1. Title I Comparability OFS Mission Accelerate student achievement through school improvement by working as partners to maximize the allowable use of supplementary resources

2. What Is Title I Comparability? Comparability is a test of general fund distributions and compares the funding of: Title I Schools versus Non-Title I Schools OR If all schools in a grade span are Title I, then between Higher Poverty Title I schools and Lower Poverty Title I Schools.

3. Who Completes a Title I Comparability Worksheet? Districts must compute Comparability, if: they have two or more schools within a grade span or overlapping grade spans (such as K-4 and 4-8), and where at least one of the schools is Title I funded.

4. What Happens to Skipped Schools in Comparability? Skipped schools in the Title I School Selection Application are considered Title I schools for the purposes of Comparability. District must include a skipped school when it is part of a grade span containing a Title I funded school.

5. Are PSAs Required to do Comparability? Legislation for Public School Academies has changed. It now allows for overlapping grade levels if there is more than one school. This requires some PSAs to compute Comparability.

6. Comparability Methods Two Computation Methods: Ratio of students to non-federally funded instructional staff, OR Instructional staff base salary per student for non-federally funded staff assigned to each school.

7. Computation Worksheets Use existing files of school data in the REP XML for the current year’s data file prepared for CEPI. Apply this to program worksheets in the current Title I Comparability Excel Workbook. Refer to Directions for the Excel Worksheets. Certify completion and upload worksheets in the Title I Comparability Certification in MEGS+.

8. Worksheet Outcomes If Comparability is not met by the ratio of students to instructional staff, then the worksheet will compute the instructional staff base salary per student ratio. If Comparability is not met by either calculation, districts must adjust their district funded staffing. Contact the Office of Field Services.

9. When Comparability Worksheets are Completed… The MEGS+ Level 5 Contact must: o Complete the Certification o Upload the Excel Workbook Districts that are not comparable MUST make general fund program changes by the second semester or third trimester.

10. Resources Title I Comparability Excel Workbook 2015-16 Title I Comparability Directions for 2015-16 Title I Comparability PowerPoint Title I Comparability Q & A

11. Questions and Answers Contact the Office of Field Services at 517-373-4004 for assistance with the forms, and for questions related to Comparability. Districts will be referred to a consultant for technical assistance.