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Title I

Title I

Overview of Title I

Title I of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act is the largest, and one of the oldest, federally funded education programs in the nation. It provides additional funds to local school districts to help at risk students reach proficiency on state and local academic standards.


Title I funds must be used to provide services that are supplemental or, in addition to, services normally provided by the school district. Title I funds support extra instruction in reading and mathematics through the funding of additional teachers, instructional materials, and professional development, as well as after-school and summer programs to extend and reinforce the regular school curriculum.

 

Title I Funding

Funding for Title I is appropriated annually by Congress. Once the amount available is voted upon, the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. calculates the percentage due each state. The fifty State Departments of Education then distribute a percentage to each local school district. These amounts are determined by the economic need of the area.

 

Title I, Part A Targeted Assistance Program

Title I funds in a Targeted Assistance school must be used to improve the academic achievement of identified Title I students.  Students must be identified based on multiple, objective, educationally related criteria.  Also, criteria must be generated to determine when a student may exit the Title I program. Title I supplemental services may be delivered in a number of ways, i.e., in-class instruction; pull-out instruction; and/or extended day, week, or year instruction. Title I teacher(s) must be highly-qualified and responsible for providing supplemental services to identified students. Title I staff must coordinate with other school personnel and involve parents/guardians in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Title I program.


Districts with students placed in private schools of the same level of schooling of which the Title I programs is servicing must consult with private school representatives before making final determinations about the use of Title I funds.


Title I Targeted Assistance Selection Process

Student selection is based on several criteria including classroom performance, teacher recommendation, standardized, state, and local assessments. The results of these criteria are weighed on a point system. Students with the greatest number of points are selected first. Through the selection criteria, those students who are determined in “greatest need” will be serviced first.