To:

Members, Board of Education

From:

Eric J. Becoats, Ed.D.
Sharon S. Ozment

Date:

June 20, 2008

RE:

Authorization to File Title I Application for the 2008-09 School Year

As required by No Child Left Behind legislation, the Local Education Agency (LEA) is required to submit a North Carolina Title I Application on an annual basis in order to receive these federal funds. The Title I application outlines the district and individual Title I school plans that have been developed based on the identified needs of students to be served.

For information/reference purposes,

• The Guilford County Schools (GCS) free and reduced meal status thresholds for determining Title I eligibility are currently set at:
• 60% for elementary schools;
• 67% for middle schools; and
• 75% for high schools

• In 2007-08, 35 GCS schools were designated as Title I schools. Of that number, 31 were elementary schools and four were middle schools.

• In 2008-09, 41 GCS schools have been designated as Title I schools. Of that number, 35 are elementary schools, five are middle schools and one is an alternative school (grades 4-9 @ the Newcomers School).

• In 2007-08, Title I funds were allocated to eligible schools as follows:
• $595.12 per Title I child @ elementary and middle schools that were in years three, four and five of school improvement;
• $484.09 per Title I child @ elementary and middle schools that were in years one and two of school improvement or that were not in school improvement;
• No high schools were designated as Title I schools.

• In 2008-09, Title I funds will be allocated to eligible schools as follows:
• $692.18 per Title I child @ elementary and middle schools that are in years three, four and five of school improvement;
• $475.69 per Title I child @ elementary and middle schools that are in years one and two of school improvement or that are not in school improvement;
• No high schools are designated as Title I schools.

• No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation requires each LEA to reserve or set aside a portion of their Title I funds as follows:
• 20% for school choice (for costs related to NCLB school choice and supplemental educational services in Title I schools identified for improvement, corrective action or restructuring);
• 12% for district administration (In GCS, this includes 70% of salary/benefit costs for Executive Director of Federal and Special Programs; 70% of salary/benefit costs for secretary to Executive Director position; a Title I Director; four program specialists; a Pre-K Director; the salary/benefit costs for secretary to Pre-K Director; a Pre-K Lead Teacher; and indirect cost @ 3.519%);
• 10% for district/LEA improvement (for addressing the professional development needs of instructional staff in a school or district identified for improvement, corrective action or restructuring);
• 5% for professional development activities (to ensure that teachers who are not highly qualified become highly qualified);
• 1% for parental involvement (School districts with $500,000 or more must reserve 1% for parent involvement with 95 percent of those reserved funds allocated to individual schools.  GCS allocates 100 percent of these funds to schools); and
• 1% for eligible children who do not attend Title I schools (i.e., homeless children, migrant children, children in local institutions for neglected and delinquent).

RECOMMENDATION:  The administration recommends that the board authorize the Superintendent to sign and file the 2008-09 Title I Application.