2. What is a Title I? Title I is Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. This program 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.

3. How does SPE participate in the Title I Program? A school-wide Title I program ensures the success of all Spring Place Elementary students. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the 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.”

4. How does SPE participate in the Title I Program? SPE receives Title I funding to provide additional instructional materials to students and to offer educational trainings for parents. Additionally, Title I provides a system for teacher accountability and teacher trainings that enable educators to implement high-quality, current instructional practices.

5. What are the Title I Requirements for SPE? Title I requires the following mandatory meetings and documents: – Annual Title I Meeting – Parent trainings (Math, Literacy, Technology) – Parent-School Compact – Parent Involvement Policy – Title I School-wide Improvement Plan Mid Year Review of Data End of Year Review of Data All purchases must support the needs of the school – as identified by data. (SPE’s weaknesses are in the areas of reading fluency and math fact fluency. Our Title I expenditures will center on ways to increase students’ foundational skills in reading and math.) Parents must be informed that they may give input on ways to spend the 1% of Title I funding reserved for Parental Involvement.

6. What is SPE’s Designation Status? SPE’s College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) 2014 score: – Elementary: 84.9 – Middle (6 th grade): 66.7 SPE’s College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) 2013 score: – Elementary: 83.6 – Middle (6 th grade): 80.4

7. What are Our School-wide Goals? 80% of students will make 35% growth on the Georgia Department of Education approved Student Learning Objectives (SLOs). 80% of students will increase their Lexile measures to proficient or advanced within their grade level bands. We will have a Lexile Training for Parents September 10 from 5-6:30 p.m.

8. What programs or supports are in place to help my child? Before and After Tutoring Differentiated Instruction Progress Monitoring CHAMPS (Choosing Healthy Activities and Methods Promoting Safety) Literacy Diagnostic Measures and Support Math Diagnostic Measures and Support Enriched Technology Online Resource for Helping Develop Students’ 21 st Century Skills (Learning.com) Online Resources: Reading Eggs, Tumblebooks, BookFlix

9. What curriculum does our school use? On February 19, 2015, the State Board of Education (SBOE) voted to rename the ELA and Mathematics standards to the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE). The recently revised and SBOE approved ELA and Mathematics standards will be implemented beginning for the 2015-2016 school year. These standards prepare students for college as well as the 21 st century workplace. – The CCGPS were written for English, Mathematics, and Literacy in History, Science, and Technical Subjects. – According to the Atlanta Public Schools website, “The Common Core will ensure that teachers teach and students learn the knowledge and skills to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, including communications skills, perseverance in problem solving, technical reading and writing, literacy across disciplines, and the most important mathematical skills.”

10. What tests will my child be taking? (Click the hyperlinks to get more information.) DIBELS (Dymanic Indicator or Basic Early Literacy Skills) DIBELS (Dymanic Indicator or Basic Early Literacy Skills) Sight Word Fluency (Here is a great website for helping your children learn their sight words!)Here Informal Decoding Inventory (IDI) Math Fact Fluency (Here is a great website for helping your children learn their math facts!)Here Scholastic Reading Inventory District Benchmarks Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) Georgia Milestones

12. What is the Parent Involvement Policy? Accessible on the SPE website Parents have the right to give input on this policy. (Meetings will take place September 8-11 from 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., daily) The Parent Involvement Policy specifies ways SPE staff will work with families to improve student success. Additionally, it includes strategies to increase parental involvement and engagement in order to positively impact students’ learning.

13. What is the School-Parent Compact? Must be signed by Parents, Teachers, Administrators, and Students (Deadline: Sept. 28) and referred to during Parent/Teacher Conferences as well as during faculty meetings Parents have the right to give input on this compact. (Meetings will take place September 8- 11 from 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., daily) According to the U.S. Department of education, “[t]he school-parent compact is a written agreement between teachers and parents and provides an opportunity to create new partnerships in your school community. It is a document that explains what families and schools can do to help children reach high academic standards of excellence.”

14. What is the School Improvement Plan? Parents have the right to give input on this plan. (Meetings will take place September 15, from 3-4 p.m. and September 24, from 3-4 p.m.) The School Improvement Plan includes a set of data-based goals, objectives and action steps that promote school improvement and accountability. Included in the plan are guidelines concerning the following: SPE’s anticipated needs-based purchases, teacher training, instructional materials, technology, staffing, and student support services.

18. How responsive will the school be to my questions when staff members are contacted? We will be glad to assist you! The school’s number is 706-695-2525