Title 1 & School Improvement

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), is a United States federal statute enacted April 11, 1965. It was passed as a part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty" and has been the most far-reaching federal legislation affecting education ever passed by Congress.

In October of 1994, the Improving America's Schools Act was signed into law, revising the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and authorizing funding for five years for K-12 education programs at qualifying schools.

"The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) -- the main federal law affecting education from kindergarten through high school.  Proposed by President Bush shortly after his inauguration, NCLB was signed into law on January 8th, 2002.  NCLB is built on four principles: accountability for results, more choices for parents, greater local control and flexibility, and an emphasis on doing what works based on scientific research." - US Department of Education  /  Arizona Department of Education.

It is our goal to help students succeed educationally. We are a supplementary program to assist teachers in their task of helping each child to learn the Mesa Public School curriculum objectives for their grade level and the identified Arizona State Essential Skills.

The U. S. Department of Education funds Title I, and it is administered through the Arizona State Department of Education. There are accompanying rules and guidelines which we must follow. Monitors from either or both agencies visit us to ensure that guidelines are being met.

Each school that is eligible is responsible to hold Proposal Planning meetings every year to design a program that best meets the needs of their school. Each year at targeted schools the Proposal Planning Committee meets. The committee is made up of parents, staff members, and the principal. Together they design the Title I program for each site. This plan is then submitted to the Arizona State Department of Education and, subsequently, the U. S. Department of Education.

Teacher recommendation is most important. We also look at performance on the District Reading and Math tests. Any student who performs below the 50th percentile will usually benefit from extra help, and is automatically eligible IF the teacher agrees that it would be helpful. There are also other assessments that may be given that may qualify students for reading and/or math assistance. These assessments are the same assessments also used at other Title I schools in Mesa Unified School District. Again, the teacher's recommendation is also necessary.

That depends upon the form of assistance being offered through Title I at the grade level. Instructional assistants in the classroom can usually assist all students in the room who qualify. However, in the Title I Computer Lab participation is limited simply because there is a fifteen-station maximum at a time. In such cases, prioritized lists are made by the teachers, and those students most in need are serviced first with the remaining students going on a prioritized waiting list.

In most cases qualifying students are serviced. However, sometimes the teacher may feel that the help is not needed. Or, the student may be receiving help through other services and the teacher may feel that additional help is not necessary. Or, as noted above, there may be a waiting list.

No, not necessarily. Title I helps students with a wide variety of educational needs.

No. It is supplementary educational assistance only.

Yes. Of course, we would like to have the opportunity to help students. We encourage you to discuss it with your child's teacher. But a parent or guardian may choose to not accept the assistance.

Most importantly, your child will be receiving individual and/or small group instruction in addition to regular classroom instruction. The instructional assistants and teachers meet regularly to discuss each student and to plan future instruction together.

In addition, students in the Title I program are eligible for tuition-free summer school.

There is a very heavy emphasis on parent involvement in the Title I program. We know, as educators, that parents are their children's first and most important teachers. We need their support. Therefore, there will be optional meetings throughout the year for parents to attend if they choose. there will also be Open Houses, and we'll do our best to communicate with parents at least once a month. Parents are always welcome to come visit and see the program in action. Please register in the office first, as always.