Title Funds
The district receives federally-funded Title grants under the No Child Left Behind Act. These funds, which are administered by the PA Department of Education, are targeted to high poverty schools and districts that have high numbers of English Language Learners.
For 2011-2012 the district received the following Title grants:
- Title I, Part A - Basic Grant to Improve Academic Achievement of Disadvantage Students
- Title II, Part A - Improving Teacher Quality
- Title III - Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students
Title Programs
For 2011-2012
Title I, Part A Basic Grant to Improve Academic Achievement of Disadvantaged Students
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 is the largest federally funded education program for both elementary and secondary schools. These funds, which are administered by the state, are targeted to high poverty schools and districts. The Title I A funds are used to provide educational services, in reading/language arts and math, to students in six of the district’s elementary schools. In addition, a portion of the Title I grant supports services for nonpublic students and parents who reside in the district’s geographic area. The following six schools are receive Title I A funding:
School Choice Under No Child Left Behind
Each year, students across the state take the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) examinations in Reading and Mathematics in grades 3–8 and 11. Achieving AYP means that the District has met state and federal targets set under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). NCLB was signed into law in January 2002.
While we are proud of our progress, we know that we have more work to do to help all students build the skills they need to be successful in school and in all aspects of life.
How the NCLB School Improvement Process Works
Under NCLB, AYP status is determined by the progress schools and districts make each year toward state goals for attendance, graduation rates, test participation and academic performance. For a school to make AYP, it must meet targets for the whole student body and for each subgroup of students enrolled in the school. A subgroup is 40 or more students in a school in four categories: ethnicity, socio-economic status, Individualized Education Plan (IEP) – Special Education – and English Language Learner (ELL). The number of targets each school has to meet depends on how many subgroups the school has. School Improvement status levels are: School Improvement I, School Improvement II, Corrective Action I and Corrective Action II.
Explanation of School Choice Opportunities
Under NCLB, families of students who attend a school in any level of School Improvement or Corrective Action must be given the choice to transfer to another District school that is not in School Improvement or Corrective Action. They may also choose to remain in their current school and work with school staff to improve student performance.
During the 2007-2008 school year, no students were eligible for School Choice.
During the 2008-2009 school year, 3 of 508 eligible students participated in School Choice.
During the 2009-2010 and 2010-11 school years, Bywood Elementary and Charles Kelly Elementary would have been required to offer their students the choice to transfer to another school in the district not in School Improvement. However, due to overcrowding at all of our elementary schools, Upper Darby School District could offer School Choice without endangering the safety and welfare of its students. The Pennsylvania Department of Education granted the school district waivers of the school choice requirement.
Supplemental Educational Services (SES)
Bywood Elementary School and Charles Kelly Elementary School have been identified for School Improvement for two or more years under the guidelines of the No Child Left Behind legislation. A provision of this legislation is that low-income students who attend schools designated in School Improvement status may qualify for Supplemental Educational Services (SES).
SES organizations are state-approved tutoring companies that provide after-school tutoring to help children with academics. If you are a parent of a child at Bywood or Charles Kelly, and are interested in tutoring, click here for a list of SES providers who offer services locally. Click here for the SES application. Please indicate your top three provider choices and return that information to the district at the address on the attached form. If you are eligible, the district will contract with the selected providers, who will then notify you. There is no cost to families for this service, however transportation to the chosen provider will not be provided by the school district. The second window for SES tutoring will end on April 30, 2012.
There are a limited number of spaces in the SES program; therefore we cannot guarantee that all eligible children will get a space. In compliance with federal law, we will give first priority to the lowest achieving students from low-income families. This achievement level will be based on the student’s scores on statewide or district assessments. If you have questions regarding the SES program or the eligibility constraints, please call Wendy Elgart, Supervisor of Title Programs, at 610-622-7000 ext. 2359.
In 2008-2009, only Bywood Elementary School low-income students qualified for SES tutoring, and 37 students participated in the SES free tutoring program. In the 2009-2010 school year, both Bywood Elementary and Upper Darby High School low-income students (2600 students) were eligible for tutoring, and 267 students participated in the free SES tutoring. In the 2010-11 school year, 755 Bywood and Kelly students were eligible for tutoring, and 245 students participated.
PDE's State Parent Advisory Council Conference
The Pennsylvania Department of Education's Title I State Parent Advisory Council (SPAC) Conference is designed for Title I parents of school-aged children. This annual conference includes keynote speakers, more than 40 individual workshops, award winning Kids Camp, and networking opportunities. The District may designate one Title I parent to attend the conference each summer at no cost to the parent. If you are interested in attending, please contact the Supervisor of Title I Programs, Wendy Elgart.
Title II A Program
The Title II A grant is aimed at two goals: improving teacher quality through professional development and reducing class sizes in selected schools. Upper Darby School District targets its Title IIA grant to reducing class size at the elementary and middle school levels, with a special emphasis on schools that are in a school improvement status. The funds also contribute greatly to the district’s ability to provide intensive professional development for teachers.
Title III Language Instruction for LEP and Immigrant Students
The federally-funded Title III grant funds enhancements to district programs for Limited English Proficient (LEP) and immigrant students. In the 2011-12 school year, the district has over 750 LEP students enrolled in its schools.
(For more information, see Services/ELL Services)