Federal Programs

Title I or Improving Education Grant Program funds the pre-kindergarten program at the Early Learning Center and Bacon District Elementary School. Fifty-five students are enrolled in the full-day program that addresses the needs of all children, but particularly the needs of low-achieving children and those at risk of not meeting the state student academic achievement standards. The pre-kindergarten program provides an enriched and accelerated curriculum, including applied learning, for all students and has been designated a National Distinguished School.

Title II-A or the Teacher Quality Grant funds:

• provide high-quality professional development (based on scientifically-based research) for teachers, principals, and administrators, and other school personnel, to enhance knowledge and use of curricula materials, assessment measures, and instructional strategies effective with students who: are economically disadvantaged, from major racial/ethnic groups, have disabilities, are classified as limited English proficient, migratory, neglected or delinquent, and homeless

• provide professional development activities that improve the knowledge of teachers, principals and paraprofessionals; improve the quality of instruction and instructional leadership; enable teachers to obtain “highly qualified” status as required by No Child Left Behind

• provide funds for three teachers’ salaries to ensure a low teacher:student ratio in the elementary school.

Title II-D or Educational Technology funds provide professional development for the integration of advanced technologies (including emerging technologies) into curricula and instruction to create new learning environments:

• to access data and resources to develop curricula and instructional materials

• to enable teachers (1) to use the Internet and other technology to communicate with parents, other teachers, principals, and administrators; and (2) to retrieve Internet-based learning resources

• to lead improvement in classroom instruction in core academic subjects that effectively prepare students to meet challenging state academic content standards, including increasing student technology literacy, and student academic achievement standards

• provides educational technology, including software and hardware.

Title III or Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students funds are used to increase the English proficiency of LEP children by providing high-quality language instruction programs that are based on scientifically-based research demonstrating the effectiveness of the programs in increasing English proficiency and student academic achievement in core academic subjects.

Title IV or Safe & Drug Free School and Communities Grant provides funds to foster a safe and drug free learning environment that supports academic achievement. Programming must be consistent with the principals of effectiveness and are designed to prevent and reduce violence; the use, possession and distribution of illegal drugs; and delinquency. The school social worker, whose salary is financed by the program’s allocation, is responsible for carrying out these program’s objectives.

Title VI or the Rural Education Initiative is to address the unique needs of rural school districts that frequently ---

(1) lack the personnel and resources needed to compete effectively for Federal competitive grants

(2) receive formula grant allocations in amounts too small to be effective in meeting their intended purposes

The school division has directed its Title VI funds towards teacher professional development activities.