1. West Central Elementary Title I Annual Parent Meeting August 25, :00 p.m and 5:30 p.m. West Central Media Center Welcome! Please sign in!

2. Correlates with 1. on agenda
What is Title I?
Title I is the largest federally funded program for elementary, middle, and high schools. Through Title I, money is given to school districts around the country based on the number of low-income families in each district. Each district uses its Title I money for extra educational services for children most in need of educational help. The focus of the Title I program is on helping all students meet the same high standards expected of all children.
Georgia Department of Education. (2012). A Parent’s Guide to Title I [Brochure].
Correlates with 1. on agenda

3. Purpose of a Title I Schoolwide Program
The purpose of schoolwide Title I program is to improve the entire educational program in a school which should result in improving the academic achievement of all students, particularly the lowest achieving students. The goal of such a program is to assist those students to demonstrate proficiency on academic standards.
Georgia Department of Education. Implementing Title I Schools, A Handbook for Directors, June 2012

4. Informing you of your school’s participation in Title I
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) requires that each Title I School hold an Annual Meeting of Title I parents for the purpose of…
Informing you of your school’s participation in Title I
Explaining the requirements of Title I
Explaining your rights as parents to be involved

5. Questions so far?

6. How does our school spend Title I money?
West Central spends Title I funds on resources designed to improve student achievement. These resources include:
Personnel such as academic coaches, 3 full-time paraprofessionals, and contracted Parent Liaison.
Resources for parents to use at home to help their children
Parental involvement activities such as workshops and training
Print and electronic materials that address improving student achievement

7. How does our school participate in the Title I Program?
Our school is designated as a Schoolwide Program which means that all students can benefit from Title I funding.
Our School’s Designation Status is a Title I Schoolwide Program.

8. West Central Elementary Schoolwide Program
Our schoolwide goals are to improve academic achievement in the following areas:
Math:
The school’s goals for mathematics are to be within 4 points or to be above the state’s performance level with the Georgia Milestones assessment.
Kindergarten: 85% of students will achieve 85% of the GKIDS Mathematics objectives by May 1. 
1st Grade: 85% of students will meet or exceed on the Spring Mathematics SLO assessment given at the end of 1st grade.
2nd Grade: 85% of students will meet or exceed on the Spring Mathematics SLO assessment given at the end of 2nd grade. 

9. English Language Arts Goals:
The school’s goals for English Language Arts are to be within 4 points or to be above the state’s performance level with the Georgia Milestones assessment.
Kindergarten: 85% of students will achieve 85% of the GKIDS English Language Arts standards by May 1. 
1st Grade: 85% of students will meet or exceed on the Spring English Language Arts SLO assessment given at the end of 1st grade.
2nd Grade: 85% of students will meet or exceed on the Spring English Language Arts SLO assessment given at the end of 2nd grade.

10. Science and Social Studies
The school’s goals for Science are to be within 4 points or to be above the state’s performance level with the Georgia Milestones assessment.
Social Studies:
The school’s goals for Social Studies are to be within 4 points or to be above the state’s performance level with the Georgia Milestones assessment.

11. What programs/supports are in place to help my child?
Reading and Math interventions provided during activity through for at-risk students
Literacy and math interventions provided during computer activity through the use of software and websites designed for remediation

12. What curriculum does our school use?
Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE)
Georgia has adopted a set of core standards for kindergarten through sixth grade in English language arts and mathematics, and in grade 6 science and social studies.
Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) are used in K-5 science and social studies.

13. What tests will my child be taking?
Grades 3-6
Georgia Milestones in math, reading, language arts, science, and social studies

14. Georgia Milestones Comprehensive Coherent Consolidated
single program, not series of tests (e.g., CRCT; EOCT; WA); formative assessment tools to complement summative
Coherent
consistent expectations and sufficient challenge to position Georgia students to compete with peers nationally and internationally
consistent signal about student preparedness for the next level, be it the next grade, course, or college/career
consistent signal about student achievement both within system (across grades and courses) and with external measures (NAEP; PSAT; SAT; ACT)
Consolidated
combine reading, language arts, and writing into a single measure to align to the standards

15. Georgia Milestones
Guiding principles stipulate that Georgia Milestones:
be sufficiently challenging to ensure Georgia students are well positioned to compete with other students across the United States and internationally;
be intentionally designed across grade levels to send a clear signal of student progress/growth and preparedness for the next level, be it the next grade level, course, or college or career;
be accessible to all students, including those with disabilities or limited English proficiency, at all achievement levels;
support and inform educator effectiveness initiatives, ensuring items and forms are appropriately sensitive to quality instructional practices; and
accelerate the transition to online administration, allowing – over time – for the inclusion of innovative technology-enhanced items.

