustees.
MCS will obtain mortgages and/or capital leases to finance facilities when there is no other option (e.g. district lease buy-back)
MCS will obtain lines of credit for cash flow purposes as needed.
Key Agency Procedures 
The CFO will inform the Leadership Team if a debt assumption is necessary.
The CFO will obtain quotes from at least three lenders and recommend the best option to the Leadership Team.
The CEO will approve or reject the recommendation.
If the recommendation is approved, the CFO will present the recommendation and alternative options to the Finance Committee, who will forward the recommendation to the Board.
If approved, the Director of Finance will negotiate the deal with the lender.
The CEO and Board Chair must sign all required documentation.
10. BUDGET MANAGEMENT Background
The purpose of this chapter is to outline policies related to budget management.
Key Agency Policies 32
Mastery Charter Schools (MCS) will create a budget for Board of Trustees approval on an annual basis, typically at the June Board of Trustees meeting.
MCS will present a draft budget to the Finance Committee for review prior to requesting board approval.
MCS will submit budget revisions to the Board of Trustees once per year, typically at the December or March Board Meeting.
All budget changes require the approval of the CEO, COO & CFO.
The Finance Department will hold monthly budget meetings with each employee who has a budget, including Principals, AP’s/Directors of Operations & NST Directors.
Finance Departments and AP’s/Directors of Operations will be responsible for daily budget management at the school level.
MCS utilizes a budgeting process that begins with the strategic planning process.
The CEO, CFO, CAO, & COO create the mission-aligned goals for the year.
These goals are given to the Director of Finance along with recommended budget targets by entity campus.
The Finance Team creates a draft budget based on the information provided by the Leadership Team.
Principals, AP’s/Directors of Operations & NST Directors (budget owners) review the draft with the Director of Finance & provide input.
The Finance Team revises the draft based on the mission-aligned goals for the year, campus budget targets, and feedback from budget owners.
The Director of Finance reviews the final budget draft with the CEO & CFO
The CFO presents the final budget draft to the Finance Committee for review. The Finance Committee will be given at least one week to review and comment on the draft.
The final budget draft is submitted to the Board one week in advance of the Board of Trustees meeting at which the budget will be approved (typically the June meeting).
The CFO, CEO, & COO present the budget to the full Board of Trustees for approval.
Upon Board of Trustees approval, the budget is loaded into the Financial Edge software system for budget tracking purposes. 33
Final copies of the Board approved budget are submitted to the Finance Team, all budget owners and the Leadership Team.
11. RECORD RETENTION Background
The purpose of this chapter is to establish record retention timelines.
MCS will follow all applicable local, state, and federal guidelines regarding retention of financial records.
Records will be retained according to the following schedule: 1.
Bank reconciliations for 2 years
Accounts Payable files for 7 years
Payroll files for 7 years
Audited financial statements permanently on record
Grant records will be retained for 3 years from the date of final submission except as noted in OMB #215.53 Section (2) #1-4.
12. GRANT REPORTING Background This chapter establishes standards for grant and contract reporting at MCS.
o MCS will apply for grants as appropriate to fulfill its mission. Most donations are coursed through the Mastery Charter School Foundation in order to standardize and organize the donor and funder information. Grants will be directed to either the campus or the MCSF as determined by the conditions of the Grant. o The CEO will authorize the appropriate Director or Principal to apply for grants. o Schools may apply individually for private grants under $30,000, but must consult with the Director of Development to ensure that only one unified application is submitted. o All public grant applications (local, state & federal) must be coordinated with the Director of Development and Finance. o The Director of Finance or Grants Controller will provide necessary financial information as requested or required. o The CAO, Principal and/or Deputy Chief Innovative Officer (DCIO) will provide necessary programmatic information as requested or required. o Reports for all grants will be provided by the Finance Director or Grants Controller according to the terms of the grant agreement. o All grant revenues, expenses, and pledges will be recorded separately in the BBFE system using the approved Project and Grant Codes. See Appendix Chart of Accounts for listing. Contact the Grants Controller for updates. o All grant expenses must adhere to the following policy of Allowable, Allocable, and Reasonable. ALLOWABLE, ALLOCABLE, and REASONABLE COSTS The concepts of allowablity, allocability, and reasonableness of costs address directly the legitimacy of a cost charged against a specific grant or funder award. Determination of allowablity, allocability, and reasonableness of a given expense is based on specific guidelines of the funder/grantee or according to federal cost principles. OMB Circular A-21 Section C, states that the recipient institution is responsible for ensuring that costs charged to specific funders are allowable, allocable, and reasonable… Each financial transaction charged against a specific grant is evaluated against these three concepts. A primary responsibility of the MCS Finance Department is to insure that all costs charged to a grant are allowable and allocable. A determination of allowablity and allocability for a given cost is based on the specific guidelines of the funder and according to federal cost principles. Allowablity  The cost must be reasonable  The cost must be given consistent treatment though application of those generally accepted accounting principles appropriate to the circumstance.  The cost must conform to any limitations or exclusions set forth in the grant agreement or in the Federal Costs Principles (OMB Circular A-21) Allocability Once the criteria have been met, the costs must be evaluated against the criterion of allocability. That is, the cost has been incurred solely to support or advance the work of a funder and MCS. It also means the process of assigning a cost, or a group of costs, to one or more cost objectives, in reasonable and realistic proportion to the benefit provided or other equitable relationship. The cost objective may be a major function of MCS, a particular project, or determined as the time of allocation in a reasonable manner. Reasonableness The cost must be able to withstand public scrutiny, i.e. objective individuals not affiliated with MCS would agree that a cost is appropriate on a funder award.
The Grants Controller (GC) is responsible for all aspects of recording the appropriate and timely expenditures and revenues for all grants. The basic procedure for Fiscal grant management consists of three main processes, Application and Set Up, Expense Processing and Monthly Review; Funder reporting. These three processes are as follows: Application and Set Up 1. The Grant Application is developed and submitted under the supervision of the DCIO. If the grant is funded, the application and all related award communication is sent to the CFO and the GC. 2. The GC sets up an electronic according to procedure and adds the budget information to the appropriate fiscal schedules. This includes but is not limited to the Grants Allocation Worksheet and the Finance Committee report schedule. 3. The GC converts the grant year information to the Mastery fiscal year of July 1, 20XX to June 30, 20XX if necessary, submits this information to the CFO, and together they assign the proper BBFE coding structure to include Fund-Function-Acct Code-ProjectGrant as needed. 4. The CFO, GC, and all Program management staff together with the appropriate Campus/NST, meet to discuss; final adjustments are made. This vetted budget is then entered into BBFE.
Expense Processing and Monthly Review 1. As expenses are incurred, the originator will code and submit documents to the appropriate Payroll or Accounts Payable staff for processing. This processing includes a review of the budget and signoff by the GC. 2. Every month and when requested, the GC will run BBFE reports and compare the actual expenses to budget, looking for any missing or unexpected expenditures. Any and all adjusting entries are reviewed by the GC for budget and coding accuracy 3. In compliance to the month end close schedule, the GC will book revenue as appropriate and submit to the Director of Finance (DF) for review. 4. Each month the grant revenue, A/R, and deferred revenue accounts will be reviewed and reconciled. The monthly close schedule will be updated as each task is completed.
Funder Reporting 1. Each funder mandates their reporting requirements. The GC will develop and maintain a calendar of reporting requirements. The GC will work closely with the Compliance Officer and the Grant Program staff. 2. Grant reports are prepared by the GC and reviewed by the DF and other staff as required. If the grant requires a draw down the DCIO will also sign off on the grant report prior to the drawdown by the GC. 3. All relevant Grant reports and drawdown information are maintained in the Grants electronic Drive, O://, by grant or by sub grant as determined by the GC. The files for O:// contain the standard information which can be modified as needed. a. b. c. d. e. f.
Application Award and Budget Correspondence Payments Reports Site Visits
13. CLOSING THE BOOKS & RECORDS & DISSEMINATION OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION Background
This chapter outlines the key policies and procedures related to closing the General Ledger (GL) at month-end and at year-end so that timely and accurate financial statements can be produced for Mastery Charter Schools (MCS) in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principals (GAAP). This chapter also clarifies the process for determining the fiscal year for transactions that occur during the fiscal year transition at year-end and the process for correcting posting errors.
