Federal Programs
The Pontotoc County School District Currently receives Title I, Title II, Title III, and Title IV funds.
For information contact:
Dr. Loretta Hartfield
Federal Programs Director/Homeless Liaison/Foster Care Point of Contact
354 Center Ridge Drive
Pontotoc, MS 38863
Phone: 662.489.4812
Fax: 662.489.8957
Email: lhartfield@pcsd.ms
Title I, Part A (Basic)
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA provides financial assistance through state education agencies (SEAs) to local education agencies (LEAs) and public schools with the highest percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards. Title I funds may be used for children from preschool through grade 12. LEAs target the Title I funds they receive to public schools with the highest poverty rates. Public schools with poverty rates of at least 40 percent may use Title I funds, along with other federal, state, and local funds, to operate a schoolwide program to upgrade the entire educational program. Schools with poverty rates below 40 percent, or those choosing not to operate a schoolwide program, offer a targeted assistance program. In a targeted assistance program, the school serves Title I- eligible students who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet challenging state academic standards. The school then designs, in consultation with parents, staff, and district staff, an instructional program to meet the needs of those students. Both schoolwide and targeted assistance programs must be based on effective means of improving student achievement and include strategies to support parent and family engagement.
Title II, Part A (Effective Instruction)
The purpose of Title II, Part A is to increase student academic achievement consistent with the challenging state academic standards; improve the quality and effectiveness of teacher, principals, and other school leaders; increase the number of teachers, principals, and other school leaders who are effective in improving student academic achievement in schools; and provide low-income and minority students greater access to effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders.
Title III, Part A (English Learners)
The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) provides statewide leadership in promoting high quality education for English Learners (EL) and Immigrant youth. Title III grants are awarded to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) to: help ensure that English Learners, including immigrant children and youth, attain English proficiency and develop high levels of academic achievement in English; assist all English Learners, including immigrant children and youth, to achieve at high levels in academic subjects so that all English Learners can meet the same challenging State academic standards that all children are expected to meet; assist teachers, principals and other school leaders, and LEAs to develop and enhance their capacity to provide effective instructional programs designed to prepare English Learners, including immigrant children and youth, to enter all-English instructional settings; and promote parental, family, and community participation in language instruction educational programs for the parents, families, and communities of English Learners.
Title lV, Part A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants
The Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) program is used to improve student academic achievement by increasing the capacity of States, local educational agencies, schools, and local communities to:
- Provide all students with access to a well-rounded education;
- Improve school conditions for student learning; and
- Improve the use of technology to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students.
The Pontotoc County School District believes that the involvement of parents and community members is an essential component of nurturing students. Furthermore, the district believes there is a direct link between parent involvement and student achievement. Every effort to invite and consider parent and community input made to ensure the success of our students. A team of parents, teachers, and administrators developed the following parental involvement policy:
The goals for parental involvement in the Title I program include:
- To convene an annual meeting to inform parents of their school's participation in the Title I program, its requirements, and their right to be involved:
- To offer a flexible number of meetings at times appropriate for parents to attend and to provide services that relate to parental involvement;
- To involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, preview and improvement of the Title I program.
- To provide parents of participating children:
- Timely information about Title I programs
- School performance profiles, as well as individual assessment results;
- Information regarding the curriculum in use at the school, and the forms of assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels set forth by the Mississippi Department of Education;
- Opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions, share experiences with other parents, and participate in decisions relating to the education of their children if such parents so desire;
- Timely responses to their suggestions.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over 18 years of age (“eligible students”) certain rights with respect to the student’s education records. More information regarding FERPA is located in the Student Handbook.
We will forward education records through a records request to another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
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