Arkansas Department of Education
Title I Comparability Report
Instructions for General Information Form 1

The comparability requirement applies to an LEA (Local Educational Agency) that has more than one building for each grade span.

Submit a signed copy of the report to:
	Arkansas Department of Education
	Federal Grants Management
	Four Capitol Mall, Room 110-B
	Little Rock, AR 72201-1071

This report is due November 1, 2009.  If a school appears to fail comparability, please contact the Federal Grants Management office at 501-683-6530 or by e-mail at ADE.FedGrantMgmt@arkansas.gov

Provide the LEA’s name and LEA number.  The official responsible for completion of the report should sign this form, provide his/her telephone number, and indicate the date on which the form was completed.  The data collection date is the date on which all data for this report is applicable. 

Number of Schools by Grade Span 
All schools in the LEA must be accounted for on this worksheet.  Record the number of schools in the LEA by grade span in accordance with the following instructions:

Column 1
Under “Grade Spans” enter the grade level groups as defined by the LEA (for example:  K-6, 7-9, 10-12).  The number of grade spans should match the basic organization of schools in the LEA.  For example, if the LEA’s organization includes elementary, junior high, and senior high, the LEA would have three grade spans.  Do not include preschool schools, staff, or students in this report.  See the LEA Title I Target Area Selection Section in the School Improvement Plan (ACSIP) to determine the number of grade spans needed.

Columns 2 & 3
Record the number of schools in each grade span and size group served by Title I and the number not served by Title I. Where the schools with over 100 pupils enrolled are not divided into groups of smaller and larger schools for the same grade span, use the columns for “Smaller” to complete this form.  If the actual grade span of a school should contain grades in two groupings, place it in the group in which it has more grades.  If it has an equal number in each of the two groupings, place it in the lower grades grouping.

An LEA must treat an otherwise eligible Title I school that is skipped as if it were a Title I school when determining comparability. 

Columns 4 & 5		
If there is a significant difference in the enrollments of schools within a grade span, the LEA may divide grade spans into a large school group and a small school group.  To qualify for this option, the largest school in the grade span must have an enrollment that is two times the enrollment of the smallest school in the grade span.

Columns 6 & 7
If the LEA contains schools with less than 100 pupils enrolled, enter the number of schools here.  An LEA may exclude schools with 100 or fewer students from its comparability demonstrations.

When demonstrating compliance for comparability, a district may exclude staff paid with state and local funds --
1.	In supplemental programs that meet the intent and purposes of Title I,
2.	In language instruction education programs, and
3.	The excess costs in programs providing assistance to students with disabilities as determined by the LEA.

Instructional staff includes teachers and other personnel assigned to schools who provide direct instructional services such as music, art, and physical education teachers, guidance counselors, speech therapists and librarians, as well as other personnel who provide services that support instruction, such as school social workers and psychologists.  Paraprofessionals are not included as instructional staff when calculating FTEs.

Districts must keep the data used to make the Title I Comparability Report calculations in the district audit file.

Detailed Data Form 2
Check the appropriate boxes, complete and attach a Detailed Data Form 2 for each grade span group in which is listed:

		One or more schools in Column 2 and one or more schools in Column 3, or
		
		One or more schools in Column 4 and one or more schools in Column 5, or

		More than one school in Column 2 and no school in Column 3 or

		More than one school in Column 4 and no school in Column 5.

Schools with less than 100 pupils are exempted from proving comparability (Columns 6 and 7). 

Purpose of This Report
Check the appropriate box indicating the purpose for which the report is submitted.

Instructions for Detailed School Data Forms 2A Non-Title I Schools

A separate Form 2A and a Form 2B is to be submitted for each grouping of schools by grade span and size grouping in which, as shown on Form 1, there are both Title I and Non-Title I schools.  The following instructions apply.

School District – The name of the school district will be entered from Form 1 automatically.

Grade Span - Following the words “Grade Span” enter A, B, C, etc. in accordance with the groupings shown on Form 1.

Column 1	Name - List by name each school in this grade span grouping.

Column 2	Actual Grade Span - Record the actual span of grades operated in each school, i.e. K-6, 1-3, 4-6, etc.

Column 3	Pupils Enrolled - Record the actual number of pupils enrolled in each school on the date being used for reporting.

Column 4	FTE Staff - Full-time equivalence is the amount of time for less than full-time activity divided by the amount of time normally required in a corresponding full-time activity.  Determine the full-time equivalent number of instructional staff members paid with state and local funds who are regularly assigned to each school listed.  Prorate FTE staff as necessary and express the results to the nearest tenth.

Column 5	Average Number of Pupils Per FTE - This amount will be automatically calculated when Columns 3 and 4 are completed.

Title I School Averages

In cases where grade spans have both Title I and non-Title I schools, the averages computed on Form 2A Non-Title I Schools will automatically transferred to Form 2B Title I Schools.  For each school complete Columns 1 through 5 as shown above for Non-Title I Schools.

To demonstrate comparability, all Title I schools in this grade span must have a pupil/staff ratio equal to or less than 110% of the average pupil/staff ratio for the Non-Title I Schools.

Instructions for Detailed School Data Form 2C All Title I Schools

A separate Form 2C is to be submitted for each grouping of schools by grade span and size grouping in which, as shown on Form 1, there is more than one Title I school and no non-Title I schools.  The following instructions apply to Form 2C.

In cases where all schools in a grade span are served by Title I, divide the schools into two groups. In one group have the schools with the lowest low-income percent.  

School District - The name of the school district will be entered from Form 1 automatically.

Grade Span - Following the words “Grade Span” enter A, B, C, etc. in accordance with the groupings shown on Form 1.

Column 1	Name - List by name each school in this grade span grouping.  Use additional sheets if necessary.

Column 2	Actual Grade Span - Record the actual span of grades operated in each school, i.e. K-6, 1-3, 4-6, etc.

Column 3	Pupils Enrolled - Record the actual number of pupils enrolled in each school on the date being used for reporting.

Column 4	Low-Income Pupils Enrolled - Enter the number of low-income pupils enrolled in each school on the date being used for reporting.

Column 5	Low-Income Percent - This percent will automatically be calculated when Columns 3 and 4 are completed.  Rank schools from highest to lowest low-income percent.

Column 6	FTE Staff - Full-time equivalence is the amount of time for less than full-time activity divided by the amount of time normally required in a corresponding full-time activity.  Determine the full-time equivalent number of instructional staff members paid with state and local funds who are regularly assigned to each school listed.  Prorate FTE staff as necessary and express the results to the nearest tenth.

Column 7	Average Number of Pupils per FTE- This amount will be automatically calculated when Columns 3 and 6 are completed.

Title I School Averages

The averages to be used for comparison will be computed automatically.

To demonstrate comparability, all Title I schools in this grade span with the highest low-income percent must have a pupil/staff ratio equal to or less than 110% of the average pupil/staff ratio for the Title I schools in this grade span with the lowest low-income percent.