Title I is a federally funded program designed to provide educational and supplemental services to meet the needs of children who reside in selected attendance areas in St. Mary Parish Schools.  Title I funds may be used for supplementary instructional activities, special personnel, materials, and equipment.  Title I serves schools attended by significant numbers of economically disadvantaged children who need assistance and support to improve their academic performance. 

Each school receiving Title I services has written a “school wide” plan outlining specific uses of Title I funds to reach the goal of helping children meet high curriculum and performance standards.  The Title I program has established pre-kindergarten classes.  These classes are for children who demonstrate an academic need for preschool experiences and live within the attendance area of the Title I school.  Additionally, Title I provides in-school tutoring, health services, media center support and professional development opportunities.  

Parent and Family Engagement is a major goal of Title I.  The federal grant provides for workshops and literature that help support parents in ensuring the success of their children. 

TITLE I: PARENT & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT 

In St. Mary Parish, Title I is dedicated to facilitating a positive interaction between parents and school.  This goal will be achieved by providing parents with a variety of opportunities to know their school, its programs, and the staff. 

The Title I program sets forth expectations for parents to be involved in their children’s education.  Emphasis is placed on forming a home-school partnership to benefit the students and all those involved in their welfare. 

The staff recognizes the parents’ right and responsibility to be involved in an organized, ongoing, and timely way in the planning, review, evaluation, and improvement of our Title I programs.  We, therefore, ask parents to assist in planning activities that will accomplish those objectives. 

To further the move toward school-based management, the LEA will assist Title I schools to maintain and increase school/parent activities.  The focus of these activities is to provide services and remove barriers so that the student will be successful in school.  The school/parent activities will reinforce the efforts of the school in its efforts to build school/parent relationships, attendance, school-based intervention, parental involvement programs, and service integration between school and community agencies.