Norwood Public Schools

What is Title I? | Parent Involvement | Tips for Parents
Supplemental Education Services | School Choice Information
Parent brochure - Title I Information

Title I Program
Norwood Public Schools
2011-2012

Your child has been selected to participate in the Title I Program of Norwood Public Schools.  This brochure will give you information regarding the Title I Program.

What is Title I?

Title I, Part A, is intended to help ensure that all children have the opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach proficiency on challenging state academic standards and assessments. As the largest federal program supporting elementary and secondary education, Title I targets these resources to the districts and schools where the needs are greatest.

Title I is the federal government’s biggest program for elementary and secondary education.  Its purpose is to give extra money to schools and school districts that serve many low income and struggling students.  The money must be used to improve academic achievement in basic subjects and engage families in the education of their children.  Your child does not need to be in a low income family to qualify for Title I services.

How does our school receive Title I money? 

First, the federal government provides funding to each state. 

Then, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education sends this money to school districts.  How much money each school receives is determined by the number of low-income students attending that school.

Finally, Title I schools:

• Identify students at their school who need the most educational assistance based on the criteria that the school system has chosen.  Students do NOT have to be from low-income families to receive Title I services.
• The school system sets goals for improving the skills of educationally disadvantaged students.
• Student progress is measure to determine the success of the Title I program for each student.
• Programs are developed and implemented for each student in order to support/supplement regular classroom instruction.  

Targeted Assistance School Program  - Norwood Public Schools

Which schools does Title I serve in Norwood?

Title I serves children in elementary and secondary schools who have demonstrated that extra assistance is needed.

Norwood Public Schools offers targeted assistance, through Title I funding, in the following schools:

•  Balch Elementary School – 2 full time English Language Arts teachers
•  Callahan Elementary School –1  full time English Language Arts teacher
•  Oldham Elementary School – 1.5 English Language Arts teachers
•  Coakley Middle School – 1 full time English Language Arts teacher

What will Title I do for my child?

The Title I Program will provide your child with extra educational assistance beyond the regular classroom.  Title I teachers will consult with your child’s classroom teacher, the building principal and other staff to plan intervention for your child.  Intervention will be based on MCAS results, system wide assessments and teacher evaluations.   This extra assistance will be in the form of pull out instruction, inclusion – within the regular classroom, after school tutoring, or summer school.  A variety of supplementary teaching methods will be used in conjunction with the curriculum of the Norwood Public Schools.  An individualized program will be designed, if necessary.  Additional teaching materials, which supplement the regular instruction, will be available. 

Title I  Compacts 

In order to comply with the regulations of the Title I program, we are mandated to complete Title I Compacts.  A compact is a promise between teachers, students and parents of our program.  The individual promises of the program are listed on the compact that will be sent home.  Please read this compact with your child.  It is necessary for both of you to sign the form and return it to the Title I teachers in your building. 

We, as the Title I staff, promise to provide the best educational setting for your child, fostering a caring environment.  Within that environment, your child will be encouraged to grow to potential.  This growth will flourish under the direction and love of all of us as we work together toward our common goal.

Title I: Supplemental Educational Services

As part of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001, when a school is identified for year two of school improvement, the District must notify parents of each child enrolled in the school of:

• their option to transfer their child to another school not in school improvement (School Choice)
• the availability of supplemental educational services for eligible children.

Supplemental Educational Services (SES) is free tutoring offered outside of the regular school day. SES services must be high quality, research-based, and specifically designed to increase student achievement. Jefferson Public Schools pays for tutoring.

The purpose of the tutoring must be to increase academic achievement in reading or mathematics of eligible students. These children are supported to attain proficiency in meeting the State’s academic achievement standards. 

Title I, Part A Public School Choice

When schools do not meet State targets for improving the achievement of all students, parents have the option to send their child to another school.

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) responds to that need by giving parents of children enrolled in schools that receive Title I funding and that are identified for “school improvement” the opportunity to transfer their children to a school that has not been so identified. These provisions of the statute, along with other elements that focus new attention and resources on turning around the schools identified for improvement, are critical mechanisms for achieving the vision embodied in NCLB, a high-quality education for all children.

The No Child Left Behind Act amended the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) in a number of areas to strengthen parent involvement and choice in education. The most critical amendments, and the subject of this guidance, require LEAs to provide the opportunity to transfer to another school to students enrolled in schools that administer Title I programs and that have been identified for (1) school improvement, (2) corrective action, or (3) restructuring (both in the planning year for restructuring and in any implementation years). 

Parents Rights

In January, 2002 President George Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Law.  This law makes sure that parents in Title I schools have certain rights.

Did you know…..?

• You have the right to know the qualifications of your child’s teacher.
• You have the right to know, when your child has a substitute for more than four weeks, the qualifications of the substitute teacher.
• You have the right to know how the school is rated based on the Massachusetts MCAS tests.
• You have a right to understand the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and Standards, the MCAS Assessment Program, and your child’s test scores.
• You have the right to expect regular communication with your school in a language that you understand.
• You have a right to work with other parents, teachers, and the principal in developing an action plan for the school – School Improvement Plan.
• You have the right, if you child’s school is in Corrective Action because they haven’t met the state and district student achievement goal, to transfer your child to a higher performing school with transportation provided.
• You have the right, if your child’s school has not made their student achievement goals for two consecutive years, to enroll your student in free tutoring classes.
• You have the right to ask for a meeting with the principal or you r child’s teacher or Title I teacher.
• You have the right to volunteer at the school.
• You have the right to join your school’s PTA/PTO (Parent - Teacher organizations) and the school council to learn more about the school.

