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What is the purpose of this program?
This program provides financial assistance through SEAs to LEAs and schools with high numbers or high percentages of poor children to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards.
LEAs target the Title I funds they receive 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. Schools in which poor children make up at least 40 percent of enrollment are eligible to use Title I funds for schoolwide programs that upgrade the school's entire educational program so that all students, but particularly for the lowest achieving students meet State academic achievement standards.
LEAs also must use Title I funds to provide academic enrichment services to poor children enrolled in private schools.
How can these funds be used?
More than 47,500 public schools across the country use Title I funds to provide additional academic support and learning opportunities to help low-achieving children master challenging curricula and meet state standards in core academic subjects. For example, funds support extra instruction in reading and mathematics, science, and computers, and special preschool, after-school, and summer programs to extend and reinforce the regular school curriculum.
What are the eligibility requirements?
Title I funds are allocated to school districts under four formulas. To be eligible for Basic Grants, an LEA must have at least 10 formula children and the number of formula children must exceed 2% of the district's school age population. To qualify for Concentration Grants, an LEA must have at least 6,500 formula children or the number must exceed 15% of its school age population. To qualify for a Targeted Grant and an Education Finance Incentive Grant, an LEA must have at least 10 formula children and the number of formula children must exceed 5 percent of the district's school age population. In general, formula children are children aged 5 to 17 in the school district from families below the poverty level.
What is the application or allocation process?
To receive funds, LEAs must apply to the State Educational Agency by submitting either a specific Title I plan or a consolidated plan (as provided in Section 9302 of ESEA), which addresses the use of some or all Federal ESEA funds. The LEA plan must include descriptions of the services to be provided, how program services will be coordinated with the school district's regular program of instruction, additional assessments, if any, used to gauge program outcomes, and strategies to be used to provide for professional development, etc.
The SEA specifies the format and information that LEAs must include in their applications. The statute authorizes the SEA to require that LEAs submit consolidated applications for Federal education funds. Contact your state department of education or local district to learn about the allocation process, timelines, eligibility requirements, and when funds are disbursed.
Funding Process for Schools:
Formula-based funding
Total FY 2004 Funding:
$12,342,309,000
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
This information also appears at the US Department of Education:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/index.html
Authorizing Legislation:
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, Title I, Part A, 20 U.S.C. 6301-6339, 6571-6578
Name: Susan Wilhelm
Phone: (202) 260-0826
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