Mandated-cost claims: CSBA, SI&A offer help

CSBA and School Innovations & Advocacy have partnered to provide mandated-cost reimbursement claiming services to school districts and county offices of education throughout California. The joint venture was launched Feb. 1.

SI&A is a full-service firm with expertise in categorical programs, attendance accounting, special education, mandates and advocacy. The goal of the partnership is to ensure that districts and county offices are compliant and file on time for their rightful reimbursements.

“CSBA selected School Innovations & Advocacy to offer mandated-costs claiming services to our members,” said Suzi Rader, the association’s director of District and Financial Services. “This is especially timely given the budget crisis. SI&A demonstrates their expertise, team approach and attention to compliance issues that are valued by our members.”

Service options include Mandate Prep, which provides comprehensive and personalized service to ensure claims are fully compliant and filed on time for reimbursement, and SiteServ, a mandate program that directly assists local school sites.

Both programs feature a strong team approach, including hands-on client service, training and planning; data tracking and reporting; quality assurance and compliance checks; test claim monitoring; liaison with the state Controller’s Office and the Commission on State Mandates; an audit support system; and a live help desk.

Mandate Prep features include:

• Clients are supported by a team that includes a district or county office consultant, working together with territory coordinators, regional managers, training and technical staff, and compliance and advocacy experts.
• Clients receive unlimited visits or training sessions. SI&A collaborates with clients to create a service plan that determines milestones for training, data collection and follow-up.
• Through ezMandate Web-based “paperless” logs, clients can electronically submit, track and review their time. Built-in compliance guidelines at each step and customizable user preferences are available exclusively to Mandate Prep and SiteServ clients.
• Clients receive a complete year-end analysis of district or COE data and performance, identifying revenue opportunities and recommendations.
• Compliance experts review claims and support clients in the event of an audit.
• Clients maintain exclusive access to information from SI&A.

An additional service that enhances Mandate Prep is SiteServ, which provides a consultant to work specifically at school sites to provide training and support. SiteServ reduces the mandate workload and time commitment for administrators and their staffs, ensuring that costs are not being overlooked and that documentation is compliant. Clients also have access to real-time answers to their questions, worksheet dissemination and deadline updates from the help desk. This is not a recording—the help desk is staffed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Related link:
Find out more about these services @ www.sia-us.com/index.htm, or check out CSBA’s information @ www.csba.org/Services/Services/DistrictServices/MandatePrepAndSiteServ.aspx