1. 1 Title I Faculty Presentation Department of Federal and State Programs 434-8017 or PX 48017

2. 2 The Evolution of Title I  Title I is part of the federally regulated Elementary and Secondary Education Act.  The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) originally passed under President Johnson’s Administration in 1965 as part of the “War on Poverty” agenda.  ESEA was last reauthorized in 2001 and renamed the No Child Left Behind Act.  The current trend is to move away from this term pending reauthorization.

3. 3 Purpose of Title I To ensure ALL children have a fair, equitable, and significant opportunity for a high quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on rigorous state standards and assessments

4. 4 The “How” of Title I Title I schools are provided additional funding to supplement the existing curriculum, parent involvement programs, and professional development.

5. 5 Title I Schools  There are 124 Title I schools in Palm Beach County for FY14, including traditional public schools, charter schools, ESE sites, and alternative schools.  Charter and alternative schools must follow the same requirements as traditional public schools.

6. 6 Qualifying for Title I  Each year schools are identified as Title I based on the percentage of students in the school eligible for free and reduced price meals (FRPL) on Date Certain.  Date Certain for the FY14 school year was December 21, 2012.  Schools meeting the District’s minimum percentage qualify for Title I funding.  The FY14 minimum percentage is 59.5%.  Date Certain for FY15 is December 20, 2013.

7. 7 Title I Basic Allocations  The number of eligible students is multiplied by the per pupil allocation set by the District. Example On Date Certain, 312 students were eligible for free or reduced price meals at Sunshine Elementary. This group represents 69% of the total student population. Per pupil allocation = $355 School allocation = 312 x $355 or $110,760

8. 8 Title I at our School  Title I funds are used at our school to….

9. 9 Title I Requirements  Core subject area teachers must be highly qualified.  Parents have the right to know the credentials of teachers.  Parents must be involved in the development of plans for parent involvement and spending of Title I funds.  Professional development is required as a means to improve instructional skills and the education environment.

10. 10 Highly Qualified Staff  Teachers must be highly qualified upon hiring in the following content areas: elementary education, reading, math, science, history, civics and government, economics, geography, music, art, drama, English, and foreign languages.  Highly qualified teachers possess:  a Bachelor’s degree,  State certification, and  Elementary teachers: a subject area exam or completed HOUSSE plan or NBPTS certificate for appropriate level or completed Out-of-State HQ Verification, or  Middle/high teachers: a subject area exam or completed HOUSSE plan for the appropriate subject and level or NBPTS certificate for appropriate subject area and level or completed Out-of-State HQ Verification.

11. Highly Qualified Staff  ALL non-instructional staff providing academic support to students (paraprofessionals) must be highly qualified.  Highly qualified paraprofessionals possess:  high school diploma/GED and  two years of college (60 credits), or  a conferred Associates Degree, or  a passing score on the rigorous ParaPro Assessment. 11

12. 12 Parents’ Right to Know  Upon request, Title I parents may view the professional qualifications of their child’s teachers and paraprofessionals.  If a student is taught by a teacher who is not highly qualified for four or more consecutive weeks, the parents must receive timely written notice.  State assessment results must be provided to parents in an appropriate language regarding the achievement level of their child.

13. 13 Family Involvement Karen Mapp, parent involvement researcher at Harvard Graduate School of Education, says students in schools with solid family involvement programs:  are more likely to enroll in higher-level programs and earn more credits,  have better social skills, behavior, and adapt more easily to school, and  attend more regularly and are more likely to graduate. Family Involvement is a major focus of Title I

14. 14 Family Involvement Parent Involvement Plan The Parent Involvement Plan (PIP) is a blueprint of the school’s parent activities to build capacity and empower parents as their child’s first teacher. The Parent Involvement Plan must:  be jointly developed with input from parents and staff,  be distributed to all parents in appropriate language,  demonstrate involvement of parents in an organized, ongoing and timely manner with the planning, reviewing, and improvement of Title I programs, and  provide parents the opportunities to be decision-makers.

15. 15 Family Involvement School-Parent Compact The School-Parent Compact is an agreement between the home and the school which outlines how families, staff, and students will share the responsibility for improving student achievement. The School-Parent Compact must be:  developed with input from parents and staff,  distributed to all parents in appropriate language, and  utilized during parent/teacher conferences (required for elementary schools).

16. 16 Professional Development Professional development must:  be evidenced-based and on-going,  be reflected in the School Improvement Plan/Schoolwide Plan (SIP/SWP), and  address the needs of students not meeting high standards. Note: All out-of-county/state travel must be documented in the SIP/SWP, address core content, and be approved prior to incurring travel expenses.

17. 17 Required for Monitoring/Audit Documentation

18. 18 Final Words Title I impacts an entire school through supplemental classroom support, parent involvement, and professional development. Keep in mind the following key points.  All staff members are responsible for understanding Title I compliance and may be asked to participate in onsite interviews during audits.  Schools may be asked to provide supporting documentation to show evidence of compliance.  Title I funding is supplemental and frequently monitored by District, State, and Federal personnel.  Visit the Department of Federal and State Programs website for more information regarding Title I.

19. 19 Thank you from the Department of Federal and State Programs