1. TITLE I and SCHOOLWIDE PLANNING Staff and Parent Vote April 2009

2. What is Title I? The largest federal aid program for improving the academic achievement of disadvantaged students. Title I was originally enacted under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. ESEA was reauthorized under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and signed into law in January 2002. Title I is…

3. What is the Goal of NCLB and the Purpose of Title I? The goal of NCLB and purpose of Title I 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 state academic assessments. Source: www.ed.govwww.ed.gov

4. How is the Goal of NCLB and the Purpose of Title I Accomplished ? It is accomplished by: Ensuring that high-quality academic assessments, accountability systems, teacher preparation and training, curriculum, and instructional materials are aligned with challenging state academic standards. Meeting the educational needs of low-achieving children in high poverty schools. Closing the achievement gap between high- and low-performing students. Holding schools, districts, and states accountable for improving the academic achievement of all students. Distributing and targeting resources sufficiently to make a difference to districts and schools where needs are greatest. Improving and strengthening teaching, and learning.

5. How is the Goal of NCLB and the Purpose of Title I Accomplished? (Continued) Providing greater decision making authority and flexibility to schools. Providing students an enriched and accelerated educational program Promoting schoolwide reform and ensuring the access of children to effective, scientifically based instructional strategies and challenging academic content. Significantly elevating the quality of instruction by providing staff in participating schools with substantial opportunities for professional development. Affording parents substantial and meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children. Source: www.ed.govwww.ed.gov

6. How Does Title I Work? Title I funding is allocated by the federal government to states for distribution to eligible districts and schools. In NYC, school eligibility is determined by the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunch (poverty percentage). For the 2009-10 school year, the poverty percentage required for Title I eligibility is 40% in Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens, and 35% for Staten Island. The current poverty percentage cut offs for Title I eligibility were reduced from the previous year’s cut points of 60% for Brooklyn, Bronx, and Manhattan, 55.7% for Queens, and 37.8% for Staten Island.

7. What are the Two Types of Title I Programs? Title I Targeted Assistance Program (TA) Title I Schoolwide Program (SWP)

8. Title I Targeted Assistance (TA) Title I funds must supplement the state and local resources that are otherwise allocated to the school. In a Title I Targeted Assistance program only eligible students can be served. Eligible students are the students who perform the lowest on (level 1 and 2) on State Assessments or who fail or are at risk of failing Regents exams. Title I parents are the parents of these eligible students (i.e. the parents of students who are receiving Title I services.) TA schools must maintain detailed records to document that Title I funding is spent only on activities and services delivered to eligible students and parents. Title I Schoolwide Program (SWP) Title I funds must supplement the state and local resources that are otherwise allocated to the school. Operationalizes a comprehensive plan that improves the overall educational program for all children in the school. Stimulates comprehensive reform of the entire instructional program, rather than operating separate and fragmented add-on programs. All parents are Title I parents because all students are Title I students

9. Why Are We Here Today? Due the Federal government a large amount of Title I funding to the economic stimulus package that is coming from will be available to our schools for 2009-10 Fiscal year. After consultation with the USDOE and the SED the Title I cutoffs for all boroughs were lowered for the upcoming school year making an additional 168 schools citywide eligible to receive Title I funds. The USDOE and SED in consultation with the NYCDOE is making it possible for eligible Title I schools (i.e. Schools that will receive Title I funding for the first time in 2009-10) to become a Schoolwide Program. (A school must have a minimum poverty percentage of 40% to be eligible for SWP.)

10. What are the two crucial requirements for my SWP application? The Staff Vote The Parent Vote

11. What is the process for getting these two important votes? The first step is a consultation with the core SLT members. The Principal, The UFT chapter chairperson and the PA/PTA president/chairperson agree to apply for SWP.

12. The school undertakes a formal school vote for staff and for parents. Staff Vote: A vote of approval of 60% of the non-supervisory staff (teachers, paraprofessionals, DC37). The UFT Chapter Leader facilitates the staff voting process. Parent Vote: A majority parent vote by parents who vote at a well-advertised meeting. The PA/PTA President facilitates the parent voting process.

13. So how do we conduct the staff vote? The UFT Chapter Chair organizes and conducts the staff vote The vote must be well advertised All UFT and DC 37 union members who are paid on the school’s Galaxy T of O may vote All rules for UFT voting apply The UFT chapter chair submits a written attestation verifying the results of the vote

14. What constitutes an approval of the staff vote? The staff vote passes if 60% of those voting approve.

15. How do we organize the parent vote? The PA/PTA president/chairperson organizes and conducts the vote The vote must be conducted at a well advertised meeting Information should be provided in languages that are appropriate for parents ALL parents must have an opportunity to vote and the voting must be conducted in format that is comfortable for parents. This does not have to be a paper ballot. The PA/PTA president/chairperson submits a written attestation verifying the results of the vote

16. What constitutes approval of the parent vote? The parent vote passes if a majority of parents (who are present for the vote) vote in favor of SWP.

17. Determination of Voluntary Participation – Question 6 Describe processes and procedures conducted to facilitate staff and parent and principal/administrator agreement. You must provide documentation for everything you have done! Include copies of the following with your application: –Certified tally of staff vote (signed by the UFT Chapter Leader) –Certified tally of parent vote (signed by PA/PTA President) –Attendance sheets –Meeting agendas –Meeting minutes

18. Submission of Documentation Submission of supporting documentation is vitally important. Without supporting documentation that proves you advertised the staff and parent votes and/or held the meetings, as well as the certification of the votes your application is not complete and can not be processed. Do not forget this step.