Monthly Closing of the General Ledger Policies and Procedures
Roles & Responsibilities o The Controller is the owner of the monthly GL closing process. The Controller will review the GL at month-end for posting accuracy. An accurate transaction is defined as a transaction that is posted to the correct fund, project, and GL account. The 37
Controller will determine if any transactions were misclassified. If so, the Controller will re-class the transaction(s) to the correct fund, project, and/or GL account. o The Accounting manager, AP and Payroll staff support the process by entering accounts payable transactions, entering payroll transactions, creating journal entries & reconciling bank statements. Communication o Each month, the Controller will set the close schedule and send an e-mail to all AP and Payroll Staff stating that all accounts payable transactions must be entered into BBFE prior to the date established in the monthly close. Journal Entries Journal entries enable MCS to comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Procedures of accrual accounting. The following end of month journal entries are posted to Blackbaud Financial Edge prior to the creation of financial statements: 
Payroll – A Journal Entry (JE) for all campus’ payroll is prepared by the Accounting Manager and posted according to the monthly deadline for posting entries as confirmed in the close schedule. Payroll JE’s can be posted as soon as the payroll is completed, but must be posted prior to the creation of monthly financial statements. The effective date of payroll JE’s is the Pay Period Ending date (PPE).
Cash & Bank Reconciliation(s) – Bank statements are reconciled on a monthly basis as soon as possible following month-end. While deposits and checks are posted throughout the month, interest, bank charges and miscellaneous fees are not recorded until the bank statements are reconciled to the GL. The Accounting Manager is responsible for reconciling the bank accounts of her/his campuses and posting the JE’s to complete the reconciliation. Discrepancies are researched and resolved by the Accounting Manager with assistance from other Finance staff as needed. All bank reconciliations are reviewed by the FD.
Accrued Revenue – Management may decide to accrue monthly estimates of grant, contribution or service revenue that is expected during the year but not yet received. Currently, the following accrued revenue entries are made:  Title I  Title II  IDEA
Accrued Expenses – Finance Management may decide to accrue expenses throughout the year if expenses are expected to be incurred. Currently, the following accrued expense entries are made as necessary: 38
Utilities Furniture Books Computers Contractual service items Known outstanding invoices of significant value
Health Insurance – MCS is self-insured with respect to medical and dental insurance. Creative Benefits sends a list of employees and their coverage with a summary of charges by type of insurance by campus. When received (typically mid-month), the Accounting Manager enters the information into BBFE via journal entry. The self-funded medical account at the NST is they funded by bank transfer. This transfer is done by the Accounting Manager and reviewed by the DF.
Liability insurance – Liability insurance is typically pre-paid with the premium due up front for the following 6 or 12 month period. When the invoice for the policy premium is received, it is posted to Accounts Payable (credit) with the debit posted to Pre-paid Insurance. If the insurer or agent permits a down payment with the balance paid in periodic installments the same entry is made. - At the time of payment the Controller calculate the monthly average premium to allocate over the life of the policy period and initiate a monthly JE to debit Insurance Expense and credit Pre-paid Insurance if necessary.
Employee Salaries & Benefits – Employee salaries and benefits, including health insurance premiums, are typically expensed to the campus where the employee works. However, employees of the NST may occasionally support more than one campus in their job description. As such, salary and benefit allocations are made as needed as directed by the CFO and the approved budget.
Other Entries – Additional JE’s are made as needed throughout the year to estimate costs of the period.
Encumbrances- Encumbrances are entries that reserve all or a portion of a GL line item budget for a particular purpose. The monthly close includes a review of all encumbrances to ensure that they are released as appropriate and applied to the correct purchase order.
Corrections o Prior to the posting of a transaction, changes may be made to the post date, fund, project, and/or GL account classification. o After a transaction has been posted, a reversing JE may be made to correct errors related to the post date, fund, project, and/or GL account classification. The FD may direct the staff to prepare a correcting JE that does not involve a previous reversal. 39
Annual Closing of the General Ledger: Policies and Procedures
Roles & Responsibilities o The Controller is the owner of the annual GL closing process. The Controller will review the GL at year-end for posting accuracy. An accurate transaction is defined as a transaction that is posted to the correct fund, project, and GL account. The Controller will determine if any transactions were misclassified. If so, the Controller will re-class the transaction(s) to the correct fund, project, and/or GL account. o All other Finance Staff support the process by entering accounts payable transactions, entering payroll transactions, creating journal entries & reconciling bank statements.
o Each year, the Controller will send an e-mail to the Principals, School Operation Staff, and the NST stating that all invoices are due to Finance prior to the date established in the annual close schedule
Journal Entries o Journal entries enable the Controller to comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Procedures of accrual accounting. The following end of year journal entries are posted to BBFE prior to the creation of financial statements: 
Payroll – A Journal Entry (JE) for each campus’ payroll is prepared by the Accounting Manager and posted according to the deadline for posting entries as confirmed in the annual schedule and will include the remaining 2 months payout of the teacher 12 month contract. Payroll JE’s can be posted as soon as the payroll is completed, but must be posted prior to the creation of annual financial statements. The effective date of payroll JE’s is the Pay Period Ending date (PPE).
Cash & Bank Reconciliation(s) – All bank statements for the year must be reconciled prior to year-end. The Accounting Manager is responsible for reconciling the bank accounts of her/his campuses and posting the JE’s to complete the reconciliation. Discrepancies are researched and resolved by the Accounting Manager with assistance from other Finance staff as needed. The FD reviews and approves all cash and bank reconciliations.
Accrued Revenue – Finance Management will thoroughly review all accrued revenue to ensure that no errors were made. In the event of an error, the processes outlined in the Corrections Section of this chapter will be followed.
Accrued Expenses – Finance Management will thoroughly review all accrued expenses to ensure that no errors were made. In the event of an error, the processes outlined in the Corrections Section of this chapter will be followed.
Accrued and Prepaid Balance Sheet Accounts – Finance Management will thoroughly review all accrued pre-paid expenses to ensure that the transactions were expensed to the proper account. In the event of an error, the processes outlined in the Corrections Section of this chapter will be followed.
Employee Salaries & Benefits – Finance Management will thoroughly review all allocated employee salaries and benefits to ensure that the transactions were charged to the proper entity. In the event of an error, the processes outlined in the Corrections Section of this chapter will be followed.
Other Entries – Additional JE’s are made as needed at year-end to estimate costs of the period that are known but not incurred.
Encumbrances- Encumbrances are entries that reserve all or a portion of a GL line item budget for a particular purpose. The annual close includes a review of all encumbrances to ensure that they are released as appropriate and applied to the correct purchase order.
Corrections o Before Post- Prior to the posting of a transaction, changes may be made to the post date, fund, project, and/or GL account classification. o After Post - After a transaction has been posted, a reversing JE may be made to correct errors related to the post date, fund, project, and/or GL account classification.
14. CAPITAL ASSETS (Property, Plant & Equipment) Background Although Mastery is considered a government entity by PA state law and thereby is required to expense all purchases in the year in which they were purchased, GAAP and Federal Funders require the development and maintenance of a Capital Asset register. This is a memo only register. Policies 41
The capital assets are identified and assigned a life in accordance with GAAP and all capital assets are depreciated by straight line as there is no tax impact of this memo activity.
