Title I

Definition

Title I is a federal program that provides financial assistance to schools and school districts with a high percentage of students from low-income families. The goal of Title I is to ensure that all children 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.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Title I is the largest federal education program, providing over $15 billion annually to schools and districts.
2. Schools qualify for Title I funding based on the percentage of students from low-income families, as determined by free and reduced-price lunch eligibility.
3. Title I funds can be used to hire additional teachers and aides, provide professional development, purchase instructional materials, and implement parent and family engagement activities.
4. Schools with 40% or more of their students from low-income families are eligible to operate a schoolwide program, while schools with lower percentages must use a targeted assistance program.
5. Title I programs are required to use evidence-based instructional strategies and to regularly assess student progress to ensure that all students are meeting or exceeding state academic standards.

Review Questions

• Explain the primary goal of the Title I program and how it aims to achieve this goal.
  • The primary goal of the Title I program is to ensure that all children, particularly those from low-income families, have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach proficiency on challenging state academic standards. Title I aims to achieve this goal by providing financial assistance to schools and school districts with a high percentage of students from low-income families, allowing them to implement evidence-based instructional strategies, hire additional teachers and aides, provide professional development, and engage parents and families in supporting their children's education.
• Describe the two main types of Title I programs and how they differ in their approach to supporting student learning.
  • The two main types of Title I programs are schoolwide programs and targeted assistance programs. Schoolwide programs use Title I funds to upgrade the entire educational program in order to improve the academic achievement of all students, particularly the lowest-achieving students. In contrast, targeted assistance programs use Title I funds to provide additional academic support and learning opportunities to students identified as failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet state academic standards. The key difference is that schoolwide programs take a comprehensive, whole-school approach, while targeted assistance programs focus on providing supplemental services to specific, identified students.
• Analyze how the Title I program's requirements for evidence-based strategies and student assessment contribute to its effectiveness in improving educational outcomes.
  • The Title I program's requirements for the use of evidence-based instructional strategies and regular assessment of student progress are crucial to its effectiveness in improving educational outcomes. By requiring the use of evidence-based practices, the program ensures that schools and districts are implementing teaching methods and interventions that have been proven to be effective in raising student achievement. Additionally, the regular assessment of student progress allows schools to identify areas of need, monitor the impact of their Title I programs, and make data-driven decisions to continuously improve their efforts. These requirements help to ensure that Title I funds are being used in the most impactful way possible to support the academic success of students from low-income families.

Related terms

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA): The federal law that authorizes Title I and other education programs, originally enacted in 1965 and reauthorized periodically.

Schoolwide Program: A type of Title I program where schools use Title I funds to upgrade the entire educational program to improve the academic achievement of all students, particularly the lowest-achieving students.

Targeted Assistance Program: A type of Title I program where schools use Title I funds to provide additional academic support and learning opportunities to students identified as failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet state academic standards.