KDE seeking public comment on waiver request for additional fiscal flexibility for certain ESEA funds

Additional fiscal flexibility for certain funds

(File Photo)

(FRANKFORT, KY) – The Kentucky Department of Education is seeking public comment on Kentucky’s waiver request for additional fiscal flexibility for certain funds received under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965.

Due to the continued extraordinary circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic and unprecedented challenges students, educators, staff and schools faced during the 2020-2021 school year, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) is offering each state educational agency (SEA) the opportunity to request a waiver.

The waiver allows an SEA to approve a local educational agency (LEA) to carry over more than 15% of its fiscal year (FY) 2020 Title I, Part A funds (i.e., the Title I, Part A funds that will become carryover funds on Oct. 1, 2021), even if the LEA has received a waiver from its SEA to exceed this limitation for its FY 2018 or FY 2019 Title I, Part A funds. Additionally, the waiver allows flexibility to each SEA to be able to extend for itself and its subgrantees the period of availability of FY 2019 funds for programs included in the state’s consolidated state plan to allow additional time to obligate those funds.

The full waiver can be accessed on the Kentucky Department of Education’s website.

The public comment period will be July 16-22. Public comments on the waiver must be received by 5 p.m. ET on July 22. Comments may be emailed to kdecommunications@education.ky.gov or submitted to Todd Allen, General Counsel, Kentucky Department of Education, 300 Sower Blvd, 5th Floor, Frankfort, KY 40601. Comments also may be submitted via fax at (502) 564-9321. All comments that are received during the window will be considered before the waiver is submitted to USED.