Procedures The Capital Asset Register (CAG) is maintained by the Controller with review by the Director of Finance. This register is updated at least annually in accordance with the annual audit schedule. Appropriate documentation is maintained in the Finance Department files. In addition to the normal information contained in the CAG, any assets purchased with grant dollars will have the Funder Name listed. Supplies purchased with Federal dollars will be listed in a supplemental worksheet with the funder noted within the same register. 15. INSURANCE COVERAGE Background MCS strives to maintain sufficient levels of insurance to protect the students, employees, Board of Directors, and other interested parties at a level that meets or exceeds those required by law. Currently, MCS utilizes Domenick & Associates to assist with the procurement of insurance services, identifying the appropriate types of insurance and the appropriate levels of coverage. This coverage is determined by the CEO together with the COO, and CFO. Policies
Insurance is procured at prudent levels but at least at the levels required by law. MCS maintains insurance that will protect MCS, its students, employees, BOD, and all other interested parties. Insurance coverage includes but is not limited to the following: o Property o Crime o General Liability o Educators legal Liability o Commercial Auto o Sexual Abuse or Molestation o Directors and Officers Liability o Umbrella o Accident and Health (in addition to employee medical insurance) o Workers’ Compensation
The Controller is the direct contact to Domenick & Associates for any billing issues and obtaining Certificates of Insurance. o Certificate of Insurance - MCS staff contact the Controller who in turns contacts Domenick and Associates and requests the Certificate of Insurance be sent to the requesting party. The Controller does not maintain a file of these certificates, a file is maintained by Domenick & Associates. o Most insurance coverage is purchased for MCS as a whole. The Controller oversees the allocation of costs as recommended by Domenick & Associates. 16. AUDIT PREPARATION & PLANNING (TBD) Background The Finance Department is responsible for planning, coordination and completion of the annual audited financial statements for the Mastery Charter Schools. Annual selection of auditors is presented to the Finance Committee of the Board for approval. Policies and Procedures
Careful and timely planning, coordination and preparation are needed to ensure successful completion of the annual audits.
Typically all year-end revenue and expense estimates are
calculated at this time, including, but not limited to the following: -
Per pupil revenue from the School District of Philadelphia. The SDP calculates a final payment adjustment for the month of June that reflects a final reconciliation of Mastery campus’ attendance data entered into the District’s School Computer Network (SCN) system.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania subsidies (e.g., PSERS Subsidy) are estimated based upon completion of state report forms that are submitted as part of required fiscal year end reporting.
Identification of Title I and Title II costs through year end and the concomitant revenue for these programs.
Grant revenue accruals needed at year-end based on grant spending through June 30th.
Identification of accrued salaries and benefits as of June 30th. Teachers earn their pay over the 10 month school year (September through June) but are paid over a full 12-month year. Teachers and others identified as ―10 month‖ staff much have their pay received in the summer months (July and August) recorded as expenses of the recently completed fiscal year. Yearend bonuses for teachers, as well as ―12 month‖ administrative staff must be accrued as expenses of the just-completed fiscal year, even if they are paid in a later month (e.g., August).
Mastery schools operate on a June 30th fiscal year end.
Audits need to be
completed by December 31st in order to comply with PA Department of Education deadlines for audit submission. The following calendar is typically followed: -
Last day of fiscal year June 30th
Month of July – complete monthly journal entries, close June books and issue month-end financial statements
Month of August – Complete audit assistance schedules provided by the external CPAs. Complete final journal entries, grant allocations, all bank and credit card reconciliations, balance sheet account analyses and other schedules and reports requested.
August, final trial balances should be available for final internal review. -
September – Final trial balances should be reviewed and completed by about the 15 th of the month and provided to the external CPAs. During this month, preliminary transaction samples may be selected for testing by the external CPAs to meet single-audit (Circular A-133) requirements.
October – Fieldwork scheduled. Auditors are on site to complete work, interview key staff, review internal controls, complete follow-up work, etc. Final adjusting journal entries, if any, are processed during this time.
November – Fieldwork completed, exit conferences with internal staff noting status of completion and any remaining items to be resolved before issuance of draft reports. Staff prepares for presentation of audit drafts to the Finance Committee and the Board.
December – Draft audits reviewed and approved by the Board and Finance Committee. Audit reports issued, Data Collection sheets submitted to Federal and state governments, PA Department of Education Annual Financial Reports (AFR) submitted.
January and February – Form 990 tax returns prepared and submitted for Mastery schools. Finance staff assists with information and schedules needed for these returns. Tax returns presented to Board for review before submission to federal and state authorities.
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 333 Market Street Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333 Division of Federal Program Consolidated Program Review 2011-2012 School Year Mastery Charter High School 35 South 4th Street Philadelphia, PA 19106
Name Scott Gordon
Phone Number (215) 866-9000 x1056
(215) 866-9000 x1076
(267)671-2888
Title II Part A Coordinator:
(215) 866-9000 x1075
Check if Interviewed
Title III Coordinator: Fiscal Requirements Coordinator: Ed-Flex Waiver Review Coordinator: Title VI-B REAP Coordinator: Program(s) Reviewed: Title I
Ed-Flex Waiver Review
Title VI-B REAP
Title III Program Reviewer/s: Steve Marrone Marie D. Bonner Visit Date: 4/13/2012
2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 1 of 43
Title I Program Review I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X.
Highly Qualified Parent Involvement LEA Improvement School Improvement School Choice Supplemental Educational Services (SES) Schoolwide Programs Targeted Assistance Nonpublic Schools Comparability
Title I Program Review 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 2 of 43
I. Highly Qualified Component I: Highly Qualified The Local School System (LEA) designs and implements procedures that ensure the hiring and retention of qualified teachers and paraprofessionals and ensure that parents are informed of educator credentials as required. Sec. 1111 (h)(6)(A) Sec. 1119 (a)(1-2) (c)(1) Requirements 1a. All core content area teachers employed by the LEA are highly qualified. (Core content teachers in All Schools, not just Title I)
Not N/A Met
Suggested Evidence of Implementation List of teachers and their qualifications. Number of teachers who have met highly qualified. Number of teachers working toward becoming highly qualified
1b. LEA has a system in place to ensure that all core content area teachers become highly qualified.
Comments District Comments 3/14/2012 10:13:38 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron No NHQ teachers. Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:11:42 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone This site maintains 100% HQ Professional Staff.
List of teachers not
highly qualified. Plan, progress & projected date of completion.
3/14/2012 10:13:24 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron No NHQ teachers.
Title I Program Review - I. Highly Qualified 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 3 of 43
2. All instructional paraprofessionals supported by Title I are highly qualified.
List of paraprofessionals & their qualifications.
Verify number of paraprofessionals who have met highly qualified requirements.
AA Degree and/or local assessment
3. Parents (in Title I schools ONLY) are notified annually that they may request information regarding the professional qualifications of their child's teacher(s), and of paraprofessionals who provide instructional services to their children. 4. Parents (in Title I schools ONLY) are notified if their child is assigned to or being taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified in a core academic subject.
District Comments 3/14/2012 10:10:36 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron No Aides Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:12:27 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone No instructional paraprofessionals are employed at this site.
Copy of parent/guardian notification
Copy of dated letter of notification to parent/guardian
District Comments 3/14/2012 10:12:46 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron No NHQ teachers. Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:13:35 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone This LEA/site has such a letter/notification readily available should the situation arise.
May 5, 2012 Page 4 of 43
II. Parent Involvement Component II: Parent Involvement The LEA and schools meet parental involvement requirements. Sec. 1118(a)-(h) Sec. 1111(c)(14) Sec. 1111(d) Sec. 1116(a)(1)(D) Requirements 1. LEA has a written parental involvement policy and evidence that it is updated periodically.
Suggested Evidence of Implementation
Staff/Parent meeting agenda, memoranda, revisions. Website posting.
2. Schools receiving Title I funds have a written parent involvement policy/plan aligned with the LEA policy.
Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:19:23 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone The LEA and school site are a single entity.
3. LEA and schools have carried out the six requirements to build parents capacity to be involved in school:
a. Provide assistance to parents in understanding the State's academic content standards and student academic achievement standards, State and local academic assessments, the requirements of Title I, and how to monitor a child's progress and work with educators to improve student achievement;
Title I Program Review - II. Parent Involvement 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
*See 6 Parent Involvement Plan requirements below Staff/Parent meetings, agendas, and sign-in sheets.
May 5, 2012 Page 5 of 43
b. Provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve achievement, such as literacy and technology training; c. Educate instructional staff, with parental assistance, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, how to reach out to and communicate with and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs and build ties between parents and school; d. Coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with other programs (Head Start, Parents as Teachers, Early Reading First, public preschool, and parent resource centers), that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children;
Training materials, evaluations, agendas, calendar of events, etc. Staff/Parent meetings, agendas, and sign-in sheets.
Training materials, evaluations, agendas, calendar of events, etc.
Staff/Parent meetings, agendas, and sign-in sheets
e. Sent information related to school and parent programs to parents in a format and language the parents could understand; f. Provide full opportunities for participation of parents of LEP students, students with disabilities, parents of migrant children. 4. School parent involvement policies have been distributed to parents.
District Comments 3/14/2012 10:47:44 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron No outside agencies. Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:20:21 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone As Mastery/Lenfest is a secondary setting, programs, such as those listed, are not applicable.
Translated documents such as fliers, letters, web site postings, etc. Parent meetings, trainings, agendas, fliers, newsletters, and/or advertisements. Parent meeting agendas
documentation shared or distributed Title I Program Review - II. Parent Involvement 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 6 of 43
5. LEA has required schools to develop a written school-parent compact.
school-home compact Staff/Parent meeting agenda, memoranda.
6. Schools hold an annual meeting to inform participating parents about Title I programs.
Back-to-School Nights/Title I meetings. Agendas & attendance sheets of parent training.
7. LEA and schools have reviewed the effectiveness of school parental involvement activities.
Documentation such as Annual surveys and results, parent meetings, evaluations, and parent teacher conference evaluations. Agendas & attendance sheets of parent training.
8. LEA and schools have informed parents about the existence of a parent resource center, if one exists.
Documentation such as copies of fliers, letters sent home, posted information on boards at schools, and translated documents.
District Comments 3/23/2012 9:22:41 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron The school does not have a Parent Resource Center Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:21:52 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone Currently, a Parent Resource Center is not in existence at Lenfest. Recommend establishing one.
May 5, 2012 Page 7 of 43
III. LEA Improvement Component III: LEA Improvement LEAs identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring have met the requirements of being so identified. Sec. 1116(b)(1)(B) Sec. 1116(b)(3) Sec. 1116(b)(4)-(6) Sec. 1116(b)(7)(C)(ii) Sec. 1116(b)(14)(B) If the LEA is not identified for LEA Improvement, this section can be skipped. Requirements
1. The LEA notified parents if the LEA is identified for improvement or corrective action.
Suggested Evidence of Implementation Copy of letter of notification to parents that states the LEA's status, the reasons for the identification, and how parents can participate in LEA improvement activities.
Reviewers should ask how notifications were distributed to parents (newsletter, mailed letter, website, etc.). Newsletter Mailed Letter Website Other
2. The LEA has developed a district improvement plan using the core elements outlined in the state's district strategic planning framework, Leading for Learning!
Copy of LEA Improvement plan
Evidence of school board approval of plan Information on participation in the development of the plan (IU staff, outside expert, teachers, administrators, parents, etc.)
Title I Program Review - III. LEA Improvement 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 8 of 43
3. The LEA has set aside 10% of the district's Title I allocation for professional development activities necessary to ensure that the LEA makes AYP.
Reservation of Funds page of eGrants application. Professional development plan and/or calendar outlining the activities to be conducted with set aside funds.
If the LEA also has schools in improvement it is required to set aside 10% of the Title I building allocation for professional developments. This amount can be used toward the LEA required set aside.
May 5, 2012 Page 9 of 43
IV. School Improvement Component IV: School Improvement Schools identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring have met the requirements of being so identified. Sec. 1116(b)(1)(B) Sec. 1116(b)(3) Sec. 1116(b)(4)-(6) Sec. 1116(b)(7)(C)(ii) Sec. 1116(b)(14)(B) If the LEA has no Title I schools identified for any level of School Improvement, this section can be skipped. Requirements 1. The LEA notified all parents at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the school year if any schools are identified for improvement or corrective action. (See School Choice section and SES section for additional notification requirements.)
Suggested Evidence of Implementation Copy of letter of notification to parents must include the schools' status, comparison with other schools, action plan, the reasons for the identification, and how parents can participate in school improvement activities.
Verification of date of notification
• Reviewers should ask how notifications were distributed to parents (newsletter, mailed letter, website, etc.). • If applicable, the notification must be provided in different languages. Newsletter Mail Website Other In Different Languages
Title I Program Review - IV. School Improvement 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 10 of 43
2. The LEA posted on their website beginning with SY 2007 and all subsequent years identified: a. Number of students eligible and transferred due to Choice. b. Number of students who were eligible and participated in SES. c. List of available schools for transfer. d. List of available SES providers. 3. The LEA has developed a 2-year school improvement plan using the core elements outlined in the state's strategic school improvement planning framework, Getting Results!
Webpage Student attendance for building offering choice. Low Income or FRL numbers for school in SI 2 or CA.
Copy of school improvement plan Copy of Statement of Quality Assurance submitted to PDE with appropriate signatures.
Information on participation in the development of the plan (IU staff, outside expert, teachers, administrators, parents, etc.) 4. Each school identified for improvement must spend at least 10% of its Title I building allocation on professional development activities. ONLY School Improvement. not required for Corrective Action.
Professional development plan and/or calendar outlining the activities to be conducted with set aside funds. Sign-in sheets for professional development activities. Meeting minutes or agendas regarding scientifically based methods and strategies. Title I Budget
5. Each school identified for Corrective Action 1 or 2 involves parents in corrective actions taken to improve academic achievement.
Meeting agendas Parent notifications Meeting minutes
May 5, 2012 Page 11 of 43
V. School Choice Component V: School Choice The LEA ensures that requirements for public school choice are met. Sec. 1116(b)(1)(D) and (E) Sec. 1112(g)(4) If the LEA has no buildings in School Improvement I or choice can't be offered because there are no schools available for choice, this section can be skipped. Requirements 1. The LEA at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the school year notified parents of all students enrolled in the identified school of their option to transfer their children to another public school within the LEA that is NOT identified for improvement or corrective action.
• Reviewers should ask how notifications were distributed to notification to parents that parents (newsletter, mailed informs parents of school choice and the process to be letter, website, etc.). used to exercise the option. • This notice may be a part of the general school improvement notification or it may be a Verification of date of separate notice. parent notification. • If applicable, the notification must be provided in different languages. Copy of letter of
Newsletter Mail Website Other As Part of a General Notification In Different Languages
Title I Program Review - V. School Choice 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 12 of 43
2. The LEA posted on their website prior to the beginning of the school year: a. Number of students eligible for transfer. b. Number of students who transferred. c. List of available schools for Choice transfers.
LEA Webpage Student attendance for building offering choice. List of schools not in improvement available to accept Choice transferred students.
3. The LEA implemented a priority system for satisfying school choice requests only when cost is above the 20% maximum of Title I.
4. The LEA set aside, at a minimum, an amount equal to 5% of its Title I allocation to pay for costs associated with school choice.
Limits on school choice cannot be imposed arbitrarily by the policies regarding the prioritization that took place LEA for any reasons other than when granting school choice those associated with health and safety issues surrounding transfers. building capacity. Explanation or copy of
Reservation of Funds page of eGrants application.
• LEAs must set aside a minimum of 5%, but do not have to exceed 20%.
Other financial documents to document state and local funds used to support school choice costs.
5. If the LEA requested rollover of unused funds set aside for Choice the LEA met all of the following requirements: a. Partner with community groups b. Ensure students/parents have a genuine opportunity to sign up for choice transfer. c. Parent notification mailed out at least 14 days prior to the start of the school year. d. Website posting lists number of students eligible and participating. 6. The LEA maintains records regarding transfer requests (approved and denied), numbers of students transferring and the buildings accepting transferred students.
Appropriate records used to record school choice information.
Reviewers will find previous year data under SES and School Choice Data on the egrant main menu.
Choice data is entered in eGrants
Appropriate records used to record school choice information. Choice data is entered in eGrants
May 5, 2012 Page 13 of 43
VI. Supplemental Educational Services (SES) Component VI: Supplemental Educational Services (SES) The LEA ensures that requirements for the provision of Supplementary Educational Services (SES) are met. Sec. 1116(e) If the LEA has no buildings in School Improvement II or any level of Corrective Action, this section can be skipped. Requirements
1. The LEA notified parents of all low income (eligible) students of their option to obtain Supplemental Educational Services (SES) for their children and does not require additional requirements for participation.
