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Title I is the United States Federal Government’s largest education program to support public schools. Through Title I, money is given to school districts based on the number of low-income families in each district. Each district uses its Title I money for extra educational services for children most in need of educational help. The focus of the Title I program is to help every child receive a high quality education and to achieve the high academic standards set by the State of Alabama.

The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) gives a share of Title I funds to each state based on the percentage of poverty in the state.  The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) then gives the money to school districts based on district poverty. 

In the fiscal year 2024-2025 (October 1, 2024-September 2024), the following schools qualified for Targeted Assistance Title I funding:

• Columbia Elementary School

• Horizon Elementary School

• Madison Elementary School

• Midtown Elementary School

In the fiscal year 2023-2024 (October 1, 2023-September 30, 2024), the following schools qualified for Targeted Assistance Title I funding:

• Horizon Elementary School
• Madison Elementary School
• Midtown Elementary School 
• Rainbow Elementary School

 In the fiscal year 2022-2023 (October 1, 2022-September 30, 2023), the following schools qualified for Targeted Assistance Title I funding:

• Columbia Elementary School
• Horizon Elementary School
• Madison Elementary School
• Mill Creek Elementary School

Title I also provides funding to support:

• Homeless / Foster Care Education Programs
• Early Learning - Madison City Schools Pre-K
• Parent and Family Engagement 
• School Improvement, if needed 
• Non-public school Title I services, if requested 

Schoolwide model: The school uses the Title I funding across the whole school, supporting and supplementing state and local funds to improve the education of historically disadvantaged students. Typically, schools with 40% or more of the students eligible to receive free or reduced lunch are eligible to receive Title I funds. This percentage can change from year to year.  

Targeted Assistance model: Title I funds provide services to eligible children identified as having the greatest need for special assistance.   Those students must also reside within the attendance area of a Title I school. In this model, Title I provides supplemental instruction to support students who are identified as failing, or most at-risk of failing to meet the State's challenging content and student performance standards. 

In both models Title I funding must always supplement and never supplant the regular education program at a school. All Title I schools in Madison City Schools operate Targeted Assistance school programs. None of the schools in Madison City Schools qualify for schoolwide Title I. 

A Title I public school that operates a Targeted Assistance school program:

• Receives Title I funds, but is ineligible or has chosen not to operate a Title I schoolwide program. In Madison, all Targeted Assistance schools receive Title I funds for targeted assistance services, but are ineligible to operate a Title I schoolwide program. 
• Uses Title I funds to provide services to a select group of children (those identified as failing, or most at-risk of failing to meet the State's challenging content and student performance standards). 

Being a Title I school means receiving federal funding (Title I dollars) to supplement the school’s existing programs.  These dollars are used for:

• Identifying students experiencing academic difficulties and providing timely assistance to help these students meet the State’s challenging content standards.
• Purchasing supplemental staff/programs/materials/supplies
• Conducting parent and family engagement meetings/trainings/activities

Being a Title I school also means parent and family involvement and knowing their rights under ESSA.  

Each school decides how Title I funds will be used in their school to improve education for all children.  Site based leadership teams in collaboration with parents and leadership teams determine how Title I funds will be used to help support the school’s identified needs.  Data are reviewed to determine the greatest needs in a school and devise strategies to improve student achievement in the school through a schoolwide or school improvement plan

Students most in need of educational help are provided with additional support services. Title I Schools also set goals for school improvement, measure student progress using Minnesota State Standards, and provide programs and services beyond what the district usually provides. Such  as:

• Providing tutoring.
• Providing additional academic supports during the school day.
• Supporting teachers with professional development and job embedded coaching in the content areas to improve instruction.
• Provide liaisons to support students and families.

Schools are required to plan how they will involve parents in the education of their children. Each school must write, with the help of parents, a school Family Engagement Plan.  The school’s Family Engagement Plan describes how schools and families work together to help children succeed.

Schools also work with parents to develop a Compact. 

Schools must include parents in decisions about how to better meet the needs of their students, improve education in their schools, and use Title I funds to build the capacity of parents and staff to be involved in their children's education.

 Some ways Title I funds may be used to to support parents, build capacity, include parents in decision making include:

• Translate school information into families’ first language, as needed
• Provide interpreters, as needed
• Host activities to help families with assisting their children with learning
• Build parent capacity to support their  child’s learning 
• Provide childcare meetings and school activities
• Offer parenting classes (e.g. literacy classes)

A School-Parent Compact is a shared agreement that describes how parents, children, and the school will work together to support the child’s learning. The School-Parent Compact should be shared at the beginning of the school year with parents and then reviewed during conferences. Title I parents have the right, by law, to be involved in the development/revision of the School-Parent Compact. Compact has 3 sections - parent section, student section, and school section. School section must include 6 required components:

1. Provide high-quality curriculum and instruction.
2. Hold parent-teacher conferences.
3. Provide parents with reports on their child’s progress.
4. Provide parents reasonable access to staff.
5. Provide parents opportunities to volunteer.
6. Ensure regular two-way meaningful communication between family members and staff, to the extent practicable, in a language family members can understand.

Parents are an important part of the Title I team and are partners with the school in helping all students achieve. Title I parents have certain rights. As the parent of a child in a Title I school, you have the right to: 

• Be involved in the planning and implementation of the parent involvement program in your school 
• Request the progress reports on your child and school 
• Request information about the professional qualifications of your child’s teacher(s) including the degrees and certifications held, and whether the teacher is certified in their respective area of instruction 
• Help to decide if Title I is meeting your child’s needs, and offer suggestions for improvement 
• Know if your child has been assigned, or taught by a teacher that is not highly qualified for at least four consecutive weeks
• Help develop your school’s plan for how parents and schools can work together

Any school district with a Title I Allocation exceeding $500,000 is required by law to set aside 1% of its Title I allocation for parent and family engagement. From that 1%, 10% may be reserved at the LEA for system-wide initiatives related to parent and family engagement.  The remaining 90% must be allocated to all Title I schools in the LEA. Therefore each Title I school receives its portion of the 90% to implement school-level parent and family engagement with clear expectations and objectives for meaningful involvement. 

Title I parents have the right to be involved in how this money is spent.

CIP is your school’s Continuous Improvement Plan and includes:

• A Needs Assessment and Summary of Data
• Goals and Strategies to Address Academic Needs of Students
• Professional Development Needs
• Coordination of Resources/Comprehensive Budget
• The School’s parent and family engagement policy

Title I parents have the right to be involved in the development of this plan.

During the course of administering federally funded programs disagreements may arise.  This link lists the procedures that will be followed in an attempt to resolve any disputes over issues raised.