Title I Information

What is a Title I school?

• Title I was passed in 1965 under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It is the largest federal assistance program for our nation’s schools. It was reauthorized in 2015 as ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act).
• Title I schools receive extra funding from the federal government. These dollars are used to:
  • identify students experiencing academic difficulties and provide assistance to help these students;
    • purchase additional staff, programs, materials, and/or supplies;
    • conduct parent and family engagement meetings, trainings, events, and/or activities.

Why are we here?

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires that each Title I school hold an annual meeting of Title I families in order to:

• inform you of your school’s participation in Title I,
• explain the requirements of Title I, and
• explain your rights as parents and family members to be involved.

How can we use Title 1 Funds?
In general, Title I funds may be used for:

• smaller class sizes,
• additional teachers and paraprofessionals,
• additional training for school staff,
• extra time for instruction (before and/or after school programs),
• parent and family engagement activities, and/or
• a variety of supplemental teaching materials, equipment, and technology.

What are my rights?

The families and parents of Title I students have a right, by law, to:

• be involved in decisions made at both the school and district level;
• be provided with information on your child’s level of achievement on tests in reading/language arts, writing, mathematics, and science;
• request and receive information on the qualifications of your child’s teacher and paraprofessionals who are working with your child, request opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions about the education of your child. The school is required to respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible.

How does our school use Title I funds?

In 2023-2024, our school was allotted approximately $44,852.78 in Title I funding.
We developed a Schoolwide Program, which means we plan to spend our funds on the following:

• Supplemental staff:
  • Title 1 Math Interventionist Paraprofessional
    • Part Time Special Education Paraprofessional
• Programs/Materials/Supplies:
  • Positive Behavior Support
  • High Quality Instructional Resources for Teachers
  • Teacher Professional Development:
  • Professional Learning Communities Institute

What is the School Improvement Plan?

The SIP includes:

• the identification of the school planning team and how they will be engaged in the planning process;
• a needs assessment and summary of academic and non-academic data;
• prioritized goals, strategies, and action steps to help address the academic and non-academic needs of students;
• teacher and staff professional development needs; and
• budgets and the coordination of resources.

The school must include family representatives on our school planning team.

What are our schoolwide program goals?

• Increased academic achievement in ELA & Math
• Increased support for student social emotional needs

How is parent and family engagement funded?

Any district with a Title I allocation exceeding $500,000 is required by law to set aside 1% of its Title I allocation for parent and family engagement.
Of that 1%, 10% may be reserved at the district for system-wide initiatives related to parent and family engagement.  The remaining 90% must be allocated to all Title I schools in the district.  
You, as Title I parents and family members, have the right to be involved in how this money is spent.

How does our school use parent and family engagement funds?
In 2023-2024, we have approximately $500 in parent and family engagement funding. We plan to use these funds for:

• Parent and Family Engagement Meeting and Events
• JES Advisory Meetings - First Wednesday of every month (except December and January)
• Academic Night
• Materials/Supplies
• Food for Academic Night
• Materials for Academic Night

What is a Parent and Family Engagement Policy?

These plans address how the district and school will implement the parent and family engagement requirements of ESSA.  Components should include:

• how parents and families can be involved in decision-making and activities;
• how parent and family engagement funds are being used;
• how information and training will be provided to families; and
• how the school will build capacity in families and staff for strong parent and family engagement.
• You, as a Title I parent or family member, have the right to be involved in the development of these plans.

Where is the Parent and Family Engagement Policy?

The district Parent and Family Engagement Policy can be found here: www.fssd.org
The school Parent and Family Engagement Policy will be shared annually in our school handbook. In addition, the policy can be found here: http://johnsonelementary.fssd.org/handbook

What is a School-Parent Compact?

A school-parent compact is a written commitment that outlines how the entire school community – teachers, families, and students will share the responsibility for improved academic achievement.
The compact must describe how the school will:

• provide high-quality curriculum and instruction;
• hold parent-teacher conferences, annually in elementary schools;
• provide parents with reports on their child’s progress;
• provide parents reasonable access to staff.
• provide parents opportunities to volunteer; and
• ensure regular two-way meaningful communication between family members and staff, to the extent practicable, in a language family members can understand.

You, as a Title I parent or family member, have the right to be involved in the development of the compact.

When will the School-Parent Compact be available?
The school-parent compact will be shared during your child’s parent teacher conference in October. In addition, the compact can be found on our JES website below :

http://johnsonelementary.fssd.org

What curriculum does our school use?

