2025-2026 Program and Budget Handbook

Federal Program Monitoring State and federal laws require the California Department of Education (CDE) to monitor the implementation of categorical programs operated by Local Educational Agencies (LEAs). CDE monitoring is accomplished in part through the Federal Program Monitoring process (FPM) which alternates between an onsite and an online review every two years. A FPM onsite visit consists of data and document review, stakeholders’ interviews, and classroom observations of at FPM schools. A FPM online review consists of data and document review only. Federal Single Audit Congress passed the Single Audit Act of 1984 to improve state and local governments’ financial management of federal categorical programs. The Act established requirements for audits of the District’s financial statements and for testing and reporting on internal controls and compliance with laws and regulations by independent auditors. The compliance requirements applicable to federal categorical programs can be found in the document published by the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) called the OMB Uniform Grant Guidance (UGG). For major programs, the auditor is required to plan and perform tests of controls to verify the Time and Effort Reporting Documentation All personnel who are compensated from a federal and/or state categorical resource must complete either a Periodic Certification form or a multi-funded time reporting form (Refer to BUL 2643.15, Documentation for Employees Paid from Federal and State Categorical Programs). If using a Periodic Certification, the school should complete this document for the employee and get

The purpose of FPM is to monitor LEAs for compliance with requirements for each categorical program, including fiscal

requirements. LEAs are responsible to ensure that schools maintain compliant categorical programs. CDE monitoring is conducted every two years for half of the LEAs in California. This allows each LEA to be monitored twice every four years by state staff knowledgeable in one or more of these programs.

operation of internal controls, policies and procedures, and compliance with federal requirements at the district and school-site levels. Additionally, the auditor must determine whether the District has complied with laws, regulations, and the provisions of contracts or grant assurances that have a direct and material effect on each of its major programs. Schools and offices must maintain documentation for a period of seven years for Budget and Finance, and five years for School Site Council. All documentation must be provided upon request from the independent auditors. Please refer to REF 071300.0, Records Retention for School Sites. the supervising official’s signature after each federally funded assignment. When a teacher attends a federally funded training during the regular work hours, the supervising official should complete and sign the Periodic Certification. If the school is time reporting the training, the teacher should also submit the training certification to the time

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