• TITLE I Program Information
    Information from OSPI, Title I, Part A Section [    Revised October 2021]
     
     
     

    Title I, Part A is a federal program designed “To provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps.”

    Title I, Part A funding can support early learning and Kindergarten to grade 12. These programs and services provide customized instruction and curricula that helps students meet academic standards and take an active, engaged interest in what they can learn and do. As the oldest and largest federal education program, Title I, Part A programs build equity of opportunity for children whose struggles often keep them on the academic sidelines. One-third of the public schools in Washington state operate Title I, Part A programs, providing academic services to over 350,000 students annually.

    Title I, Part A services are delivered in programs that take one of two forms: targeted assistance programs or schoolwide programs.

    Targeted Assistance Programs must use Title I, Part A funds to provide academic services to children who are identified as failing or at risk for failing to meet state standards. The school makes this determination based on multiple, educationally related, objective criteria, and places students on a rank order list. Any school with a poverty average of at least 35% or the district's poverty average (whichever is lower) is eligible to operate a Targeted Assistance Program.

    Schoolwide Programs allows a school to consolidate its federal, state, and local funds to upgrade the entire educational program. Research suggests that in schools with relatively high poverty, students' needs are more widespread throughout the entire school population. Though the school is not required to identify certain children as being eligible for services or to provide certain students with any specific supplemental benefits, the focus of the program must be on addressing the needs of low-achieving children and those at risk of not meeting state student academic achievement standards. Any school with a poverty average of at least 40% (or if the building has applied for and received a waiver from OSPI) may operate a Schoolwide Program.

    Under ESSA, Title I, Part A funds may be used for activities and instruction for enrichment as part of a "well-rounded education". Therefore funds can be uses for courses, activities, and programming in subjects such as English, reading or language arts, writing, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, geography, computer science, music, career and technical education, health, physical education, credit recovery, career and technical education, post-secondary instruction, and any other subject, as determined by the LEA, with the purpose of providing all students access to an enriched curriculum and educational experience.