• Reviewers should ask how notifications were parents that informs parents of the distributed to parents availability of SES and the process (newsletter, mailed letter, to follow to obtain it. website, etc.). Documentation to show that the • This notice may be a state approved list of SES providers part of the general school was also forwarded to parents and improvement notification that parents had ample opportunity or it may be a separate to choose a provider. notice. • If applicable, the notification must be provided in different languages. • SES may not replace other school programs (Supplement vs. Supplant) Copy of letter of notification to
Newsletter Mail Website Other Part of General Notification In Different Languages Title I Program Review - VI. Supplemental Educational Services (SES) 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 14 of 43
2. The LEA posted on their website: a. Number of students eligible for SES. b. Number of students participating in SES c. List of available SES providers
See List of providers on PDE/SES webpage.
List of SES Providers including distance providers Selection of Schools Low Income data
3. The LEA has correctly identified low income (eligible) students for SES and prioritized appropriately when determining participation only when cost is above the maximum amount of per pupil amount or 20% of Title I funding.
Low-income measure used to determine Title I building eligibility MUST be used to determine student eligibility for SES.
4. The LEA must enter into agreements between the LEA, the provider and the parent of the participating child for carrying out SES.
Copies of contracts for each provider and student participating in SES.
5. The LEA provides at least two enrollment windows for SES during the school year.
Criteria for priority of services.
Parent Notifications Signed Agreements
Reviewers should ask parents of eligible students if they are aware of the two SES windows. Parents Asked
6. The LEA offered SES providers equal access to school facilities as other organizations using a fair, open and objective process. 7. If the LEA requested rollover of unused funds set aside for SES the LEA met all of the following requirements: a. Partner with community groups b. Ensure students/parents have a genuine opportunity to sign up for choice transfer. c. Parent notification mailed out at least 14 days prior to the start of the school year. d. Website posting lists number of students eligible and participating.
LEA Policy for access to school facilities. SES Provider agreements Parent Notification LEA Website FBO/CBO correspondence, phone logs or posters
Reviewers should ask parents if they were aware of the opportunity to request SES. Parents Asked
DFP notification and Assurances for Rollover Form
Title I Program Review - VI. Supplemental Educational Services (SES) 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 15 of 43
8. The LEA maintains records regarding the numbers of students participating in SES.
List of each school offering SES and the providers being used along with the number of students participating. SES data entered in eGrants.
May 5, 2012 Page 16 of 43
VII. Schoolwide Programs Component VII: Schoolwide Programs The LEA and schools develop schoolwide programs taht use the flexibility provided to them by law to improve the academic achievement of all students in the school. Sec. 1114 If the LEA does not operate a Schoolwide Program in any Title I schools, this section can be skipped. Requirements
1. LEA provides guidance, technical assistance and support to schools developing schoolwide programs in the areas of needs assessment, comprehensive planning, implementation, and evaluation of a schoolwide program and requirements.
Suggested Evidence of Implementation Evidence of the Planning Process and Technical Assistance.
Initial Planning meeting agenda/list of participants. Whole-school orientationagenda/list of participants.
Comments District Comments 3/19/2012 12:12:30 PM Director of Compliance Michael Patron Process is combined with Charter Annual Report
Planning Team roster and calendar of meetings. Plan approval. Budget Reports. Copy of schoolwide plans
Title I Program Review - VII. Schoolwide Programs 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 17 of 43
2. Schoolwide program plans include the ten required components, are reviewed and evaluated annually, and revised accordingly.
Schoolwide agenda/minutes. School wide plan that includes goals. Completion of approved Generation 5 "Getting Results" School Improvement plan. (All required components are embedded in this plan.)
Assessments Comprehensive Needs Assessment and a system of documentation.
Identification of scientificallybased strategies to address needs.
2a. Comprehensive Needs Assessment
2b. Schoolwide reform strategies 2c. Instruction by highly qualified staff 2d. High quality and ongoing professional development 2e. High-quality teachers to "high-need" schools
District Comments 3/19/2012 12:12:58 PM Director of Compliance Michael Patron One School. Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:16:12 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone Mastery/Lenfest is a single school entity.
2f. Parent Involvement
May 5, 2012 Page 18 of 43
2g. Transitioning preschool children
District Comments 3/19/2012 12:13:16 PM Director of Compliance Michael Patron N/A Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:17:31 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone As this is a secondary setting, no preschool children are enrolled.
2h. Teacher input in assessment decisions 2i. Effective, timely and additional assistance to students having difficulty mastering proficient or advanced levels of academic achievement standards 2j. Coordinated budget 3. Indication of which program funds have been consolidated in the schoolwide program and how the intent and purposes of the individual programs consolidated are addressed.
Financial reports. SWP
District Comments 3/19/2012 12:13:47 PM Director of Compliance Michael Patron No consolidation. Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:18:27 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone Mastery/Lenfest budgets are coordinated from all funding sources.
May 5, 2012 Page 19 of 43
VIII. Targeted Assistance Component VIII: Targeted Assistance The LEA targeted assistance programs meet all requirements. Sec. 1115 If the LEA only operates Schoolwide Programs in Title I schools, this section can be skipped. Requirements 1. The LEA has established targeted assistance programs that address statutory purposes and meet requirements, including the following: •
using effective instructional methods and strategies that strengthen the core academic program of the school primary consideration to providing extended learning time for students served an accelerated high quality curriculum Minimizing the removal of children from regular classroom during regular school hours.
Identification of scientificallyresearched based instructional models.
School improvement plans. Team meetings, professional development, agendas, sign-in sheets, minutes, etc. School schedules and schedules for Title I staff and eligible students. Benchmarks of Title I students receiving supplemental instruction.
2. LEA ensures that targeted assistance program planning coordinates with and supports the regular education program in schools.
School Improvement Plan (identifies targeted assistance programs). Documentation of scheduled team meetings.
3. LEA promotes the integration of staff supported with targeted assistance funds into the regular school program, including professional development.
Title I Program Review - VIII. Targeted Assistance 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
Staff schedules Documentation such as agenda for topics, sign-in sheets, etc.
May 5, 2012 Page 20 of 43
4. Selection for eligible students.
Selection criteria process/multiple selection criteria. Student roster. Teacher/parent recommendation Assessment data of Title I student
May 5, 2012 Page 21 of 43
IX. Nonpublic Schools Component IX: Nonpublic Schools The LEA provides Title I services to eligible children attending nonpublic schools. Sec. 1120 Sec. 9503 34 CFR Part 200 §200.62 - 200.67, 200.77 §200.77(f) §200.78(a) If the LEA has no participating Nonpublic schools, this section can be skipped. Requirements 1. LEA has public school ranking charts with per-pupil allocations identified. (Equitable Services)
Financial reports, line items to private school children in budget. List of participating private schools. Consolidated application
2. LEA has policies and procedures for provision of services to eligible children attending nonpublic schools. 3. Consultation occurred between LEA and nonpublic school officials.
Consolidated Application Procedures
Copies of letters to private schools, agendas, meeting dates, participant lists/sign-in Consolidated application Record that services have been discussed
4. LEA regularly supervises the provision of Title I services to nonpublic children.
Staff evaluations, visits/communication Announcements/sign-in sheets for professional development and parent involvement opportunities
5. LEA is evaluating the Title I program serving nonpublic school students.
Needs assessments/survey Assessment data
Title I Program Review - IX. Nonpublic Schools 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 22 of 43
6. Nonpublic school children, families and teachers are receiving equitable services.
Hired teachers to work with participating Title I students Announcements/sign-in sheets for professional development and parent involvement opportunities
7. The LEA has budgets that document appropriate set-asides.
Consolidated application Quarterly Reports/Final Expenditure Reports
8. The LEA has third party contract(s).
Name of Third Party Contractor Payroll sheets Written contract. Consolidated application
9. The LEA has complaint procedures for private school officials.
Copy of complaint procedures
May 5, 2012 Page 23 of 43
X. Comparability Component X: Comparability The LEA complies with the comparability provisions of Title I. Sec. 1120A(c) If the LEA is exempt from Comparability requirements, this section can be skipped. For example, if there is no overlap of grade spans, the LEA is exempt from this requirement. Requirements 1. Title I Comparability Report comparing Title I schools to non-Title I schools reported to SEA annually in Pennsylvania and submitted by November 15th.
