Overview of Title I 

Title 1, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, reauthorized as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. It is the largest federal assistance program for schools. The federal government provides funding to the state. The state sends the money to school districts based on the number of families below a set income level. Local districts use the funding to provide instructional services and activities which support students in meeting the state's performance standards.

Wylam Elementary School receives federal funds to provide a school-wide program. School-wide programs must 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 school-wide program that is revised as needed. A school-wide program serves all children in the school by providing staff and/or other resources to assist in classrooms in the areas of reading and math.

School-Wide Programs

• plan for comprehensive, long-term improvement 

• serve all students with highly qualified teachers and paraprofessionals 

• provide continuous learning for staff, parents, and the community

• use research-based practices to develop and implement enriched instruction for all students

• use inclusive approaches to strengthen the school's organizational structure

• consolidate resources to achieve programs goals

• engage in continuous self-assessment and improvement

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 my child?
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.

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

We know that family involvement in a child’s education is a greater predictor of academic success than whether or not that family is affluent or poor. That’s why Title I, Part A program regulations insist on robust family involvement activities at every school where these federal funds support effective teaching and engaged learning.

What Is Family/Parent Involvement?
Title I, Part A defines parent involvement as the ...participation of parents in regular, two-way and meaningful communications with school staff that involves the student, addresses learning and engages the family in school activities. 

Why Does Family/Parent Involvement Matter?
Research tells us that students with involved parents, are more likely to:

• Earn high grades and test scores,

• Take more challenging classes,

• Have better attendance,

• Graduate, and

• Go on to community/technical college or university.

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.

What does research tell us?
Research shows that how well students do in school depends a great deal upon how much their parents get involved in their education. You can become more involved by:

• Joining local and national school/parent organizations

• Reading with your child and talking about the books and stories you read

• Helping your child with homework assignments

• Tutoring your child with materials and instructions provided by teachers or resources found on-line

• Supporting school extra-curricular activities

• Volunteering in classrooms, on field trips, or for special events

• Attending parent-teacher conferences

• Communicating with your student’s teacher regularly, by writing notes, telephoning the school, etc.

• Continuing to be involved as your child is in middle and high school

• Talking with your child about school on a daily basis

• Keeping your student’s teacher informed about events in his or her life which may affect his/her performance at school

• Discussing with your student’s teacher and parent organizations other ideas for parent involvement

• Voting in school board elections

• Taking a class at a community college or adult education program to demonstrate to your child that learning is important

• Consider involving your child's grandparents or old siblings.

• Being an advocate for your child to make sure that his/her needs are being met