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5% Set-aside of Title I
Part A Funds as required by Section 1119
Federal regulations have determined a 5%
minimum and a 10% maximum limit on the required set-aside of district
allocations of Title I Part A funds for fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (school
years 2002-2003 and 2003-2004). For each year thereafter, a minimum of 5%
is required (there is no maximum limit). These funds are to be used to help
teachers meet the requirements of being highly qualified and for
paraprofessionals to meet the qualifications of section 1119. These funds
can only be used in Title I schools. The priority use for these funds goes
first to Title I teachers, then to Title I aides, then to core content area
teachers within the Title I school. In a school operating a schoolwide
program, all core content area teachers and paraprofessionals providing
instructional services in the school are considered Title I staff. The term
“working in a program supported by Title I funds” will be used to refer to
teachers and paraprofessionals in both targeted assistance and schoolwide
programs.
NCLB does permit flexibility in the
use of funds for professional development. In cases where the required
set-aside of Title I funds is not sufficient to meet the demands in Title I
schools, Titles II and V as well as funds combined under Title VI can be
used. If the requirements for highly qualified teachers and
paraprofessional qualifications have been met, excess set-aside funds may be
converted back to the Title I program through a budget amendment. The
district may use additional Title I Part A funds to support ongoing training
and professional development, as defined in section 9101(34), to assist
teachers and paraprofessionals in carrying out activities under Title I Part
A.
Titles II and V as well as funds
combined under Title VI can also be used to help teachers of core academic
subjects in non-Title I schools to meet the requirements of being highly
qualified.
The requirements for being a highly
qualified teacher apply only to those teachers teaching core academic
subjects. The term ``core academic subjects'' means English, reading or
language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and
government, economics, arts, history, and geography. To be highly
qualified, teachers must meet three components: 1. have a bachelor’s
degree, 2. have full state certification in each area taught, and 3.
demonstrate competency. All core content area teachers in the state must be
highly qualified by the end of the 2005-2006 school year. The department is
developing its definition of these highly qualified requirements and
information will be sent to all districts as soon as it is available.
Paraprofessionals working in a program
supported by Title I Part A funds must be qualified. They may meet this
requirement in one of three ways: 1. having an associate’s degree or
higher, 2. having a minimum of 48 college credits, or 3. passing the
ParaPro test. All paraprofessionals working in a program supported by Title
I funds must be qualified by Jan. 8, 2006. Districts are required to use
the set-aside Title I funds to pay for costs related to the attainment of
these qualifications for such paraprofessionals.
It has been brought to the attention
of the department that some districts have not informed paraprofessionals
working in a program supported by Title I funds that the district will pay
for costs of training, credit, and taking the test for these individuals.
It is the responsibility of the district administration to assess the needs
of its paraprofessionals and teachers working in programs supported by Title
I funds and to inform such staff of the assistance the district will provide
to them in meeting the requirements. Their needs must be met first before
offering assistance to other core content teachers in the Title I school.
It is suggested that administration
meet with each teacher and paraprofessional who has not already met the
requirements of section 1119 to devise a plan for obtaining the necessary
classes, credits, or training needed to pass the test. Since
paraprofessionals have three choices (associate’s degree, 48 credits, or the
test), it is important to discuss the choices so that the individual may
make the decision for the option desired and a plan can be developed for
meeting the requirements of that option by Jan.8, 2006.
As a part of the consolidated
application for 2003-2004, each district will be required to assess the
needs of its staff and devise a plan for meeting those needs by the
deadlines in 2006 (paraprofessionals by Jan. 8 2006 and the end of the
school year for teachers of core academic subjects). |
