Full Time Equivalency Scenario Lanay Jimenez Barry University

What is FTE? Full Time Equivalency (FTE)- FTE is defined as one student in membership in a program or a group of programs for 900 hours (25 hours a week) for 180 day school year. The FTE calculation is based on two ninety day terms, and each student in membership and in attendance will earn one half (. 50) of FTE during each of the two surveys; October, FTE survey 2 and February, FTE survey 3.

Where do the Funds come from? Article IX, section 1 of the Florida Constitution establishes the State of Florida’s commitment to funding K-12 education, as follows: “The education of children is a fundamental value of the people of the State of Florida. It is, therefore, a paramount duty of the state to make adequate provision for the education of all children residing within its borders. Adequate provision shall be made by law for a uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a high quality education…” In 1973 the Florida Legislature enacted the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) and established the state policy on equalized funding to guarantee to each student in the Florida public education system the availability of programs and services appropriate to his or her educational needs that are substantially equal to those available to any similar student notwithstanding geographic differences and varying local economic factors.

Continued… The FEFP is the primary mechanism for funding the operating costs of Florida school districts. As noted herein, there are other sources of funding; however, the FEFP is the foundation for financing Florida’s K-12 educational programs. A key feature of the FEFP is that it bases financial support for education upon the individual student participating in a particular educational program rather than upon the number of teachers or classrooms. FEFP funds are primarily generated by multiplying the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) students in each of the funded education programs by cost factors to obtain weighted FTE students. Weighted FTE students are then multiplied by a base student allocation and by a district cost differential to determine the base funding from state and local FEFP funds

Documentation Supporting documentation must be available to verify student FTE funding eligibility. Schools may be audited by the Office of the Auditor General; the District’s internal auditors or auditors representing a federal or state agency. The District’s FTE Support Team may also be dispatched to review FTE/Attendance records and procedures for selected schools. * Appropriate procedures must be implemented by each school to ensure that accurate and complete data is submitted to the FDOE (Florida Department of Education) for each FTE survey period. Data reported in ISIS (Integrated Student Information System) is transmitted to the FDOE via DECO (Department of Education Edit Correction System).

What is an FTE Survey? FTE Surveys provide the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) with a snapshot of instructional activity occurring in Florida's public schools. The survey periods for record determination are set annually by the Commissioner of Education. For FTE reporting purposes, the survey periods cover the following time frames: Survey Period 1 (July) covers the time period from the beginning of the fiscal year (July 1) to the beginning of the defined 180 -day school year. Survey Period 2 (October) covers the first 90 days of the 180 -day school year. Survey Period 3 (February) covers the second 90 days of the 180 day school year. Survey Period 4 (June) covers the period from the end of the 180 -day school program to the end of the fiscal year (June 30).

District FTE audits and reviews will include the following areas: FTE MATERIALS (for each FTE survey period the school is in session): • Final FTE Report • Verification of Earned FTE - Balanced, signed and dated by the school principal • School Funding Certification - Signed and dated by school principal • Bell Schedule (K-8, Middle and Senior) – Must reflect the average of instructional minutes per class period. Each period must be the same number of instructional minutes.

Attendance Compare and update Teacher’s Official Daily School Attendance (ODSA), Daily Reason and ISIS on a regular basis for accurate student attendance reporting. The documents below must be kept as part of the FTE audit trail. • Daily Attendance Bulletins (11 -day FTE window period) • Substitute teacher rosters signed and dated by staff responsible for school attendance reporting • Principal’s Report on Attendance (signed and dated) • Students’ tardy and excused early log(s) • Therapists’ Attendance Log of Service (Speech, OT/PT, etc. ) FTE ATTENDANCE ELIGIBILITY – 11 -day FTE window period: FTE funding is based on student attendance. For every student reported and eligible for FTE funding, the school must verify and be able to prove upon request, that the student has been in attendance at least one day of the FTE survey week or one of the six scheduled days preceding the FTE survey week

Florida Statute 1011. 61 Definitions. —Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 1000. 21, the following terms are defined as follows for the purposes of the Florida Education Finance Program: (1) A “fulltime equivalent student” in each program of the district is defined in terms of full-time students and part-time students as follows: (a) A “full-time student” is one student on the membership roll of one school program or a combination of school programs listed in s. 1011. 62(1)(c) for the school year or the equivalent for: 1. Instruction in a standard school, comprising not less than 900 net hours for a student in or at the grade level of 4 through 12, or not less than 720 net hours for a student in or at the grade level of kindergarten through grade 3 or in an authorized prekindergarten exceptional program;

Chapter 1003. 23, Florida Statutes “All officials, teachers, and other employees in public schools shall keep all records and shall prepare and submit promptly all reports that may be required by law and by rules of State Board of Education and district school boards. Such records shall include a register of enrollment and attendance and all persons described above shall make these reports there from as may be required by the State Board of Education. The enrollment register shall show the absence or attendance of each student enrolled for each school day of the year in a manner prescribed by the State Board of Education. The register shall be open for inspection by the designated school representative or the district school superintendent in which the school is located. Violation of the provisions of this section shall be a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided by law.

