With the influx of ARRA funding, it's never been more important for district and school-level administrators and finance staff to understand the basic federal fiscal guidelines for determining whether a Title I expenditure is "allowable." After all, the more your staff knows about the underlying principles of federal spending, the easier it will be to administer federal grant programs, avoid audit trouble and be creative in raising student achievement.

In 20 years overseeing federal grants, Roy Stehle has survived numerous local, state and national audits, earning a "low-risk" status for his district. Now a federal program administrator with the South Carolina Department of Education, Stehle has vast experience planning, implementing, and monitoring ESEA programs, including a nationally recognized Migrant Education program.

In this 90-minute recorded audio conference, Stehle will walk school and district level officials through the basics of Title I spending, explain the terms and standards used by federal and state auditors, explain how to document expenditures, and provide tips on avoiding audit trouble.

You and your staff will learn:

• The meaning of key terms such as "allocable," "reasonable and necessary," and "supplanting," and how to apply the terms to real-life program decisions
• The reasoning behind finance policies and procedures
• Major audit findings uncovered by the Education Department
• Where to find resources to help you determine whether a cost is allowable and learn more about audit compliance
• How Title I allows districts and schools to be creative in implementing programs to raise student achievement (or just stay afloat as local and state funding diminishes)