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Title I, Part A: Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies

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About Title I, Part A: Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies

Title I, Part A provides financial assistance through state educational agencies to school divisions and public schools with high numbers or percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic content and achievement standards.

School divisions target the Title I funds they receive to public schools with the highest percentages of children from low-income families. Unless a participating school is operating a schoolwide program, the school must focus Title I services on children who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet state academic standards. Schools enrolling at least 40 percent of students from low-income families, or schools who have received a schoolwide eligibility waiver, are eligible to use Title I funds for schoolwide programs that are designed to upgrade their entire educational programs for all students, particularly the lowest-achieving students.

2024-2025 Identification of Title I Schools Form

The Office of ESEA Programs annually requests that school divisions update the Title I status of their schools. The Title I, Part A, coordinator from each division should complete the 2024-2025 Identification of Title I Schools Form and submit it by email to the ESSA mailbox at essa@doe.virginia.gov by Tuesday, June 4, 2024. 

Guidelines & Procedures

Schools: Identification and Service Delivery Models

Homeless Students

Foster Care Provisions under ESSA

Properly Licensed and Endorsed Teachers and Qualified Paraprofessionals  

Under ESSA and §22.1-298.1 of the Code of Virginia, students must still be taught by teachers who are properly licensed and endorsed for the classes they are assigned to teach. 

  • In a schoolwide school, this includes all teachers and personnel required to hold a teaching license in the grades and subjects they teach.
  • A teacher with a provisional license in the subject they teach is considered properly licensed.
  • This requirement does not include guidance counselors, speech/language pathologists, or administrators; however, all licensing requirements in a Title I school are encouraged.
  • In a targeted assistance school, any teacher paid with Title I funds must be properly licensed and endorsed for the grades and subjects they teach.

Paraprofessionals providing instructional support in programs supported with Title I, Part A funds also must meet federal highly qualified standards.

All Title I paraprofessionals must have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent.  Additionally, paraprofessionals have the following three options to meet the designation of highly qualified:

  • Complete two years of study at an institution of higher education; or
  • Obtain an associate’s (or higher) degree; or
  • Meet a rigorous standard of quality and be able to demonstrate, through a formal state or local academic assessment, knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing, reading, writing, and mathematics (or, as appropriate, reading readiness, writing, readiness, and mathematics readiness).
  • All instructional paraprofessionals, including special education paraprofessionals in a schoolwide school must be qualified.
  • Any paraprofessional in a targeted assistance program funded by Title I must be qualified.

Parental Notification Letters on Teacher Qualifications

Parental Notification of Assessment Opt Out Policies under ESSA

Parental Notification for Parents of ELs

School divisions are required to inform parents annually regarding their child's placement in a language instruction education program within 30 days after the beginning of the school year, or within two weeks of the child's placement within a program.

Verifying Title I Time and Effort

Parent and Family Engagement

Forms

Federal Guidance

Fiscal Guidance

Federal Budget Information

2024 Title I, Part A Application

Each school division is required to complete a Title I, Part A application to request funding to provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps.

Division Allocations

Division program coordinators should contact their program specialist for information about the application for federal funds.

Elementary School Literacy Implementation Support Grants

ESLIS Grant Allocations (FFY22) (XLSX)

ESLIS Grant Allocations (FFY23) (XLSX)

Special Terms and Conditions (Word)

2024-2025

Preliminary Allocations - April 11, 2024

Census data used to calculate 2024 Title I, Part A Allocations

On December 14, 2023, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) shared with the Virginia Department of Education the 2022 U.S. Census data that will be used to calculate the FFY 2024 (school year 2024-2025) Title I, Part A, preliminary allocations to local educational agencies (LEAs). One of the reasons USED provides these data is to enable states and LEAs to review and verify their accuracy. The Census Bureau requests that corrections to the data be submitted in cases where non-statistical errors can be documented. The period to review the Census data closes on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.

2023-2024

Revised Allocations

Allocations

Preliminary Allocations

2022-2023

Revised Allocations 

Allocations

Preliminary Allocations

Equitable Services to Private School Students

Under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) (see Appendix A), local educational agencies (LEAs) are required to provide services for eligible private school students as well as eligible public school students.
See: Title VIII: General Provisions (and information regarding Section 1120 of Title I, Part A)

Virginia Title I School Listings

Virginia Title I Coordinators

List of Division Title I Coordinators (PDF)

Virginia Department of Education Title I Staff & Assignments

List of Title I Staff by Regions - Updated December 2023 (Word)