The Tennessee Academic Standards provide a common set of expectations for what students will know and be able to do at the end of a grade for each subject area.
Tennessee's academic standards form the framework for everything taught at Johnson Elementary.
For more information about Tennessee’s academic standards, see:

• https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/education/instruction/academic-standards.html
• https://www.fssd.org/students-families/curriculum-and-instruction

How can I be involved?

We need you! Research has proven that family engagement in education has more impact on student achievement than any other factor.
To get involved with the SIP, Parent & Family Engagement Policy, or School Parent Compact reach out to Mrs. Baugh at  615-794-4837.

Other ways families can be involved…

• Attend school sponsored events
• Monitoring grades and schoolwork
• Signing up as a volunteer
• Joining PTO ($10 per child)
• Reading school and classroom newsletters
• Staying engaged through social media with our
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram Accounts

 

What is a School-Parent Compact?
A school-parent compact is an agreement that parents, students, and teachers develop together. It explains how parents and teachers will work in partnership to make sure all students get the individual support they need to reach and exceed grade-level standards.

Effective Compacts:

• Link goals in the School Improvement Plan;
• Focus on student learning skills;
• Describe how teachers will help students develop their skills using high-quality instruction;
• Share strategies that families can use at home; and
• Explain how teachers and families will communicate about student progress.

Jointly Developed
Families, students, and the teachers and administrators at Johnson Elementary developed this School-Parent Compact together. Each group contributed ideas about how to best support students at school and at home, as well as the methods used for ongoing communication. Families are welcome to share comments and suggestions at any time. If you have something to contribute concerning this School-Parent Compact, please contact: Mrs. Tosha Baugh, JES principal, at 615-794-4837 or robinsonbaughtos@fssd.org.

Building Partnerships
Ways to Connect:

• Parent partnerships--Teachers and parents collaborate during our parent-teacher conferences to discuss the progress of your child.
• Family Nights--Enjoy game time with your child, exploring free home learning ideas to help support your child's learning goals.
• PTO Events--Join us for the many events hosted by our school PTO and forge connections and friendships with others at JES.

Communication about Student Learning
Johnson Elementary is a place of learning for all students. Children are loved and cared for by every person in the building. Johnson is not only a school, but a family. We believe that relationships and strong communication are foundational to our mission. Some ways you can expect us to reach you are:

• Regular notes or phone calls
• Weekly homework folders
• Automated phone messages
• Parent-Teacher conferences
• Updated webpage

Follow us on social media:

• facebook.com/johnsonelem
• @fssdJES
• @johnson_elem_PTO

Do you have questions about your child's progress?
Contact your child's teacher by email or by calling the school at 615-794-4837 and we will be sure to get a message to them. All email addresses are listed on our school website at johnsonelementary.fssd.org.

Our Goals for Student Achievement
District Goals
The 2023-2024 District Improvement Plan includes goals in the following areas:

• Increase academic achievement and growth in Reading/Language Arts
• Support students' well-being
• Supporting EL students
• Leadership development
• Supporting students with disabilities

School Goals
The 2023-2024 JES School Improvement Plan includes goals in the following areas:

• Increasing academic achievement and growth in Reading/Language Arts for all students
• Increasing academic achievement and growth in Mathematics for all students
• Supporting students' well-being

Teachers, families, students--Together for Success
In the Classroom
Teachers will work with students and families to support the success of the whole child while maintaining strong school/home communication. Some of our key connections with families will include:

• Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Family Nights
• PTO Events
• Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS)
• Weekly classroom newsletters
• Quarterly school newsletters
• Updates and important news through Blackboard Connect phone calls, text messages, and emails
• Updated and well-maintained website
• Social media to engage and inform

At Home
Johnson Elementary families have joined staff to develop ideas about how families can support student successes. Families added the following ideas to the list:

• Communicate consistently with teachers
• Checking child's backpack and signing daily folder
• Reading regularly at home
• Reinforcing math concepts at home
• Discussing the day's activities with your child

Students
Johnson Elementary students joined staff and families to develop ideas about how they can success in school and challenge themselves in math and reading. Students thought of the following ideas to make connections between learning at home and at school:

• Do your homework
• Practice ROAR behavior at home
• Teach your parents something new you learned at school

School Parent and Family Engagement Policy

Johnson Elementary

2023-2024

Revision Date 09/06/2023

In support of strengthening student academic achievement, __    Johnson Elementary____ 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(b) and (c) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The policy establishes the school’s expectations for parent and family engagement and describes how the school will implement a number of specific parent and family engagement activities, and it is incorporated into the school’s plan submitted to the local educational agency (LEA).

 __    Johnson Elementary ____ agrees to implement the following requirements as outlined by Section 1116:

• Involve families, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of programs under Title I, Part A, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school parent and family engagement policy and the joint development of the school improvement plan under Section 1114(b) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
• Update the school parent and family engagement policy periodically to meet the changing needs of families and the school, distribute it to the families of participating children, and make the parent and family engagement policy available to the local community. 
• Provide full opportunities, to the extent practicable, for the participation of families with limited English proficiency, families with disabilities, and families of migratory children, 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 families understand.
• If the school improvement plan under Section 1114(b) of the ESSA is not satisfactory to the families of participating children, submit any family comments on the plan when the school makes the plan available to the local educational agency. 
• Be governed by the following statutory definition of parent and family engagement and will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition:
• Parent and Family Engagement means the participation of families in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:
• families play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning;
• families are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school;
• families 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; and
• other activities are carried out, such as those described in Section 1116 of the ESSA.

Description of how the school will implement required school parent and family engagement policy components:

 

NOTE TO SCHOOLS: The school parent and family engagement policy must include a description of how the school will implement or accomplish each of the following components [Section 1116(b)(1) of ESSA]. This is a sample template, as there is no required format for these descriptions. However, regardless of the format the school chooses to use, a description of each of the following components below must be included to satisfy statutory requirements.

JOINTLY DEVELOPED

__  Johnson Elementary ____ will take the following actions to involve families in an organized, ongoing, and timely manner in the planning, review, and improvement of Title I programs, including opportunities for regular meetings, if requested by families, to formulate suggestions and participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their child and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible.
 

ANNUAL TITLE I MEETING

Johnson Elementary ____ will take the following actions to conduct an annual meeting, at a convenient time, and encourage and invite all families of participating children to attend to inform them about the school’s Title I program, the nature of the Title I program, the families’ requirements, the school parent and family engagement policy, the schoolwide plan, and the school-parent compact. 
 

COMMUNICATIONS

• __   Johnson Elementary____ will take the following actions to provide families of participating children the following:
• Timely information about the Title I program
• Flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening, and may provide with Title I funds, transportation, child care or home visits, as such services relate to parent and family engagement. 
• Information related to the school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the families of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request and, to the extent practicable, in a language the families can understand:

SCHOOL-PARENT COMPACT

__   Johnson Elementary____ will take the following actions to jointly develop with families of participating children a school-parent compact that outlines how families, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and families will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the state’s high standards.

RESERVATION OF FUNDS

If applicable, __  Johnson Elementary____ will take the following actions to involve the families of children served in Title I, Part A schools in decisions about how the 1 percent of Title I, Part A funds reserved for parent and family engagement is spent by:

 

COORDINATION OF SERVICES

__  Johnson Elementary____ will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent and family engagement programs and activities with other Federal, State, and local programs, including public preschool programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support families in more fully participating in the education of their children by:

BUILDING CAPACITY OF SCHOOL STAFF
__  Johnson Elementary____ will provide training to educate teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals, and other school leaders, and other staff, with the assistance of families, in the value and utility of contributions of families, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with families as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between families and the school by:

Johnson Elementary____ will provide other reasonable support for parent and family engagement activities under Section 1116(e) of the ESSEA  as families may request by:

Information regarding content standards, assessments, and student achievement will be sent home by the individual schools. Links to all information will be given to parents and will be posted on the district website.

 

• Assistance with understanding curriculum standards and academic requirements will be provided to parents at all individual schools during parent orientation, open houses, and family nights. The family nights will focus on literacy, math, coding, STEM, and science. 
• Franklin Special School District will provide school-parent compact templates for each school that provide understanding on topics such as the State’s academic content standards, TCAP and local academic assessments, requirements of ESSA, how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve student achievement. 
• The school will encourage all parents to attend parent-teacher conferences to discuss a child’s achievement progress. 
• The FSSD schools will educate school staff in working with parents.  Some examples of this training will include the following:  (1) how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners; (2) implement and coordinate parent programs; (3) and build ties and foster collaboration between parents and the school. 
• School related information on programs, meetings, events, workshops, and other activities will be sent to parents in a format and extent practicable and in a language the parents can understand. Blackboard Connect and social media will be used to provide verbal communication to all families. Blackboard Connect will be sent in English and Spanish. 
• Parents will be encouraged to be involved in the activities at their child’s school. Monthly newsletters (and calendars for elementary schools) will be sent home with each student to provide updates and details of upcoming activities throughout the school system. 
  Franklin Special School District will provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory and homeless students. The schools provide information and school reports in a format and language that parents understand. 
  The school system will promote parent involvement and community participation in programs for students receiving ELL services, migrant students, and students receiving special education and related services.