Tired of hearing your friends here at BruMan tell you “no”? Ready to find a funding source that lets you: replace lost state and local revenue; provide premium pay for school staff; invest in fiber optic lines and broadband infrastructure to offer reliable internet throughout your district; and invest in capital projects that extend until December 2026? The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, established by the American Rescue Plan Act and administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury, allows state and government recipients to do all these things, and more. Join us as we discuss the flexible uses of this new funding stream, and the related compliance considerations.

This virtual training will discuss the maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement under CARES, CRRSA and ARP as well as ARP’s maintenance of equity (MEQ) requirement. For MOE we will review the MOE rules and how they differ between statutes. For MEQ, we will discuss the MEQ requirements, how the standards must be met, how terms are defined, and which districts are exempt from the requirement. We will also discuss any guidance provided up through this date.

In 2020, cyberattacks against schools increased 20% over 2019. Studies show that school staff are five times more likely to engage in risky online behavior at home versus at school. In light of these threats, what can grantees do to strengthen their internal controls and prevent breaches of student data? This session will discuss the Uniform Grants Guidance requirements for internal controls and Federal standards for information security, as well as provide practical tips to implement these controls in the work-from-home environment.

This virtual training will discuss the allocation of overhead and central services costs through an indirect cost rate. Topics covered will include how to select a base, calculate the rate, budget indirect costs, and frequently asked questions. In addition, this training will cover potential pitfalls in applying your indirect cost rate to coronavirus funding.

This workshop will discuss the ever-changing landscape of the Elementary and Secondary Education School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. We will review not only the differences between spending ESSER 1, 2, and 3 funds but will also discuss hot topics like ESSER funds for construction, ventilation, capital expenditures and when and how funds must be used to respond to the Coronavirus pandemic. We will also discuss ED guidance on allowable use of funds expect to be released “soon”.

As grantees and subrecipients all over the country are reviewing the recent changes to the Uniform Guidance, which went into effect last November, now is the perfect time to review and revise mandatory written policies and procedures required under the federal rules. Not only are these procedures the best training tool for your staff, they are the first defense against noncompliance and subsequent liabilities that might have to be repaid to the federal government. More importantly, emergency policies and procedures were at the center of the UGG flexibility offered by OMB during the pandemic. This session will cover the best practices for internally reviewing and revising policies and procured governing federal awards and ensuring compliance in light of the available requirements and flexibilities.

This workshop will discuss the ever-changing landscape of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. We will provide an overview of the three rounds of HEERF (CARES, CRRSAA and ARP), and discuss key differences (and changing interpretations!). We will then spend time discussing frequently asked questions – including allowable uses under the HEERF institutional portion and the calculation of lost revenue. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask their own questions, too!

The COVID-19 pandemic created previously unanticipated challenges in the education of all students and in many ways increased and highlighted challenges educational agencies face related to serving special populations of students who may require extra support to be successful in school and beyond. This session will explore hot topics related to serving special populations including students served under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, ESEA Title I-C (Migrant Education), ESEA Title III-A (English Learners), and ESEA Title I-D (Neglected & Delinquent). This session will also focus on recent guidance around these areas from the U.S. Department of Education.

Generally, state educational agencies and school districts have not used their federal grant funds for construction either because it was not an allowable use of funds or the navigation of federal rules was too complex so non-federal funds were utilized. However, ESSER brought about significant funding and requests for construction, an allowable use under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. This virtual training will discuss the allowability of construction costs authorized under ESSER and the requirements in the Uniform Guidance and the Education General Administrative Regulations as they relate to construction costs including, but not limited to, prior approval, contractual requirements, and more.

Congress has once again passed stimulus legislation to pour $180 billion of new money into schools at the K-12 and higher education levels. But the new money in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) comes with new set of conditions, and new requirements for States, districts, and institutions. Private schools will see a new round of funding through the State, States and districts will have to follow new “maintenance of equity” requirements, and colleges and universities will have to navigate new conditions on funding – as well as modifications to the 90/10 rule. With two opportunities to attend, this webinar will help delineate between the requirements in each stimulus, how money should be spent, and what to watch out for in the coming months. It will also cover key debates on the House and Senate floor and how those could impact policymaking as well as compliance and monitoring

This virtual training will discuss the many ways student population data comes into play in federal education policy, including in funding allocations. We will discuss the various sources of data including the decennial Census, American Community Survey, SAIPE, FRL counts, and student attendance, how they factor into decision-making on the federal level, and why. The webinar will also discuss recent issues and controversies with these data sources, including disputes about the Census, the Public Charge Rule, and SNAP work requirements. Finally, the discussion will turn to how these issues have been shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic and the new questions that administrators at every level will face, including resources on how to account for missing free and reduced-price lunch data when schools are operating under waivers.

This session will cover the upcoming transition to the Biden Administration and expected shifts in education policy. In addition, we will cover Congressional updates relevant to education stakeholders, including fiscal year 2021 funding, a potential stimulus bill, and the impact of the Georgia special election on the makeup of the 117th Congress.

In this virtual training, we’ll cover the new provisions in the late-December “Coronabus” legislation which funds the government for the remainder of the fiscal year and provides additional stimulus money to education. Attendees will learn what’s new in this bill in higher education and K-12 funding, key differences in use of funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and how private schools are treated for purposes of equitable services. We’ll also discuss the impact of additional provisions including FAFSA changes, expansion of Pell eligibility, and more. Finally, attendees will learn best estimates for how soon this funding might get out – and what answers we are waiting on from the U.S. Department of Education (ED).

