Title I, Part A
Title I, Part A
Clarkdale Elementary ~ Clarkdale Middle School
Northeast Elementary ~ Northeast Middle School
Southeast Elementary ~ Southeast Middle School
West Lauderdale Elementary
The purpose of the Title I, Part A, Program is to ensure that all children, particularly low- achieving children in the highest-poverty schools, have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments. Title I was first funded by the United States Department of Education in 1965 as a part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It has remained a constant source of federal education funds in the intervening years and is currently a part of the No Child Left Behind legislation.
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed by President Obama on December 10, 2015, and represents good news for our nation’s schools. This bipartisan measure reauthorizes the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the nation’s national education law and longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students.
The new law builds on key areas of progress in recent years, made possible by the efforts of educators, communities, parents, and students across the country.
For example, today, high school graduation rates are at all-time highs. Dropout rates are at historic lows. And more students are going to college than ever before. These achievements provide a firm foundation for further work to expand educational opportunity and improve student outcomes under ESSA.
The previous version of the law, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, was enacted in 2002. NCLB represented a significant step forward for our nation’s children in many respects, particularly as it shined a light on where students were making progress and where they needed additional support, regardless of race, income, zip code, disability, home language, or background. The law was scheduled for revision in 2007, and, over time, NCLB’s prescriptive requirements became increasingly unworkable for schools and educators. Recognizing this fact, in 2010, the Obama administration joined a call from educators and families to create a better law that focused on the clear goal of fully preparing all students for success in college and careers. Congress has now responded to that call.
Title I Funds in the Lauderdale County School District
Title I funds may be used in combination with other Federal, State, and local funds in order to upgrade the entire educational program of a school.
However, funds allocated to the Title I program may not be used to fund other programs. Any elementary or middle school in the Lauderdale County School District system generating funds through the Title I program with at least 40 percent of the students from low-income familes will be served by Title I services. All Title I schools in Lauderdale County operate schoolwide programs, with the exceptions of West Lauderdale Elementary and West Lauderdale Middle School.
Title I provides extra monetary resources to our elementary and middle schools to help improve instruction and ensure that all children meet challenging state academic achievement standards. The extra federal funds provide new or expanded services that could not be provided by the district in the absence of Title I funds.
For more information, contact:
DeShannon Davis, PhD
Director of Federal Programs and Student Data
(601) 693-1683