Title I
Title I was the foundation of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act ESEA of 1965. Title I is a federal entitlement program allocated on the basis of student enrollment and poverty data. The U.S. Department of Education distributes these funds to State Education Agencies (SEAs) that in turn, distribute the funds to Public School Units (PSUs) The Act was reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015. .
Title I funds are provided to schools with large numbers of economically-disadvantaged students. School districts are required to create an annual plan based on the needs of their student subgroups, Title I schools design instructional programs and provides student services to supplement existing programs that are financed through local, state, and other federal funds. The purpose of these additional funds is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education. Services may include implementing effective instructional practices, hiring teachers to reduce class size, purchasing materials and supplies, and hiring additional teacher assistants or other personnel.
In Bladen County, a school that is designated as a schoolwide Title I school has at least 65% or more of its student population receiving Free or Reduced Lunches. Ten schools in Bladen County have been identified as Title I schools, and have implemented School-Wide Title I Programs. This allows for greater site-based decision-making and more flexibility for use of Title I funds. Our school-wide programs are not only based on effective means of improving student achievement but also include strategies to support family engagement. Since family engagement is a key component to student academic achievement, Title I schools provide training to their staff to show them how to effectively include parents as partners in their children's education. Parents of students attending Bladen County Public Schools, especially Title I schools, are encouraged to be a vital part of the student's learning team. Schools provide materials and training to parents in how to support their child's social-emotional and academic progress.
Parents in Title I schools also collaborate with educators to develop a written parent involvement policy that is distributed to parents and to plan and implement parent involvement strategies for the school. Through training and collaboration, parents and educators alike discover that parent involvement can take many forms and can provide a boost to the child's academic and social-emotional success.
Information for Families
- The qualifications of their child's teacher
- Information on the level of achievement of their child
- If their child is being taught by someone who is not "highly qualified" and will be in that position for four or more weeks
- The school's parent policy and have input in the decisions that make up the school's policy
- How your child's school is performing
The Title I Annual Parents Right to Know Notification describes a parent's right to know and request their child's teacher qualifications and summative state assessment information.
For more information on how your child's school is performing, please visit North Carolina’s School Report Cards. This website is usually updated in November or December of each school year by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI).
All Bladen County Schools are fully committed to helping your child develop the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in school and beyond. We appreciate your support and partnership as we work to provide the best education for your child. If you have any questions regarding the above information, please contact your school's principal.