Post by gatordog on Mar 9, 2010 16:37:51 GMT -5
Two D204 schools could enter new program
March 9, 2010
By JENETTE STURGES jsturges@stmedianetwork.com
Changing demographics around Indian Prairie District 204 means changing the way some of its schools receive and use federal funding.
At Monday night's school board meeting, Jay Strang, assistant superintendent of instructional services, and Jenny Giambalvo, Title I coordinator, presented plans to the board to change two elementary schools to Schoolwide Title I programs.
Georgetown Elementary and Longwood Elementary now have the highest percentage of low-income students in District 204, with 43.18 percent and 40.69 percent of students considered low-income, respectively. Both schools crossed the 40 percent line, far above the district's 10.69 percent average, in the past six months.
The higher percentage of low-income students means Georgetown and Longwood now qualify for the Title I Schoolwide Program.
Eight of the district's 21 elementary schools are Title I schools, and they all receive funding as Targeted Assistance Schools. Schools receiving this kind of Title I funding must target their extra federal dollars to those low-income students who are identified as failing or being at risk of failing. Supplemental education programs and extra staff members who are hired must be specifically used to assist only these students.
The Schoolwide Program for which Georgetown and Longwood are now eligible is a more comprehensive reform model under which federal funds can be used to upgrade the entire school without targeting individual students for increased achievement. That is, funds under the Schoolwide Program can be used to assist all students and make more sweeping changes to the school.
The shift to the Title I Schoolwide Program at Georgetown and Longwood would mean significant changes to how they would help the schools' many disadvantaged students, including training all staff members at the schools and increasing parent involvement to help students achieve. The schools will not likely see more funding as a result of the change, but they would be able to reach more students with the funds they have.
Administrators say this flexibility will increase their ability to reach students in need more effectively.
"I was concerned that maybe we might be setting ourselves up for a situation where the title resources would then be expended for the benefit of all the students in the building and that there might be less effect on the 40 percent or so that needed it," said board member Mark Metzger. "But it never occurred to me that the flexibility that this provides actually lets you do more than you would otherwise be able to do, so it's actually not that. It's the opposite."
The process of applying for the change through the Illinois State Board of Education will take approximately one year as administrators develop a plan for the switch.
March 9, 2010
By JENETTE STURGES jsturges@stmedianetwork.com
Changing demographics around Indian Prairie District 204 means changing the way some of its schools receive and use federal funding.
At Monday night's school board meeting, Jay Strang, assistant superintendent of instructional services, and Jenny Giambalvo, Title I coordinator, presented plans to the board to change two elementary schools to Schoolwide Title I programs.
Georgetown Elementary and Longwood Elementary now have the highest percentage of low-income students in District 204, with 43.18 percent and 40.69 percent of students considered low-income, respectively. Both schools crossed the 40 percent line, far above the district's 10.69 percent average, in the past six months.
The higher percentage of low-income students means Georgetown and Longwood now qualify for the Title I Schoolwide Program.
Eight of the district's 21 elementary schools are Title I schools, and they all receive funding as Targeted Assistance Schools. Schools receiving this kind of Title I funding must target their extra federal dollars to those low-income students who are identified as failing or being at risk of failing. Supplemental education programs and extra staff members who are hired must be specifically used to assist only these students.
The Schoolwide Program for which Georgetown and Longwood are now eligible is a more comprehensive reform model under which federal funds can be used to upgrade the entire school without targeting individual students for increased achievement. That is, funds under the Schoolwide Program can be used to assist all students and make more sweeping changes to the school.
The shift to the Title I Schoolwide Program at Georgetown and Longwood would mean significant changes to how they would help the schools' many disadvantaged students, including training all staff members at the schools and increasing parent involvement to help students achieve. The schools will not likely see more funding as a result of the change, but they would be able to reach more students with the funds they have.
Administrators say this flexibility will increase their ability to reach students in need more effectively.
"I was concerned that maybe we might be setting ourselves up for a situation where the title resources would then be expended for the benefit of all the students in the building and that there might be less effect on the 40 percent or so that needed it," said board member Mark Metzger. "But it never occurred to me that the flexibility that this provides actually lets you do more than you would otherwise be able to do, so it's actually not that. It's the opposite."
The process of applying for the change through the Illinois State Board of Education will take approximately one year as administrators develop a plan for the switch.