No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act,Title 1 Part A

and the Oakland Unified School District

PresentedBy

Wilhelmena Sims, DirectorDepartment of State and Federal Programs

Division of Student AchievementDr. Louise Bay Waters, Associate Superintendent

September 25, 2002

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act passed in December, 2001 and signed by President George Bush on January 8, 2002, reauthorized the 1994 version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

The new legislation addresses education reform for ALL students. It expands the federal role in K-12 education; increases accountability; provides a financial boost to states with a high concentration of students meeting the poverty criteria;

Provides greater choice for parents and students, particularly those attending low-performing schools; and authorizes the use of federal funds for children in schools “needing improvement” to receive tutoring.

Oakland Unified School District’s Title 1 appropriation increased this school year. However, to fully implement the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act we face challenges such as:

a. lack of space available to fully offer the public-school choice option; and b. a decrease in state categorical funding due to state budget cuts and/or deferral of funds.

Our intent this evening is to provide a quick but helpful overview of the key issues of Title 1, Part A and the steps we have taken to implement the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

To this end, our report has been done in a question and answer format around the following:

1. Assessments

2. School Improvement

3. Supplemental Education Services

4. Parent Involvement

5. Quality of Teachers and Instructional

Assistants

6. Support to homeless, English Learners

and eligible private school students.

Frequently Asked QuestionsQ1. What criteria will OUSD use to

identify schools to allocate funds? A1. Schools having 35% or more of their

population receiving free or reduced lunch as of October 31 of each year will receive Title 1 funds.

Q2. Which students can receive services from these funds?

A2. Students identified as “failing, or most at risk of failing” to meet state academic standards in reading, language arts and/or mathematics using multiple, educationally related measures - one being the state assessment.

Q3. Which local assessment will be used to determine student progress?

A3. Elementary schools will use the Open Court Benchmark Assessments and Harcourt Brace Math Assessments. The secondary schools will use the High Point Intervention Program Assessments and district mid-terms and finals for mathematics periodically to review student progress.

Q4. How are schools identified as Program Improvement? (Section 1116)

A4. Schools that fail for two (2) consecutive years to meet their Academic Performance Index (API) growth target are identified as Program Improvement sites. (NOTE: To determine the API, 95% of each student subgroup must take the state assessment.)

Program Improvement

Program Improvement (continued)

Q5. What is the district required to do when a site has been identified as Program Improvement?

A5. The district must inform parents that their child’s school has been identified as Program Improvement, including the “Choice” option as well as the availability of supplemental educational services.

Program Improvement (continued)

Q6. Has the district notified parents that their child’s site has been identified as Program Improvement and of the “Choice” option?

A6. A letter has been prepared and is being translated for distribution to all parents of students attending Program Improvement sites. The letter states that the transfer option will be available in January, 2003.

Program Improvement (continued)

NOTE: Since the fall of 1999, Title 1 required public school choice for students in identified Program Improvement sites. Beginning in the fall of 2000, we have allowed students from or living in the attendance areas of underperforming schools to have first priority to transfer to category 3 schools, based upon space availability.

Supplemental Educational Services

Q7. What is the district doing to meet the requirement for supplemental educational services?

A7. As required, the district has selected providers from the state-approved list of Supplemental Educational Service Providers.

Supplemental Educational Services (continued)

The first cohort of students will begin receiving tutorial services in October. The district has selected the lowest performing 4th and 5th graders at sites that did not make their API growth target for two years. 2nd and 3rd graders were not selected because they have made gains on the state assessments and are on track for middle school. 4th and 5th graders need more intensive support to become better prepared to enter middle school.

Supplemental Educational Service continued

Q8. How will supplemental educational service providers be evaluated?

A8. Annually, the California Department of Education (CDE) will evaluate supplemental educational service providers based on reports from parents and the district. The CDE will develop a process to monitor the quality and effectiveness of the services that will include the achievement data for individual students served by a provider.

Supplemental Educational Services (continued)

However, as the agreement between the provider and the district must include a timetable for improving student achievement, we will use the Open Court Benchmark Assessments and/or Harcourt Brace Math Assessments as one measurement to determine if specific student achievement goals are being met.

Parent Involvement

Q9. Is the district still required to involve parents in the Title 1 program? (Section 1118)

A9. Yes. This program must be planned and implemented in consultation with the parents of students participating in the Title 1 program as spelled out in a written district and school Parent Involvement Policy.

Parent Involvement (continued)

Q10. How is the district going to involve parents of participating students?

A10. The district will continue to use the District Advisory Committee (DAC), which advises on the State Compensatory Education Program (SCE), as the umbrella group for consultation since State Compensatory Education has the same program intent as Title 1.

In addition, the District Title 1 Parent Involvement Policy, (written and revised by the District Advisory Committee (DAC) and District English Learners Advisory Committee (DELAC) August, 2000 and approved by the School Board in 2001), will be used annually to determine whether parental involvement increased the academic quality of the district’s schools.

Parent Involvement (continued)

.

Qualifications of teachers and instructional assistants

Q11. What is the district doing to meet the requirements/parent notifications regarding the qualifications of teachers and paraprofessionals (instructional assistants)?

Qualifications of teachers and instructional assistants (continued)

A.11 The district has made every effort to hire fully credentialed teachers. However, a letter has been prepared to send to parents of children who are being taught by a teacher who has not received his/her credential. The letter explains that the teacher is required to be in a credentialing program and is being monitored to ensure that he/she completes needed courses in a timely manner. In addition, all teachers are required to attend district-sponsored professional development.

Qualifications of teachers and instructional assistants (continued)

The district is adhering to the NCLB requirements for newly hired instructional assistants. A conversation/partnership has begun with Peralta College District to establish an Associate Arts (AA) Degree that would be specially designed for individuals interested in working in education. Classes are scheduled to begin in January, 2003.

Qualifications of teachers and instructional assistants (continued)

The program will allow individuals to transfer into an education degree program at a four-year institution. Instructional assistants will also participate in district-sponsored professional development.

Qualifications of teachers and instructional assistants (continued)

A letter is being sent to parents of participating students informing them of the process they may follow to obtain the qualifications of their child’s teacher and/or instructional assistant.

English Learners

Q12. How is the district complying with

the requirement to notify parents of English Learners (EL) of their rights?

A12. The district is continuing its current practice of notifying parents of English Learners by using the Parent Notification Letter as required by the State Limited English Learner’s Program.

Homeless Children

Q13. How is the district complying with the new requirements regarding Homeless Education?

A13. The district has a liaison (Teacher-on-Special Assignment) working with transitional families (homeless children and youth). Homeless students are immediately enrolled in school and, if necessary, are provided bus tickets (transportation).

Eligible Private School Students

Q14. What is the district doing to provide equitable services to eligible students attending private schools? (Section 1120)

A14. The district has a coordinator for the private school program who engages in timely and meaningful consultation with the private school officials to ensure that eligible private school students receive an equal proportion of services and benefits.