Chilton County School District

Federal Programs Overview

PARENTS RIGHT-TO-KNOW NOTIFICATION Title I, Part A, Section 1112(c)(6), Every Student Succeeds Act, Public Law 114-95

At the beginning of every school year, a Local Education Agency (LEA) that receives Title I funds must notify parents of each student attending any Title I school that they have a right to request information regarding the professional qualifications of student’s classroom teachers’ professional qualifications.

Parents have the right to know:

1. Whether the teacher has met State qualifications and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.

2. Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which State qualification or licensing criteria have been waived.

3. The baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher and the field of discipline of the certification of degree.

4. Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

In addition to the information that you may request under Parents Right-To-Know teacher/ paraprofessional qualifications, a school that receives Title I funds shall provide to each individual parent (this information must be provided to you, without you making a request):

1. information on the level of achievement of the parent’s child in each of the State academic assessments as required under Title I: (this information will be provided to all parents at a fixed time during the year along with assessment data), and

2. timely notice that the parent’s child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks, by a teacher who is not highly qualified (substitute teacher who does not have a degree). Providing this information to you is your parental right under Every Student Succeeds Act, Public Law 114-95. Because our schools receive Title I funds, we are required to provide this information to you in writing as requested. If you are interested in requesting information regarding your child’s teacher(s) qualifications, please contact the central office, 280-3000. You may request this information in person or by letter. Your requested information regarding your child’s teacher(s) will be provided to you on a form within ten (10) working days after receiving your request. The requested information will be mailed to your home address or hand delivered in a face-to-face meeting. If you have questions regarding this information, you may call the Central Office, 280-3000.

The purpose of Title I is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, grade level proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.

A Title I school must have at least 40% of its student population qualify for free or reduced lunch. Title I funds, along with other Federal, State, and local funds, can be used to operate a "schoolwide program" to upgrade the instructional program for the whole school. Programs must use instructional strategies based on evidence based research and implement parental involvement activities.

If a student is having academic problems, you may wish to discuss it with the administrator at your school or you may call the Federal Programs Director at 205-280-3000.

Title I, Part A -- Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged

Title I is the largest federal aid to education program in the country. Title I programs enable schools to provide opportunities for children served to acquire the knowledge and skills contained in the state content and performance standards developed for all children and to promote effective parent involvement. Eligible schools use Title I funds for supplemental instructional materials, technology, additional staff, parent involvement programs and materials, and professional development.

Title II, Part A -- Supporting Effective Instruction

The purpose of Title II, Part A is to increase the academic achievement of all students by helping schools and districts improve teacher and principal quality and effectiveness by providing professional development activities designed to prepare, train, and recruit highly qualified teachers and principals.

Preparing and Training
As funds are available, professional development activities are supported in cooperation with state and local funding to positively impact the areas identified through the comprehensive needs assessment.

Recruiting
The Chilton County School District actively recruits highly qualified personnel. All potential applicants are carefully screened for Highly Qualified requirements. Current personnel are assigned to teaching positions based on highly qualified status as identified by state and federal requirements. Assistance is provided for core subject area personnel not meeting highly qualified status to become highly qualified by the dates mandated by NCLB.

Highly Qualified
Chilton County Title I Schools' goal for teachers is 100%. Highly qualified teacher shortages exist in Alabama in the areas of math, science and foreign language. Federal funds will be made available to existing teachers who are considered not highly qualified to become highly qualified in their core academic subjects. Personnel and schedule adjustments will be made where appropriate to continue to strive to meet the 100% goal. All new personnel hired will meet the qualifications stated in Section 1119, if possible. All efforts will be made to employ Highly Qualified personnel through recruiting, contacting other school systems and universities, reviewing applications on file, etc.

100% of Title I schools' teachers and paraprofessionals have met the highly qualified requirements.

Class Size Reduction
Teacher units are allocated to schools based on greatest need after all State Foundation units have been allocated to targeted schools.

Title III -- English Learners

Title III funds are supplemental to the core ESL program and are used for professional development, materials, and supplies.

Questions:

What is the Core EL Program? ESL is the Core EL Program in Chilton County. {for more information}

Where can I find Chilton County's ESL/EL plan? Each school has a copy of the plan in the library.
A copy can also be found on this Chilton County website, Federal Programs, ESL, ESL Forms.

