Federal Program Monitoring Review

Federal and state laws require the California Department of Education (CDE) to monitor implementation of categorical programs operated by local educational agencies (LEAs). LEAs are responsible for creating and maintaining programs which meet requirements.

LEAs are monitored to ensure that they meet fiscal and program requirements of federal categorical programs and mandated areas of state responsibility and funding in Economic Impact Aid—Limited English Proficient and State Compensatory Education (EIA-LEP and EIA-SCE), Physical Education, and Educational Equity.

The Federal Program Monitoring (FPM) Office coordinates reviews through a combination of data and document review and on-site visits. LEAs are assigned to one of four cycles: A, B, C, or D. Each year, CDE analyzes extensive data for all LEAs which receive categorical funds in two of the four cycles. LEAs may be selected for an on-site or online monitoring every two years. 

Several factors, including compliance history, academic achievement, program size, and fiscal analysis are considered in identifying LEAs for reviews. Using this established selection criteria, approximately 60 LEAs and sites are selected for on-site or online monitoring. Several LEAs are also randomly selected each year for monitoring.

FPM Regional Team Leaders (RTLs) coordinate teams of select program monitors to conduct on-site or online monitoring of the LEA using the Program Instruments.