Title 1

On December 10, 2015, President Barack Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. Developed and passed with strong, bipartisan support, ESSA replaced No Child Left Behind (NCLB) as the nation's main education law. Federal funding was dedicated to improve educational opportunities and to provide targeted assistance for specific students when schools have less than a 40% poverty population. Title 1 funds are allocated to schools commensurate with population and need.

WHAT IS TITLE 1?

Title 1, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides financial assistance to states and school districts to meet the needs of educationally at-risk students. The goal of Title I is to provide extra instructional services and activities which support students identified as at risk of failing to meet the state’s challenging performance standards, most specifically English/language-arts or math. Here at NHSD, Title I provides students with supplemental reading instruction. 

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR TITLE 1 SCHOOLS?

Title I schools are required to:

  • Identify the students at their school who need the most educational assistance based on a predetermined set of criteria. Note: Students do not have to be from low-income families to receive Title I services. 

  • Set goals for improving the skills of educationally disadvantaged students at their school. 

  • Develop programs for each individual student in order to support/supplement regular classroom instruction.

  • Measure student progress to determine the success of the Title I program for each student.

WHAT RESOURCES DO TITLE I PROGRAMS PROVIDE?

  • Smaller classes or special instructional spaces

  • Additional teachers and aides

  • Opportunities for professional development for school staff

  • Extra time for teaching Title I students the skills they need

  • Various supplementary teaching methods

  • An individualized program for students

  • Additional teaching materials to supplement a student’s regular instruction

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE PARENT/GUARDIAN?

Parents and guardians play a critical role in the success of their student. By becoming an active participant in the Title I Parent/Guardian Involvement Plan at your school, you will:

  • Serve as a role model, showing your student that you support his/her education.

  • Monitor your student’s educational progress; thereby demonstrating how important that progress is to you.

  • Teach your student that your input at the school is appreciated and that you support its efforts.

TANGIBLE WAYS FOR FAMILIES TO GET INVOLVED

Research shows that how well students perform in school depends a great deal upon how much their parents/guardians get involved in their education. You can become more involved by:

  • Joining local and national school/parent organizations

  • Supporting school extra-curricular activities

  • Volunteering at the school

  • Attending parent-teacher conferences

  • Communicating with your student’s teacher regularly, by writing notes, emailing, phone calls, etc.

  • Keeping your student’s teacher informed about events in his or her life which may affect his/her performance at school

  • Discussing with your student’s teacher and parent organizations other ideas for parent involvement