How are students identified as EL students? Home Language Survey--If a parent writes English & another language or only another language as the language spoken by the student and in the household, then the ESL teachers will determine through parent and student interviews whether the student should be screened for ESL services. Once enrolled, the student will receive the W-APT screener. (within 30 days @ the beginning of school or 10 days during the school year)

I hear my EL student speaking English in the hall and at lunch, so why isn't he/she doing better in my classroom? English language spoken in the hall, on the bus, in the cafeteria, or at PE is SOCIAL LANGUAGE. Social Language is learned quicker than ACADEMIC LANGUAGE. It takes several years for EL students to learn and understand the different content area vocabulary.

Where can I find school forms about behavior, bus issues, or health concerns?
Transact -Contains forms in many different languages. ALSDE has approved all forms for school use.

Where can I find information on ACCESS for ELLs, Can Do Descriptors, and ELD Standards? WIDA -Contains the ELD standards, Can Do Descriptors, and EL webinars. ELD Standards can also be found on this website in the ESL FORMS section under CLASSROOM.

Who can translate for a school conference or during the enrollment of a student?

my student? no
the brother, sister, or cousin of my student? no
a friend or neighbor? no
the student's pastor/minister? no
Spanish II students? no
Only school board personnel or provided translator may translate a conference or IEP meeting

Important Information on Classroom Accommodations

I-ELP: Individual English Language Plan is mandatory, not optional
Manipulatives, photos, Power Point, highlighting texts, underlining important facts, word boxes, graphic organizers can be useful accommodation tools
Less Lecturing and More Demonstrating
Use Power Point or notes on the board, when lecturing.
Don’t give textbook assignments if the students don’t have textbooks.
Don’t give Internet assignments to complete at home since many people do not have Internet.
Write assignments on the board.
Make the study guide match the test.
Re-check for comprehension for all students.
Simplify language used in instruction and for directions.
Pair your EL with a native English speaker, not another EL or former EL student in order to translate the entire lesson.
Provide page #’s for answer location instead of a vague reference that it is in the chapter.
For additional accommodation suggestions, speak with your ESL teacher.

Can parents refuse ESL services? Yes. According to the Department of Justice in the "Dear Colleague" letter, parents may refuse ESL services for their children, regardless of when the ESL services occur. The student will still receive accommodations and support in the classroom and will take the ACCESS for ELLs annual assessment until he/she exits the ESL program.

Title VI- Part A

Every Students Succeeds Act establiehd Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment (Title IV, Part A) program as one of the provisions to support sutdents successes.

This program is intended to help meet these goals by increasing the capacity of State educational agencies, local educational agencies, schools, and local communities to:

Provide all students with access to a well rounded education.
Improve school conditions for student learning.
improve the use of technology to enhance academic achievement and digital literacy of all students.

(ESSA secion 4101)

Title V -- Rural and Low Income

The Rural and Low-Income Schools program is an initiative that provides grant funds to rural LEAs that serve concentrations of children from low-income families

The purpose of Title I is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, grade level proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.

A Title I school must have at least 40% of its student population qualify for free or reduced lunch. Title I funds, along with other Federal, State, and local funds, can be used to operate a "schoolwide program" to upgrade the instructional program for the whole school. Programs must use instructional strategies based on evidence based research and implement parental involvement activities.

If a student is having academic problems, you may wish to discuss it with the administrator at your school or you may call the Federal Programs Director at 205-280-3000.

Title I, Part A -- Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged

Title I is the largest federal aid to education program in the country. Title I programs enable schools to provide opportunities for children served to acquire the knowledge and skills contained in the state content and performance standards developed for all children and to promote effective parent involvement. Eligible schools use Title I funds for supplemental instructional materials, technology, additional staff, parent involvement programs and materials, and professional development.
Title II, Part A -- Supporting Effective Instruction

The purpose of Title II, Part A is to increase the academic achievement of all students by helping schools and districts improve teacher and principal quality and effectiveness by providing professional development activities designed to prepare, train, and recruit highly qualified teachers and principals.

Preparing and Training
As funds are available, professional development activities are supported in cooperation with state and local funding to positively impact the areas identified through the comprehensive needs assessment.

Recruiting
The Chilton County School District actively recruits highly qualified personnel. All potential applicants are carefully screened for Highly Qualified requirements. Current personnel are assigned to teaching positions based on highly qualified status as identified by state and federal requirements. Assistance is provided for core subject area personnel not meeting highly qualified status to become highly qualified by the dates mandated by NCLB.