16. Georgia Milestones Grades 3 – 8
End of Grade (EOG) in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies

17. Online Tools Available for All Students
Blocking Tool
Eraser
Highlighter
Magnifying Glass
Mark for Review
Online Calculator – if allowable
Option Eliminator
Scratch Pad
Test Pause
These tools are available to all students who test online and are therefore NOT considered accommodations.

18. Georgia Milestones Features include:
inclusion of constructed-response items in ELA and mathematics, in addition to selected-response items
inclusion of a writing component (in response to text) at every grade level and course within the ELA assessment;
inclusion of norm-referenced items in every grade and content area to complement the criterion-referenced information and to provide a national comparison; and
transition to online administration over time, with online administration considered the primary mode of administration and paper-pencil back-up until transition is completed.
Addition of technology-enhanced items beginning in

19. Georgia Milestones
English Language Arts [GSE Georgia Performance Standards]
will require close analytic reading to construct meaning, make inferences, draw conclusions, compare and contrast ideas, themes, etc., as well as synthesize ideas and concepts across multiple texts
will require students to develop informative/explanatory responses or narratives, produce opinions/arguments – citing evidence from text(s) and using standard language conventions, etc.
Mathematics [GSE Georgia Performance Standards]
will require demonstration of conceptual understanding of concepts, procedural skills and fluency, problem solving, modeling, and mathematical reasoning

20. Georgia Milestones Science [Georgia Performance Standards]
will require understanding of the core concepts, ideas, and practices of science to explain scientific phenomena – with content and Characteristics of Science/Nature of Science standards serving as co-requisites
Social Studies [Georgia Performance Standards]
will require understanding of the past and its influence on the present and future – including the interconnectedness of history, culture, geography, economics, and governments/civics

21. Questions?

22. What is required by law for parent involvement?
Rome City Schools is required to have a district Parent Involvement Policy that addresses student achievement.
West Central Elementary is required to have a school Parent Involvement Policy that addresses the goals we have for student achievement.
West Central Elementary is required to have a School-Parent Compact that includes ways that the school, parents, and students can help improve student achievement.

27. Basically, every event, remediation, dollar, or person, that falls under the Title I umbrella must be related to student achievement.

28. Highly Qualified Teachers
Every teacher and paraprofessional at West Central is Highly Qualified as determined by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.
If a teacher is not highly qualified, the school does not have to inform the parents of that teacher’s students.

29. How is Title I Parent Involvement money spent?
Materials for parent workshops and training related to student achievement
Printed materials related to student achievement
Grade-level books for distribution to students for use in their home libraries to promote literacy
Science and Social Studies vocabulary activities are sent home for parents and students to practice

30. What opportunities does the school provide for parent involvement?
Volunteer opportunities to help in your child’s classroom
Family Math, Reading, and Science/Social Studies Night workshops for parents and students
Parent-teacher conferences held twice a year or more frequently as needed
Frequent updates on your child’s academic progress
Opportunities for parent input about school programs through surveys administered twice a year
School Council and PTO participation
Title I Steering Committee participation
Discuss:
- What the LEA’s Title I allocation is.
- What the 1% amount is.
How much of the 1% (Up to 5%) was reserved, off the top, at the LEA for System-wide initiatives. Give examples of the system-wide initiatives.
- Give parents the amount (the 95% amount) that is shared by all the Title I schools in the school system.
Give the amount your school received for parental involvement (Your school’s portion of the 95% of the 1%).
How there is a committee (LEA Advisory Committee) that makes decisions on funds reserved and on funds allocated to the Title I schools.
That Title I parents have the right, by law, to be involved in decisions on how the 1% set-aside is spent (both at the LEA and at their school)
- The timeline for the LEA Advisory Committee’s work. How parents will be reminded and informed of the committee’s work so they may give timely input.
- Clearly state the process that is in place for all Title I parents to have the opportunity for input on how the 1% funds are spent.
Important: Parents should leave the meeting being able to answer the following question: What is the 1% set-aside, and how can you be involved in decisions regarding how the money is used?
(Parents should be able to discuss the process that is in place for their involvement in decisions regarding the 1% set-aside, both for system-wide initiatives and school-level activities.)

31. How responsive will the school be to my questions when staff is contacted?
Staff members can be contacted through , phone calls, and scheduled conferences.
Messages left for staff members should be returned within 24 hours.
Each teacher’s address is provided on the course outline sent home in August.
If you have any questions about this meeting, please contact Daphne Johnson, West Central Elementary Assistant Principal, at or
 You can also contact Ruth Miller, Parent Liaison, at or

32. Your involvement is Key to your child’s success!
You are your child’s first teacher.
You have the ability to influence your child’s education more than any teacher or school.
You and the school are a team.
We welcome regular communication and parent involvement in the learning process!

33. Thank you for joining us today!
Please take a moment to complete an evaluation form before you leave.