FTCSC Press Release on Ed-Flex Waiver

The Indiana Department of Education has recently made changes to the ED-Flex Waiver application and requirements. Ed-Flex is a program through the U.S. Department of Education that allows state education agencies the authority to waive statutory or regulatory education requirements that may impede local efforts to reform and improve educational achievement.

FTCSC applied for two waivers (waivers #2 and #4) available to all Indiana local education agencies. 

• Waiver #2:  

• Increased flexibility in paraprofessional requirements, which include:
• Two years of college experience, two-year college degree, pass Parapro assessment, one year or 1000 hours of previous employment, pass annual school-level evaluations, complete 48 credit hours, CDA Credentials, and/or complete LEA training modules.
• The State statutory and regulatory requirements relating to education that the State educational agency will waive the following requirements:

• 2) Sec. 1111(g)(2)(M) of ESEA (Title I) requires NCLB paraprofessional high-quality requirements to remain in place rather than solely allowing the state to determine what constitutes high-quality, as ESSA allows for teachers.

• Waiver #2 will benefit educational achievement in FTCSC by allowing flexibility in hiring paraprofessionals to fill high-demand positions. Paraprofessionals provide interventions to Title I students.

• Waiver #4:  Increased flexibility in Title IV spending requirements for LEAS that receive more than $30,000.

• The State statutory and regulatory requirements relating to education that the State educational agency will waive the following requirements:

• 4) Sec. 4106(e)(2)(C-E) (Title IV,A) requires LEAs with an allocation of $30,000 or more to utilize 20%, 20%, and some funds on well-rounded education, safe and healthy education, and technology integration respectively

• Waiver #4 will benefit educational achievement in FTCSC by allowing the LEA to dedicate the majority of Title IV funds to one initiative, such as mental health services for students and/or professional development for staff.

• According to 20 U.S.C. 5891b(a)(7), any LEA seeking an Ed-Flex Waiver, including school-specific waiver:  

• Shall provide the public with adequate and sufficient notice of the proposed waiver, which consists of a description of the LEA/School’s application for the proposed waiver in a widely read or distributed medium.
• Shall provide the opportunity for parents, educators, and all other interested community stakeholders the opportunity to comment on the waiver.
• Shall specify how the comments may be received, and how the comments may be reviewed by any member of the public.

** If you have any questions and/or concerns/comments, please contact us by using our “Contact” feature on our website at https://ftcsc.org/contact/.