Title 1

Title I, Part A Federal funds provide supplemental academic services to students who are identified as below grade level standards. At the start of the school year, the principal and school team identify students to be served based on results and recommendations from assessments that may include:

• Recommendations from classroom teachers
• State assessments, such as the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA)
• District reading and math assessments, such as iReady
• District and curriculum-based assessments

Grades in math and reading from the previous year The school team offers academic assistance to students who are identified for additional help. Support offered* may include:

• Extended day and/or summer school offerings
• Small group instruction
• One-on-one instruction
• Technology resources to support math and literacy development
• Parent outreach/community home visits
• Teacher professional development
• Social/emotional support
• Family events – math and literacy

*Please consult with your student’s school to find out details about which programs they offer.

Title I, Part A has one of the strongest Parent and Family Engagement (PFE) components of all Title federal programs. PFE in a student’s education is a greater predictor of academic success than whether that family is affluent or not. That’s why Title I, Part A programs insist on robust PFE activities at every school where federal funds support effective teaching and engaged learning.

Students with parents and families who are involved in their learning are more likely to:

• Learn to read faster.
• Have higher grades and test scores.
• Be promoted and take more challenging classes.
• Adapt better to school and have better attendance.
• Have better social skills and behavior.
• Graduate

Examples of how families can participate in education:  Communicate: Stay informed and respond promptly to all communications from the school or school district.

• Be an example: Show your student that education is important by reading, attending parent/teacher conferences, and attending “open houses.”
• Volunteer: Volunteer at your student’s school and help with extra-curricular activities. Participate in and support parent and family engagement activities at school.
• Learn: Learn how to help your student with classwork, homework, and future education plans.
• Get involved: Join school/parent organizations; school improvement teams; Title I, Part A, parent advisory councils; and other parent committees.
• Collaborate with the community: Participate in parent activities with other families. Know and use local community resources (libraries, universities, community centers, etc.) to increase your own skills and talents in order to help you obtain needed services for your student.

“The Superintendent/designee shall ensure that the District’s Title I parent involvement policy programs, and activities comply with the requirements of federal law.The Superintendent/designee shall ensure that information and reports provided to parents are in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand.

The District shall partner with parents of students participating in Title I programs and jointly develop and agree upon a written parent involvement plan. The District will:

• Include parents from Title I schools in the joint development and evaluation of the District’s overall Title I policy, program, and services.
• Provide the coordination, technical assistance, and other support necessary to assist participating schools in planning and implementing effective parent involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance.
• Develop activities that promote the schools’ and parents’ capacity for strong parent involvement.
• Coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies with appropriate programs.
• Ensure parent involvement in an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the policy in improving the academic quality of schools served under Title I.
• Identify ways to enhance the involvement of parents who may experience barriers to fully participating in their child’s academic program: a) parents of migratory children; b) parents who speak English as a second language or have children learning English as a second language; c) parents who experience temporary or chronic economic hardships; d) parents who experience inequitable access to understanding and navigating current programs/policies due to cultural differences or due to their own learning disabilities.
• Use findings of annual evaluations to design strategies for more effective parent involvement.
• Involve parents in the activities of schools served under Title I.

The Board expects its schools will carry out programs and services in accordance with statutory definitions of parent involvement. Once reviewed and adopted by the Board, the District shall distribute the Title I Parent Involvement Policy to Title I parents.”