Pfeiffer-Burleigh

Schoolwide Information, Title I

Programs that fall under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) are designed to work together, rather than separately from , one another. Programs are focused on supporting the overall reforms of States, school districts, and their schools to ensure that all children, whatever their background and whatever school they attend, can reap the benefit of those reforms.

A schoolwide program school may now use its Title I, PArt A funds along with other Federal education funds to upgrade the school's entire educational program, rather than to target services only on identified children. By affecting the entire program of instruction, the overall education of children in the most impoverished schools can be improved. Title I of the ESEA gives the option to develop a schoolwide program to schools with 60 percent poverty in the 2007 school year and 50 percent poverty in subsequent years. Schools opting to become schoolwide programs have expanded flexibility and support.

Repeat findings show that:	• All children's performance is negatively affected in schools with high concentrations of poverty.
	• For the lowest achieving students in the highest poverty schools to meet high standards of performance, their entire instructional program, not just a separate Tile I program, must be substantially improved.
	• Educators in highly successful schools expect high academic achievement from every child.
	• When an entire school is the target of change, schools serving the most disadvantaged youth can achieve success.

 

A schoolwide program:	• Is built on schoolwide reform strategies, rather than separate, add-on services. It permits a school to use funds from Title I, Part A and other Federal education program funds and resources to upgrade the entire educational program of the school in order to raise academic achievement for all students.
	• Provides flexibility in spending Title I funds. Schoolwide programs do not have to identify particular children as eligible for services,show that Part A funds are paying for supplemental services that would otherwise not be provided, or separately track federal dollars. Schoolwide programs can instead use funds in the manner that they choose, as long as they engage in reform strategies that increase the amount and quality of learning time and help provide a high-quality curriculum for all children.
	• Permits flexibility to combine other Federal funds in support of the schoolwide program. A schoolwide program that includes other Federal programs does not have to conform to the specific statutory or regulatory requirements of each separate program as long as the intent and purposes of those programs are met.