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What is ESEA?
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson passed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act(ESEA) as a part of the "War on Poverty." ESEA emphasizes equal access to education and establishes high standards and accountability. The law authorizes federally funded education programs that are administered by the states. In 2002, Congress amended ESEA and reauthorized it as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).
What is Title I?
Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) provides financial assistance to states and school districts to meet the needs of educationally at-risk students. The goal of Title I is to provide extra instructional services and activities which support students identified as failing or most at risk of failing the state's challenging performance standards in mathematics, reading, and writing.
What will Title I do for students who are eligible for services?
The Title I program will provide your student with extra educational assistance beyond the regular classroom.
Which schools does Title I serve?
The program serves students in elementary and secondary (middle and high) schools who have demonstrated that extra assistance is needed. Title I also serves students who attend private schools.
What is a Schoolwide Program? What is a Targeted Assistance School Program?
A schoolwide program is a comprehensive reform strategy designed to upgrade the entire educational program in a Title I school; its primary goal is to ensure that all students, particularly those who are low-achieving, demonstrate proficient and advanced levels of achievement on State academic achievement standards. This schoolwide reform strategy requires that a school:
- Conduct a comprehensive needs assessment;
- Identify and commit to specific goals and strategies that address those needs;
- Create a comprehensive plan; and
- Conduct an annual review of the effectiveness of the schoolwide program and revise the plan as necessary.
A targeted assistance school, is one that receives Title I Part A funds and has chosen not to operate a Title I Part A schoolwide program. The term “targeted assistance” signifies that the services are provided to a select group of children – those identified as failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet the State's challenging content and student performance standards – rather than for overall school improvement, as in Schoolwide programs.
A student is eligible to receive Title I services in a targeted assistance school if the school identifies the student as "failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet the state's challenging student academic achievement standards."
How does our school receive Title I money?
First, the federal government provides funding to each state. Then, each State Educational Agency sends money to its school districts. How much money each school receives is determined by the number of low-income students attending that school. Finally, Title I schools:
- Identify the students at their school who need the most educational assistance based on the criteria that school has chosen. Students do NOT have to be from low-income families to receive Title I services.
- Set goals for improving the skills of educationally disadvantaged students at their school.
- Measure student progress to determine the success of the Title I program for each student.
- Develop programs for each individual student in order to support/supplement regular classroom instruction.
What do Title I programs offer?
Title I programs generally offer:
- Smaller classes or special instructional spaces
- Additional teachers and aides
- Opportunities for professional development for school staff
- Extra time for teaching Title I students the skills they need
- A variety of supplementary teaching methods
- An individualized program for students
- Additional teaching materials which supplement a student's regular instruction
How can I get involved?
Parents, you can influence the success of your student in school more than any teacher or federal program. By becoming an active participant in the Title I parent involvement plan at your school, you will:
- Serve as a role model, showing your student that you support his/her education.
- Assure that you are aware of your student's educational progress; thereby demonstrating how important that progress is to you.
- Teach your student that your input at the school is appreciated and that you support its efforts.
Title I provides funding as well as a variety of initiatives and programs to help underachieving children succeed. Click on the links below to learn more about Title I:
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