Title I

Bladen County Schools is located in the Sandhills region of southeastern North Carolina. The district serves approximately 4,154 students in 12 schools that includes 5 elementary schools ((2)Pre-K - 4th /(2)Pre-K-5th, (1) K-5th), three middle schools (5th - 8th), one Pre-K - 8th Grade school, two traditional high schools (9th - 12th), and Bladen Early College (9th - 13th) located on the campus of Bladen Community College. Bladen County Schools serves a diverse student population. Disaggregated race/ethnicity data are listed below:

The Title I Program in Bladen County Schools serves students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade in Readiness Skills, Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. In eligible schools, instruction is delivered primarily during the instructional day. During the 2024-2025 school year, all K-8 schools will operate under the school-wide program model.

A highly qualified teacher or a teacher/teacher assistant team typically instructs students in a whole class or small group setting. Technology integration is often used to extend and enhance instructional activities. The following nationally recognized programs and instructional models are among those implemented to provide research-based teaching strategies, monitor instructional practices, and accommodate various learning styles. Table 1 identifies the programs and instructional strategies employed in all Title I schools in Bladen County.

Table 1- Programs and Professional Development Supplemented by Title I Funds

The 2024-2025 Title I Program will serve the following schools:

• Bladen Lakes Primary (Pre-K - 5th) 
• Bladenboro Primary (Pre-K - 4th) 
• Bladenboro Middle (5th - 8th) 
• Clarkton School of Discovery (5th - 8th) 
• Dublin Primary (Pre-K - 5th) 
• East Arcadia Elementary School (K - 5th) 
• Elizabethtown Middle School (5th - 8th) 
• Elizabethtown Primary School (Pre-K - 4th) 
• Tar Heel School (Pre-K - 8th)

Describe the poverty criteria that will be used to select school attendance areas and identification of students eligible for Title I funding.

Title I funding is allocated by the State Education Agency (SEA) based on a formula determined by ESSA regulations and policies. The LEA receives a funding amount annually to serve students in the district.

In 2014-15, the school system was designated as a Community Eligibility Program District (CEP). As a qualifying CEP district, the LEA offers meals to students in grades Pre-K - 12 at no cost to families. All students have access to breakfast and lunch. Data extracted from the Child Nutrition Program calculates the number of low-income Title I eligible students at each school and the district. Based on data collected in April of 2024, approximately 1,914 students are eligible for Title I services throughout the district. Distribution of funding for the 2024-2025 school year is allotted using a 1.6 multiplier provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction times the number of identified low-income students. The table below illustrates poverty percentages using a 1.6 multiplier to calculate PPA funding for each school.

Table 2 - PPA Title I School Allocations for 2024-2025

District Set Aside Funds are used for salaries of support personnel, digital teaching and learning initiatives, district materials or programs, professional development, substitute pay, and additional positions.

• Providing professional development and resources in researched-based best practices in curriculum, instruction, and assessment aligned with state content standards, with a specific focus on digital teaching and learning 
• Providing professional development in new digital teaching and learning standards 
• Providing supplementary supports for children most at-risk in reading and mathematics 
• Providing high quality and ongoing professional development for administrators, teachers, and other instructional staff to impact gaps in student achievement 
• Providing qualified teaching and support personnel to ensure that schoolwide programs meet the needs of students, to the extent that funding will support 
• Providing for the collection and the analysis of student and performance data to identify trends, design action plans, and drive decision making at the district and school levels 
• Providing supplemental support to prekindergarten programs 
• Providing funding and resources for family engagement/parental involvement 
• Providing support for school improvement 
• Support purchasing a new reading program for PK-5th grade aligned to the state professional development initiative “The Science of Reading.” 
• Purchasing a new Math Curriculum (iReady Math) for grades K-8 to have all students on a standard curriculum countywide 
• Implementation of the “Leader in Me” Program through the Franklin Covey Institute

Bladen County Schools provides a wide variety of professional development opportunities for teachers, administrators, and all support staff (data managers, counselors, itinerant staff, TA’s, etc.). We believe quality professional development is paramount to the improvement of an organization. Professional development is offered in many ways, including, but not limited to; virtual sessions, face-to-face sessions, targeted content teachers or grade levels, online modules, Professional Learning Communities, contracted services, grant and University partnerships, and coaching.

