PUBLIC NOTICE
Application for Waiver of Requirements under the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is submitting an application for a waiver from Section 4203a(14)(A)(ii) under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
Section 840l(a)(3) of ESEA, as amended by ESSA, allows the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education to waive any statutory or regulatory requirement of this Act for which a waiver request is submitted. All waiver requests are required to address a number of components, which are included below.
1. Identify the federal programs affected by this waiver request.
WDPI requests a waiver for Section 4203a(14)(A)(ii) (Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers).
2. Describe which federal statutory or regulatory requirements are to be waived.
The WDPI is requesting a waiver of the requirement that outcomes-related data be reported for 21st CCLC programs as a part of the Annual Performance Report (APR).
3. Describe how the waiving of the requirements indicated above will advance student academic achievement.
Requiring programs to submit outcomes-related data for the 2019-2020 school year could limit students’ access to the important support provided by 21st CCLC programs. Given school closures, it would be difficult, if not impossible, for many programs to collect teacher survey data, which is the type of outcomes reported by Wisconsin 21st CCLC grantees. Rather than administering and collecting teacher surveys, the time teachers and 21st CCLC staff have could be prioritized to provide needed services to students, families, and the school community.
4. Describe the methods that will be used to monitor and regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation plan of this waiver request.
The request to waive the reporting of outcomes into the APR system for 2019 - 2020 is meant to address the expected challenge 21st CCLC sub-grantees will have in collecting the data needed to complete the Outcomes section of the APR. Sub-grantees will be advised that the decision to administer teacher surveys and report survey data into the APR system is a local one. Grantees who are unable to collect teacher survey data will be advised to follow the directions provided by the 21APR system regarding missing outcomes. In addition, sub-grantees will be asked to submit justification for their decision not to collect teacher survey data. The SEA-level 21st CCLC program staff will review the APR data reported by sub-grantees, monitor whether or not a sub-grantee chose to collect and report outcome data, and review the justifications sub-grantees provided for their decisions. Sub-grantees will still be expected to share other program-level evaluation results, if available, with the families of participants and the wider public.
5. Describe how schools will continue to provide assistance to the same populations served by programs for which waivers are requested.
The request to waive the requirement to report outcomes into the APR system for the 2019-20 school year will not inhibit schools from providing assistance to the populations served by the 21st CCLC grant. By waiving this requirement, day school teachers and 21st CCLC program staff will be in a better position to focus on meeting the needs of students and their families, rather than on the collection of outcomes-related data that may be difficult, if not impossible to obtain, given school closures.
6. If the waiver relates to provisions of subsections (b) or (h) of section 1111 of ESEA, describe how the SEA requesting the waiver will maintain or improve transparency in reporting to parents and the public on student achievement and school performance, including the achievement of the subgroups of students identified in section llll(b)(2)(B)(xi) of ESEA.
The waiver being requested is related to grant-specific reporting requirements and is not directly related to the statewide accountability system. Sub-grantees will still be expected to share other program-level evaluation results, if available, with the families of participants and the wider public.
As required under the waiver process, the state educational agency must provide the public and all local education agencies in the state with notice of and the opportunity to comment on this request. The Department’s application for waiver authority is available to review at https://dpi.wi.gov/esea/esea-and-covid-19. Written Comments
Public comment on the application described above may be submitted by using the Department’s form for submitting comment at https://forms.gle/15pc9srvM2gzdEZh6. Questions or additional comment may be accepted by using the contact information below. Written comments should be submitted no later than 10 a.m. on Friday, May 22, 2020, in order to receive consideration. Agency Contact Person
Susan Piazza
Director, Student Services/Prevention and Wellness Team
Division for Learning Support
Department of Public Instruction
125 South Webster Street
P.O. Box 7841
Madison, WI 53707-7841
