Monitoring

Results-Based Monitoring

Requirements outlined in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), and the Uniform Grant Guidance (UGG) mandate that State Education Agencies (SEAs) oversee and monitor the implementation of federal grants, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Tennessee's multi-tiered monitoring framework includes three distinctive levels. A risk analysis comprised of 50 factors identifies the level of risk and likelihood that a local education agency (LEA) may not comply with certain requirements. Results from the analysis designate each LEA's risk as one of three levels: 3. significant (which results in an on-site visit), 2. elevated (which identifies LEAs for participation in virtual monitoring), or 1. low (with LEAs submitting an online instrument). Each LEA in the state must participate in one level of monitoring. For more information, please see the Risk Analysis Guide or contact FPO.Monitoring@tn.gov.

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Monitoring

In accordance with 34 C.F.R. § 300.149, state education agencies (SEAs) provide technical assistance to LEAs and oversee and monitor programs. Through monitoring IEPs, the SEA is aware of risk, areas of concern, technical assistance needs, and can create professional development opportunities that align with trends. 34 C.F.R. § 76.730 requires compliance, monitoring, and program achievements to be documented and retained for future use. Using a confidence interval that compares the number of findings of non-compliance to the total number of items reviewed, a department monitoring team uses a scale to identify the number of IEPs to review within each LEA through a four-step review process following a protocol designed to comply with federal and key state laws, rules, and policies. LEAs receive monitoring results and technical support to complete any corrective actions identified through this process. For more information on this process, please contact FPO.Monitoring@tn.gov.