Title I is a federal education program that provides financial assistance to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and schools with high numbers or percentages of poor children to help ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments. The program supports low-income students throughout the nation, and funds are distributed to high poverty schools, as determined by the percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Here are some key points about Title I schools:

• Eligibility: Schools in which poor children make up at least 40 percent of enrollment are eligible to use Title I funds for schoolwide programs to serve all children in the school. LEAs target Title I funds to schools with the highest percentages of children from low-income families. Unless a participating school is operating a schoolwide program, the school must focus Title I services on children who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet state academic standards.

• Services: All children in Title I schools are eligible for services, and when data indicate the need for interventions either because of low performance or at-risk behaviors, any student is eligible for Title I services. Services may include tutoring, before or after school programs, technology support, a classroom with fewer children, or summer school.

• Parent Involvement: 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.

• Additional Teachers and Assistants: 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.

• Challenges: Teaching in a Title I school can be challenging, as teachers face students with multiple distractions, such as part-time jobs, acting as a parent for younger siblings, and real-world situations that other students take for granted. However, reaching these students is essential to their success in the classroom.

In summary, being a Title I school means that the school receives federal funding to provide additional academic support and learning opportunities to help low-achieving children master challenging curricula and meet state standards in core academic subjects. The program supports low-income students throughout the nation, and funds are distributed to high poverty schools, as determined by the percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. All children in Title I schools are eligible for services, and the program aims to increase parent involvement and acceler...