Parent Involvement

Title I, Part A provides for substantive parental involvement at every level of the program, such as in the development and implementation of the State and local plan, and in carrying out the LEA and school improvement provisions. Studies have found that students with involved parents, no matter what their income or background, are more likely to earn high grades and test scores, and enroll in higher-level programs; pass their classes, earn credits, and be promoted; attend school regularly; and graduate and go on to postsecondary education.

Norwood Public Schools Title I Program is dedicated to providing quality education for every student in our program. To accomplish this objective, we strive to develop and maintain partnerships with parents and community members. Effective connections between home and school will help to promote productive learning conditions for every child. These open communication lines will expand and enhance learning opportunities.

TIPS FOR PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

1. Prepare ahead of time for the conference.
2. Look over recent assignments and test grades so that you know how your child has been performing in class. Look through books and see what your child is learning.
3. Ask your child questions, such as what is their favorite subject, what are they having a difficult time with, what subject do they find easiest, and who are their friends at school.
4. Write down questions you have for the teacher so you will remember what you wanted to ask.
5. List your child's strengths. Keep this in mind during the conference. Many times as we hear teachers talk about what our child is doing wrong, we forget their strengths. Remind the teacher about your child's strengths and ask how you can work together to further develop them.
6. Be on time for the conference, most are tightly scheduled. Being  even 5 minutes late will substantially cut down on the time you have with the teacher.
7. Be open to suggestions from the teacher. Ask what you can do at home to help your child be more prepared for school.
8. Offer suggestions and insights into your child. You know your child best and you may be able to offer information that will help the teacher to better help your child succeed.
9. Ask about social interactions as well as academic. Children struggling with friendships can suffer from low self esteem which can cause additional problems in school.
10. If you find your child is struggling in school, ask to reschedule the conference for the following week. This way the teacher will be able to spend more than 20 minutes with you and you can both work together to develop a plan to help your child succeed.

General Homework Tips for Parents

Make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit place to do homework.
Avoid having your child do homework with the television on or in places with other distractions, such as people coming and going.

Make sure the materials your child needs, such as paper, pencils and a dictionary, are available.
Ask your child if special materials will be needed for some projects and get them in advance.

Help your child with time management.
Establish a set time each day for doing homework. Don't let your child leave homework until just before bedtime. Think about using a weekend morning or afternoon for working on big projects, especially if the project involves getting together with classmates.

Be positive about homework.
Tell your child how important school is. The attitude you express about homework will be the attitude your child acquires.

When your child does homework, you do homework.
Show your child that the skills they are learning are related to things you do as an adult. If your child is reading, you read too. If your child is doing math, balance your checkbook.

When your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers.
Giving answers means your child will not learn the material. Too much help teaches your child that when the going gets rough, someone will do the work for him or her.

When the teacher asks that you play a role in homework, do it.
Cooperate with the teacher. It shows your child that the school and home are a team. Follow the directions given by the teacher.

If homework is meant to be done by your child alone, stay away.
Too much parent involvement can prevent homework from having some positive effects.

Homework is a great way for kids to develop independent, lifelong learning skills.

Stay informed.
Talk with your child's teacher. Make sure you

Know the purpose of homework and what your child's class rules are.

Help your child figure out what is hard homework and what is easy homework.
Have your child do the hard work first. This will mean he will be most alert when facing the biggest challenges. Easy material will seem to go fast when fatigue begins to set in.

Watch your child for signs of failure and frustration.
Let your child take a short break if she is having trouble keeping her mind on an assignment.

Reward progress in homework.
If your child has been successful in homework completion and is working hard, celebrate that success with a special event (e.g., pizza, a walk, a trip to the park) to reinforce the positive effort.

Parents… You can influence the success of your child in school more that any teacher or federal program.  By becoming an active participant in the Title I and school program at your school, you will:

• Serve as a role model, showing your child that you support his/her education.
• Assure that you are aware of your child’s educational progress, thereby demonstrating how important that progress is to you.
• Teach your student that your input at school is appreciated and that you support its efforts.

Research shows that how well a child does in school depends a great deal upon how much their parents get involved in their education.  You can become more involved by:

• Joining local school/parent organizations (PTA/ PTO).
• Supporting school extra-curricular activities.
• Volunteering at the school.
• Attending parent –teacher conferences.
• Communication with your child’s teacher regularly, by writing notes, telephoning the school, using email, etc.
• Keeping your child’s teacher informed about events in your child’s life which may affect his/her performance at school.
• Discussing with your child’s teacher and parent organizations other ideas for parent involvement.

Please feel free to contact your building principal, your child’s classroom teacher or Title I teacher.  Title I office is at the Savage Educational Center.  Please contact Carole Poirier, Title I Director if you need further assistance (781-440-5815).

For additional information regarding the Title I program use the Norwood Public Schools website www.norwood.k12.ma.us or Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education at www.doe.mass.edu/titleI.