On December 10, 2015, Former President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), reauthorizing the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and replacing the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the 2001 reauthorization of ESEA. The ESSA has been in effect since the 2017-18 school year.

The Title I section of ESSA continues to support programs in schools and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to improve the learning of children from low-income families.  The U.S. Department of Education provides Title I funds to states.  States then redistribute these funds to local school districts based on the number of children from low-income families that are enrolled in each.

Parent Involvement is defined as the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring that -

• parents play an integral role in assisting their child's learning;
• parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child's education;
• parents are full partners in their child's education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child; and
• other activities are carried out, such as those described in section 1118 of the ESEA. 

All districts are required to notify parents of all children in all Title I schools that they have the right to request and receive timely information on the professional qualifications of their children's classroom teachers.  Specifically, districts must report, when requested, the following:

• Whether the teacher has met state qualifying and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher is teaching;
• Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status;
• The baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, including the field of discipline of the certification or degree; and
• Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

The individual school sites will notify all parents of Title I through school newsletters and web sites.

What is Title I?

It is the largest federal assistance program for our nation's schools.  The program serves millions of children in elementary and secondary schools each year.

Who does Title I Serve?

Title I serves children in eligible schools, ages 5-17, that are identified most in need of educational help to meet the standards.

How does Title I work?

The federal government provides funding to the states each year for Title I.  The State Educational Agencies (SEA) send the money to the school districts based on the number of low-income families.  The local school district identifies eligible schools and provides Title I resources.

What do Title I programs offer?

Although Title Programs vary from district to district, in general, schoolwide programs--

• Plan for comprehensive, long-term improvement;
• Serve all students with highly qualified teachers and paraprofessionals;
• Provide continuous learning for staff, parents, and the community;
• Use research-based practices to develop and implement enriched instruction for all students;
• Use inclusive approaches to strengthen the school’s organizational structure;
• Consolidate resources to achieve program goals; and
• Engage in continuous self-assessment and improvement