The purpose of Title I is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, grade level proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.

 A Title I school must have at least 40% of its student population qualify for free or reduced lunch. Title I funds, along with other Federal, State, and local funds, can be used to operate a "schoolwide program" to upgrade the instructional program for the whole school. Programs must use instructional strategies based on evidence based research and implement parental involvement activities.

If a student is having academic problems, you may wish to discuss it with the administrator at your school or you may call the Federal Programs Director at 205-280-3000.

Title I, Part A -- Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged 

 Title I is the largest federal aid to education program in the country.  Title I programs enable schools to provide opportunities for children served to acquire the knowledge and skills contained in the state content and performance standards developed for all children and to promote effective parent involvement.  Eligible schools use Title I funds for supplemental instructional materials, technology, additional staff, parent involvement programs and materials, and professional development.

Title II, Part A -- Supporting Effective Instruction 

 The purpose of Title II, Part A is to increase the academic achievement of all students by helping schools and districts improve teacher and principal quality and effectiveness by providing professional development activities designed to prepare, train, and recruit highly qualified teachers and principals.

Preparing and Training
As funds are available, professional development activities are supported in cooperation with state and local funding to positively impact the areas identified through the comprehensive needs assessment.

Recruiting
The Chilton County School District actively recruits highly qualified personnel.  All potential applicants are carefully screened for Highly Qualified requirements. Current personnel are assigned to teaching positions based on highly qualified status as identified by state and federal requirements. Assistance is provided for core subject area personnel not meeting highly qualified status to become highly qualified by the dates mandated by NCLB.

Highly Qualified
Chilton County Title I Schools' goal for teachers is 100%. Highly qualified teacher shortages exist in Alabama in the areas of math, science and foreign language. Federal funds will be made available to existing teachers who are considered not highly qualified to become highly qualified in their core academic subjects. Personnel and schedule adjustments will be made where appropriate to continue to strive to meet the 100% goal. All new personnel hired will meet the qualifications stated in Section 1119, if possible. All efforts will be made to employ Highly Qualified personnel through recruiting, contacting other school systems and universities, reviewing applications on file, etc.

100% of Title I schools' teachers and paraprofessionals have met the highly qualified requirements.

Class Size Reduction
Teacher units are allocated to schools based on greatest need after all State Foundation units have been allocated to targeted schools.

Title III -- English Learners 

 Title III funds are supplemental to the core ESL program and are used for professional development, materials, and supplies.  

Questions: 

What is the Core EL Program? ESL is the Core EL Program in Chilton County.  {for more information}

Where can I find Chilton County's ESL/EL plan? Each school has a copy of the plan in the library.
A copy can also be found on this Chilton County website, Federal Programs, ESL, ESL Forms.

How are students identified as EL students? Home Language Survey--If a parent writes English & another language or only another language as the language spoken by the student and in the household, then the ESL teachers will determine through parent and student interviews whether the student should be screened for ESL services. Once enrolled, the student will receive the W-APT screener. (within 30 days @ the beginning of school or 10 days during the school year)

I hear my EL student speaking English in the hall and at lunch, so why isn't he/she doing better in my classroom? English language spoken in the hall, on the bus, in the cafeteria, or at PE is SOCIAL LANGUAGE.  Social Language is learned quicker than ACADEMIC LANGUAGE.  It takes several years for EL students to learn and understand the different content area vocabulary.

Where can I find school forms about behavior, bus issues, or health concerns?
Transact -Contains forms in many different languages.  ALSDE has approved all forms for school use.

Where can I find information on ACCESS for ELLs, Can Do Descriptors, and ELD Standards? WIDA  -Contains the ELD standards, Can Do Descriptors, and EL webinars. ELD Standards can also be found on this website in the ESL FORMS section under CLASSROOM.

Who can translate for a school conference or during the enrollment of a student?

