Title I News 2015

Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is the largest federal assistance program in our nation’s schools providing over $14 billion to schools with high percentages of children living in poverty. Funds are distributed through state departments of education according to the number of students living in poverty in school districts. Schools with 15% or more of children in poverty may be selected as Title I schools. Those with 40% or more can operate school-wide programs. Those with 75% or more must receive Title I funds.

Given its importance to public schools, we are providing some news updates regarding Title I for 2015.

– New York State is using Title I School Improvement Grants to pilot a Socioeconomic Integration Program to help increase student achievement in up to 25 low-performing Priority and Focus schools beginning with fiscal year 2015. According to the New York Education Department, Title I Focus Districts with poverty rates of at least 60% and at least 10 schools in that district are eligible to apply for the new grants. Program design for these grants include dual language programs designed to meet the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs) living near the school.

– The National Title I Conference will take place in Salt Lake City from February 5-8, 2015. The conference theme is “Leading with Wonder,” and will celebrate 50 years of Title I. The theme comes from comes from President Johnson’s comments at the signing of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, creating Title I: “Remember the magic time when the world of learning began to open before our eyes.” The National Title I Association is made up of Title I Directors and it’s website notes that it “is dedicated to improving and implementing the Title I program so that more children reach their academic potential. The Association provides educational leaders at the state and local levels with the opportunity to work together to share ideas on effective and innovative programs, identify problems and solutions, and represent the needs of Title I families.” Click here for more on the conference.

– The SEDL National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools offers a toolkit for Title I. In this toolkit, SEDL provides detailed explanations of the Title I, Part A parental involvement provisions as well as thirty-three tools to assist state departments of education, districts, and schools in meeting these requirements. Both the explanations and the tools are designed to help educators increase parental involvement and provide opportunities for parents to engage in and support their children’s academic achievement. Learn more.

The Latino Family Literacy Project™ can help you meet your districts’ goals for Title I Programs for Parent Involvement with Hispanic parents.