What is Title I?
Title I is the largest federally funded program in education. It was signed into law in 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) or Title I was designed to help students having difficulties with reading by providing funds for extra academic help. Since its inception, Title I has gone through various changes, but it continues to provide instructional help for students experiencing academic difficulty. Funding is given directly to the schools and is based upon poverty levels.
The 2001 reauthorization of ESEA (known as the No Child Left Behind or NCLB Act) builds upon a standards-driven reform enacted in 1994. Under this reauthorization, states are required to implement standards and assessments aligned to those standards. Schools are required to annually assess every student in grades 3-8 in reading. States must establish proficiency goals and then make “adequate yearly progress” or “AYP” toward meeting those goals.
The reauthorization of Title I, the largest program in the ESEA, requires that schools and school districts provide funding and other resources to increase parent involvement in education.
School-Wide Model
All elementary and secondary schools in the Uniontown Area School District (K-8) are schoolwide programs. Schools operating a schoolwide program can use their Title I funds to benefit all children in the school. Schoolwide schools do not have to document separately the use of federal funds or certain State funds as long as their activities upgrade the school’s overall education program and meet the intent and purposes of each of the federal and State programs included. Under Section 1114(b) (1) of Title I and Section 200.8(d) of the final regulations, each schoolwide program must include a number of specific components.
A schoolwide program school, for example, must:
- Implement schoolwide reform strategies that are based on research, have been proven effective in improving student achievement, and address the needs of all children in the school in an integrated way.
- Use effective instructional strategies that – Increase the amount and quality of learning time, such as, extended school year, before and after school, and summer school programs.
- Help provide an enriched and accelerated curriculum.
- Meet the educational needs of historically underserved populations, including minority students, limited English proficient students, and females.
- Use highly qualified professional staff and provide professional development for teachers and other staff.
- Implement strategies to increase parental involvement.
Under a schoolwide program, a school is not required to identify particular children as eligible to receive Title I services, demonstrate that the services provided with Title I funds are supplemental to services that would otherwise be provided, or document that Title I funds are used to benefit only the intended beneficiaries. Each school in the Uniontown Area School District has developed a schoolwide plan.