• my student?   no
• the brother, sister, or cousin of my student?  no
• a friend or neighbor?  no
• the student's pastor/minister?  no
• Spanish II students? no
• Only school board personnel or provided translator may translate a conference or IEP meeting

Important Information on Classroom Accommodations

• I-ELP: Individual English Language Plan is mandatory, not optional
• Manipulatives, photos, Power Point, highlighting texts, underlining important facts, word boxes, graphic organizers can be useful accommodation tools
• Less Lecturing and More Demonstrating
• Use Power Point or notes on the board, when lecturing.
• Don’t give textbook assignments if the students don’t have textbooks.
• Don’t give Internet assignments to complete at home since many people do not have Internet.
• Write assignments on the board.
• Make the study guide match the test.
• Re-check for comprehension for all students.
• Simplify language used in instruction and for directions.
• Pair your EL with a native English speaker, not another EL or former EL student in order to translate the entire lesson.
• Provide page #’s for answer location instead of a vague reference that it is in the chapter.
• For additional accommodation suggestions, speak with your ESL teacher.

Can parents refuse ESL services? Yes.  According to the Department of Justice in the "Dear Colleague" letter, parents may refuse ESL services for their children, regardless of when the ESL services occur. The student will still receive accommodations and support in the classroom and will take the ACCESS for ELLs annual assessment until he/she exits the ESL program.     

Title VI- Part A

Every Students Succeeds Act establiehd Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment (Title IV, Part A) program as one of the provisions to support sutdents successes. 

This program is intended to help meet these goals by increasing the capacity of State educational agencies, local educational agencies, schools, and local communities to: 

1. Provide all students with access to a well rounded education. 
2. Improve school conditions for student learning. 
3. improve the use of technology to enhance academic achievement and digital literacy of all students. 

(ESSA secion 4101)

Title V -- Rural and Low Income 

The Rural and Low-Income Schools program is an initiative that provides grant funds to rural LEAs that serve concentrations of children from low-income families

CHILTON COUNTY SCHOOLS
Parent and Family Engagement Plan

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
Title I, Part A, Section 1116

Parents • Families • Schools • Community

Family Partnership Belief Statement

Chilton County Schools prioritizes parent and family engagement as essential to student success. By fostering mutual respect, two-way communication, and inclusive environments, we build effective partnerships that remove participation barriers. We are committed to involving families in decision-making and continuous improvement, ensuring that all stakeholders are equipped to support student achievement and school progress.

ESSA Section 1116 - General Expectations

In compliance with ESSA Title I, Part A, Section 1116, Chilton County Schools involves parents as essential partners in planning, evaluating, and improving Title I programs. We implement activities that promote shared responsibility for student achievement and adhere to all statutory expectations. Our district commitments include jointly developing this annual plan, ensuring each Title I school creates its own engagement plan and compact, and integrating these strategies into district improvement initiatives. We provide equitable access for families with disabilities or limited English proficiency and coordinate activities with other federal and local programs. Furthermore, we conduct annual evaluations to refine family engagement practices and build the capacity of educators and families to support academic success. This plan is distributed annually to all participating families and remains publicly accessible on our website. The district affirms that effective parent and family engagement is not limited to school events but is an ongoing process of collaboration that strengthens relationships among educators, families, and the community in support of student learning.

Implementation of ESSA Section 1116 Requirements

1. Joint Development of the Parent and Family Engagement Plan

Parents and family members will be involved in the joint development, review, and revision of the district’s ESSA Consolidated Plan, including the Title I, Part A plan, and in the development of applicable comprehensive or targeted support and improvement plans. If the district’s ESSA Consolidated Plan is not satisfactory to parents and family members of participating children, Chilton County Schools will submit any written parent comments with the plan when the district submits the plan to the Alabama State Department of Education.

2. Parent Participation in School Improvement

Families are invited to serve on Leadership Teams, ACIP Committees, and Strategic Planning groups. These roles allow parents to influence Title I budgets, school improvement priorities, and student support initiatives.

3. Coordination and Support for Title I Schools

The Teaching and Learning Department provides technical assistance, monitoring, and professional learning to help Title I schools develop engagement plans and comply with federal requirements.

4. Coordination with Other Programs

Engagement efforts are aligned with Pre-K transitions, EL and Special Education programs, and the Alabama Literacy and Numeracy Acts. We collaborate across departments to provide families with consistent, coordinated services.

The district will work collaboratively across departments to provide families with consistent information, coordinated services, and meaningful opportunities for engagement.

5. Annual Evaluation of the Parent and Family Engagement Plan

The annual evaluation will identify barriers to greater family participation, particularly barriers affecting parents who are economically disadvantaged, have disabilities, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are members of racial or ethnic minority groups. The evaluation will also identify the needs of parents and family members in supporting their children’s learning, communicating with educators, and participating in school decision-making, as well as strategies that promote successful school-family interactions.