The district provides all employees the opportunity to participate in professional development. Our district goal is for all staff to receive a minimum of ten (10) contact hours of professional development for the 2024-2025 academic year. A high concentration of staff engaged in professional development are teachers that must renew their teaching license every five years. License renewal requires approximately 8 hours of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) earned through professional development in the area of technology, content, and literacy. The ten contact hour minimum will equate to one (1.0) CEU.

Professional development in the PSU is managed by our Human Resources Department, who tracks all professional development for all employees. They manage the PD approval process, and funding of activities, and is linked to the NC LicSal system, which credits the employee with the needed CEUs to renew a teaching license at the end of the five-year renewal cycle.

Title I and Title II funds support the professional development activities offered within and outside the district to include local, regional, and state participation. Title I also supports the costs of subs when teachers elect or are required to participate in professional development opportunities.

Bladen County Schools coordinates services, and educational opportunities for students, and has established several partnerships to support professional development for employees:

• NC Pre-K and Smart Start preschool programs; including plans for the transition of students into elementary school programs are provided.
• Services for children with limited English proficiency, students with disabilities, migratory children, neglected or delinquent youth, and homeless children, are provided.
• Partnerships through Universities and Bladen Community College support advanced coursework opportunities for students that wish to accelerate their learning, earn advanced certifications or earn credentials prior to graduation to support employment. 
• The Title I program supports the transition of middle school students into high school. 
• Guidance counselors work to develop College and/or Career readiness plans for high school students.

All Title I schools and programs continuously assess student needs and utilize research-based strategies to improve student achievement. School improvement plans and needs assessment documents to include goals and strategies to help schools to better prepare students for summative EOG, and EOC assessments to reach, at a minimum, proficiency on the challenging state academic standards and assessments.

Title I Funds help to support a quality Pre Kindergarten Program consisting of six Pre-K sites housed at elementary schools in the PSU. Both Title I and NC Pre-K funds support the Pre-K program needs. Students in Pre-K classes are selected using multiple criteria.

Any student/child in Bladen County may apply for the Pre-K Program via an application process. Screening opportunities are available in strategic community areas and elementary schools. For the 2024-2025 academic year, 5 out of 6 schools with elementary grades will house one or more Pre-K classrooms. The Pre-K Program is governed by the NC Department of Health and Human Services, the NC Department of Public Instructions, and the local NC Pre-K committee.

The primary purpose of the NC Pre-K Program is to provide a quality Pre-K experience to students of the highest need. The PSU is required to screen, evaluate, and rank order the identification of Pre-K students based on the highest needs criteria and guidelines provided to the PSU. The local committee of stakeholders, teachers, and community partnerships determine the site locations for the Pre-K Program based on student enrollment. This committee meets periodically during the school year for the purpose of oversight and decision-making in the Pre-K Program. The Pre-K Program serves approximately 162 students in the public school setting and approximately 28 students in the private sector. Approximately $313,250 of the Title I allocation is utilized to support Pre-K Programs in the PSU.

All schools in Bladen County will use the NCSTAR School Improvement Planning Tool to engage stakeholders in the school improvement process. The NCSTAR platform provides research-based practices that when employed, provide a broader stakeholder engagement, and provides transparency to stakeholders in an effort to attain specific outcomes established by the district or school. Advantages to using the NCSTAR tool include local empowerment, focused team collaboration, practices aligned to research and resources, reporting and tracking progress features, and coaching/support.

Title I activities to support the School Improvement Planning Process at each school are based on data collected by district and school teams to determine needs, areas of strength, areas of improvement, and how Title I funds might best support priority goals for improvement. Professional development, support, and monitoring will be provided to 100% of schools to ensure successful use of the NCSTAR platform and implementation of school improvement plans.