Support Data housed at the LEA (individual school lists with staff names attached to the positions counted and excluded) Documentation maintained supports the report submitted by November 15th of each year
HR action documentation for any corrective actions taken Records are maintained for 3 years. Written procedures to ensure that comparable services are provided. Articulated (written) process on the movement of staff during school year to meet the November 15th deadline. %>
Comments All components appear to be in complete compliance, along with fine attention to accuracy and detail. Would make some minor suggestions: 1) Broader Parent Involvement would be welcome, with real, meaningful engagement on several fronts such as School-wide Plan, etc., 2) Even though Mastery provides excellent systemic guidance, the sites need to be mindful that there can/should be specific adjustments particular to each site in terms of Parent Involvement Policies, Compacts, etc., and 3) Parent Compact was very well written, especially with regard to 'Whatever it takes...' However, it really needs to be a 3-party document, with more of the school's role articulated, as well as signed and dated, possibly. Also, consider a Parent Resource Center. Good job overall. Title I Program Review - X. Comparability 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 24 of 43
Title II A Program Review Highly Qualified Requirements 1. The LEA has a plan in place to ensure all teachers of core academic subjects will be highly qualified. Section 1119 (a)(1)&(3) and Section 2141 (a)
List of teacher qualifications Principal Attestation (PDE Form 425)
HQT IPDPs prepared for each teacher who is not highly qualified 2. The LEA is implementing an individualized professional development plan for non-highly qualified teachers as indicated in the annual principal attestation (PDE Form 425). *This applies to LEAs that have not maintained highly qualified teacher status for 2 consecutive years. Section 2141(c)
Individual professional development plan for each nonHQ teacher
LEA-supported and/or sponsored PD exists to assist teachers
District Comments 3/23/2012 9:27:19 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron Not necessary since the school has 100% HQT Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:23:01 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone Mastery/Lenfest currently is 100% HQ.
Title II A Program Review - Highly Qualified 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 25 of 43
Requirements 3. The LEA has entered into a written agreement with the SEA that outlines its use of Titles I & IIA funds to achieve highly qualified status. Section (2141(c) *This applies to LEAs that have not made AYP and maintained 100% HQ for 3 consecutive years.
Suggested Evidence of Implementation LEA/SEA plan Evidence exists that plan is being implemented (this could vary from LEA to LEA)
Comments District Comments 3/14/2012 9:34:52 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron N/A Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:24:33 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone As this site has achieved AYP and maintained 100% HQ for the specified time period, this item is non-applicable.
May 5, 2012 Page 26 of 43
4. The LEA conducts an assessment of local needs for professional development and hiring, as identified by the LEA and school staff. Section 2122 (c)(1)(2)
Suggested Evidence of Implementation Copy of district needs assessment and findings
Comments District Comments 3/14/2012 9:45:14 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron See PDE Approved Professional Education Report and Charter Annual Report. Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:26:44 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone The current School-wide Plan, as well as on-going observations by the administrative team, address this area both over the short and long term.
5. The LEA involves parents in the planning of professional development activities. Section 2122 (b)(7)
District Comments 3/14/2012 9:45:22 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron See PDE Approved Professional Education Report. Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:28:01 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone The School-wide Plan review and development involves Parents in the process.
Title II A Program Review - Professional Development 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 27 of 43
6. The LEA professional development activities are based on a review of scientifically based research and designed to improve student academic achievement. Section 2122 (b)(1)(B)
7. The LEA provides professional development activities to improve the knowledge of teachers, principals, paraprofessionals and other school staff. Section 2123 (A)(3)(A&B)
Suggested Evidence of Implementation List of professional development activities aligned to district plan.
List of In-Service activities Attendance rosters
Comments District Comments 3/14/2012 9:45:38 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron See PDE Approved Professional Education Report and Charter Annual Report. District Comments 3/14/2012 9:45:48 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron See PDE Approved Professional Education Report and Charter Annual Report.
8. The LEA professional development activities are used as part of a broader strategy to eliminate the achievement gap that separates low-income and minority students from other students. Section 2122 (b)(2)
PD needs assessment Teacher surveys ACT 48 PD plan
District Comments 3/14/2012 9:45:56 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron See PDE Approved Professional Education Report and Charter Annual Report.
May 5, 2012 Page 28 of 43
Class Size Reduction Requirements 9. The LEA targets funds to schools that have the lowest portion of highly qualified teachers; have the largest average class size; or are identified for school improvement. Section 2122 (b)(3)
3/14/2012 9:47:08 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron Single school.
Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:29:24 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone This LEA/school site is a single entity. 10. The LEA utilizes highly qualified teachers to reduce class size. Section 2123 (a)(2)(B)
11. The LEA provides expenditures for educational services to eligible nonpublic school children equal to the proportion of funds allocated to participating public school attendance areas. Section 9501(a)(b)(4)
Highly Qualified Teacher Credentials from PDE
Expenditures for nonpublic services List on PDE web site Title II-A Non-public share
District Comments 3/14/2012 9:48:38 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron N/A - Charter School Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:30:10 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone As a charter school, this requirement is not applicable.
Title II A Program Review - Class Size Reduction 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 29 of 43
Requirements 12. LEA ensures equitable distribution of experienced and HQ teachers within the districts schools to ensure poor and minority students are not taught at higher rates than other students by inexperienced, unqualified, or out-of-field teachers. Section 1112(c)(1)(L)
Suggested Evidence of Implementation Equity Plan Agendas of Equity Plan Meetings Meeting minutes of Equity Plan writing & planning sessions.
Comments District Comments 3/14/2012 9:50:36 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron No inequities found.
Teachers are reassigned Changes to union contract Review of HQT/NHQT data and strategies revised in equity plan when there is no improvement
Comments Kudos to your commitment on the HQ front, both in terms of your percentage, as well as a Plan to insure continued success. Also, the on-going professional observations by your administrative team speak volumes in terms of real professional development across the instructional staff as well as where any one individual may be concerned. Professional development without follow-up and feedback is hardly ever effective. Your attempts to 'norm' instructional strategies and behaviors is well thought out and meaningful and demonstrates your belief and commitment in the investment in your Staff. All items within Title II-A appear to be compliant as well as most effective.
May 5, 2012 Page 30 of 43
Component XI: Fiscal Requirements Description A. Audits
1. Copies of single audit reports (2 most recent), corrective action The SEA ensures that plans and approval documents for the LEA. the State and the LEAs are audited annually, if required, and that all corrective actions required through this process are fully implemented. OMB Circular A-87
Component XI: Fiscal Requirements 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
PDE Monitor LEA response to review single audit findings. from previous year PDE follow-up (federal programs reviews of findings. only) and reviews district comments Independent (management auditors report letter). shows that the LEA has corrected all action required.
Comments District Comments 3/23/2012 9:39:55 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron There were no significant findings in the audits. Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:01:05 AM Monitor Marie Bonner There were no significant findings in the last two audits examined by the monitors.
May 5, 2012 Page 31 of 43
Description B. Carryover The LEA complies with the carryover provisions of Title I. Sec. 1127
Requirements 1. LEAs with allocations greater than $50,000 per year have not carried over more than 15% of their allocation from one year to the next unless the SEA has waived the limitation (allowable once every 3 year cycle if the SEA believes the request is reasonable and necessary).
2. The LEA has requested (and received) a waiver from the SEA if the carryover from the prior year exceeds 15%.
Not Met N/A Met
Suggested Evidence of Implementation Title I Budget section on eGrants.
Comments District Comments 3/19/2012 5:19:26 PM Director of Compliance Michael Patron Not needed. Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:02:03 AM Monitor Marie Bonner There was not any carryover amount in the budgets.
Waiver request on eGrants. Waiver request approval on file and at PDE.
