Title One Services

To answer the question that Susan B raised, Title 1 services are limited to schools with a certain % of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch, which is a proxy for poverty level in a community. The threshold is actually quite low - in my town, one school re-qualified for Title 1 after the 2008 recession because the % of low-income students went up to 3%.

Anyway...when a school gets Title 1 grants, the services that the grant pays for can be used by any student in need at the discretion of the school. The school district must create (and make available) consistent selection criteria. In the school my son was in, they offered a Title 1 program for struggling readers that was done after school. Qualifying students had to have scored less than proficient on the MCAS (our state's standardized tests) AND could not be on an IEP. My son was on an IEP so he did not qualify. My friend's daughter was a struggling reader with ADHD but no IEP so she qualified and benefited tremendously from the additional help.

I say go ahead and take the help being offered. If it's not helpful, you can always decide to not continue.

It all depends on the individual school. So please meet with the classroom teacher AND the Title 1 teacher and ask your great question. Also ask when your daughter would receive the service. If it is during the school day, what will she be missing and how will that impact her? Please do not let her be scheduled for a time of day when she is free to move (recess or physical education) or create (art, music), as these are so important to her being able to maintain focus. If you choose to enroll her, can it be for an 8 week trial to see if she is adjusting to the service, and you can weigh the advantages and disadvantages? It does seem like a great opportunity.

I thought that Title One funding was for schools that met certain funding levels- ie having a certain percentage of kids on free lunch or those with a high percentage on non-English speaking students. It provides extra funds to the school to be used for specific purposes. I have never heard it applied to individual services for a student. Perhaps the teacher was recommending that she receive tutoring paid for with Title 1 funds. I don't know if you have to personally have to meet requirements (free lunch) for your student to get the services.

Yes...my poor Granboy FINALLY got help in his Senior year with math, he had soooo many problems all through school. He took the graduation exam each year and passed all but math in his Freshman year. When he was finally tested and found to have a disability he became more confident and with the extra help got the best math test he had ever achieved, because of the disability he did not have to make a passing grade and I think that with the help he received and the pressure off he was destined to do better. We also used to spend hours on HW ever since Kindergarten, I feel his school years could have been a better experience had he been in the program earlier, I hope you make the right decision for you & your child as it is definitely a personal/individual choice.

Best!

If a school has 15% or more of its students receiving free and reduced lunches the school will receive extra funding (Title I) to be used to improve student achievement. A student does NOT have to be a free or reduced lunch student to receive Title I services. A student does have to meet certain educational criteria to qualify for Title I services. Usually test scores are a main criteria although other criteria can also be used.

I used to teach in some Title I schools and I was a Title I teacher for a few years. My daughter attends a Title I school and although she does not qualify for Title I services she has definitely benefitted from some of the programs the school has been able to implement using Title I funds.

Students who receive Title I services usually see a Title I teacher for a short time each day. When I taught Title I it was usually a 20-30 minute time slot. I had small groups anywhere from 1-6 kids. The small group setting allowed me the opportunity to give direct instruction to students and to give them what they needed. Their needs weren't overlooked in a crowded classroom. I could teach specific strategies to help them, reteach things they were struggling with, and support them in their learning.

Students always came to see me at a time that was going to be least disruptive to their day. My reading students usually came after a whole group lesson was taught and when the rest of the class was involved in small group instruction or independent reading time. My math groups came after whole group instruction and during independent work time. My students were sometimes pulled during science or social studies, but we tried to avoid that whenever possible. They were never pulled from recess, lunch, art, PE, or other special area classes. Title I services cannot replace teacher instruction. It can only supplement and support classroom teacher instruction.

Some schools will use their Title I funds to run before school or after school academies and summer school.

Talk with the classroom teacher and the Title I teacher to see how their school schedules Title I time. I can honestly say that I have never seen a child hurt by receiving Title I services.

In 4th grade 2 hours of homework is way way way too much. She needs to be doing some of that in class. If she does the 504 she can get some help.

http://www.education.state.mn.us/MDE/SchSup/ESEA/TitleIPa...

Also, does your daughter have an Aide in class or in school with her?
Or had an IEP?