Q: What is the Goal of the Title I Reading/Math Program?
A: The goal of the Title I program is to provide each child with the necessary skills, reinforcement, encouragement and confidence to insure continuous development and interest in not just reading and math, but all content areas. The Title I program provides additional instructional time to help children succeed in attaining necessary literacy and mathematics skills. It offers extra instruction in language arts (reading and writing) and math using a variety of teaching methods and materials as well as individualized instruction, if appropriate. Title I staff, regular classroom teachers, and parents work closely to provide a clear consistent message to students.

Q: What Assessments Are Administered?
A: Students in each grade level are assessed using multiple tasks appropriate to the age/grade of the children to determine eligibility for the program. There are benchmark assessments administered to all students and progress monitoring assessments administered to select students whose progress is monitored on a weekly or monthly cycle.

The assessments administered, dependent upon the grade of the student, are as follows:

Reading:

- STAR Early Literacy, STAR Reading Enterprise, Pearson/Scott Foresman Assessments (end of week test, end of unit tests, benchmark tests, fresh reads fluency assessments), PSSA

Math:

- Everyday Math Assessments (recognizing student achievement, unit progress check, end of year assessment), STAR Math Enterprise, Glencoe Placement Test, PSSA

After administering the assessments and analyzing the results, instructional plans are developed to determine the best options to meet the needs of the students.


Q: How Is Instruction Delivered?

A: Title I uses two models for the delivery of service.  A push-in model is used during the language arts block and math block. This model is done by going into the classrooms to assist the teacher/team teach and/or meet with a small group of children to preview or review the skills being addressed in the classroom.  Title I service is also delivered using a pullout model.  During this time, instruction is geared to student strengths and needs in the areas of language arts and/or math.  Students are pulled out of class and meet in small groups to work on strengthening reading and/or math skills.


Q: How are Parents Involved?
A: Parent involvement is a critical component to any school program. Parental contact and parent programs offered through Title I during the school year include: (1) Take P.A.R.T. meetings; meetings for parents and children to attend together to learn reading and math skills and strategies and have the opportunity to practice them while a teacher is available to answer any questions; (2) general meeting; parent meeting in the fall to explain the Title I program, (3) parent information meetings; meetings to inform parents (example a PSSA parent meeting, math informational meetings), (4) parent reports; sent home at mid year and end of year to all Title I reading students and (5) ongoing communication with parents via notes, phone calls and nightly reading logs.


Q: Who Comprises The Title I staff?
A: For the 2010-2011 school year, the Title I Staff consists of three reading specialists, two math specialists, four literacy aides and two math aides.  The aides work in a variety of capacities.  They may be in the classrooms working with the classroom teachers during the language arts or math block to support students during classroom instruction. In addition, aides also support student development in the areas of math and reading during pull-out instruction under the direction of the reading specialists or the math specialist.


Q: How Does Title I Work?
A: Title I staff work in both the classroom setting as well as in a pull-out setting, based on the needs of individual students. In the classroom, instruction is provided that supports regular instruction using the Harcourt Reading Series or the Everyday Math program. During pull-out sessions, students are instructed either individually or in small groups (of no more than six) and focus on specific skills and strategies that these children need to be taught, need to have reviewed, or need additional practice.

Q: What Are Some Additional Title I Responsibilities?
A: In addition to Title I support instruction, the Title staff also:

• - Sponsor an annual Scholastic Book Fair at both Acme and Colfax
• - Provide a series of parent meetings to encourage parents and children to engage in literacy and math activities that    coordinate with classroom instruction
• - Provide ongoing staff development to area preschool and daycare providers
• - Provide formal and informal staff development for teachers and administrators in the areas of reading and math
• - Assist with the implementation of the summer reading and math  program for all students re-Kindergarten -   grade 6
• - Provide an independent summer reading program (STAR) to encourage all students to read over the summer
• - Assist teachers in daily instructional planning for all students in the areas of math and reading.
• - Engage in various coaching activities to support the implementation of the Harcourt Reading and Everyday   math programs