District-wide resources will be provided to Title I schools including but not limited to: i-Ready and Reading Wonders instructional and assessment materials, Second Chance Testing Initiatives - Transportation/Personnel, Software Applications, and support for a 1:1 K-12 learning environment. Title I schools also received support via instructional and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) personnel partially funded with Title I funds.

Bladen County Schools has allocated approximately $50,120 to support homeless students as identified by the McKinney-Vento Law. The definition of homeless is defined in the law and specifically guides school districts in the decision-making process about students/families that may enact the law. Bladen County personnel are responsive to the needs of these students.

The allotment for homeless children is not based on a per pupil funding ratio; as needs in any given school year are undetermined and not predictable. The funding allotment is based on the trend of spending and needs in the two previous years for these needs. During 2023-2024, the number of identified students decreased from 144 to 136. This decrease, combined with a reduction in Federal Title I funds led to the homeless set-aside decrease in 2024-2025.

Title I funds are used to purchase school supplies, and any school fees; in addition to other specific support needs of the student.

Parent & Family Engagement Plan

Bladen County Schools utilizes Title I funds to support parent involvement activities in the district in a variety of ways. The district uses set-aside Title I funds (beyond the required 1%) to pay a percentage of a position of a district Parent and Family Engagement Coordinator It is always a goal of the district and all schools to determine ways in which the PSU will increase parental involvement to support the academic success of all identified subgroups of students.

A minimum of 1% of all Title I funds are allocated to parent involvement efforts. The required 1% is allocated to schools for Parent and Family Engagement. Schools may elect to increase the allocation using additional dollars from their Title I funds. Family engagement opportunities are important to the success of the student, school, and district. Each school and district maintains a family engagement plan of activities. Parent communication is critical and our district utilizes the following communication methods to disseminate information: school and district web pages, written communication, All-Call system, social media pages, Remind, and the Bladen County Schools App.

Family engagement activities must be included in the Title I Budget for every school and in the district set aside at a minimum of 1% of the school or district’s total budget.

After-school tutoring programs may be offered in some schools. Schools have Title I funds, which may be used to provide additional tutoring to students before and after school. It is the decision of the School Improvement Team to determine the level of need for tutoring services in each building. School Improvement Teams work within the school Title I funding allocation to determine if a program can be implemented. The PSU does not offer a system-wide tutorial program funded by Title I.

Personnel Positions Supported through Title I Funds

Bladen County Schools utilizes Title I funds to support a quality Pre-Kindergarten program consisting of Pre-K sites housed at six elementary schools in the LEA. Both NC Pre-K and Title I support the program. Students in Pre-K classes are selected using multiple criteria. Parents apply for Pre-K through an application process. Screening opportunities are held at different locations throughout the district at various times to accommodate work schedules. The Pre-Kindergarten is governed by the NC Department of Health and Human Services, the NC Department of Public Instruction, and the local NC Pre-K committee.

The local committee of stakeholders, teachers, and community partners determines the site locations for the Pre-K program based on student enrollment. This committee meets periodically during the school year to provide oversight and decision-making for the Pre-K program. Students enter Pre-K through staggered enrollment at the beginning of the school year. A schedule is created by the principal and/or teacher to confirm the student's attendance during the staggered enrollment period. Workshops are held for parents during the year to assist families in becoming familiar with the program requirements and the Creative Curriculum. The workshops also assist Pre-K families with the transition to Kindergarten.

Last year, Title I supported the Pre-K program with approximately $400,000. The Pre-K program served approximately 132 students in the public school setting and approximately 28 students in private Pre-K sites. Teachers made contact with parents and completed a needs assessment of the student and family. In addition to collecting the necessary enrollment information and school forms. Coordination with outside agencies, daycare providers, and departments within the school system will be reviewed and discussed as needed to accommodate any special services or special needs for students.