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The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, thereby reauthorizing Title I, which is Part A of ESEA. The purpose of ESEA is to improve teaching and learning for all children to enable them to meet challenging academic content and student performance standards. The reauthorized ESEA complements the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the School-to-Work Opportunities Act by supporting state and local education reform efforts and promoting coordination of resources to improve education for all students.
Title I is the largest federally funded education program designed to provide students with additional help in reading, language arts and math. The Title I program provides assistance to thirty-seven school districts in CESA #11 and facilitates the sharing of ideas and expertise within its member schools. Assistance in the development, implementation and evaluation of Title I projects, which ensures effective learning and program compliance is also provided to the schools. DPI is responsible for approving and reviewing Title I projects and ensuring that the guidelines and regulations are implemented appropriately. The federal government, through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, allocates funds to local school districts for the operation of Title I program. The primary goals of the Title I program are:
§ To assure that all phases of each school district’s Title I project are in compliance with federal and state law, and
§ To assist school districts in providing quality educational experiences for Title I students.
Specific areas of assistance include the following:
General Administration
· Dissemination of Federal and State guidelines
· Liaison to DPI
· Coordination with State Standards
Project Implementation
· Application development
· School improvement
· School-wide programs
· Evaluation
· Capital expense grants
· Fiscal services
· Needs assessment/student selection
· Program monitoring
· Staff development/inservice
· Parent involvement
Students in Title I programs participate in a variety of learning experiences that are coordinated with regular classroom instruction and supplement the regular education programs. Title I instruction may reinforce readiness skills, listening experiences, writing activities, comprehension and vocabulary strategies, critical reading strategies, math concepts, computation skills, and problem solving strategies. Effective, innovative instructional strategies are used to ensure improved achievement for students who are identified as having academic needs. All Title I programs stress positive attitude and enhance self-concept. Although Title I funds may be used for preschool through grade 12 students, the majority of school systems have chosen to concentrate their services on preschool and elementary programs. Each school district designs appropriate programs based on the specific needs of its students.
Students are selected to participate in Title I programs because classroom performance and test results indicate that additional assistance would be beneficial. Not all students who are eligible for Title I programs receive instruction due to budget constraints and program design. Students with the “greatest educational need” are served first and other students are placed on a waiting list until space is available in the program.
School districts require technical assistance to ensure the appropriate implementation of their Title I programs. Therefore, the Title I program provides this essential service through district visits and specialized workshops. Title I Coordinators’ informational workshops are scheduled during the year, as needed, to assist district personnel in complying with program requirements and implementing Title I guidelines. CESA staff members representing Title I, Title II-A (Teacher-Principal Quality), Title III (English Language Learners), Title IV (Safe and Drug Free Schools) and Title V (Innovative Programs) also assist school district in updating and revising their ESEA Consolidated Plan Applications.
Title I Administrative Services - What do you get for purchasing the full service?
1. Assistance with consolidated plan paperwork
2. Targeting preparation and filing
3. Private school visits
4. Technical support: in-district/coordinator meetings
5. Representation at State meetings
6. Professional development opportunities offered at the participating rate
7. Annual family involvement activities
8. Assistance with year-end reports and amendments required
9. Liaison to DPI/State organizations
10. Application negotiation
11. On-site monitoring prep
12. Budget preparation & support
13. Six "Title I Updates" Newsletters
14. Support for Title I Schoolwide program planning and implementation
Program Contacts
Marilyn Heifner, Educational Consultant, marilynh@cesa11.k12.wi.us
Melissa Moe, Educational Consultant, melissam@cesa11.k12.wi.us
Kim Eder, Program Support, kime@cesa11.k12.wi.us
Janelle Paulson, Program Support, janellep@cesa11.k12.wi.us
Phone: 715/986-2020
Fax: 715/986-2040
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