Title I is a federal grant program originally authorized through the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and more recently reauthorized through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2016. The purpose of Title I is to provide supplemental resources to economically disadvantaged schools in order to support the achievement of its students.

In Kent County Public Schools, all elementary and middle school students are eligible to receive Title I services as a result of each school having a Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS) participation rate of 50% or higher. The four schools are each identified and ranked in order to receive a supplemental allocation. These funds are used to provide additional staffing, extended time for learning, family engagement and professional development activities, as well as for supplemental purchases of materials and equipment. 

Administrators, teachers, parents and other stakeholders share in the development of each school’s Title I program, which is tailored to meet the needs of their students.

The federal government provides funding to each school based on a formula tied to levels of poverty. State educational agencies send this money to school districts. The number of low-income students attending each school is the determining factor for how much money a Title I-eligible school receives.

All three of Kent County’s elementary schools and its middle school are “Schoolwide Title I Schools” and receive funding. 

They are:  

• Rock Hall Elementary School

• Henry Highland Garnet Elementary School

• Galena Elementary School

• Kent County Middle School.

Schools are designated as “Schoolwide” when at least 50 percent of students are eligible for Free or Reduced Meals (FARMS). Title I funds are used to upgrade the entire school’s education program so that the overall education of all students who attend that school may be improved. All children enrolled in the Schoolwide Title I School, including those with disabilities and children with limited English proficiency, are eligible to receive Title I services.

The Title I program will provide your child with extra educational assistance beyond the regular classroom. 

In most cases, these additional services will include all or some of the following depending upon the needs of the students at that school:

• Instruction in small, flexible groups during portions of the day

• Special instructional areas

• Additional teachers (such as interventionists) and/or tutors

• Opportunities for professional development for school staff members

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

• A variety of supplementary teaching methods

• An individualized program for students

• Additional teaching materials for the regular instructional program.

School Improvement Plans (SIP) are developed at each KCPS Schoolwide Title I school. Input at each of these schools is gathered from stakeholders including educators, parents and community members, all of whom are members of each school’s Improvement Team. New members are welcome to attend monthly meetings and become a part of their school’s team.

 

Improvement Plans are reviewed and updated annually and are amended as needs arise and new data on student achievement becomes available during the year. Each plan includes four components including one that calls for improving academic achievement for all students through maintaining a strong commitment to involving and engaging parents and the greater school community. A sample of the current plan(s) are included on this page. Improvement Plans for each of Kent County’s Schoolwide Title I schools are available at each school or through the KCPS Title I Office.

• Galena Elementary School Improvement Plan

• H.H. Garnet Elementary School Improvement Plan

• Rock Hall Elementary School Improvement Plan

• Kent County Middle School Improvement Plan

To ensure meaningful family engagement and opportunities to build strong partnerships at each Title I school that promotes the academic goals necessary to support high expectations and achievement for all students, the KCPS Title I Office developed the Title I/ESSA Family Engagement Plan, available for download below, in consultation with family members from each Title I school.

• KCPS Title I Family Engagement Plan

• KCPS Title I Family Engagement Plan – Spanish

After reviewing the KCPS District Parent and Family Engagement Plan for 2023-2024, please follow this link to complete a survey.

In compliance with the requirements of the Every Students Succeeds Act, parents may request the following information:

1. Whether the student’s teacher has met State qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction; is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which State qualification or licensing criteria have been waived; and is teaching in the field of discipline of the certification of the teacher.

2. Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications. 

Please submit your request for this information in writing to your child's school.