Highly Qualified
Chilton County Title I Schools' goal for teachers is 100%. Highly qualified teacher shortages exist in Alabama in the areas of math, science and foreign language. Federal funds will be made available to existing teachers who are considered not highly qualified to become highly qualified in their core academic subjects. Personnel and schedule adjustments will be made where appropriate to continue to strive to meet the 100% goal. All new personnel hired will meet the qualifications stated in Section 1119, if possible. All efforts will be made to employ Highly Qualified personnel through recruiting, contacting other school systems and universities, reviewing applications on file, etc.

100% of Title I schools' teachers and paraprofessionals have met the highly qualified requirements.

Class Size Reduction
Teacher units are allocated to schools based on greatest need after all State Foundation units have been allocated to targeted schools.
Title III -- English Learners

Title III funds are supplemental to the core ESL program and are used for professional development, materials, and supplies.

Questions:

What is the Core EL Program? ESL is the Core EL Program in Chilton County. {for more information}

Where can I find Chilton County's ESL/EL plan? Each school has a copy of the plan in the library.
A copy can also be found on this Chilton County website, Federal Programs, ESL, ESL Forms.

How are students identified as EL students? Home Language Survey--If a parent writes English & another language or only another language as the language spoken by the student and in the household, then the ESL teachers will determine through parent and student interviews whether the student should be screened for ESL services. Once enrolled, the student will receive the W-APT screener. (within 30 days @ the beginning of school or 10 days during the school year)

I hear my EL student speaking English in the hall and at lunch, so why isn't he/she doing better in my classroom? English language spoken in the hall, on the bus, in the cafeteria, or at PE is SOCIAL LANGUAGE. Social Language is learned quicker than ACADEMIC LANGUAGE. It takes several years for EL students to learn and understand the different content area vocabulary.

Where can I find school forms about behavior, bus issues, or health concerns?
Transact -Contains forms in many different languages. ALSDE has approved all forms for school use.

Where can I find information on ACCESS for ELLs, Can Do Descriptors, and ELD Standards? WIDA -Contains the ELD standards, Can Do Descriptors, and EL webinars. ELD Standards can also be found on this website in the ESL FORMS section under CLASSROOM.

Who can translate for a school conference or during the enrollment of a student?
- my student? no
- the brother, sister, or cousin of my student? no
- a friend or neighbor? no
- the student's pastor/minister? no
- Spanish II students? no
- Only school board personnel or provided translator may translate a conference or IEP meeting
Important Information on Classroom Accommodations
- I-ELP: Individual English Language Plan is mandatory, not optional
- Manipulatives, photos, Power Point, highlighting texts, underlining important facts, word boxes, graphic organizers can be useful accommodation tools
- Less Lecturing and More Demonstrating
- Use Power Point or notes on the board, when lecturing.
- Don’t give textbook assignments if the students don’t have textbooks.
- Don’t give Internet assignments to complete at home since many people do not have Internet.
- Write assignments on the board.
- Make the study guide match the test.
- Re-check for comprehension for all students.
- Simplify language used in instruction and for directions.
- Pair your EL with a native English speaker, not another EL or former EL student in order to translate the entire lesson.
- Provide page #’s for answer location instead of a vague reference that it is in the chapter.
- For additional accommodation suggestions, speak with your ESL teacher.
Can parents refuse ESL services? Yes. According to the Department of Justice in the "Dear Colleague" letter, parents may refuse ESL services for their children, regardless of when the ESL services occur. The student will still receive accommodations and support in the classroom and will take the ACCESS for ELLs annual assessment until he/she exits the ESL program.
Title VI- Part A

Every Students Succeeds Act establiehd Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment (Title IV, Part A) program as one of the provisions to support sutdents successes.

This program is intended to help meet these goals by increasing the capacity of State educational agencies, local educational agencies, schools, and local communities to:
1. Provide all students with access to a well rounded education.
2. Improve school conditions for student learning.
3. improve the use of technology to enhance academic achievement and digital literacy of all students.
(ESSA secion 4101)
Title V -- Rural and Low Income

The Rural and Low-Income Schools program is an initiative that provides grant funds to rural LEAs that serve concentrations of children from low-income families