Each school served under Title I, Part A must convene an annual meeting to inform parents of their school’s participation in Title I, Part A programs, to explain the Title I, Part A requirements, how the Title I students will be assessed, how the parents will be kept informed, and the right of parents to be involved in those programs.

The 2023-24 school year parent meeting was held on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at 5:00 pm at Vine Street School, 66 Vine Street, to review the Bangor School Department’s Title  I, II, and IV grants. All parents/guardians who have a child/children in a Bangor PreK-5 school were invited. This was also an opportunity for you to provide feedback on the Title programs. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the Assistant Superintendent.

If you were unable to attend the meeting and have feedback on the Title I program, please contact the Office of the Assistant Superintendent at 262-9111.

Dr. Kathy Harris-Smedberg, Assistant Superintendent of Schools
73 Harlow Street
Bangor, Maine 04401
(207) 262-9111

Since 1965 and the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Title I has provided a source of federal funding to America’s schools. Based on math and literacy data and demographics, Title I formulas determine the funding allocation allowing schools to provide supplemental instructional services and resources to assist students in achieving local learning goals and targets.

There are two models of Title I services, targeted assistance and schoolwide, allowed under the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act. Fourteenth Street School is a targeted assistance school. Abraham Lincoln School, Downeast School, Fairmount, Mary Snow, and Vine Street School are eligible to implement supplemental instructional services as schoolwide programs. Assisting all students in the school, primarily those who are low achievers, satisfy expected achievement levels on local and state measures remains the goal of schoolwide programming.

Schoolwide implementation under Title I requires schools complete a comprehensive needs assessment, design specific goals and interventions to respond to the needs, develop a comprehensive plan and conduct an annual review of the program.

At the PreK-3 schools, trained Reading Recovery teachers are members of the Title faculty and prioritize along with other Title staff the development of early literacy skills. As students progress through the early primary schools additional Title interventions and supports are available to those students requiring assistance in math and or reading.

At the 4-5 level, Title I offers direct instruction and extended academic support to students as part of the school’s yearly continuous improvement process, School Competency Planning. Building “academic fluency,” identifying a personalized learning plan and developing the technology skills to support learning are overarching goals for all students.

Parent school connections are a primary component of Bangor’s schoolwide programs. Schools hold parent teachers conferences annually although conferences are available to parents during the year at mutually convenient times. Through PEAK: Parents and Educators Accelerating Kids, schools develop projects and activities intended to encourage and support parent participation in the teaching and learning process. Parents may contact the school office to learn more about scheduled PEAK offerings or to suggest PEAK activities.

Annually, each Title I school holds a parent school compact meeting. At the compact meeting which includes school leadership, Title I faculty, and parents, the compact is reviewed and voted on.

The Bangor School Department believes that parents play a primary role in accelerating the achievement of their children and, as such, the BSD encourages parent participation of all children in activities and conversations that will enhance the home school relationship, will extend the ability of parents to support academic opportunities, and will encourage involvement in their child’s learning. Parents are encouraged to contact the school to review opportunities for home-school connections and to review the Parental Involvement Policy.

The federal Every Child Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires all states, school districts, and schools to provide annual report cards to parents and communities that include Maine Comprehensive Assessment System data, attendance and graduation rates, status of ESEA accountability, and information on highly qualified teachers. Bangor’s data on schools can be accessed via the ESSA Data Dashboard.

The Bangor School Department utilizes all assessment data to help inform our practices at the district, school, classroom, and individual levels for our students. Although we encourage students and parents to participate fully in our assessment program, it is important to note that parents/guardians may opt their child out of state testing. If you are interest in doing so, please reach out to your child’s principal to make this request in writing.

On December 10, 2015, President Barack Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) into law. ESSA replaces the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). In accordance with ESSA, school districts who receive Title I funds to support students’ academic success are required to notify families they have the right to request, and receive in a timely manner, information regarding the professional qualifications of the student’s classroom teachers, including, at a minimum, the following:

1. Whether the student’s teacher —

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

   2. is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which State qualification or licensing criteria have been waived; and

   3. is teaching in the field of discipline of the certification of the teacher.

2. Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications. In addition to the information stated above, parents of students in schools that receive funds under this part may request —

   1. information on the level of achievement and academic growth of the student, if applicable and available, on each of the State academic assessments required for this part; and

   2. timely notice that the student has been assigned, or has been taught for 4 or more consecutive weeks by, a teacher who does not meet applicable State certification or licensure requirements at the grade level and subject area in which the teacher has been assigned.

Bangor School Department Policy IGBC Title I Program