Title I Information

Title 1 Overview

Title I is a federal grant that provides financial assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards. Federal funds are currently allocated through four statutory formulas that are based primarily on census poverty estimates and the cost of education in each state.  Title I funds can be used to:

• Hire additional teachers
• Provide supplemental  professional learning for teachers
• Purchase supplemental instructional materials
• Improve curriculum
• Enhance family engagement
• Extend learning time for students who need extra help
• Provide other activities that are tied to raising student achievement on the State’s academic achievement standards

Each year, each Title I school conducts a needs assessment to determine the areas of needed improvement with the school.  Once the needs have been identified, the school develops LSPI goals indicating how Title I funds will supplement local and state funds to address the areas needing improvement.  

Each grant year opens Oct. 1 and closes on Sept. 30.  As schools develop their Title I budget they must plan carefully for this period of time.  Spending for July, Aug. and Sept. must be included in this new budget or the carryover budget.  Title I funds are always supplemental to local and state funds.  

As the number of at-risk learners in our system continues to increase, the responsibility for ensuring both equity and excellence for all of our students becomes a shared one.  Working collaboratively, we can provide learning environments where at-risk students in our schools learn the Academic Knowledge and Skills and achieve at the same high levels expected of all students.  

This handbook is designed specifically for Title I schools.  We hope that it will be a useful reference tool for school administrators, classroom teachers, counselors, and other school personnel providing direct or indirect services to  Title I students and their families.  Please use it and let us know how we can improve it.