What is Title I?
Title I, Part A (Title I) is a federally funded education program designed to assist school districts in meeting the educational needs of their students. Title I began in 1965 when Congress passed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It was reauthorized in 2001 with the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act and most recently reauthorized in 2015 by the Every Student Succeeds Act. The purpose of Title I, Part A is to provide resources to schools and districts to ensure that all children have a fair, equitable, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and close educational achievement gaps.
Title I, Part A is intended to support LEAs in:
- Improving teaching by promoting effective instruction for at-risk children and for enriched and accelerated programs;
- Expanding eligibility of schools for schoolwide programs that serve all children;
- Encouraging school-based improvement planning;
- Establishing accountability based on results;
- Promoting meaningful parent and family engagement;
- Coordinating with health and social services agencies;
- Focusing resources on the schools with the highest percentage of students living in poverty.
Do all schools have a Title I program?
Federal guidelines require that Title I programs are available in schools with the greatest level of low-income families. Once a school qualifies, academic need, not economic status, determines which students receive extra instruction. Decisions about particular grade levels to be served are left up to each school site.
Elementary & Middle School Schoolwide Title I Program Plans
Mark Twain, Truman, and Wyman Elementary all qualify for Schoolwide Title I.A, while the Rolla Middle School qualifies as a Targeted Assistance program. A school operating a schoolwide program must develop and distribute a written parent involvement plan that:
-
Is developed collaboratively by parents, school personnel and other members of the community;
-
Remains in effect as long as the school participates in Title I.A;
-
Is reviewed annually with revisions or improvements made as needed;
-
Is developed in coordination and integration with other federal, state and local services, resources and programs;
-
Is based on a comprehensive needs assessment of the entire school which looks at benchmark assessments, progress monitoring as well as performance in relation to the Missouri Learning Standards.
-
Includes a description of instructional strategies and methods to help improve student achievement, performance and engagement of all students;
-
Provides training, assistance and resources for parents to help them understand the Title I program and to help them become full partners in improving their child’s progress/achievement.
-
Encourage a partnership to strengthen the engagement between home and school;
-
Include strategies for communication and feedback with parents that are timely and flexible.
What are some typical Title I services?
The district works hard to carry out a program that meets the needs of the children at individual schools. At some buildings this may mean selected students receive assistance during the regular school day either in their classrooms or in another location within the school. Generally, students work individually or in small groups with a teacher or a trained instructional assistant.
Who are Title I students?
They are students who will succeed when given some extra instruction. The students are identified by their classroom teachers as needing additional help in reading and/or math based on their test scores and performance. Those who show the greatest educational need, and who are not receiving Special Education services, are served first.
How are parents involved?
- Parents are notified of their child's eligibility for and participation in Title I.
- Parents, teachers and students sign a contract that spells out the goals and shared responsibilities of the child, school and parents for student success. *Parents are encouraged to participate in Title I meetings and learning opportunities.
- Parents are provided with information about Title I via newsletters and/or handouts from the Title I staff.
- Parents are invited to be a part of the Title I Parent Advisory Council.
What can parents do?
- Share a love of learning and set a good example by reading, writing letters and/or lists, comparing prices, etc.
- Make learning fun by playing educational games, visiting the library and listening to and talking with your child.
- Show interest in your child's school day by asking specific questions and praising effort and improvement.