What is Title I?
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.
How Do Schools Receive Title I Funds?
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.
Which of Kent County’s Public Schools receive Title I funds?
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.
How Will Title I Help My Child?
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.