Other Programs

The National School District receives money from the State and Federal government to provide support for special population groups. These programs are intended to go beyond the basic program that the school district provides.

Title I (No Child Left Behind)

Title I, Part A, is intended to help ensure that all children have the opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach proficiency on challenging state academic standards and assessments. It provides flexible funding that may be used to provide additional instructional staff, professional development, extended-time programs, and other strategies for raising student achievement in high-poverty schools. The program focuses on promoting school-wide reform in high-poverty schools and ensuring students' access to scientifically based instructional strategies and challenging academic content.

Title II (Improving Teacher Quality)

This program was created as a result of research indicating teacher quality is correlated to high student achievement. This new district formula program combines the former Federal Class Size Reduction and Eisenhower Professional Development Programs and greatly expands the number of activities allowed on the state and local levels. Each district can tailor the interventions to target its unique challenges with respect to teacher quality. All activities must be based on a review of scientifically based research that shows how such interventions are expected to improve student achievement. Districts must first use the funds to meet requirements that all teachers be "highly qualified" by the end of the 2005-06 school year.

Title III (Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students)

The Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students program assists school districts in teaching English to limited English proficient students and in helping these students meet the same challenging state standards required of all students. School districts must use Title III funds to provide high-quality language instruction programs that are based on scientifically based research, and that have demonstrated that they are effective in increasing English proficiency and student achievement. Title III is organized into two local assistance streams: subgrants for LEP students, referred to as English Learners (EL) in California, and subgrants for eligible immigrant students. Funds may be used to support a wide array of instructional and support services for EL's and immigrant students and their families. Districts are required to provide high-quality professional development to classroom teachers, principals, administrators, and other school personnel in order to improve instruction and assessment of limited English proficient students.

Language Arts Specialists

Every school in the National School District has at least one Language Arts Specialist who works with students who are struggling to learn to read. Language Arts Specialists work with students in small groups with instruction that supports and extends what takes place in the classroom. These groups can take place in the child's classroom and sometimes students are pulled out of the classroom and work in a "reading lab." The Language Arts Specialist also works with parents, coordinates state and local assessments, models lessons for teachers and generally serves as an instructional resource language arts for teachers and parents at the school.

NSD  >  Educational Services  >  Other Programs

March 20, 2010