Federal Programs FAQs

Overview

Title I is a federal program that provides funds to school districts and schools 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.

Program Elements

Critical program elements are:

·         needs assessment and program plan design,
·         parent involvement,
·         services to students enrolled in private schools,
·         high-quality teachers and paraprofessionals,
·         coordination of services for homeless students in Title I schools,
·         support for Title I Focus and Approaching Target schools and
·         comparability.

Overview

Title II is a federal program that provides funds to increase academic achievement by improving teacher and principal quality; increase the number of highly qualified teachers in classrooms; improve the skills of principals and assistant principals in schools; to increase the effectiveness of teachers and principals by holding LEAs and schools accountable for improvements in student academic achievement; and to combine the former Eisenhower Professional Development Program and the former Class-Size Reduction Initiative into one funding program.

Program Elements

Critical program elements are:
·         To recruit, hire and retain highly qualified teachers and principals;
·         To provide research-based, high-quality professional development activities;
·         To support the acquisition of advanced degrees to the extent that doing so is consistent with the LEA's needs assessment and local plan;
·         To provide training activities to enhance the involvement of parents in their child's education;
·         To pay the salary of a highly qualified replacement teacher when the regular classroom teacher is on sabbatical;
·         To pay the costs of State tests required of new teachers to determine whether they have subject matter competency and to assist them in meeting State certification requirements;
·         To purchase supplies or instructional materials used as part of professional development activities and;
·         To carry out teacher advancement initiatives that promote professional growth.

Overview

Title VI is a federal program that provides funds to address the unique needs of rural school districts that frequently lack the personnel and resources needed to compete effectively for Federal competitive grants; and receive formula grant allocations in amounts too small to be effective in meeting their intended purposes.

Program Elements

Critical program elements are:
·         Teacher recruitment and retention
·         Teacher professional development
·         Educational technology
·         Parental involvement activities
·         Activities authorized under Title IV- Part A Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities
·         Activities authorized under Title I- Part A Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies
·         Activities authorized under Title III - Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students

A Title I Schoolwide program is a method of delivering Title I services in eligible schools. It allows the school to address the educational needs of children living in impoverished communities with comprehensive strategies for improving the entire school so every student achieves high levels of academic proficiency.

Schoolwide programs have great latitude to determine how to organize their operations and allocate the multiple funding sources available to them. They do not have to identify particular children as eligible for services or separately track federal dollars. Instead, Schoolwide programs can use all allocated funds to increase the amount and quality of learning time. In this way, they can embrace a high-quality curriculum, according to a comprehensive plan that ensures all children meet the state's challenging academic standards.

Schoolwide programs serve all children in a school. All staff, resources, and classes are part of the overall Schoolwide program. The purpose is to generate high levels of academic achievement in core subject areas for all students, especially those students most in need. This purpose is achieved through:

·         High-quality instruction
·         Comprehensive reform strategies and methods that are based on the use of scientifically based research
·         Strategies and methods to improve teacher quality and professional development
·         Consolidated use of funds

Schoolwide programs, allowable in buildings with at least 40% poverty upon submitting their schoolwide application, are designed to serve the educational needs of all students within the school. In order for any activity to be allowable in a schoolwide, the activity must be reflected both in the school's comprehensive needs assessment and schoolwide plan. As is the case with all actions and strategies on schoolwide plans, if it is being funded with Title I funds, its effectiveness on increasing student achievement will need to be evaluated annually.

Title I funds combined with other resources may be used to fund any aspect of RtI (Response to Intervention) in a schoolwide school. In a schoolwide program, the district must take appropriate measures to ensure that they are not supplanting state and local funds with federal Title I funding.

The reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, requires schools to involve parents in school programs and in the education of their children. The following major ESEA parent-involvement requirements for schools and districts are addressed:
·         Title I - Improving the Academic Achievement
·         District Parent Involvement Policy
·         School Parent Involvement Policy
·         School Obligations
·         School-Parent Compact
·         School and District Responsibilities for Building Capacity for Parent Involvement
·         Parental Resource Centers (PRCs)

Not necessarily. An emergency license/permit may allow the teacher to hold the position, but whether the teacher is highly qualified depends on the individual's education, preparation, and assignment. For the individual to be funded from Title I or IIA dollars, the teacher must be highly qualified. A teacher who holds an emergency license or permit in core subject(s) is considered highly qualified only if all three of the following criteria are met:

The educator has demonstrated content knowledge in the core subject(s) in which they will be teaching through either a major, minor, or successful completion of Praxis II test(s). Please note that an elementary or middle school teacher who is licensed to teach all core academic areas for regular education would meet this requirement for a special education assignment since the Praxis II exam is dependent upon level and not whether it is regular or special education.
The educator is enrolled in an approved educator preparation program that will be completed in no more than three years.
The district provides professional development before and while teaching and intensive supervision or mentoring while teaching.

ACSD Federal Programs Frequently Asked Questions

Title I

Title II

Title VI

Schoolwide Programs

Schoowide Title I Programs

Parent Involvement

Highly Qualified Teachers and Paraprofessionals