Welcome to TITLE I 2009-10 For 2009-10, our campus is one of twenty BISD schools that will receive additional funds for instruction to supplement other funds available to the campuses. These supplemental funds are provided by a federal program called Title I.

What is the legal framework for Title I? Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 No Child Left Behind Legislation of 2002 Title I is the largest of the federal entitlement programs and the most well known. Every detail of the program is outlined in these two pieces of legislation. No Child Left Behind, called NCLB, provided direction and a detailed description of requirements tied to the receipt of these funds.

What is the purpose of Title I? To ensure that all children, particularly low-achieving children in the highest poverty schools: Have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education, and Reach proficiency on challenging state academic standards and state assessments. The purpose of Title I is to provide funds to “level the playing field” for students who are at a disadvantage in terms of reaching high levels of achievement due to poverty. Specifically, this program is designed to ensure that all children, in particular the lowest achieving children in the highest poverty schools, are given extra advantages to overcome hurdles that exist for them. Research indicates that students impacted by poverty encounter instruction by unqualified teachers and paraprofessionals, tend to perform poorly on state assessments, and lack parental involvement at higher rates than other students.

How do Title I funds find us in Birdville ISD? The US Department of Education receives an allocation from Congress which it passes on to each state based on the number of families living in poverty from the most recent census count. The Texas Education Agency then sends allocations to each school district based on the number of students in poverty families residing in the district. In 2009-10, BISD will receive approximately 2.9 million dollars in Title I funds plus an additional 1.1 million dollars in stimulus funds to be used specifically in BISD’s Title I program. These stimulus funds are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Funds are reserved at the district level for parent involvement activities, homeless students, required travel and training, private school participation, and central salaries including a Parent Liaison. The remainder of the funds are sent to the campuses with greater than 40% free/reduced lunch enrollment, based on April 2009 counts. Campuses receive funds in rank order with the campus with the highest percentage (89%) getting the highest amount (based on the number of students eligible for free/reduced lunch at that campus) with the lowest percentage (42%) getting the smallest amount per pupil. This formula, while complicated, is prescribed by law.

2009-2010 Title I Elementary Campuses Birdville David E. Smith W.T. Francisco Jack C. Binion Allienne Mullendore Richland South Birdville Grace Hardeman Holiday Heights O.H. Stowe Watauga John D. Spicer Academy at West Birdville Foster Village Academy at Carrie F. Thomas This year in Birdville ISD, 15 elementary campuses meet the criteria for participating as Title I campuses—based on having at least 40% of the students eligible to receive free/reduced lunch. Of the fifteen elementary Title I campuses, six earned the Exemplary accountability rating and seven earned the Recognized rating for 2009. The fifteen elementary campuses will receive over 2.3 million dollars in Title I funds in 2009-10.

2009-2010 Title I Middle School Campuses Haltom North Richland Richland North Oaks Watauga This year five BISD middle schools meet the Title I campus eligibility criteria. These Title I middle schools will be funded with $920,000 from stimulus funds called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

What do Title I funds mean to us at Academy at West Birdville Elementary?

Academy at West Birdville 2009-10 Title I Allocation # Residing – April 2009 599 # Eligible for F/R Lunch 535 F/R Lunch Percentage 89.32% Per Pupil Allocation $530 Campus Allocation $283,741 Here’s the information that the Title I allocation for Academy at West Birdville is based on. The free/lunch numbers came from PEIMS. Those numbers are used to figure percentages, per-pupil allocations, and campus allocations.

Academy at West Birdville 2009-2010 Targets Math Support ELA Support Professional Learning Tutoring Community in Schools Support Parent Involvement Decisions are made each year in late April and in May on where to target Title I efforts. This year’s campus needs assessment indicated student performance in math and ELA. Title I funds will be used to provide: Professional learning through attendance at conferences and utilizing outside consultants Tutorials Participation in the Community in Schools program with a licensed social worker Parent involvement activities Supplemental research-based instructional materials Salary for an educational assistant working as a parent involvement liaison Salary for two and one-half teachers

How can we use this $$$? Meet purpose of Title I Must be incorporated into campus plan Provide instruction by highly qualified teachers and paraprofessionals Provide professional learning for teachers, principals, paraprofessionals and parents Coordinate with other programs Supplement, not supplant other efforts Use effective methods and strategies Let’s look at the rules for using this money. (Review list.)

How do we get started? Start with an analysis of student achievement data Target the student group most in need of support Explore the possibilities within budget guidelines Involve parents and staff Although every campus will develop its own individual plan for Title I services, the first steps are the same. (Review list.)

How do we involve parents? Conduct annual Title I meeting Offer flexible number of meetings Include in planning and review of Title I program Provide information in home language Provide information about qualifications of staff Develop a school parent compact Develop a campus parent involvement policy Perhaps the most significant Title I requirements are in the area of parent involvement. Title I requires the campus to engage parents in the following ways. (Review list.)

Are there strings? Increased documentation requirements Providing parents notice of “right to know” Utilizing school-parent compact and parent involvement policy Hiring highly qualified staff, including paraprofessionals. Yes, there are strings! (Review list.) Title I requires the campus to prove that the plan worked! That means that student achievement must increase every year. We have talked about the requirements of the school parent compact, the parent’s right to know professional qualifications of staff, and the parent involvement policy. NCLB directs its attention to ensuring that all teachers in core academic subjects are highly qualified. Title I puts an additional requirement that paraprofessionals must have a high school diploma or its equivalent, plus 2 years of college (48 hours), or an Associate’s degree or pass a rigorous written test demonstrating that they are able to help students complete school work. Since this campus is a Title I schoolwide program, all the EAs on this campus who work with students must meet this requirement. Suzy Compton, Cindy Dubuis, and Linda Currier will work to make sure this happens.

How can I help? Get involved! Spread the good news! Stay focused on the targets for improvement Participate in planning and evaluating Title I efforts Encourage families to complete free/reduced lunch forms The support of every staff member and every parent on our campus is needed to make our students and Title I successful. These are ways to help. (Review list.) Any questions?