Federal Programs
What is the Every Student Succeeds Act?
On December 10, 2015, President Obama signed the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). The ESSA builds upon the critical work States and local educational agencies (LEAs) have implemented over the last few years. The reauthorized law prioritizes excellence and equity for our students and supports great educators.
The new law builds on key areas of progress in recent years, made possible by the efforts of educators, communities, parents, and students across the country.
ESSA includes provisions that will help to ensure success for students and schools. Below are just a few. The law:
- Advances equity by upholding critical protections for America's disadvantaged and high-need students.
- Requires—for the first time—that all students in America be taught to high academic standards that will prepare them to succeed in college and careers.
- Ensures that vital information is provided to educators, families, students, and communities through annual statewide assessments that measure students' progress toward those high standards.
- Helps to support and grow local innovations—including evidence-based and place-based interventions developed by local leaders
- Sustains and expands this administration's historic investments in increasing access to high-quality preschool
- Maintains an expectation that there will be accountability and action to effect positive change in our lowest-performing schools, where groups of students are not making progress, and where graduation rates are low over extended periods of time.
United States Department of Education
What is Title I, Part A?
Title I, Part A is part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and the amendment known as Every Student Succeeds Act. Title I funding is used to improve basic programs operated by states and local school districts across the nation. The funding is supplemental funding to and is used for resources to help schools with high concentrations of students from low-income families provide a high-quality education that will enable all children to meet the state's rigorous student performance standards. Title I, Part A supports schools in implementing either a school-wide program or a targeted assistance program. These programs must use effective methods and instructional strategies that are grounded in evidence-based research. Currently the Title I campuses in Weatherford ISD operate school-wide programs which enable the Title I resources to be used to upgrade the entire educational program on each campus.
How does my district receive Title I dollars?
The United States Department of Education targets states, districts, schools, and students with the “greatest need”. Funds flow to the Texas Education Agency through a formula based upon the most recent Census count of poverty families residing in the state. Funds then flow from the state to school districts in Texas and then from districts to campuses based primarily on free and reduced lunch participation counts or other poverty measures. Schools served with Title I funds have higher than the district’s average of poverty students. Intended beneficiaries of the funds are children who are academically disadvantaged, not necessarily economically disadvantaged.
How does Weatherford ISD use Title I funds?
This supplemental funding is typically used for additional instructional staff, research-based instructional materials, extended learning opportunities and professional development, enhancing parental involvement, providing extended learning time and for other activities designed to enable every student to succeed at the highest levels of performance. Weatherford ISD uses it’s Title I funds on five elementary campuses that are designated as school-wide campuses which allow the supplemental resources to upgrade the entire educational program on these campuses.
What is Title I, Part C?
The purpose of the Migrant Education Program is to design and support programs that help migrant students overcome the challenges of mobility, cultural and language barriers, social isolation, and other difficulties associated with a migratory lifestyle. These efforts are aimed at helping migrant students succeed in school and successfully transition to postsecondary education or employment. Weatherford ISD receives a limited amount of funding under this program, and therefore, enters into a “shared services arrangement” with Education Service Center Region XI located in Fort Worth. Staff at the service center work collaboratively with our district to ensure that students are identified and served.
What is Title II, Part A?
Title II, Part A - Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High-Quality Teachers, Principals, and other School Leaders
Federal dollars provide supplemental funding to improve student achievement. The funds are used to elevate teacher and principal quality through recruitment, hiring and retention strategies and to maintain the number of highly qualified teachers in the classroom and highly qualified principals and assistant principals in schools. The program uses scientifically based professional development interventions and holds the district and schools accountable for improvements in student academic performance. These funds support a large portion of the professional development of staff in the Weatherford ISD. All schools and departments in Weatherford ISD benefit from Title II, Part A funds.
What is Title III, Part A?
Title III, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as reauthorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), aims to ensure that English learner (ELs) and immigrant students attain English language proficiency and meet the same challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards as all children are expected to meet. In Weatherford ISD, these funds provide supplementary support to students identified as second language learners and professional development for bilingual and English learner teachers.
What is Title IV, Part A?
Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program (SSAEP) is a new formula block grant established as part of Every Student Succeeds Act. SSAEP funding must supplement local, stat,e and other federal funds. The three focus areas of the grant area are as follows: well-rounded education, student health and safety, and support effective use of technology.