Title 1 FAQs
1. What is the goal of Title I?
Raising the academic achievement of the economically disadvantaged.
2. How do we raise the achievement of these students?
By identifying students who are “most at-risk of failing” the state’s challenging standards and then using research proven effective teaching strategies to intervene with these struggling students. The Title IA program assurances state that “scientifically based research indicates that services may be most effective if focused on students in the earliest grades at schools that receive Title I funds.”
3. May a student be served by both Title I and Special Education?
The answer is yes. However, this should be a team decision made on a student-by-student basis concerning what is best for each individual child. Special education students are not automatically served by Title I.
4. I understand that parental involvement is a part of being a Title I school. Is that true?
Yes. Districts that receive Title I funds are required to set aside a portion of their Title I allocation for parental involvement. Most of these funds are made available to the Title I schools. These schools are to use the funds to provide family engagement opportunities that teach parents how to become actively engaged in their child’s learning by providing practical strategies for them to use at home
5. I understand there are guidelines about how Title I services are to be implemented. Is this true?
Yes. Title I services can only supplement, not supplant, the services provided by the regular classroom teacher. In other words, the services provided by the Title I interventionists at each Title I school cannot take the place of regular classroom instruction. Title I services can only be in addition to the services provided by the classroom teacher.
6. What is different about a School Wide Title I school?
There are several differences between a school wide and target-assisted Title I school. A school wide Title I school has a governing plan and governing body. The school wide Title I governing plan is the School Improvement Plan (SIP). The entire school must implement the strategies contained in the plan. Furthermore, there are 10 components that must be included in the SIP of each school wide Title I school.
The governing body of the school wide Title I school is the school wide Title I advisory team. This team is made up of administration, teachers, parents, and community people. This team makes decisions regarding what are the areas of greatest academic need and how are the Title I funds best spent. These decisions must be based on student achievement data.
7. What else is different about School Wide Title I schools?
Funds allocated to school wide Title I schools may be spent to benefit the entire instructional program of the school. Also, in a school wide Title I school each teacher is considered a Title I teacher by federal definition.