Scheduling-Class Size • Update students schedule in a timely manner • Verify the student’s schedule corresponds with the student’s academic program • Room numbers must match the school FISH report • TBA – the employee number of the teacher or substitute teacher assigned to a classroom during the FTE survey period must be reported in ISIS (PF 9 screen). No TBA allowed Effective 2009 -10 school year, the course, teacher, room and seats assigned on the Course Record screen (PF 9) in ISIS will be used to calculate the class size average for students in grades PK-5 and 6 th grade elementary setting, including special area students. To verify that the students are assigned to the correct teacher and academic program, schools may order Student Information Lists through the Online Report Request System, ISIS main menu, selection 5. When possible don’t make classroom changes during the FTE survey period.

ESE-Exceptional Student Education Documents frequently requested by auditors: • Notification of Meeting Form (students 14 years and older must be invited) • Individual Educational Plan (IEP) • Informed Notice of Proposal or Refusal to Change Evaluation (FAPE) • Matrix of Services (not for Gifted program) • Gifted Educational Plan (EP) • General Educational Teacher’s Statement (Form 6865) – Gifted ESE documents must cover the FTE survey period(s) for which the student is funded and match data reported in ISIS and transmitted to the State through DECO files.

Sample Notification of Meeting

IDEA-Sec. 300. 322 Parent Participation (a) Public agency responsibility-general. Each public agency must take steps to ensure that one or both of the parents of a child with a disability are present at each IEP Team meeting or are afforded the opportunity to participate, including- (1) Notifying parents of the meeting early enough to ensure that they will have an opportunity to attend; and (2) Scheduling the meeting at a mutually agreed on time and place.

ELL-ESOL Program • Home Language Survey – Completed, signed and dated by parents/guardian • Parent/Guardian Notification letter – Dated, signed by the school principal and sent home upon student entry into the ESOL program, annually, and every time ESOL level or academic program change. A copy must be kept inside the student’s LEP folder • Individual Student LEP Plan – updated and printed before FTE week • Copy of student’s schedule (secondary only) • Testing instruments • ESOL students with 6 semesters or more – LEP committee must convene before FTE survey period and results documented in the LEP Plan The LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY COURSES) must be updated in a timely manner and the student’s schedule (changed, if necessary. For a student exiting the program at the end of the grading period: the LEP plan and “J” screen must report the exit date; the student’s schedule must be updated; and ESOL course(s) must be semesterized. Whenever possible, do not exit students from ESOL program during FTE survey week.

Teacher Certification Make sure the following items are on hand requirements have been met: • Verify that all teachers are certified in their assigned subject areas • Statement of Eligibility in the assigned subject areas on file • Review META requirements and timeline • Language Proficiency Test • Out-of-Field teaching assignments, waiver(s) submitted and approved before FTE survey week • Copy of therapists’ state licenses on school file • Out-of-Field notification letter to parents must be sent home before FTE survey period. Retain copy at school site. • Teacher hiring date – do not back date

Florida Statutes 1012. 42 Teacher teaching out-of-field. — 2) NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. —When a teacher in a district school system is assigned teaching duties in a class dealing with subject matter that is outside the field in which the teacher is certified, outside the field that was the applicant’s minor field of study, or outside the field in which the applicant has demonstrated sufficient subject area expertise, as determined by district school board policy in the subject area to be taught, the parents of all students in the class shall be notified in writing of such assignment. 1012. 54 Purpose of instructional personnel certification. —It is the intent of the Legislature that school personnel certified in this state possess the credentials, knowledge, and skills necessary to allow the opportunity for a high-quality education in the public schools. The purpose of school personnel certification is to protect the educational interests of students, parents, and the public at large by assuring that teachers in this state are professionally qualified.

