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Title I

What is Title I?On December 10, 2015, President Obama reauthorized the Elementary and  Secondary Education act of 1965 (formerly known as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001) as Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Title 1 operates as part of the laws and mandates under ESSA. Among these features are sanctions for schools that do not make measurable academic achievement. The Title 1 Department is responsible for providing the necessary leadership and assistance to schools to ensure that the intent of the legislation is carried out. 

Title 1, Part A funds are distributed to school districts based on four distinct funding formulas as affected by census poverty data.  Districts determine which eligible buildings are to participate based on federal requirements and local decisions. The  purpose of this funding is to provide supplemental funding to economically disadvantaged districts and some of their eligible schools for improving educational outcomes for students who are failing or at risk of failing to meet State  standards. 

The North Ridgeville City School District has implemented a targeted reading intervention program in grades K and provides Title I services to students in grades 1-2. Research suggests that targeted instruction in literacy skills can support the development of successful readers and writers. Our programs use assessment data to provide research-based instruction and intervention strategies, as well as the use of continuous progress monitoring to ensure student growth. Professional development and teacher training for our staff helps to provide the educational best practices needed to ensure the goals of the program are achieved. Our Title 1 program encourages and welcomes parental involvement to help ensure success. Additionally, Title 1 provides support and resources to the entire District when needed. 

Students in the Title I program will receive additional literacy instruction based on student needs. This type of specialized instruction serves as a Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention support in reinforcing the skills that are being taught in the classroom.  The students will meet with the building’s Title I teacher regularly.

How do Students qualify for Targeted Reading Intervention or Title I Services?To qualify for additional reading intervention services in grade K and TItle I services in grades 1-2, students go through a screening process.  The first step is taking the STAR test at the initial screening. (STAR, is an acronym, used to mean "Standardized Test for the Assessment of Reading." This meaning is no longer maintained, as the company has created STAR assessments for skills in domains other than reading.)  The students' scores fall into one of four categories (At or Above Benchmark, On Watch, Intervention, Urgent Intervention).  Students who score in the intervention and urgent intervention categories are then retested on the STAR to rule out false positives due to lack of exposure to the ipad/headphones, nerves, etc.  

In addition, all students are given the AimswebPlus Benchmark assessment, which is a web-based formative assessment tool. AimswebPlus uses a battery of tests that provides composite scores, and includes both timed curriculum-based measures (CBMs) plus untimed-standards-based measures that help to identify at-risk learners.  On this benchmark assessment the students’ scores fall into one of five categories  (Well Below Average, Below Average, Average, Above Average, and Well Above Average). 

Using both the STAR and the Aimsweb data, student scores are entered into a formula to determine the most at -risk learners who will benefit from Title 1 intervention services for reading and writing instruction. Students are continually monitored using  STAR and Aimsweb to determine the effectiveness of instruction and monitor student progress. 

What does the Targeted Reading Intervention / Title 1 Program Look Like?Students may receive intervention in any or a combination of ways.  Students may be seen in a small group setting either in their classroom or outside their classroom.  The setting is determined by a few factors and may change day to day depending upon the needs of the students.  The push in model is when the support teacher goes into the student’s homeroom and works with the students there.  In some cases, the support teacher might run a center in the classroom focusing on using guided reading or other reading strategies.  The other model is the pull out model, which can be used to limit distractions or focus more on specific targeted reading skills.  Both models are very effective ways to instruct students and certain situations may lend themselves to either model. 

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