• Compliance Monitoring

    School districts, direct-funded charter schools, and county offices that receive funding for certain programs may be chosen for a review by the state. The purpose of the review is to ensure that they are spending the funding as required by law. At the end of each review, the state will complete a report that details any findings of non-compliance and informs the school, district, or county office how to correct the findings.

    The California Department of Education (CDE) works to provide a coordinated and transparent monitoring process. Within the CDE, the Federal Program Monitoring (FPM) office has been designated to supervise the FPM reviews, which take place either in person or online.

    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 minimum fiscal and programmatic requirements.

    LEAs are assigned to one of four : A, B, C or D. Each school year, approximately 130 LEAs are selected for review-65 LEAs from one cohort for an onsite review, and another 65 LEAs from a different cohort for an online review. The LEAs are selected using established selection criteria including program size, fiscal analysis, compliance history, and continuous improvement.

    FPM Review Team Leaders coordinate teams of select CDE program monitors to conduct onsite or online monitoring of the LEA using the Program Instruments.

    WCCUSD is in cohort D and prepares for moniotiry bi-annually on even-years (eg. 2018, 2020, 2022, etc.).

    When/if a school district receives a notification of findings regarding non-compliant program element, District staff must work to become compliant in the identified area(s) within the time frames specified by CDE.

    Generally, within 45 calendar days after the date of the Notification of Findings (NOF), the LEA must resolve each finding by providing resolution documents in the CDE Monitoring Tool (CMT). The LEA may use the resolution process in CMT to request a Resolution Agreement to extend the resolution period beyond the due date on the NOF. CDE Program Reviewers approve or deny Resolution Agreement requests.

    The Resolution Agreement period should allow for reasonable time to resolve findings but cannot exceed 225 calendar days from the last day of the review.

    CDE Monitoring Tool (CMT)

    CDE staff provide indepth training annually to assist school districts to fully understand and participate in the monitoring process.

     External link opens in new window or tab. 

    Recorded presentation of CDE Monitoring Tool (CMT) Introduction for Agencies uploaded on October 6, 2016.


    PDF version of recorded presentation of CDE Monitoring Tool (CMT) Introduction for Agencies.


    A guide to provide agency CMT users with the knowledge needed to use the tool. 


    Information related to training in 2016–17 Local Educational Agency Training for staff of LEAs selected for a Cycle A or C FPM review.

    Program Instruments

    CDE prepares and shares Instruments for each categorical program; these instruments contain federal and state legal requirements organized into statutory core items and supporting items arranged under seven general CDE dimensions. FPM team members use Program Instruments to determine whether an LEA is meeting requirements of each item.