Federal Programs

Title I is designed to help students served by the program to achieve proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards. Title I schools with percentages of students from low-income families may use Title I funds, along with other Federal, State, and local funds, to operate a "school-wide program" to upgrade the instructional program for the whole school. Title I schools with less than the school-wide threshold or that choose not to operate a school-wide program offer a "targeted assistance program" in which the school identifies students who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet the State's challenging academic achievement standards. Targeted assistance schools design, in consultation with parents, staff, and district staff, an instructional program to meet the needs of those students. Both school-wide and targeted assistance programs must use instructional strategies based on scientifically based research and implement parental involvement activities. https://www2.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/index.html

If a student is having academic difficulty, you may wish to discuss it with the Title I teacher at your school or you may call the district Federal Programs Office 256-309-2127.

Professional Development is a major part of the Title I Program. We work closely with schools to determine their professional development needs and to locate funding for those identified needs.

Title II is a federally funded teacher/staff development and class size reduction program.  It began with an emphasis on Math and Science but has expanded to include other discipline areas.  Staff development paid for from these funds must be evidence-based, long term, and longer than one day workshops.

In exchange for receiving funds, agencies are held accountable to the public for improvements in academic achievement. Title II, Part A provides these agencies the flexibility to use these funds creatively to address challenges to teacher quality, whether they concern teacher preparation and qualifications of new teachers, recruitment and hiring, induction, professional development, teacher retention, or the need for more capable principals and assistant principals to serve as effective school leaders. https://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherqual/index.html

Title III is a portion of funding for the English Language Program.  The purpose of Title III is to ensure that ELs, including immigrant children and youth, attain English proficiency, develop high levels of academic attainment in English, and meet the same challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards as all children are expected to meet, and to assist State and local agencies to develop and enhance their capacity to provide high-quality instructional programs.

For questions regarding English Learner students, please contact Amy Keel (256) 309-2174

New requirements under Title I of the ESEA, as amended by the ESSA, highlight the need to provide educational stability for children in foster care, with particular emphasis on collaboration between SEAs, LEAs, and child welfare agencies to ensure that students in foster care have the opportunity to achieve at the same high levels as their peers. These provisions emphasize the importance of limiting educational disruption by keeping children who move in foster care (due to entering the foster care system or changing placements) in their schools of origin, unless it is determined to be in their best interest to change schools. These provisions also ensure that, if it is not in their best interest to remain in their schools of origin, children in foster care are enrolled in their new schools without delay. In implementing these provisions, SEAs, LEAs, and child welfare agencies must ensure compliance with other applicable laws, such as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), among others.

Taken in totality, these provisions promote greater stability for children in foster care so that they can continue their education without disruption, maintain important relationships with peers and adults, and have the opportunity to achieve college- and career-readiness.