Statutory Responsibilities of an Early Childhood Iowa Area Board

Statutory Responsibilities of an Early Childhood Iowa Area Board: Tool GG

The source for this guidance is Iowa Law chapter 256I (https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/256I.pdf).

You can find the resources in this guidance on the Early Childhood Iowa web site (https://earlychildhood.iowa.gov/toolkit), unless otherwise noted.  

Legislated Purpose of an Early Childhood Iowa Area Board:  

Achieve the desired results and improve other results for families with young children.

An Early Childhood Iowa Area Board MUST: 

Requirement 256I.5(1)a)

Reporting and other requirements to address the financial activities

Resources: 

Tool SS – Mid-Year Financial Reporting 

Tool H – Fiscal Clarifications 

Tool G – Early Childhood Iowa Area Funding

Tool DD – Cost Allocation

Tool T – Insurance Needs for Local Area Boards

Tool TT – Funding Process for Early Childhood Iowa Area Boards

Tool XX – Credit Care Policy Guidance

Annual Report Financial Statements

Requirement 256I.5(1)b)

Conduct audits and other requirements of fiscal agents

Resources:

Tool UU – Guidance to Early Childhood Iowa Area Boards Regarding Financial Agreed Upon Procedures

Annual Report Financial Statements

Requirement 256I.5(1)(c)

Undertake and report on fiscal and performance reviews of the programs, contracts, services, and other functions funded by the area boards

Resources:

Tool O – FY 19 Statewide Performance Measures

Tool P – Instructions for Statewide Performance Measures

Go to 541-9.4(2)(g) in the Iowa Administrative Rules https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/aco/agency/541.pdf

All area boards must have a contract monitoring process and schedule.  Example of appropriate contract language with a service provider:

The ECI Area Board shall conduct a program review to determine if the contractor (program provider) is meeting program expectations.  The review may include all facets of the program as described in the scope of work.  Activities reviewed may include: conducting periodic reviews of work responsibilities, including program performance measures, expenditures, and financial records; verification that an individual is eligible for a program based on income eligibility requirements, and documentation to identify that expenditures are appropriate based on the funding used to pay for the expenditure.  The contractor must provide documentation requested.  If a payment is found to be out of compliance or improvements are required, the contractor may be required to create a corrective action plan which may include repayment of funds. 

Requirement – 256I.6

Be Designated by the State Board

Resources:

• Tool N – ECI Area Board Designation – General Policies 
• Designation Waiver Boundary Process – see State Board Policies
• Designation Review Matrix (located in tool kit)
• Quality Assurance Review of Contract Award and Monitoring (located in toolkit)
• Lead Collaborative Efforts

Resources:

• Tool YY – Strategies to Measure and Build on Collaborative Relationships
• Comprehensive Community Planning

Resources:

• Tool NN – Community Plan Guidance
• Oversight and Management of Programming

Resources:

• Tool QQ – Contracting for Services
• Evaluating Results Through Data – Performance Measures Template
• RFP Guidance from Department of Administrative Services
• Monitoring Guidance from Department of Administrative Services 

Oversight and Management of Funding

Resources:

• Monitoring Schedule/process with contractors
• Tool H – Fiscal Clarifications
• Tool SS – Mid-Year Financial Reporting
• Tool H(A) – Indirect Cost Rate Principles
• Tool G – Early Childhood Iowa Area Funding
• Tool DD – Cost Allocation
• Tool XX – Credit Care Policy Guidance
• Expenditures and Reporting Policy
• Encumbered/Obligated Funds Policy
• Carry Forward Policy

Funding made available to the area for programs from federal, state, local, and private sources 

Resources:

• Tool NN – Community Plan Guidance

Requirement – 256I.7

ECI area board members shall be elected officials or members of the public who are not employed by a provider of services to or for the area board.  Representation shall include early care, education, health, human services, business, and faith interests, and at least one parent, grandparent, or guardian of a child from zero through age five.  However, not more than one member shall represent the same entity or interest.  Tool LL – Board Membership Representation Requirements for Local ECI Area Boards

Resources:

• Tool GG – Statutory Responsibilities of an Early Childhood Iowa Area Board
• Tool V – Conflict of Interest/Duality
• Iowa Code section 69.16 – Gender Balance
• Unit of local government and governmental subdivisions and Tort Liability

Resources:

• Tool T – Insurance Needs
• Iowa Code chapter 670 (https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/ico/chapter/670.pdf)

Open Meetings Law

Resources:

• Tool D – Official Meetings Open to Public
• Iowa “Sunshine Advisories” Bulletins (https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/about-us/sunshine-advisories/sunshine-advisories-open-meetings-topics-index)
• Iowa Freedom of Information Act website (http://ifoic.org/)
• Iowa Code chapter 21 (https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/ico/chapter/21.pdf)
• Iowa Public Information Board (https://www.ipib.iowa.gov)

Open Records Law

Resources:

• Tool E – Examination of Records (Open Records)
• Iowa “Sunshine Advisories” Bulletins
• Iowa Freedom of Information Act website (http://ifoic.org/)
• Iowa Code chapter 22 (https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/ico/chapter/22.pdf)
• Iowa Public Information Board (https://www.ipib.iowa.gov)

Requirement – 256I.8,1

Designate a public agency of this state, as defined in Section 28E.2, a community action agency as defined in 216A.91, an area education agency established under section 273.2 or a nonprofit corporation, to be the Fiscal Agent for grant moneys and for other moneys administered by the area board.

Resources:

• Iowa Code chapter 256I
• Fiscal Agent criteria and a template is provided each year with the ECI contract.

Administer Early Childhood and School Ready funds in the early childhood Iowa grant

Resources:

• Tool TT – Funding Process for Early Childhood Iowa Area Boards
• Tool G – Early Childhood Iowa Area Funding 
• Tool CC – Early Childhood Iowa School Ready Funds Preschool Programming Support for Low Income Families 
• Tool FF – Early Childhood Iowa School Ready Family Support & Parent Education 
• Tool DD – Cost Allocation 

Develop a comprehensive community plan which guides decision-making

Resources:

• Tool NN – Community Plan Guidance
• Submit an annual report on the effectiveness of the community plan in measuring school readiness and children’s health and safety needs Tool O – FY 19 Statewide Performance Measures
• Tool P – Instructions for Statewide Performance Measures
• http://www.resultsiowa.org/  Results Iowa (on DOM site)

Function as a coordinating body for services offered by different entities directed to similar purposes within the area

Resources:

• Tool NN – Community Plan Guidance
• Tool K (B) –Indicators and Data Dictionary

Cooperate in securing unique student identifiers

Resources:

• Although listed in legislation as a requirement for area boards, the coordination is at the state level between the Department of Education and Early Childhood Iowa. Data Integration projects are currently being implemented at the state level.

Requirement – 256I.8(3)

• Not be a provider of services to or for the area board. 

Resources:

• Tool LL – Board Membership Representation Requirements for Local ECI Area Boards
• Legal interpretation sought June 2013:
• An area board is allowed to perform administrative functions such as being the fiscal agent, coordinated intake, contract management, or processing of preschool scholarships.
• An area board is not allowed to provide direct services to the population being served, such as operating a funded program that serves children ages 0-5 or their families, or providing direct supervision to a funded programs staff.

256I.9:Performance measures for assessing effectiveness of investments into programs.

Resources:

• Tool O – FY 19 Statewide Performance Measures
• Tool P – Instructions for Statewide Performance Measures
• Annual review of data
• Evaluating Results Through Data – Performance Measures Template