OJT-On the Job Training Make sure the following items are on hand requirements have been met: • Job Training Attendance Record (OJT attendance card) • Job Search Record Log • OJT Teacher’s Class Roster OJT attendance cards must be completed; signed by the student, teacher and employer; dated, and filed with the FTE materials at the end of each marking period. A student must report a minimum of 15 hours a week and be working one of the two reporting FTE periods to receive credit. If a student is not working during the second FTE survey period (Survey 3 – February), the student’s schedule must be changed. Documentation for students exited from the program must be kept on file.

FASCO Federal and State Compliance Office- This office oversees, and assists in the collection of student membership data submitted to the Florida Department of Education for funding purposes. The FTE Office complies with all Department of Education requirements regarding the four FTE Surveys (July, October, February, and June) and FTE estimates. In addition, FTE and attendance reviews are conducted relative to FTE audit trail documentation to ascertain compliance with state law and School Board rules for various departments such as ESE, ESOL, Career Preparation and Teacher Certification. Prior to each FTE reporting period, workshops are conducted for the schools in each of the district’s four Region Centers. An FTE Survival Guide has been created and personnel coordinates and assists individual schools in conducting self reviews. This FTE Office responds to all questions regarding FTE/attendance from the District, Region Centers and schools.

Scenario #15 Create a scenario whose main focus is an FTE audit report. Identify categories that are out of compliance with Florida Statutes. FTE Scenario- You are the Principal of Pepper Elementary. As your school is being audited for FTE, you are found to be noncompliant in three categories. 1. ESE records- several IEP’s for Pre-K with disabilities students’ are missing the notification of meeting (NOM). 2. Attendance Record- There is a discrepancy between the program start date of a Pre-K student and FTE eligibility of said student. 3. Teacher certification- There is no record of Out-of-Field notification letter sent home to parents.

Compliance Review ESE Record- While looking through the record of Pre-K student Julius Pepper, and two other students, the agent performing the audit noticed that the Notification of Meeting was missing from the file. 1. Is the school in compliance? 2. Do the parents need to be notified of an IEP meeting? According to? Attendance Record- While reviewing the attendance records for the Pre-K with disabilities program, the Auditor noticed that student, Dwyane James, entered the program at the end of March 2013, and was reported for enrollment membership for FTE survey 3 in February. 1. Is the school in compliance? Why? Or Why not? Teacher Certification- Upon reviewing the Teacher Certifications, the Auditor notices that one of the Pre-K with disabilities teacher only has her Pre-K certification and not her ESE certification, therefore, is considered “Out-of Feild”. No record of notification to parents is found on file. 1. Is the school in compliance? Explain.

References K-20 Education Code, Florida Statutes. 1011. 61 (2013). Retrieved from http: //www. leg. state. fl. us/Statutes/index. cfm? App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL= 1000 -1099/1011/Sections/1011. 61. html K-20 Education Code, Florida Statutes. 1001. 62 (2013). Retrieved from http: //www. leg. state. fl. us/statutes/index. cfm? Statute. Year=2013&App. Mode=Display_Results&Mod e=Search%2520 Statutes&Submenu=2&Tab=statutes&Search_String=1011. 62 K-20 Education Code, Florida Statutes. 1012. 42 (2013). Retrieved from http: //www. leg. state. fl. us/statutes/index. cfm? Statute. Year=2013&App. Mode=Display_Results&Mod e=Search%2520 Statutes&Submenu=2&Tab=statutes&Search_String=1012. 42 K-20 Education Code, Florida Statutes. 1012. 42 (2013). Retrieved from http: //www. leg. state. fl. us/statutes/index. cfm? Statute. Year=2013&App. Mode=Display_Results&Mod e=Search%2520 Statutes&Submenu=2&Tab=statutes&Search_String=1012. 54

References FTE-in -Brief (2012). Retrieved from http: //attendanceservices. dadeschools. net/pdfs 13/FTE-in-Brief_12 -13. pdf FTE General Instructions (2013). Retrieved from http: //www. fldoe. org/fefp/pdf/1314 FTEInstructions. pdf IDEA-Sec. 300. 322 (2013). Retrieved from http: //idea. ed. gov/explore/view/p/, root, regs, 300, D, 300%252 E 322, NOM [image file] (2014). Retrieved from https: //go 6. pcgeducation. com/easyiep. plx? op=alt_authenticated&Customer. Name=fl mdcps&Session. ID=98 B 43 C 4 C-E 326 -1014 -8823 E 27 F 34496 AF 1&From. Aggregate=0