19. The Most Complicated Part of the Application Process The most difficult part of the SWP application process is organizing, advertising and conducting the parent and staff votes. These are also the two most crucial parts of the application process. If you don’t do this you can’t become SWP. If you don’t get an affirmative vote from both constituents you can not go forward with the process.

20. INFORMATION IS THE KEY A knowledgeable staff and parent body will be able to make an informed decision about Schoolwide programs Provide your constituents with clear easy to read (and easy to distribute) information about the benefits of Schoolwide programs What kind of information can I provide to my constituents?

21. SWP Handout Chart – Comparison of Targeted Assistance and Schoolwide Programs This chart (Attachment A) is included in your SWP Planning Initiative Circular on page 10 The chart elegantly summarizes the differences between SWP and TA. You can use it to highlight the advantages of a schoolwide program

22. CharacteristicSchoolwide ProgramTargeted Assistance School EligibilityAll Title I schools in New York City that have at least 40% of students who meet the poverty criteria, are eligible. School is at or above average poverty cutoff for the borough. Student EligibilityAll students in the school participate in the Schoolwide Program. Students failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet New York State’s content standards. Scope of ProgramWhole-school instructional reform that leads to achievement by all students of high State and citywide standards. Assistance for students with the greatest educational need in order to help them achieve the same high State and citywide standards expected of all students. PlanningSchool-based planning and a comprehensive school plan are required; one year of planning required prior to implementation of a new Schoolwide Program. School-based planning required; while schools plan their Schoolwide Programs, they continue as Title I Targeted Assistance schools.

23. CharacteristicSchoolwide ProgramTargeted Assistance Generation of Funds In participating schools, the number of students who are eligible for free and reduced lunch. Student Participation All studentsStudents who are failing or most at risk of failing to meet the State’s challenging standards. Preferred Instructional Approach Comprehensive building-wide instructional reform that supports achievement of high standards by all students (approaches include Bilingual/ESL programs and native language content area instruction and materials). Approaches that lead to achievement of high standards by participating students. Preferably approaches do not reduce the time participants spend in the regular classroom: for example, push-in, after school programs, and summer programs.

24. CharacteristicSchoolwide ProgramTargeted Assistance Use of FundsFlexibility in combining Title I funds from federal, State, and local resources, with the exception of special education and funds allocated specifically for ELL students; funds are used to benefit all students in the school, but must be used to provide Academic Intervention Services to identified students. Funds may not be combined with other federal, State, and local resources; funds must be used to benefit participating students. Identification of Participating Students In accordance with the Title I law, “no school participating in a Schoolwide Program shall be required to identify particular children as eligible to participate in this program or to provide supplemental services to such children.” All records that were traditionally maintained for the Title I program should continue to be maintained.

25. CharacteristicSchoolwide ProgramTargeted Assistance Supplement Not Supplant In no case may Title I funds supplant the State and local resources that are otherwise allocated to the school. Consultation with parents DOE recommends Title I consultation occur through the PA/PTA; Title I parents decide. DOE recommends Title I consultation occur through a separate Parent Advisory Council (PAC); Title I parents decide.

26. Next Steps Develop and submit your SWP Planning Proposal by April 30 to: Gwendolyn Hopkins Director, NCLB/SED Program Support and Compliance Office of School Improvement, Division of Teaching and Learning New York City Department of Education 52 Chambers Street, Room 213 New York, NY 10007 Office of School Improvement will notify schools of SWP planning proposal approval by May 15, 2009. Approved SWP Planning Schools develop a CEP for 2009-10 that is reflective of all schoolwide planning requirements and inclusive of all required components of Title I Schoolwide program. The CEP serves as the Schoolwide Program Plan.

27. Tentative TIMELINE OF 2008-09 SCHOOLWIDE PROGRAM PLANNING ACTIVITIES ActivityTimeline Notification to schools of their eligibility to participate in the 2008-09 Schoolwide Program (SWP) planning initiative. (Eligible schools are Title I schools that will meet the SWP minimum 40% poverty level criteria for FY’10). March 26, 2009 Professional development and technical assistance on the benefits and requirements of SWP delivered via web casts and network-level and school-based orientation meetings. March 30 – April 30, 2009 (Specific dates and times to follow) Eligible schools (i.e., staff and parents) make the decision to become a Title I Schoolwide Program (based on agreement among core SLT members and affirmative results of staff and parent voting) and submit SWP planning proposals. By April 30, 2009 School SWP planning proposals due to the Office of School Improvement. April 30, 2009 Participating schools notified of the approval of their SWP planning proposals. By May 15, 2009 Approved SWP schools develop draft Comprehensive Educational Plans for 2009-10 that are reflective of all SWP planning requirements and inclusive of all required components of a Title I Schoolwide Program. May – June 2009

28. Questions and Comments For more information, please contact: Senior School/District Improvement Liaison (SDIL) Senior Grants Officer (SGO) in the Integrated Service Center (ISC) Regional School Support Center (RSSC) Facilitator CFN/Network Leaders Office of School Improvement at 212-374-5757