District Comments 3/19/2012 5:19:16 PM Director of Compliance Michael Patron Not needed. Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:02:43 AM Monitor Marie Bonner Since there was no carryover, there was no need for a waiver.
C. Rank Order
May 5, 2012 Page 32 of 43
The LEA ensures that 1. The LEA is only serving it complies with the eligible schools and all schools requirements of Title above 75% poverty are served. I when allocating funds to eligible school attendance areas or schools in rank order of poverty based on the number of children from lowincome families who reside in an eligible school attendance area. Sec. 1113 34 CFR Part 200 §200.77-§200.78
2. The ranking procedures are applied without regard to grade spans or schools with a poverty rate of 75% and above.
3. Eligible schools are ranked and served from highest to lowest poverty.
4. The allocation to each eligible school and the per pupil allocation match. Component XI: Fiscal Requirements 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
Suggested Evidence of Implementation Documentation detailing the poverty data used to determine eligibility
Comments District Comments 3/19/2012 5:19:55 PM Director of Compliance Michael Patron No rank order because only a single school Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:03:53 AM Monitor Marie Bonner No rank order necessary because it is a single school site. Poverty of the school is 93%.
Schools with poverty rates of 75% or greater are served. Funds are allocated at a per pupil rate.
Actual allocations match Consolidated Plan.
Per pupil expenditures at building level matches consolidated application
Monitor Comments 4/26/2012 10:00:07 AM New Coordinator Steve Marrone No rank order necessary because it is a single school site. Poverty of the school is 93%. Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:04:33 AM Monitor Marie Bonner Single school site. Allocations match the Consolidated Application.
May 5, 2012 Page 33 of 43
Requirements 5. Allocations given to Title I schools match approved amounts on consolidated application.
Local budget sheets. System tracking expenditure reports.
6. The prekindergarten (PreK) children are excluded from the poverty count of any school.
D. Supplement / Supplant
1. LEA approved budget and records of expenditures of Title I funds at the district level match.
The LEA ensures that Title I funds are used only to supplement or increase non-Federal sources used for the ducation of participating children and not to supplant funds from nonFederal sources. Sec. 1114 Sec. 1115 Sec. 1116 Sec. 1120A
The LEA's count of children from low income families does not include children under the age of 5.
Statement of Allocation & Expenditures
4/16/2012 9:05:31 AM Monitor Marie Bonner School does not have any PreK students in the school, therefore no service required. Pertains to: • Title IA & D • Title II A • Title III • Reading First *Documentation may minimal or non-existent in cases regarding supplanting. If you think there may be a problem, refer to DFP Regional Coordinator.
May 5, 2012 Page 34 of 43
Requirements 2. Schoolwide program expenditures verify that funds have not supplanted non-federal resources.
Suggested Evidence of Implementation Statement of Allocation & Expenditures. Expenditures match SWP activities State/local fund expenditures have not decreased
3. Targeted assistance program expenditures meet the statutory requirements and are supplemental in nature & do not supplant non-federal resources.
Statement of Allocation & Expenditures are supplemental
Comments District Comments 3/19/2012 5:21:31 PM Director of Compliance Michael Patron Decreases, if any, are due to the presence of one-time ARRA funding.
District Comments 3/19/2012 5:21:37 PM Director of Compliance Michael Patron SWP Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:06:49 AM Monitor Marie Bonner This is not a Targeted Assistance School site.
May 5, 2012 Page 35 of 43
Description E. Equipment and Related Property
Requirements 1. LEA maintains Inventory records, purchase orders and receipts for equipment purchased.
OMB Circular A-87 EDGAR 80.32
Suggested Evidence of Implementation Inventory is on file and up to date (All equipment at $1,500 or LEA capitalization threshold $______ is maintained).
Additional Evidence Pertains to: • Title IA & D • Title II A • Title III • Reading First
Comments District Comments 3/16/2012 1:02:07 PM Director of Compliance Michael Patron Funds are not used for inventory. Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:08:01 AM Monitor Marie Bonner No federal funds are used to purchase any equipment. School does maintain an active personal property inventory list which is updated each year.
2. The LEA conducts a physical inventory of all equipment at least once every two years.
Pertains to: • Title IA & D • Title II A • Title III • Reading First
District Comments 3/16/2012 1:02:31 PM Director of Compliance Michael Patron Funds are not used for equipment. Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:08:40 AM Monitor Marie Bonner The school maintains an up to date property inventory of all equipment.
F. Compliance to Reservations
May 5, 2012 Page 36 of 43
Description The LEA complies with requirements regarding the reservation of funds.Sec. 1113 Sec. 1116 Sec. 1118
Requirements 1. The LEA has reserved funds necessary to provide services comparable to those provided to children in Title I funded schools to serve homeless children, neglected children in local institutions, and if appropriate, N or D children in community day schools and delinquent children in local institutions.
2. LEA has reserved an amount equal to 20% of its Title I allocation for transportation/supplemental services or both. (for school improvement schools only; if no schools in school improvement, check NA)
Suggested Evidence of Implementation Reservations are in the budget. Line items can be followed. Expenditures are charged to the line items.
Comments District Comments 3/23/2012 9:42:32 AM Director of Compliance Michael Patron Homeless children served out of operating budget Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:10:05 AM Monitor Marie Bonner Homeless students are served out of Operating Budget and need not be served out of Title I funds because it is a charter School.
Reservations are in the ROF screen on egrants. Line items can be followed. Expenditures are charged to the line items.
Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:12:11 AM Monitor Marie Bonner The school is not in School Improvement therefore they do not need to reserve 20% set aside for SES and School Choice.
LEA documents expenditures for choice and supplemental services (agreements between LEA and providers).
May 5, 2012 Page 37 of 43
Requirements 3. LEAs receiving more than $500,000 have reserved 1% of their allocation for parental involvement and that 95% of those funds have been distributed to served schools.
**If the combined amount of ARRA & Title I Basic funds result in the LEA's 95% allocated to total allocation being $500,000 or schools. more, a parent Line item involvement set reflects 1%. aside of 1% is required. Budget Line Item for professional development. Procedure for allocation 95% to schools.
Comments Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:13:20 AM Monitor Marie Bonner The district reserves the funds for Parent involvement activities as prescribed by law.
Agendas, SignIns, Calendar of training, contracts with trainers etc. Expenditures supporting professional development.
May 5, 2012 Page 38 of 43
Requirements 4. LEAs with Title I schools identified for improvement have set aside 10% of funds for professional development activities.
Suggested Evidence of Implementation Activities scheduled for professional development, agendas, sign-in, contracted technical assistance, etc. 10% of the Title I allocation is reported on the LEA actual budget reports under professional development.
Comments Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:14:31 AM Monitor Marie Bonner The school/district is not in School Improvement therefore it is not necessary to have the 10% set aside for professional development.
Activities scheduled for professional development agendas, sign-in, contracted technical assistance, etc. 10% of school's in improvement allocation is tracked by LEA for professional development.
May 5, 2012 Page 39 of 43
Description G. Obligating Funds
H. Nonpublic School Services
Requirements 1. The LEA began obligating funds on or after the program approval date
1. The LEA reserved the same per pupil amount to each non-public low-income child as distributed to each public low-income child.
Suggested Evidence of Implementation Dates on expenditure records (invoices, purchase orders, etc) begin on or after program approval date (Approval date can be found on Grant Approval Letter) eGrants SOS and Nonpublic Section and budget line item on eGrants Interdistrict agreement and/or 3rd Party contract amounts match what is approved on consolidated application.
Additional Evidence Pertains to: • Title IA & D • Title II A • Title III • Reading First Pertains to: • Title IA & D • Title II A • Title III • Reading First
Comments Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:15:45 AM Monitor Marie Bonner Expenditure records indicate that they did not utilized funds until after the grant approval date of July 7, 2011. District Comments 3/16/2012 1:04:27 PM Director of Compliance Michael Patron Funds not used for nonpublic low income children Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:16:21 AM Monitor Marie Bonner Charter School does not service any non public schools.
May 5, 2012 Page 40 of 43
Description I. Time Documentation
Requirements 1. The LEA maintains semiannual certifications for all employees funded from a single cost objective.
2. The LEA maintains time documentation logs/schedules for prorated staff including the amount of time spent on each funding source activity; the logs are signed by a supervisor and reconciled to payroll documentation on a monthly basis
1. Records are maintained for a period of 7 years
Suggested Evidence of Implementation Semi-annual time certifications
Logs Staff Calendars Staff Schedules
Comments Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:17:16 AM Monitor Marie Bonner Monitor reviewed the Time documentation for all personnel funded with Title I funds. District Comments 3/19/2012 5:24:24 PM Director of Compliance Michael Patron No prorated staff. Monitor Comments 4/16/2012 9:17:57 AM Monitor Marie Bonner No prorated staff is utilized at this school site, therefore no time documentation necessary.
May 5, 2012 Page 41 of 43
All fiscal records are compliant and maintained in pristine order by the fiscal office. The uses of Title I funding is compliant and the program is principally used to purchase personnel to reduce the number of students in each class. All records are maintained electronically and were produced immediately when reviewed.
May 5, 2012 Page 42 of 43
Personnel Interviews Building
Staff Member Position
Lenfest-Mastery Charter High School
Vice Principal-Operations
Laura Killips
Personnel Interviews 2011-2012 Monitoring Protocol
May 5, 2012 Page 43 of 43
Image description. Logo End of image description.
Executive Summary BSE Compliance Monitoring Review of the
Mastery Charter High School PART I SUMMARY OF FINDINGS A. Review Process
Prior to the Bureau of Special Education (BSE) monitoring the week of February 4, 2010, the Mastery Charter High School was formally notified of the dates the onsite review would be conducted. Notice and invitation to comment was also provided to the Local Task Force on Right-to-Education. The charter school was informed of its responsibility to compile various reports, written policies, and procedures to document compliance with requirements.
While onsite, the monitoring team employed a variety of techniques to gain an in depth understanding of the charter school's program operations. These techniques included:
Interviews of charter school administrative and instructional personnel Review of policies, notices, plans, outcome and performance data, special education forms and formats, and data reports used and compiled by the charter school (Facilitated Self-Assessment) Comprehensive case studies (including classroom observations, interviews of parents, students, and general and special education teachers, and student file reviews).
General Findings In reaching compliance determinations, the BSE monitoring teams apply criteria contained in federal and state special education regulations. Specifically, these are:
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 22 Pa. Code Chapter 711 34 CFR Part 300
In addition to reporting the status of compliance, the BSE wishes to recognize the Mastery Charter High School for the following: • • • •
The Charter School is commended for its foresight in establishing a school-based mental health program. The Charter School is commended for its full time emotional support classroom/program which enables students to receive expanded placement options while remaining at the Charter School. The Charter School is commended for the number and variety of additional resources and supports (administrative and teaching staff) devoted to the special education program. The Charter School is commended for building a strong infrastructure for parent involvement and communication between parents and staff. All teachers are required to have a minimum of (7) parent contacts per week.
Executive Summary for Mastery Charter High School
The Charter School is commended for its comprehensive pre-IEP referral process which involves an intensive approach to address students' needs prior to initiating the formal IEP evaluation process.
This report focuses on compliance with requirements and also contains descriptive information (such as interview results) intended to provide feedback to assist in program planning.
C. Overall Findings
FACILITATED SELF-ASSESSMENT (FSA)
The chairperson reviewed the FSA submitted by the charter school and conducted onsite verification activities of the information submitted in the FSA. The onsite verification activities included review of policies, notices, procedures, and charter school file reviews.
Assistive Technology and Services; Hearing Aids Positive Behavior Support Policy Child Find (Annual Public Notice and General Dissemination Materials) Confidentiality Dispute Resolution (Due process hearing decision implementation) Exclusions: Suspensions and Expulsions (Procedural Requirements) Independent Education Evaluation Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Provision of Extended School Year Services Provision of Related Service Including Psychological Counseling Parent Training Public School Enrollment Surrogate Parents (Students Requiring) Personnel Training Intensive Interagency Approach Summary of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance/Procedural Safeguard Requirements for Graduation Disproportionate Representation that is the Result of Inappropriate Identification
IMPROVEMENT PLAN REQUIRED
Effective use of Dispute Resolution Graduation Rates (SPP) Dropout Rates (SPP) Suspensions (Rates) Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) (SPP) Participation in PSSA and PASA (SPP) Participation in Charter-Wide Assessment Public School Enrollment Disproportionate Representation due to Identification, Educational Environment, Suspension or Expulsion
FILE REVIEW (Student case studies)
The education records of randomly selected students participating in special education programs were studied to determine whether the charter school complied with essential requirements.
The status of compliance of the Mastery Charter High School is as follows:
Sections of the FILE REVIEW
In Out of Compliance Compliance
Essential Student Documents Are Present and Were Prepared Within Timelines Evaluation/Reevaluation: Process and Content Individualized Education Program: Process and Content Procedural Safeguards: Process and Content TOTALS
396 640 136 1274
11 5 7 30
529 315 1 928
TEACHER AND PARENT INTERVIEWS
Interviews were conducted with parents and teachers of students selected by the BSE for the sample group. The goal is to determine if the charter school involves parents and professionals in required processes (e.g., evaluation, IEP development), whether programs and services are being provided, and whether the charter school provides training to enhance knowledge. Parent and teacher satisfaction with the special education program is also generally assessed.
# Yes # No # of Other Responses Responses Responses
Program Implementation: General Ed Teacher Interviews Program Implementation: Special Ed Teacher Interviews Program Implementation: Parent Interviews TOTALS
261 329 131 721
38 31 102 171
Results of the student interviews are reflected on the Charter School Corrective Action Verification/Compliance and Improvement Planning document.
Observations are conducted in classrooms of students selected by the BSE for the sample group. Executive Summary for Mastery Charter High School
PART II CORRECTIVE ACTION PROCESS PART I of this report presented an overall summary of findings. In the Appendix to the report, we have provided the detailed findings for each of the criteria of the compliance monitoring document, i.e. FSA, File Reviews, Interviews and Classroom Observations. The detailed report of findings includes:
Criteria Number Statements of all requirements Whether each requirement was met, not met, not applicable or other Statements of corrective action required for those criteria not met. Criteria not met that require corrective action by the charter school are gray-shaded.
Charter schools are advised that in accordance with requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, all noncompliance must be corrected as soon as possible but in no case later than one year from the date of the monitoring report. The BSE is required to verify timely correction of noncompliance, and must report annually to the federal government and the public on this requirement. Upon receipt of this report, the charter school should review the corrective action and improvement planning required. The report is formatted so that findings from all components of the monitoring are consolidated by topical area. The report lists the finding, and whether corrective action is required. For certain types of findings, corrective action will be prescribed, and will not vary from charter school to charter school. For example, if the finding is that the charter school lacks a specific required policy, it is reasonable to have the BSE prescribe a standardized remedy and timeline for correcting this deficiency. However, the majority of corrective action activities will be individually designed by the charter school based on their own unique circumstances and goals. With respect to the File Review, because students were selected at random, findings are generalized to the entire population of students with disabilities. During the corrective action review, the BSE Single Point of Contact (SPOC) will generally select students at random and not focus solely on those students in the original sample. However in specific circumstances, e.g. students of secondary transtion age, follow up of students in the original sample is required. Consequently, the charter school should approach corrective action on a systemic basis. If there has been a finding of noncompliance regarding the appropriateness or implementation of an individual student's program, the individual students are identified to the charter school and, because of the significance of the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to these students; the charter school must take immediate, individual corrective action. The SPOC will schedule an onsite visit with the charter school within 60 days following issuance of the monitoring report. The SPOC, charter school, and PaTTAN staff will develop a Charter School Corrective Action Verification/Compliance and Improvement Plan. PaTTAN and IU staff is available to assist the charter school. Upon conclusion of the corrective action process, the charter school will be notified of its successful completion of the monitoring process.
Mastery CHS - Lenfest Campus Charter Annual Report 07/01/2013 - 06/30/2014 2 School Profile Demographics 35 S 4th Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 (21...