Title I – Information
The Title I program is currently serving five of the schools in the Henry County School System: Harrelson Elementary, E.W. Grove, Henry Elementary, Lakewood Elementary and Lakewood Middle Schools. Title I funds eight full time teachers and six educational assistants. All five of these schools are operating a schoolwide program.
Schoolwide programs under Title I focus on integrating Title I children into the complete school program, rather than pulling them out of the regular classroom for special assistance. Congress originally authorized schoolwide projects out of a belief that it made little sense for high poverty schools to enforce requirements that the Title I program serve only Title I children. Research demonstrated that school poverty itself had a detrimental effect on student performance, over and above the influence of the student’s own family poverty.
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2002, represents a new era in federally funded school programs. It is a multi-year program that specifies new levels of accountability including better trained teachers and staff, more productive programs for children, and increased achievement level for all students and schools. There is much more accountability for educators. Along with that responsibility, greater flexibility is granted to local systems who wish to take the risks necessary to cause significant growth in student achievement.
Teacher assistants must now have a minimum of two years (48 semester hours) college or an AA (Associate of Arts) degree or have passed the ParaPro Assessment in order to apply for the position. All teachers must be “highly qualified”. Courses and assistance are being offered now to improve all teachers’ and paraprofessionals’ skills.
Highlights of Title I
- Focuses on increasing parental involvement.
- Requires states to submit plans specifying what children are expected to know and do.
- Requires school districts to distribute dollars on the basis of poverty.
- Ensures funds for the most needy individuals and schools.
- Expands the school-wide approach.
- Emphasizes high quality teaching.
- Brings most Title I decisions down to the local level.
- Requires that each school receiving funds have a COMPACT with parents.