Title I

CHESTER BOARD OF EDUCATION                                FILE CODE:  6171.3 

Chester, New Jersey                                                                   X      Monitored  

                                                                                                       X      Mandated

                                                                                                        X      Other Reasons     

Policy

AT-RISK AND TITLE 1 AND PARENT INVOLVEMENT

The district shall comply with all state and federal requirements in developing, implementing, administering and evaluating funded compensatory education programs and programs for pupils determined to be at risk.

Such instructional services and activities shall be designed to improve the level of proficiency in reading, writing, mathematics and other skills of pupils, whose academic, social or environmental needs prevent them from succeeding in regular school programs, and to prevent their regression in such skills when regular programs are not in session.  Parents/guardians shall be kept informed of their children's progress and shall be invited to consult with staff on ways to give their children the maximum benefits of such programs. Provides information related to children enrolled in private schools.

Parent Involvement
Chester shall ensure that all parents of children receiving Title 1 funds:
A.      Shall play an integral role in their child’s learning;
B.      Shall be encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school;
C.      Shall have the opportunity to partner with the school in their child’s education;
D.     Are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child;
E.      Are notified of and provided an opportunity to participate in school volunteer activities, parent councils, committees and other activities for parent input on Title 1 programs and services.

Chester shall make a reasonable effort to ensure that economic, social, educational, language and cultural barriers that limit effective parental involvement practices be reduced or eliminated in all mandatory notifications and parent involvement activities.  When within the districts capability and in accordance with law, all required notifications shall be in the language of the parent.

At least once annually, a public meeting shall be held for the express purpose of informing parents/guardians of the programs and activities provided with Title 1 funds.  The agenda shall include:
A.   Informing parents/guardians of their right to consult in the design and implementation of the Title 1 project;
B.   Providing parents/guardians with information about the Title 1 law, regulations and instructional programs;
C.   Soliciting parents/guardians' input about basic skills improvement programs and related activities;
D.   Providing parents/guardians an opportunity to establish mechanisms for maintaining ongoing communication among parents/guardians, staff, and the board.

The parents/guardians of all eligible children shall be invited to attend.

Mandated Policy Statements in Addition to Parent Consultation
A.   Comparability of personnel
      To be in compliance with the requirements of federal law the board of education directs the chief school administrator to assign teachers, administrators, and auxiliary personnel to the schools in such a way that equivalence of personnel is ensured among the schools.
B.   Comparability of materials and supplies
      To be in compliance with the requirements of federal law the board of education of directs the chief school administrator to distribute curriculum materials and instructional supplies to the schools in such a way that equivalence is ensured among the schools.
C.   Supplement not supplant
      The district shall use Title 1 funds only to supplement and to the extent practical increase the level of funds that would, in the absence of Title 1 funds, be made available for the education of pupils participating in Title 1 or state compensatory education projects.  In no case shall Title 1 funds be used to supplant those non-Title 1 or nonstate compensatory education funds.
D.   Maintenance of effort
      The board of education will maintain a combined fiscal effort per pupil or aggregate expenditures of state and local funds with respect to the provision of the public education for the preceding fiscal year that is not less than the required amount of the combined fiscal effort per pupil or the aggregate expenditures for the second preceding fiscal year.

Eligibility for State and Federal Funds
The chief school administrator shall ensure that all requirements for receiving state and federal funds shall be fulfilled in an accurate and timely manner.

Control over such funds and title to all equipment and supplies purchased with such funds shall remain with the board of education.  Procurement, control, use and disposition of equipment and supplies purchased with state/federal funds shall be in full compliance with the law.

General
The chief school administrator shall direct appropriate administrative personnel to pursue vigorously all possible sources of funding, either state or federal, that support such compensatory services, and shall keep abreast of all changes in the law which restrict or expand the district's use of state or federal funds.

Programs especially designed for migrant children shall be provided as necessary.

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NJSBA Review/Update:             December 2008, August 2010

Adopted:                                  April 27, 2009

 

Key Words
State/Federal Funds, Federal Funds, Compensatory Instruction, Basic Skills, Maintenance of Effort, Supplement not Supplant, Comparability, At-risk Pupils

Legal References:    

• N.J.S.A.  18A:35-4.9   
  Pupil promotion and remediation; policies and procedures
• N.J.S.A.  18A:59-1 through -3                 
  Apportionment and distribution of federal funds; exceptions ...
• N.J.A.C.  6A:32-14.1   
  Review of mandated programs and service
• 42 U.S.C.A. 2000d - 2000d4
  Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
• Hawkins-Stafford Elementary and Secondary School Improvement Amendments of 1988 (P.L. 100-297)
• No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-110, 20 U.S.C.A. 6301 et seq.

 

Possible

Cross References:    *3220/3230     State funds; federal funds

                                *3514             Equipment

                                *5120             Assessment of individual needs

                                *5200             Nonpublic school pupils

                                *6122             Articulation

                                *6141             Curriculum design/development

                                *6142.2          English as a second language; bilingual/bicultural

                                *6142.6          Basic skills

                                *6171.1          Remedial instruction

                                *6171.4          Special education

 

*Indicates policy is included in the Critical Policy Reference Manual.

What is Title I? 

According to the U.S. Department of Education, Title 1 is the nation’s oldest and largest federally funded program. Annually, it provides over $7 billion to school systems across the country for students at risk of failure and living at or near poverty.

Originally, the idea of Title 1 was enacted in 1965 under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. This policy was committed to closing the achievement gap between low-income students and other student. The policy was rewritten in 1994 to improve fundamental goals of helping at-risk students. The purpose of Title 1 funding, “is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high quality education and reach, at minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.”

What is Title 1 Funding?

This program provides financial assistance through State educational agencies (SEAs) to local educational agencies (LEAs) and public schools with high numbers or percentages of poor children to help ensure that all children meet challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards.

LEAs target the Title I funds they receive to public schools with the highest percentages of children from low-income families. The school must focus Title I services on children who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet State academic standards.

In SY 2006-07 Title I served more than 17 million children. Of these students, approximately 60 percent were in kindergarten through fifth grade, 21 percent in grades 6-8, 16 percent in grades 9-12, three percent in preschool, and less than one percent ungraded.

Types of Projects

Title I schools with less than 40 percent low income students offer a "targeted assistance program" in which the school identifies students who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet the State's challenging academic achievement standards. Targeted assistance schools design, in consultation with parents, staff, and district staff, an instructional program to meet the needs of those students. These targeted assistance programs must use instructional strategies based on scientifically based research and implement parental involvement activities.

More than 50,000 public schools across the country use Title I funds to provide additional academic support and learning opportunities to help low-achieving children master challenging curricula and meet state standards in core academic subjects. For example, funds support extra instruction in reading and mathematics, as well as special preschool, after-school, and summer programs to extend and reinforce the regular school curriculum.

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Sources:

 http://www.brighthub.com/education/k-12/articles/11105.aspx#ixzz0uyw96U4c

 http://www2.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/index.html

 

Distributed August 19, 2010

Consultation and Collaboration Committee Meeting

 

Click here to view the Title 1 Parent Information Slide Deck.

• Title I Parent Compact

• Title I Parent Compact Input

  Please provide input on the Title I Parent Compact by accessing the link above. Thank you.