Title I

Title I is a federal program that provides additional funding to schools to help ensure that all students have access to a high-quality education and the support they need to be successful in school.

Title I funding is provided to schools with higher numbers or percentages of students from low-income families. These funds are used to provide extra academic support, programs, services, and resources to help students meet state academic standards and achieve their full potential.

Title I began in 1965 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) into law. The goal was to help close achievement gaps and provide additional educational opportunities for students who may need extra support.

In 2002, the law was updated and became known as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

In 2015, President Barack Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which is the current version of the law. ESSA continues to support student achievement while giving states and school districts more flexibility in meeting the needs of their students and families.

Title I funding may be used to provide:

• Additional instructional support for students
• Extra academic programs and interventions
• Family engagement activities and resources
• Professional learning for teachers and staff
• Supplemental materials and educational resources

The overall goal of Title I has remained the same over the years: to provide additional support so that every child has the opportunity to succeed academically and graduate prepared for college, careers, and life.

A Title I Schoolwide Program allows schools to use federal funds to improve learning opportunities for all students in the school, rather than providing services only to selected students.

To operate a schoolwide program, schools must meet several important requirements:

1. Schools must identify student needs
   • Schools must regularly review information about student learning and school performance to determine areas of strength and areas needing improvement. This process helps schools identify the support students need to be successful.
   • Schools use this information to:
     • Identify academic and non-academic needs.
     • Determine why challenges exist.
     • Develop plans to improve student achievement.
2. Schools must create and update a school improvement plan
   • Using information gathered from the assessment, schools develop a Schoolwide Plan.
   • Goals for improving student achievement.
   • Strategies and programs the school will implement.
   • How resources and Title I funds will be used.
3. Schools must evaluate the plan annually
   • Schools must review their Schoolwide Plan each year to see if the strategies are helping students succeed.
   • If something is not working, the plan is updated to better support student needs.

Parents and families play a vital role in student success. Title I schools actively partner with families to support learning.

• Annual Title I Meeting
  • Every Title I school holds an annual meeting to explain the Title I program, its requirements, and parents' rights to be involved.
• Title I Parent & Family Engagement Policy
  • Districts and schools develop a written policy outlining how they will involve families in their children's education.
  • Parents help review and update this policy each year.
• School-Parent Compact
  • Each Title I school creates a School-Parent Compact.
  • This agreement outlines how parents, school staff, and students share responsibility for improved academic achievement.
• Parent decision-making opportunities
  • Parents can serve on advisory committees, offer input on school plans, and help decide how Title I family engagement funds are used.
• Regular communication & capacity building
  • Schools provide updates on student progress, offer parent workshops, and share strategies to support learning at home.

Link to OKCPS Board of Education Policy I-14: Local Educational Agency Parent & Engagement Policy

LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY PARENT & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY
Adopted October 3, 2005
Revised October 23, 2017

In support of strengthening student academic achievement, Oklahoma City Public Schools receives Title I, Part A funds and therefore must jointly develop with, agree on with, and distribute to parents and family members of participating children a written parent and family engagement policy that contains information required by Section 1116(a)(2) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).  The policy establishes the LEA’s expectations and objectives for meaningful parent and family engagement activities.

Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) is committed to creating and promoting a “Great Culture” by partnering with families, communities, and the schools to support the academic success of all children by strengthening the engagement of families.  Programs and practices will be established to meet the diverse needs, languages, and cultures of children and families.  OKCPS recognizes the word “parent” also includes guardians and other family members that engaged in the child’s educational process.

OKCPS will put into operation programs, activities, and procedures for the engagement of parents and family members in all of its schools with Title I, Part A programs.  These programs, activities, and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents and family members of participating children. Consistent with Section 1116, the district will work with its schools to ensure that the required school-level parent and family engagement policies meet the requirements of Section 1116(b) of the ESSA, and each include as a component a school-parent compact consistent with Section 1116(d) of the ESEA.

In carrying out the Title I, Part A parent and family engagement requirements to the extent practicable, OKCPS and its schools will provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, limited literacy, disabilities, who are economically disadvantaged, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background, including providing information and school reports required under Section 1111 of the ESSA in an understandable and uniform format including alternative formats upon request and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand.

Oklahoma City Public Schools will be governed by the following definition of parental involvement and expects that its Title I schools will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition in Section 101 of the ESSA:

Parental involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:

1. Parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning
2. Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school
3. Parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child
4. Other activities are carried out, such as those described in Section 116 of the ESEA

Coordinate and integrate parent and family engagement strategies to the extent feasible and appropriate, with other relevant Federal, State, and local laws and programs.

Conduct with the meaningful involvement of parents and family members, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of all schools served under the part, including identifying;

• Barriers to greater participation by parents/families in activities authorized by this (with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background);
• The needs of parents and family members to assist with the learning of their children, including engaging with school personnel and teachers; and
• Strategies to support successful school and family interactions

Use the findings of such evaluation to design evidence-based strategies for more effective parental and family engagement, and to revise, if necessary, the parent and family engagement policies Section 1116(a)(2).  

Oklahoma City Public Schools promotes and supports developing lasting partnerships with families, communities, and businesses to build capacity for practices and activities that nurture student success.  Which strengthens the families access to resources; businesses/community organizations partner with schools to create programs that connect to the workplace; intergenerational programs support young and old working together; and students serve and learn beyond their school environment.

Oklahoma City Public Schools recognizes the importance of administrative leadership in setting expectations and creating a climate conducive to parent involvement.  They are committed to providing professional development opportunities and training for parents and staff throughout the year to enhance understanding of effective parent involvement strategies.

 FEDERAL SCHOOL REPORT CARD and ACCESSING STUDENT ACADEMIC PROGRESS 

Dear Parent/Family,

OKCPS is sharing this information about the district’s latest state report card  from the SY. It was released during the 2024-2025 school year. Below, you will find a link to Oklahoma state report cards for your child’s school, as part of its obligations under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA).  This report card measures across multiple indicators, including academic achievement, academic growth, chronic absenteeism, progress in English language proficiency, postsecondary opportunities, and graduation.

Indicators:

• Academic achievement shows how prepared for the next grade, course, or level.
• Academic growth shows how students are growing compared to their performance the previous year.
• Chronic absenteeism shows the percentage of students who are in good attendance.
• English language proficiency progress shows how well English learners are meeting their language-acquisition targets.
• Postsecondary opportunities show how well schools are helping students gain early college and career exposure.
• Graduation shows how well the school is supporting students to graduate in four, five, or six years, as compared to other schools.

Your child’s school report card can be found on the school’s webpage and here https://oklaschools.com/district/2025/55I089/, or on the district’s webpage.

Information About Your Child's Academic Progress
Title I schools are required to provide parents with information about their child's academic progress, including results from state assessments. Schools must explain how students performed on state tests, what the results mean, and how parents can use this information to support learning at home. 

OSDE Parent Portal
https://okparentportal.emetric.net/

Parent Portal Toolkit
Parent Toolkit Link
 

Dear Parents/Guardians/Trusted Adults:

Your scholar/student is attending a school receiving Title 1 Federal Funds through the Every Student Succeeds Act (referred to as ESSA).  This Federal Law requires that parents be notified of their right to know the professional qualifications of their scholar’s/student’s teacher(s) in core academic subject areas, including the following:

• Whether the student’s teacher has met the state’s qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction;
• If the teacher has an emergency or other provisional status through which state’s qualification or licensing criteria have been waived; and/or
• If the teacher is teaching in a field of discipline within the certification of the teacher.

Parents whose children are provided services by paraprofessionals may also request access to their qualifications. Parent may request:

• Information on the level of achievement and academic growth of the student, if applicable and available, on each of the State academic assessments required under this part; and
• Must receive timely notice that the student has been assigned, or has been taught for 4 or more consecutive weeks by, a teacher who does not meet applicable State certification or licensure requirements at the grade level  and subject area in which the teacher has been assigned.

If you would like information please contact the school's front office or visit www.okcps.org