Title I is a federal program that provides funds to school districts and schools with high numbers or high percentages of children who are disadvantaged to support a variety of services. Its overall purpose is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and assessments. The grant contains provisions for ensuring that children who are disadvantaged enrolled in private schools also benefit from the academic enrichment services funded with Title I, Part A funds.
LEAs target the Title I funds they receive to public schools with the highest percentages of children from low-income families. Unless a participating school is operating a schoolwide program, the school must focus Title I services on children who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet State academic standards. Schools enrolling at least 40 percent of students from poor families are eligible to use Title I funds for schoolwide programs that serve all children in the school.
In SY 2006-07 Title I served more than 17 million children nationwide. Of these students, approximately 60 percent were in kindergarten through fifth grade, 21 percent in grades 6-8, 16 percent in grades 9-12, three percent in preschool, and less than one percent ungraded.
Title I is designed to help students served by the program to achieve proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards. Title I schools with percentages of low income students of at least 40 percent may use Title I funds, along with other Federal, State, and local funds, to operate a "schoolwide program" to upgrade the instructional program for the whole school. Title I schools with less than 40 percent low income students or that choose not to operate a schoolwide program offer a "targeted assistance program" in which the school identifies students who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet the State's challenging academic achievement standards. Targeted assistance schools design, in consultation with parents, staff, and district staff, an instructional program to meet the needs of those students. Both schoolwide and targeted assistance programs must use instructional strategies based on scientifically based research and implement parental involvement activities.
Title I Program Elements
Critical program elements are:
- comparability,
- parent involvement,
- evaluation of services provided to students enrolled in private schools,
- high-quality teachers and paraprofessionals,
- coordination of services for homeless students in non-Title I schools,
- needs assessment and program plan design, and
- sanctions and support for schools identified for improvement (SIFI)
For more information, contact:
Laura Veglahn, Title I Director
(608) 786-4814 or Toll Free (800) 514-3075
FAX (608) 786-4801
E-mail: lveglahn@cesa4.org
JoAnn Martin, Program Assistant
(608) 786-4854; Toll Free (800) 514-3075
FAX (608) 786-4801
E-mail: jmartin@cesa4.org
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