On August 13, 2020, the Office of Management and Budget published the final updates to the Uniform Grants Guidance (2 CFR Part 200). Only two rules went into effect immediately, while most of the updates will not apply until grant awards after November 12, 2020.  Accordingly, every State and local government agency, school district, college, university and nonprofit must be in compliance with these new rules for all grant awards received after November. Since the release of the final updates, we have received many questions about the implementation of these new rules. Join us where we discuss frequently answered questions and make recommendations on how best to prepare your entity for these new changes!

Through the Coronavirus Relief Fund, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides for payments to State, Local, and Tribal governments navigating the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. But are these funds federal grants? (No!) Does the Uniform Grant Guidance apply to them? (Only certain sections!) What are the allowable uses? Period of availability? This webinar will focus on federal funding through the CARES Act available to States and local school districts, the allowable uses of those funds, the differing periods of availability, and the ever-changing guidance and requirements that attach to those funds!

On Friday, September 4th, a D.C. District Court judge vacated the Interim Final Rule from the U.S. Department of Education on providing equitable services under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This means that ED’s interim final rule is not enforceable. However, this brings about more questions than answers. Can SEAs and LEAs continue to use the various methodology options under the IFR? Must LEAs recalculate their proportionate share? What about expenditures already made? May all teachers and students continue to be served? This virtual training will review the applicable court cases, discuss the consequences of the decisions, and provide recommendations and best practices in light of the legal standards and defenses for moving forward.

Each year, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) releases the OMB Compliance Supplement. This document provides auditors with the necessary guidance for conducting Single Audits of federal programs for all non-federal entities that expend $750,000 or more in federal funds in a year. Among other things, the Compliance Supplement includes definitions and descriptions of all compliance requirements, ways to test internal controls, and specific areas of focus for various federal programs.

This virtual training will discuss relevant changes to the 2020 Supplement, released on August 14, including relevant language regarding time & effort reporting, applicability of compliance requirements to major federal education programs, and the impact of COVID-19 and related grants. As this Compliance Supplement is the guide book auditors will use for the coming year, it is important for all federal program administrators at non-federal entities to be familiar with the changes and relevant language included in this year’s edition.

On August 13, 2020, the Office of Management and Budget published the final updates to the Uniform Grants Guidance (2 CFR Part 200). Only two rules go into immediate effect, while most of the revisions will not apply until grant awards after November 12, 2020. No matter what, every State education agency, school district, college, university and nonprofit must be in compliance with these new rules by the time they receive their July 1, 2020 grants awards. The UGG update affects procurement, pre-award costs, the liquidation period, period of availability, budget period, and more.  Don’t miss what will be an exciting summarization of the new changes and how it will affect your administration of federal grants!

Can SEAs and districts charge indirect costs to CARES Act funding? If so, what rate should be used? How do funding shortfalls, stimulus money and school closures impact indirect cost recovery? How do agencies charge terminal leave, mass severance and other benefits to grants? In this session, we will provide straight-forward answers to your questions on cost allocation, indirect cost rates, and more.

This virtual training will review the time and effort rules under EDGAR as well as ED’s new cost allocation guide, provide examples of time and effort forms, review flexibilities to address teleworking and discuss audit findings while providing best practices on how to avoid them.

The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of maintaining student privacy policies and procedures that address the requirements and best practices for protecting student privacy while working from home, in a typical office setting, or while offering online educational services.

This virtual training will discuss how to maintain student privacy when staff are working from home and when staff participate in a “bring your own device” program. Additionally, this training will cover parents’ right to access records and complying with those requests when schools are closed, and the use of electronic consent.

This virtual training will also cover issues in offering online education, including the definition of personally identifiable information, the definition and disclosure of directory information, the use of the FERPA school official exception in providing online educational services, the use of video or other forms of online instruction, and the application of the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, and terms of service for online services.

This virtual training will focus on the federal requirements from the Uniform Grant Guidance dealing with financial management systems, procurement, and inventory management. Looking at prior audit and monitoring findings, we will discuss common mistakes and compliance issues grantees and subrecipients often run into in managing their federal grants. This session will also cover some best practices to help strengthen internal controls and void these common pitfalls in the world of grants management.

This virtual training will review audit findings from prior disaster relief audits and discuss applicability to current COVID-19 allowability issues and concerns. The session will discuss how best to document and address OMB’s COVID flexibilities approved by ED to avoid audit findings and provide best practices as to how States, districts and IHEs can implement internal controls to assure allowability while reducing the risk of fraud, waste, and abuse of current federal funds.

This virtual training will outline the requirements of the new final rule on sexual harassment and assault under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. This new rule will require, at institutions of higher education, courtroom-like adjudicatory hearings where designated representatives for both parties would be able to call and cross-examine witnesses. These hearings would be optional for K-12 schools. Additionally, the new rule changes the standard of what constitutes sexual harassment and requires recipients of federal funds to train personnel to evaluate evidence, implement the “rape shield” law, and make decisions on one of two standards of evidence. Implications for educational entities, pushback, and major requirements to be implemented before the coming school year will all be covered.