6. Building Capacity for Parent and Family Engagement

We build capacity by educating parents on academic standards and graduation requirements while providing professional development for staff on effective family engagement and cultural responsiveness.

7. Accessibility and Equity

Chilton County Schools will provide meaningful opportunities for the participation of parents and family members with limited English proficiency, parents and family members with disabilities, and parents and family members of migratory children, including providing information and required reports in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, in a language families can understand.

8. Annual Distribution of the Plan

This plan will be reviewed annually with stakeholders and distributed to parents and family members of participating Title I students at the beginning of each school year. It will be provided in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, in a language families can understand. The plan will be available through the district website, school websites, and school offices and will be made available to the local community.

9. Reservation and Use of Parent and Family Engagement Funds

In accordance with ESSA Section 1116(a)(3), when one percent of the district’s Title I, Part A allocation exceeds $5,000, Chilton County Schools will reserve at least one percent of its Title I, Part A allocation to support parent and family engagement activities. Parents and family members of participating children will be meaningfully involved in decisions regarding how the reserved funds are allotted. At least 90 percent of the reserved funds will be distributed to participating Title I schools, with priority given to high-need schools. The funds will be used for activities and strategies consistent with this plan and identified family needs.

Building Capacity for Parents

Chilton County Schools supports families as active partners by providing information on academic standards, assessments, college pathways, technology, and student transitions. Through workshops, meetings, ParentSquare, district websites, and direct communication, families are kept informed and engaged in supporting student success. The district and its Title I schools will also provide other reasonable support for parent and family engagement activities upon request, subject to federal requirements and available resources.

Building Capacity for School Staff

With the assistance and input of parents and family members, the district will educate teachers, principals, specialized instructional support personnel, school leaders, and other staff in the value and utility of family contributions; how to communicate and work with parents as equal partners; how to implement and coordinate family programs; and how to build lasting connections between families and schools.

Accessibility and Language Access

Chilton County Schools provides equitable access to parent and family engagement opportunities through multilingual communication, interpreter services, accessible meeting formats, flexible scheduling, ParentSquare, and school websites. The district uses surveys and stakeholder feedback to identify and remove participation barriers.

Annual Evaluation Process

Chilton County Schools will annually evaluate, with the meaningful involvement of parents and family members, the content and effectiveness of this Parent and Family Engagement Plan in accordance with ESSA Section 1116. Using surveys, stakeholder feedback, and student achievement data, the district will identify barriers to participation, particularly for families with limited English proficiency, disabilities, or economic disadvantages. Evaluation results will be shared with stakeholders and used to develop evidence-based improvements and revise district and school parent and family engagement plans as needed. 

PARENTS RIGHT-TO-KNOW NOTIFICATION Title I, Part A, Section 1112(c)(6), Every Student Succeeds Act, Public Law 114-95

At the beginning of every school year, a Local Education Agency (LEA) that receives Title I funds must notify parents of each student attending any Title I school that they have a right to request information regarding the professional qualifications of student’s classroom teachers’ professional qualifications.

Parents have the right to know:

1. Whether the teacher has met State qualifications and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction. 

2. Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which State qualification or licensing criteria have been waived.

3. The baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher and the field of discipline of the certification of degree.

4. Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

In addition to the information that you may request under Parents Right-To-Know teacher/ paraprofessional qualifications, a school that receives Title I funds shall provide to each individual parent (this information must be provided to you, without you making a request):

1. information on the level of achievement of the parent’s child in each of the State academic assessments as required under Title I: (this information will be provided to all parents at a fixed time during the year along with assessment data), and

2. timely notice that the parent’s child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks, by a teacher who is not highly qualified (substitute teacher who does not have a degree). Providing this information to you is your parental right under Every Student Succeeds Act, Public Law 114-95. Because our schools receive Title I funds, we are required to provide this information to you in writing as requested.

If you are interested in requesting information regarding your child’s teacher(s) qualifications, please contact the central office, 205-280-3000. You may request this information in person or by letter. Your requested information regarding your child’s teacher(s) will be provided to you on a form within ten (10) working days after receiving your request. The requested information will be mailed to your home address or hand delivered in a face-to-face meeting. If you have questions regarding this information, you may call the Central Office.