What is Title I?
The federal government through the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) provides school districts with funds to support programs for students at-risk of not meeting state standards in reading, mathematics, science and social studies. These funds are called Title I funds and are a significant source of funding for K-12 schools. The purpose of the funding is to ensure that all students have a chance to receive a high quality education.
How is funding calculated?
The NYS Department of Education distributes Title I funds to local school districts. The amount of funding a district receives is determined by a formula that includes wealth ratios, census information, and poverty numbers for the school district. A school is designated as a Title I school if its poverty percentage is above the district average. Students do not have to be of low income to participate in Title I programs.
What are Title I programs?
Title I funds may be used for:
- Academic intervention services (AIS) or remedial services in reading, math, science and/social studies
- Health related supports
- Supplemental supplies
- Parental involvement activities
Title I districts must:
- Develop programs to support student progress towards meeting state standards
- Monitor student progress towards meeting state standards
- Give parents information on their child’s progress
- Involve parents in the Title I decision-making process
- Hold annual Title I meetings
- Annually review Title I programs and policies
What do Title I services look like?
- Small group instruction
- Pull-out programs for reading and/or math
- After school remediation programs
- Targeted academic interventions based on student need
- Programs are in addition to regular classroom instruction
How are students identified for Title I services?
- Students can be identified for Title I services through any of the following:
- Parent recommendation
- Teacher recommendation
- Classroom performance
- Falling below proficiency on a NYS ELA/math assessment
What are parents’ rights in Title I programs?
- Parents must be given information about Title I in a timely manner and in a language they understand
- Parents have the right to request the professional qualifications of their child’s teacher
- Parent must be informed if their child is taught by a teacher that is not highly qualified for 4 or more consecutive weeks
- Parents must be informed of their child’s progress in reading and math, as well as their child’s results on NYS assessments
- Parents have the right to be a part of the development, review and improvement of Title I programs
- Parents are encouraged to attend parent involvement workshops
- Parents are encouraged to ask questions about their children’s education
New York State ESSA-Funded Programs Complaint Procedures
There is a process for resolving complaints submitted to the New York State Education Department’s (NYSED) Office of ESSA-Funded Programs alleging that a school district has violated a law, rule, or regulation in the administration of any “covered Federal program” under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Learn more about New York State ESSA-Funded Programs Complaint Procedures on the NYSED website.