Federal Programs (Title I, II, III, & IV)
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
What is the Every Student Succeeds Act?
On December 10, 2015, President Obama signed the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). The ESSA builds upon the critical work States and local educational agencies (LEAs) have implemented over the last few years. The reauthorized law prioritizes excellence and equity for our students and supports great educators.
The new law builds on key areas of progress in recent years, made possible by the efforts of educators, communities, parents, and students across the country.
ESSA includes provisions that will help to ensure success for students and schools. Below are just a few. The law:
- Advances equity by upholding critical protections for America's disadvantaged and high-need students.
- Requires—for the first time—that all students in America be taught to high academic standards that will prepare them to succeed in college and careers.
- Ensures that vital information is provided to educators, families, students, and communities through annual statewide assessments that measure students' progress toward those high standards.
- Helps to support and grow local innovations—including evidence-based and place-based interventions developed by local leaders
- Sustains and expands this administration's historic investments in increasing access to high-quality preschool
- Maintains an expectation that there will be accountability and action to effect positive change in our lowest-performing schools, where groups of students are not making progress, and where graduation rates are low over extended periods of time.
Title I/Remedial Literacy Intervention
What is Title I, Part A?
Title I, Part A is part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and the amendment known as Every Student Succeeds Act. Title I funding is used to improve basic programs operated by states and local school districts across the nation. The funding is supplemental funding to and is used for resources to help schools with high concentrations of students from low-income families provide a high-quality education that will enable all children to meet the state's rigorous student performance standards. Title I, Part A supports schools in implementing either a school-wide program or a targeted assistance program. These programs must use effective methods and instructional strategies that are grounded in evidence-based research. Currently Biglerville Elementary School is designated as a targeted-assistance Title I Building in the Upper Adams School District and receives Title I Funding.
How does Upper Adams School District receive Title I dollars?
The United States Department of Education targets states, districts, schools, and students with the “greatest need”. Funds flow to the Pennsylvania Depratment of Education through a formula based upon the most recent Census count of poverty families residing in the state. Funds then flow from the state to school districts in Pennsylvania and then from districts to individual school buildigns based primarily on free and reduced lunch participation counts or other poverty measures. Schools served with Title I funds have higher than the district’s average of poverty students. Intended beneficiaries of the funds are children who are academically disadvantaged, not necessarily economically disadvantaged.
How does Upper Adams School District use Title I funds?
This supplemental funding is typically used for additional instructional staff, research-based instructional materials, extended learning opportunities and professional development, enhancing parental involvement, and providing extended learning time and for other activities designed to enable every student to succeed at the highest levels of performance. Upper Adams School District uses it’s Title I funds at Biglerville Elementary School to support remedial literacy intervention. There are additional resources available from Ed.gov at the following link:
Title II/Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High-Quality Teachers, Principals, & Other School Leaders
What is Title II?
Federal dollars provide supplemental funding to improve student achievement. The funds are used to elevate teacher and principal quality through recruitment, hiring and retention strategies and to maintain the number of highly qualified teachers in the classroom and highly qualified principals and assistant principals in schools. The program uses scientifically based professional development interventions and holds the district and schools accountable for improvements in student academic performance. These funds support support the placement of an additional Kindergarten Classroom at Biglerville Elementary School to reduce class sizes for our Kindergarten population.
There are additional resources concerning Title II funds available from Ed.gov at the following links:
Title III/Language Instruction for English Learners & Immigrant Students
What is Title III?
Title III, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as reauthorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), aims to ensure that English learner (ELs) and immigrant students attain English language proficiency and meet the same challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards as all children are expected to meet. In Weatherford ISD, these funds provide supplementary support to students identified as second language learners and professional development for bilingual and English learner teachers.
If you are interested in determining whether your child meets the criteria for participation in the EL program, please refer to the “Title III EL Brochure" on our webpage (below). In addition, there are additional resources concerning Title III available from Ed.gov at the following link:
Title IV/21st Century Schools
What is Title IV?
Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program (SSAEP) is a new formula block grant established as part of Every Student Succeeds Act. SSAEP funding must supplement local, state, & other Federal Funds. The three focus areas of the grant area are as follows: well-rounded education, student health and safety, and support effective use of technology. Currenly, the Upper Adams School District utilizes Title IV funds to supplement Title II Programming at Biglerville Elementary School.
There are additional resources concerning Title II funds available from Ed.gov at the following link: