NCLB & Title 1 Information - Robert Treat Academy Charter School, Inc.

NCLB & Title I Information

Robert Treat Academy

No Child Left Behind & Title I

Information for Parents

What is NCLB?

Purpose

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)/Improving America's Schools Act (IASA), was signed into law on January 8, 2002. NCLB continues many of the goals set forth in IASA and incorporates additional principles and strategies for strengthening the pre K-12 academic environment. The measures included in NCLB require the following: 1) increased accountability for all responsible authorities - states, school districts, and schools; 2) greater school choice for parents whose children are attending low-performing schools; 3) more flexibility for states and LEAs in their use of federal education funds; and 4) a focus of resources on proven educational methods, particularly relating to early reading programs.

What is Title I?

Title I is a federally funded program designed to provide supplemental services to children who are in need of additional support. At Robert Treat this support is provided in the core subjects of reading and mathematics. A primary focus of the program is to enable participating students to achieve proficiency New Jersey's learning standards as defined in the Core Curriculum Content Standards.

In addition, the Title I Program supports the federal No Child Left Behind legislation as outlined below:

Performance Goal 1:

By 2013-2014, all students will reach high standards, at a minimum attaining proficiency or better in reading/language arts and mathematics.

Performance Goal 2:

All limited English proficient students will become proficient in English and reach high academic standards, at a minimum attaining proficiency or better in reading/language arts and mathematics.

Performance Goal 3:

All students will be taught by highly qualified teachers.

Performance Goal 4:

All students will be educated in learning environments that are safe, drug free and conducive to learning.

Performance Goal 5:
All students will graduate from high school.

Title I, Part A:
Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies

Title I, Part A funds must be used to for activities that are supplemental to the regular classroom instruction and provide additional educational services, such as tutoring, to eligible students to help them achieve academic proficiency and meet New Jersey's Core Curriculum Content Standards (CCCS). Academic proficiency, measured by annual state assessments in grades 3 to 8 and 11, is used to determine a measure of adequate yearly progress (AYP). Key elements of Title I, Part A include the following:

Scientifically based instructional programs and strategies.
Highly qualified teachers and paraprofessionals who work in a program supported with Title I funds.
Parental involvement and notification requirements including the Parents' Right-to-Know.
Professional development requirements for teachers and other staff to address academic content and instructional strategies.
Parental options including school choice and supplemental educational services for schools in need of improvement.
Additional requirements for schools in corrective action and restructuring.

Robert Treat Academy's Annual Notice to Parents

Title I of NCLB requires notification of parents with children in schools with Title I programs at the beginning of each school year of their right to request information regarding the professional qualifications of their child's classroom teachers and of any paraprofessional providing support to their children. "This notice must be provided in a language that the parents can understand." The school must respond to their request for information in a timely manner.

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires the schools to provide to the parents, at a minimum, the following information:

Whether their child's teacher has met state qualifications and licensing criteria for the grade level and subject areas in which he or she is providing instruction.
Whether their child's teacher is teaching under emergency or provisional status through which the state qualifications or licensing criteria have been waived.
The baccalaureate degree major the teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher and the field of discipline of the certification or degree.
Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, the qualifications of the paraprofessional.

Individual letters to parents whose children are eligible for Title I services are sent home during the month of September. All Robert Treat Academy faculty members are certified by the State of New Jersey and meet federal highly qualified standards. Robert Treat holds an annual meeting with parents of students who are receiving Title I services. Parents are notified of their children's progress through monthly interim narratives and bi-monthly progress reports. Methods of parent communication include monthly newsletters which include both schoolwide and individual classroom news. For more details of our program and for other resources click on the provided Quick Links.