Title I Schools

What is Title I?

Title I is a federally funded program under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. It is the largest federally funded program for elementary, middle, and high schools.

• Through Title I, money is given to school districts around the country based on the number of low-income families in each district.
• Each district uses its Title I money for extra educational services for children most in need of educational help.
• The focus of the Title I program is on helping all students meet the same high standards and expectations.

How Can Parents Be Involved?

• Learn more about the school, curriculum, special programs, Title I and your rights and responsibilities.
• Teach your child in ways that will add to what the teacher is doing.
• Know your rights because knowledge is power.
• Participate and support your child academically at school and at home.
• Make decisions about your child’s education and academic program.
• Keep in contact with your child’s teacher through telephone, e‐mail, or face‐to‐face conversations.

What is a parent's role in success?

Parents are an important part of the Title I team and are partners with the school in helping all students achieve. As the parent of a child in a Title I school, you have the right to:

• Be engaged in the planning and implementation of the parent and family engagement policy and program program in your school.
• Ask to read the progress reports on your child and school.
• Request information about the professional qualifications of your child’s teacher(s), including the degrees and certifications held, and whether the teacher is certified in their respective area of instruction.
• Help to decide if Title I is meeting your child’s needs and offer suggestions for improvement.
• Ask about your child’s school designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, Title I Part A.
• Know if your child has been assigned or taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who does not meet applicable State certification, licensure requirements, or district requirements for certification.
• Help develop your school’s plan for how parents and schools can work together

What is the district's role in success?

Local educational agencies are defined as school districts, county offices of education, and direct‐funded charter schools that are responsible for the following actions:

• Plan and implement educational programs, activities, and procedures as required under Title I that engage parents.
• Reserve one-percent of Title I funds for parental involvement activities if the local education agency receives more than $500,000.
• Develop a parental involvement policy with the participation of parents.
• Provide full opportunities for participation of parents with limited English proficiency, disabilities and parents of migratory children, and when appropriate, in a language and format that they can understand.
• Conduct annual parent surveys and implement changes based upon the results of those surveys.
• Build capacity by providing early literacy and technology trainings that will help parents work with their children to improve academic achievement.

What is the school's role in success?

All Bulloch County elementary schools and middle schools, as well as Portal Middle High School, are Schoolwide Title I programs. This means that school staff work to improve the school’s educational program in an effort to increase the achievement of all students, particularly those who are low achieving and thus could benefit from extra supports or services. Title I schools are responsible for the following actions:

• Involve parents in the planning, review, and improvement of Title I programs and the Family Engagement Plan.
• Develop jointly, with the parents of participating students, a school-parent compact focused on academic achievement.
• Inform parents in an understandable language and format.
• Offer parent meetings at various times or in various formats. Schools may also pay for transportation and child care, when reasonable and necessary.
• Provide information to parents about the state standards, curriculum, and assessments and how parents can monitor their child’s progress.
• Build parent capacity by coordinating and integrating parent programs and activities with other federal, state and local programs.