Parent Resources
Title I Information
What Is Title I?
Title I is one of the largest federal aid programs for school district in the United States. Begun in 1965 under President Lyndon B. Johnson as part of his “War on Poverty”, Title I today is part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). This legislation grants federal funds to school with large number of children of poverty to provide extra educational services that help students achieve at higher levels. Specifically, the objective of the Title I program is to enable all student to meet state and local student performance standards and for school to achieve other school accountability goals as set forth by the Indiana Department of Education.
How Does Title I Work?
The federal government provides Title I funds to Indiana each year. To obtain the funds, Indiana must submit a plan describing the academic standards children are expected to meet (i.e. Indiana College and Career Ready Standards) and how academic progress will be measured (i.e. Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress- ISTEP+). Indiana then allocates Title I funding to school corporations. The amount of money a school district receives is based on census data indicating the proportion of low-income children. Districts with the highest percentage of children from low-income families receive the most money. School corporations target the Title I funds they receive to schools with the highest percentages of children from low-income families.
How Big Is Title I?
Nationwide, more than 50,000 public schools (approximately 12.5 million students) receive Title I funds. Title I funds may be used for children from pre-school to high school.Yorktown Community Schools Title I funding is used at Pleasant View Elementary (K-2) and Yorktown Elementary School (3-5).
What Happens At A Title I School?
The administrators, teachers, and Title I staff work to:
- identify students most in need of educational help (regardless of income)
- measure student progress using state and local standards
- set goals for improvement
- implement research-based instructional programs that supplement regular classroom
instruction
- improve professional knowledge and skills through continuing education
- involve parents in all aspects of the school’s Title I program
What Role Do Parents Play?
Parental involvement is a critical component of Title I legislation. Schools receiving Title I funding are obligated to implement programs, activities, and procedures for the involvement of parents in school-related programs. Schools may also provide opportunities for parents to increase their knowledge and skills related to their children’s education. Such programs, activities, and procedures must be planned and implemented for parents of participating children.
Title I Resources
Yorktown Community Schools Report Card
Yorktown Community Schools Report Card Information can be accessed via the website below under the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) Compass site. This report cards complies with the ESSA requirements for any building that receives Title I assistance.
High Abilities Information
Yorktown Community Schools follows the Indiana definition of a high ability student as one who “performs at, or shows the potential for performing at, an outstanding level of accomplishment in as least one domain when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment.”
Students can be identified for the high ability program through the following six pathways:
For High Ability Identification in Math:
- Through Performance: An outstanding score (96th percentile or higher) on a norm-referenced measure of math achievement
- Through Potential: An outstanding score (96th percentile or higher) on a norm-referenced measure of quantitative reasoning or a composite measure of quantitative/nonverbal reasoning
- Through Additional Data: When a child’s score on either the norm-referenced measure of achievement or reasoning falls just below the cutoff, additional data in the form of teacher and parent rating scales will be reviewed to determine appropriate placement.
For High Ability Identification in Language Arts:
- Through Performance: An outstanding score (96th percentile or higher) on a norm-referenced measure of reading and language achievement.
- Through Potential: An outstanding score (96th percentile or higher) on a norm-referenced measure of verbal reasoning
- When a child’s score on either the norm-referenced measure of achievement or reasoning falls just below the cutoff, additional data in the form of teacher and parent rating scales will be reviewed to determine appropriate placement.
The district recognizes that cognitive growth is not always consistent. To ensure all students are receiving appropriate curriculum and instruction, they will be systematically evaluated for instructional placement in Kindergarten, 2nd and 5th grade. Please see the attached High Abilities Multifaceted Plan for Yorktown Community Schools for more information.