Title I is a federally funded program under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA). The purpose of Title I is to provide all children a significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education and to close educational achievement gaps. The restricted grant provides supplementary funding to improve the teaching and learning of students. Funds are to be used only for programs that supplement, and do not supplant, the services that would be provided in the absence of these funds.All Title I schools benefit from centralized program services that include instructional support, professional development, technology support, and parent and family engagement initiatives.
Basically, Title I is a federal education program that supports low income students throughout the nation. Funds are distributed to high poverty schools, as determined by the number of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. The funds can be used to hire additional teachers or teaching assistants, to provide computers or software, to fund before, after and summer school programs, and to purchase additional materials or equipment.
Our school was selected because of the percentage of our students who qualify for free or reduced lunch and breakfast.
Because all of our Title I schools are designated as “school-wide” Title I schools, all children in the Title I schools are eligible for services. When data indicate the need for interventions either because of low performance or at-risk behaviors, any student is eligible for Title I services. Your child may qualify for tutoring, before or after school programs, technology support, a classroom with fewer children or summer school. In addition, when Title I schools receive additional programs, they are available to all students for which they are designed regardless of their free or reduced lunch status.
All children in Title I schools benefit from the additional teachers and assistants. Because there are more adults to help children, all children receive more individualized and small group instruction. The goal of Title I services is to accelerate academic achievement so that all children meet or exceed state and federal standards of performance.
A major purpose of Title I is to increase the involvement of parents in a child’s education. Under Title I regulations, all schools receiving Title I funds have developed a compact, an agreement between the school and the parents. The compact is designed to help parents and teachers work together to provide the best possible education for each student. Parents have opportunities each fall to provide input and participate in the School/Parent Compact.
Parent , Family and Community Engagement is very important and affects student achievement. Research shows that when a student’s parent or guardian is involved, the student is more successful in school. G. James Gholson Middle School understands the importance of parent and family engagement at our school. Parent and family partnerships afford an opportunity for strengthening the academic program as well as including parents/guardians as equal partners in educating our children. As a Title I school, we are committed to providing programs, activities, and procedures that will enhance opportunities for engaging parents and families in the learning process that are consistent with Title I, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). In addition, the school accepts and aligns this plan with the PGCPS Parent and Family Engagement Board Policy. Annually, the Parent & Family Engagement Plan is developed or revised and shared with parents/guardians for input. These documents serve as a means to solidify our partnership with the school community and serve as a calendar for upcoming parents and families events. Parents are welcome to provide input/suggestions related to the continuous school improvement process by submitting information to a school administrator verbally, via email communications, and/or through surveys and evaluations.
There are many ways to get involved in your child’s education. To begin, Title I funding is based on the percentage of children who qualify for free or reduced lunch. You can help your child’s school by filling out the Federal Lunch Program application and turning it in at our main office. You can also help by volunteering in your child’s classroom or by serving on the school School Planning and Management Team and Parent Teacher Organization. These groups make decisions about school programs, safety, goals and how funds are used in your child’s school. You can also help by telling other parents and attending the many workshops and meetings offered during the school year. To volunteer, contact the school office or school principal.
Please read all of the documents hyperlinked below for helping and supporting schools in their efforts to encourage and promote parent engagement.
