Title I services are used to support effective, evidence-based educational strategies that close the achievement gap and enable the students to meet the state's challenging academic standards. Title I funded schools are either Targeted Assistance or Schoolwide Program schools.
In addition, Title I requires districts to provide educational services to students experiencing homelessness, foster care, neglected and delinquent, early childhood programs, parent and family engagement, and equitable services for eligible nonpublic schools.
The following requirements pertain to all Title I programs, whether Targeted Assistance or Schoolwide.
Title I Funding
Title I District Coordinator Support
Title I Parent and Family Engagement
A district must set aside funds for the educational needs of children in local institutions for neglected children. Funds for service to the institution should be put in the district set-aside before funds are allocated to schools.
Districts must provide services for homeless children who attend Title I and non-Title I schools, including providing educationally related support services to children in shelters. The services in non-Title I schools must be comparable to those provided to children in Title I schools. A district must reserve “such funds as may be necessary” [ESSA 1113(c)(3)(A)], to serve homeless children attending both Title I and non-Title I schools (regardless of receiving a McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grant). Funds must be reserved even if all schools in the district are Title I schools. The reserved funds must address the educational needs of the homeless students and must take into account homeless students enrolled in nonpublic schools, institutions for neglected children, and local institutions for delinquent youths.
A district must provide eligible nonpublic school children, their families, and teachers with Title I, Part A educational services that are equitable to those provided to eligible public-school children, their families, and teachers. These services must be determined in consultation with nonpublic school officials.
Districts must ensure paraprofessionals in a targeted assistance program supported with Title I funds and all paraprofessionals in a schoolwide program, no matter the funding source, meet one of the following requirements [ESSA 111(g)(2)(J) and (M)]:
- Completed at least 48 semester hours of study at an institution of higher education;
- Obtained an associate’s (or higher) degree; OR
- Met a rigorous standard through an approved assessment.
Visit Title I Paraprofessional Certificate of Completion for additional information.
Preschool programs supported by Title I, Part A funds must also meet, at a minimum, the education performance standards of the Head Start Performance Standards that are aligned with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework: Ages Birth to Five (2015).