Funding Source: Federal
Grant Program Name: Title I, Part A - Improving Basic Programs
Deadline: Annually on July 1.
Application Information: Application for Title I, Part A, Part A funds must be completed online and submitted on the eGrant system.
Program Description: Title I, Part A, Part A, is a 100% Federally funded supplemental educational program that provides supplemental financial assistance to school districts/schools with a high percentage of children from low-income families, to provide all children with a significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, high-quality education and to close educational achievement gaps.
The priorities of Title I, Part A are to:
- Strengthen the core program in schools and provide academic and/or support services to low-achieving students at the preschool, elementary, middle, and high school levels;
- Provide evidence-based programs that enable participating students to achieve the learning standards of the state curriculum frameworks;
- Elevate the quality of instruction by providing eligible staff with substantial opportunities for professional development; and,
- Actively engage parents and guardians of participating public and private school students as partners in their children’s education by fostering open, meaningful communication, providing training opportunities, and, when appropriate, involving them in decision-making processes.
Title I, Part A, Part A funds are intended to support student achievement and growth at the school level. Schools eligible for Title I, Part A, Part A funds are determined based on school attendance areas and rank order. