In accordance with applicable state and federal law, to the greatest extent possible, all schools within the district shall be equivalent in teaching, administrative, and other staff, as well as in the provision of curricular materials and instructional supplies so that programs and services throughout the schools of the district are substantially comparable. Individual teacher salary differentials are not included in the determination of staff equivalency. Similarly, changes in student enrollment and personnel assignments that occur after the beginning of the school year are not included in an analysis of equivalency and comparability of services. The superintendent is responsible for ensuring that the district complies with the following standards:
MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT
To the maximum extent possible, the district shall maintain its programs and expenditures in a consistent manner from year to year, unless changes to district funding or attendance make such allocations unfeasible.
FEDERAL FUNDS TO SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT, NON-FEDERAL FUNDS
The district may use federal funds only to supplement the funds that would, in the absence of such federal funds, be made available from state and local sources for the education of students participating in Title I-A programs, and not to supplant such funds. The district shall maintain adequate accounting records to demonstrate compliance with this requirement. The district must demonstrate that the methodology used to allocate state and local funds to each school receiving Title I-A funds ensures each school receives all of the state and local funds it would otherwise receive if it were not receiving Title I-A funds.
COMPARABILITY OF SERVICES
Except as otherwise provided in this policy, the district shall ensure that state and local funds will be used in schools receiving federal funds to provide services that, taken as a whole, are at least comparable to services in schools that are not receiving federal funds. If the district is serving all of its schools with federal funds, it must ensure that state and local funds are used to provide services that, taken as a whole, are substantially comparable in each school.
WRITTEN ASSURANCE
The district will provide written assurances to the State Department of Education that the district has implemented:
1. A district-wide salary schedule;
2. A policy to ensure equivalence among schools in teachers, administrators, and other staff; and
3. A policy to ensure equivalence among schools in the provision of curriculum materials and instructional supplies.
PROCEDURES AND RECORDS
The superintendent is authorized to develop procedures for compliance with this policy, including procedures for maintenance of records that are updated biennially documenting compliance with this policy.
COMPLIANCE
For the purposes of determining compliance with the requirement to supplement and not supplant state funds with federal funds, the district is permitted to exclude state and local funds expended for (i) language instruction educational programs; and (ii) the excess costs of providing services to children with disabilities as determined by the superintendent.
EXCLUSION OF FUNDS
For the purpose of complying with comparable services requirements, the district may exclude receipt of supplemental state or local funds expended in any school for programs that meet the intent and purpose of 20 U.S.C. §6321.
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LEGAL REFERENCE:
20 U.S.C. §6321 – Fiscal Requirements, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015
ADOPTED: May 21, 2025
AMENDED: