Federal Programs

Title I

Title I, Part A, Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged Program, is the largest federal education program for elementary and secondary schools. Title I funds are targeted to low-income schools and districts and used to provide educational services to students who are educationally disadvantaged or at risk of failing. School districts spend much time and effort administering these funds. Currently, STSD has three Title I schools:

Sara Lindemuth/Anna Carter Primary School

Thomas W. Holtzman, Jr. Elementary School

Susquehanna Township Middle School

District Federal Programs Officer

Pat Raugh

Federal Programs & Data Specialist

School: 717-657-5100 ext. 50165

Title I Resources

Elementary Resources

Tips for Encouraging Kids to Read

"Read me a story!"
- Nearly every suggestion sent in by our tip-sters had this message at its core. Whether snuggled under the covers with peanut-butter sandwiches, or following along with a book on tape while on a road trip, reading together is a powerful tool in motivating your child to read.
Beyond books
- Our tip-sters were quick to point out that reading material comes in many different shapes and sizes, some of which may be more accessible to a new reader. Video games, magazines, and comic books all provide opportunities for reading practice. Other suggestions for sneaking under a wary child's reading radar include playing board games that involve written instructions, corresponding with a pen pal, and turning on the closed captioning on your television. To illustrate the practical side of reading, have your child help you with the grocery list, or leave reminder notes for your child to discover throughout the day.
Keep it fun, for everyone
- Another message that came through loud and clear was that if kids are going to enjoy reading, the experience has to be enjoyable. As you read with your children, keep them involved by asking questions about the story, and let them fill in the blanks. You can also create activities related to the stories you're reading. In one household, reading Little House on the Prairieprompted lively games of "wagon-train" and discussions about life on the frontier. Another family likes to create mini-plays, acting out the stories they read. While her grandson "helps" in the garden, one grandmother spells words for him to write out using a muddy stick. Once the word is complete, the two of them sound it out together, wipe the word away, then move onto the next. This reading game keeps her grandson occupied for hours.
"Look at what I did!"
- Another successful approach to motivating your child is to use some sort of visible record of achievement. A chart or graph that marks the number of books a child has read gives him or her a sense of accomplishment. To spice it up a bit, choose a theme that goes along with your child's interests. One example would be a Reading Olympics, where the child goes for the gold by reading a certain number of books.
- A similar method can be used to help expose your child to the wide variety of genres available for exploration. Create a Bingo card or Passport where each space can be filled in by reading a mystery book, or a piece of non-fiction, to give a few examples. Once the goal has been reached, reward your child with something to celebrate his or her special achievement. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate – one-on-one time with a parent or teacher, or an ice cream cone are suggestions from our tip-sters – just something that lets your child know how proud you are of his or her accomplishment.
"I want that one!"
- Reading should be a choice, not a chore. Make sure there are a variety of books, magazines, and other materials available for your child to choose from, wherever your child may be. Let your child's interests guide his or her reading choices. While it's fine to make suggestions, don't force your conceptions of what your child should be reading onto your child. And, keep an eye on the reading level of the books your children choose. Let them stretch to the best of their ability, but be ready to help if they get discouraged.
Something to talk about
- Reading doesn't have to stop when you put the book down. Talk to your child about books you've read and books you think he or she might enjoy. Point out similarities between everyday events and stories you have recently read. If your child has a favorite author, help your child write him or her a letter. For a more structured discussion, consider joining, or starting, a parent/child book club.
Hey, kids! What time is it?
- Regardless of how motivated your child is, he or she will not read if there isn't any time to do so. Carve time out of the busy day and dedicate it to reading, both together and on your own. By setting aside specific times, rather than trying to squeeze it in between soccer and dance lessons, you send the message that reading is an important activity, and something your child will enjoy.

Author: Jessica Snyder
Source: Reading Rockets

Secondary Resources

Careers

The following sites are used to help students explore their interest, skills, as related to career pathways. The sites provide a pathway for to students to explore education training, vocational training and possible certification required to obtain a job in a career pathway that most closely match their interest in skills.

https://www.pacareerzone.org/

https://succeed.naviance.com/tdesk/newversion/#/

https://www.careeronestop.org/

https://www.onetonline.org/

https://www.sba.gov/

English Language Arts

Math and Science

Physical Education

Spanish

Right to Know

Right to Know Request Teacher Qualifications

If your child attends a Title 1 school, you are entitled to information about your child's teacher. You are entitled to know whether the teacher is certified and qualified to teach the particular subject and grade. You are entitled to information about the teacher's college degree and major.

If your child receives any services from a paraprofessional, the school is required to provide you with information about the paraprofessional's qualifications.

Submit a written request for information about your child’s teacher or paraprofessional to the building principal. The building principal will provide you with that information in a timely manner.

Parent Complaint Procedures

TITLE I PARENT COMPLAINT PROCEDURES 2022-2023

Introduction

On December 10, 2015 a new Federal education law was signed by the President. This law, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), requires schools that receive federal Title IA funding to adopt written procedures for resolving complaints filed.

Definition

A “complaint” is a written, signed statement filed by an individual or an organization. It must include:

A statement that a school has violated a requirement of federal statute or regulation that applies to Title IA.
The facts on which the statement is based.
Information on any discussions, meetings, or correspondence with a school regarding the complaint.

Complaint Resolution Procedures

Referral – Complaints against schools should be referred to the District’s Federal Programs Office
Notice to School – The Federal Programs Office will notify the school Superintendent and Principal that a complaint has been received. A copy of the complaint will be given to the Superintendent and Principal with directions given for the Principal to respond.
Investigation – After receiving the Principal’s response, the Federal Programs Office, along with the Superintendent, will determine whether further investigation is necessary. If necessary, the Federal Programs Director and the Superintendent may do an onsite investigation at the school.
Opportunity to Present Evidence – The Federal Programs Director may provide for the complainant and the Principal to present evidence.
Report and Recommended Resolution – Once the Federal Programs Director has completed the investigation and the taking of evidence, a report will be prepared with a recommendation for resolving the complaint. The report will give the name of the party bringing the complaint, the nature of the complaint, a summary of the investigation, the recommended resolution, and the reasons for the recommendation. Copies of the report will be issued to all parties involved. The recommended resolution will become effective upon issuance of the report.
Follow up – The Federal Programs Director and the Superintendent will ensure that the resolution of the complaint is implemented.
Time Limit – The period between the Federal Programs Director receiving the complaint and resolution of the complaint shall not exceed sixty (60) calendar days.
Right to Appeal – Either party may appeal the final resolution to the Department of Education. Appeals should be addressed as follows:

Mr. Patrick Raugh
Federal Programs & Data Specialist
717-657-5100 x50165
praugh@hannasd.org

Title I Resources

Title II

Title III

Title IV

Federal Programs Items for Review

Parent/Family Survey

23-24 Proposed Title II and IV Budget

Title II: Teacher and Principal Training & Recruiting

Proposed Title II Budget	23-24
Item	Amount
Required Nonpublic Amount	$4,926.79
Competency Based Learning Professional Development for Teachers and Administrators	$30,000.00
Canvas Learning Management System Professional Development for Teachers and Administrators	$10,000.00
NWEA Professional Development Plan and Leadership Teams Summer Training in Goal Setting/Focus on Growth	$3,000.00
Zearn Mathematics software Professional Development for Teachers	$6,400.00
New Teacher Training	$2,000.00
Individualized Teacher Professional Development	$6,125.00
Digitizing Teacher Professional Development	$2,000.00
Teacher Collaborative work on Curriculum/ Assessment outside of contractual hours	$9,852.81
Teacher Collaborative work on Curriculum/ Assessment during school hours (substitute pay)	$4,000.00
Hanna Cyber Advisor Fee	$25,608.00

Total	$103,912.60

Title IV: Well-Rounded Education, Safe/Healthy students, and Improving the Use of Technology and Digital Literacy for Students

Proposed Title IV Budget	23-24
Item	Amount
Required Nonpublic Amount	$5,175.83
Naviance College, Career, and Life Readiness Platform	$8,495.00
Hanna Cyber Advisor Fee	$16,392.00
Addiction Treatment Services (Care Solace)	$10,150.00
Reflex/Frax (to add SLAC/MS)	$4,000.00
Zearn Math K-8 software	$4,627.37
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support software (HS and TWH)	$5,000.00
Canvas – User Cloud Subscription	$3,500.00
HS Afterschool Preview Math	$2,500

Total	$59,840.20

Title I Parental Involvement Policy 918

918. TITLE I PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

Page 1

The Board recognizes that parental involvement contributes to the achievement of academic standards by students participating in Title I programs. The Board views the education of students as a cooperative effort among the school, parents/guardians and community.

In compliance with federal law, the district and parents/guardians of students participating in Title I programs shall jointly develop and agree upon a written parental involvement policy. When developing and implementing this policy, the district shall ensure the policy describes how the district will:

Involve parents/guardians in the joint development of the district's overall Title I plan and the process of school review and improvement.
Provide the coordination, technical assistance and other support necessary to assist participating schools in planning and implementing effective parental involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance.
Develop activities that promote the schools' and parents'/guardians' capacity for strong parental involvement.
Coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies with appropriate programs, as provided by law.
Involve parents/guardians in an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the policy in improving the academic quality of schools served under Title I.
Identify barriers to participation by parents/guardians who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority.
Use findings of annual evaluations to design strategies for more effective parental involvement.
Involve parents/guardians in the activities of schools served under Title I.

Page 2

The Board shall adopt and distribute the parental involvement policy, which shall be incorporated into the district's Title I plan and shall be evaluated annually, with parental involvement.

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the district's Title I parental involvement policy, plan and programs comply with the requirements of federal law.

The building principal and/or Title I staff shall provide to parents/guardians of students participating in Title I programs:

Explanation of the reasons supporting their child's selection for the program.
Set of objectives to be addressed.
Description of the services to be provided.

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that information and reports provided to parents/guardians are in an understandable and uniform format and in a language the parents/guardians can understand.

An annual meeting of parents/guardians of participating Title I students shall be held to explain the goals and purposes of the Title I program. Parents/Guardians shall be given the opportunity to participate in the design, development, operation and evaluation of the program. Parents/Guardians shall be encouraged to participate in planning activities, to offer suggestions, and to ask questions regarding policies and programs.

In addition to the required annual meeting, additional parent/guardian meetings shall be held at various times of the day and evening. At these meetings, parents/guardians shall be provided:

Information about programs provided under Title I.
Description and explanation of the curriculum in use, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet.
Opportunities to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children.
Opportunities to submit parent/guardian comments about the program to the district level.

Page 3

If sufficient, Title I funding may be used to facilitate parent/guardian attendance at meetings through payment of transportation and child care costs.

Opportunities shall be provided for parents/guardians to meet with the classroom and Title I teachers to discuss their child's progress.

Parents/Guardians may be given guidance as to how they can assist at home in the education of their child.

School-Parental Compact

Each school in the district receiving Title I funds shall jointly develop with parents/guardians of students served in the program a School-Parental Compact outlining the manner in which parents/guardians, school staff and students share responsibility for improved student achievement in meeting academic standards. The compact shall:

Describe the school's responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment, enabling students in the Title I program to meet the district's academic standards.
Indicate the ways in which parents/guardians will be responsible for supporting their children's learning, such as monitoring attendance, homework completion, and television watching; volunteering in the classroom; and participating, as appropriate, in decisions related to their child's education and positive use of extracurricular time.
Address the importance of parent-teacher communication on an ongoing basis through, at a minimum, parent-teacher conferences, frequent reports to parents/guardians, and reasonable access to staff.

References:

State Board of Education Regulations – 22 PA Code Sec. 403.1

No Child Left Behind Act – 20 U.S.C. Sec. 6318

Board Policy – 102, 138

SL/AC Assessments and Plan Goals

TWH Assessments and Plan Goals

STMS Assessments and Plan Goals

Title I SCHOOL Parent/Family Engagement Plan DRAFT

School Parent and Family Engagement Policy

School Year 2023 - 2024

Revision Date 03/09/2023

Page 1

In support of strengthening student academic achievement, the School receives Title I, Part A funds and must jointly develop with, agree upon 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 several specific parent and family engagement activities, and it is incorporated into the school’s plan submitted to the district.

The School agrees to implement the following requirements as outlined by Section 1116:

Involve parents, 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 targeted assistance or schoolwide program plan.
Update the school parent and family engagement policy periodically to meet the changing needs of parents and the school, distribute it to the parents 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 parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under Section 1111 of ESSA in an understandable and uniform

format, including alternative formats upon request and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand.
If the schoolwide program plan under Section 1114(b) of ESSA is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, submit any parent 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 carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition:

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

Parents play an integral role in assisting their children’s learning;

Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their children’s education at school;

Parents are full partners in their children’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their children; and

Other activities are carried out, such as those described in Section 1116 of ESSA

Page 2

School Parent and Family Engagement Policy Components

This school parent and family engagement policy includes a description of how the school will implement or accomplish each of the following components: Jointly Developed, Annual Title I Meeting, Communications, School-Parent Compact, Coordination of Services, Building Capacity of Parents, Building Capacity of School Staff.

Jointly Developed

The School will take the following actions to involve parents 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 parents, to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible. Parents/Family will be involved in the planning, review, and improvement of Parent/Family engagement programs through:

PTO Meetings
Principal Advisory/Leadership Team
Parent/Family Surveys
Feedback at parent/family engagement events
Feedback at the Annual Fall Title I Meeting
Feedback at the Annual Spring Federal Programs Meeting

Annual Title I Meeting

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

The Annual Fall Title I meeting to inform parents of the requirements of Title I and the school’s participation as well as parents’ rights to be involved will take place during the:

Back to School Night, or
Parent/Family Literacy Night

Parents/Families will have the opportunity to preview a short presentation about the Title I program, the nature of the Title I program, parents’ requirements, the school parent and family engagement policy, the schoolwide plan, and the school-parent compact will be provided to parents and families.

Communications

The School will take the following actions to provide parents of participating children the following:

Timely information about the Title I programs;
Flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening
Information related to the school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the parents of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, and to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand.
Monthly school newsletters
Infinite Campus/Dojo communication
District and school website

The Schoolwide Plan, School Parent and Family Engagement Plan, and School-Parent Compact will be linked in all newsletters during the school year and posted to the school website. On the school website, documents may be translated, to the extent practicable, a language that parents and family members can understand.

Page 3

School-Parent Compact

The School will take the following actions to jointly develop with parents of participating children a school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and how the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the state’s standards.

The School-Parent Compact will be presented to parents and families at the Annual Fall Title I Meeting.
The Fall Family/Caregiver Survey, PTO meetings, and the Spring Annual Federal Programs meeting will be used to collect feedback to help develop the School-Parent Compact.

Coordination of Services

The School 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 parents in more fully participating in the education of their children with the following resources:

Pre-K Liaison
P3 Collaboration Group
United Way Liaison
Coordination with CAIU
Early Intervention
Teacher trainings and support with TEC Services
Communities in Schools
Laurel Life
Big Brothers/Big Sisters
The Hanna Foundation
Hanna’s Pantry
Effective School Solutions
Care Solace

Building Capacity of Parents

The School will build the parents’ capacity for strong parent and family engagement to ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school and the community to improve student academic achievement through the following:

Provide parents with a description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessments used to measure student progress and the achievement levels of the challenging state academic standards (Back to School Night, Education Night, Parent/Teacher conferences, PreK Night);
Provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s achievement, such as literacy training and using technology (including education about the harms of copyright piracy), as appropriate, to foster parent and family engagement (Literacy/Math/STEM Night, PreK Night); and
Provide assistance to parents of participating children, as appropriate, in understanding topics such as the following (Back to School Night, Literacy/Math/STEM Night, Parent/Teacher Conferences):
- The challenging state’s academic standards;
- The state and local academic assessments, including alternate assessments;
- The requirements of Title I, Part A;
- How to monitor their children’s progress; and
- How to work with educators to improve the achievement of their children

Page 4

Building Capacity of School Staff

The School will provide training to educate teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals and other school leaders, and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents and in how to reach out to, communicate with and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school through the use of:

Professional Development
Curriculum Development Teams
Professional Learning Communities
Data Meetings
Team Meetings
PTO Teacher Principal Representatives
State Parent Advisory Council (SPAC) Skits

Title I School Parent Compact DRAFT

School-Parent Compact

School Year 2023-2024

Revision Date 03/07/2023

Page 1

Sara Lindemuth/Anna Carter Primary School, Thomas W. Holtzman Jr. Elementary School, and the Middle School are proud to be Schoolwide Title I schools. Our Title I program is funded through the “Every Student Succeeds Act” or ESSA which ensures equal opportunity for academic achievement for all students. An important feature of ESSA is that schools and parents work together to help all students succeed. All students and families are asked to complete and return the compact agreement outlined below. The compact describes how the parents, the entire school staff, and the students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement. Another goal of ESSA is to develop a partnership between families and the school that will support the children in the achievement of the Commonwealth’s high standards. This School-Parent Compact is for the 2023-2024 school year.

School:

The school understands the importance of the school experience to every student and their role as educators and models. Therefore, the school agrees to carry out the following responsibilities to the best of their ability:

Provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables the children served under this part to meet the challenging State academic standards (required)
Address the importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis through, at a minimum—
- parent-teacher conferences in elementary schools, at least annually, during which the compact shall be discussed as the compact relates to the individual child’s achievement
- frequent reports to parents on their children’s progress;
- reasonable access to staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and observation of classroom activities; and
- Ensuring regular two-way, meaningful communication between family members and school staff and, to the extent practicable, in a language that family members can understand. (required) (ESSA, Section 1116(d)(1-2))
Treat each child with dignity and respect
Strive to address the individual needs of the student
Acknowledge that parents are vital to the success of child and school
Provide a safe, positive and healthy learning environment
Assure every student access to quality learning experiences
Assure that the school staff communicates clear expectations for performance to both students and parents

Page 2

Parent/Caregiver:

I realize that my child’s school years are very important. I also understand that my participation in my child’s education will help her/his achievement and attitude. Therefore, we agree to support our children's learning in the following ways:

PDE Suggestions

Volunteering in their child’s classroom (required)
Supporting their child’s learning (required)
Participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their child and positive use of extracurricular time (required)
Create a home atmosphere that supports learning
Send the student to school on time, well-fed, and well-rested on a regular basis
Attend school functions and conference
Encourage their child to show respect for all members of the school community and school property

Existing STSD

Review all school communications and respond promptly
Ensure my child attends school regularly.
Discuss the day’s activities with my child.
Make sure that homework is completed when assigned.
Participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to my child’s education.
Stay informed about my child’s education and communicate with the school as appropriate.
Attend, when possible, open houses, parent conferences, Title I meetings, and other school events.

Student:

PDE Suggestions

The student realizes education is important. He/she is the one responsible for his/her own success. Therefore, he/she agrees to carry out the following responsibilities to the best of his/her ability:

Get to school on time every day
Develop a positive attitude toward school
Be responsible for completing homework on time
Be cooperative by carrying out the teacher’s instructions and ask for help when needed
Do daily work that is neat and reflects the student’s best effort
Be respectful to all school members and to school property

Existing STSD

I know my education is important to me. It will help me become a better person. I know my parents want to help me, but I am the one who must do the work. Therefore, I agree to do the following:

Complete classwork/homework assignments and return them on time.
Return corrected work to my parent/caregiver.
Be at school on time unless I am sick.
Be responsible for my behavior.
Pay attention to instruction.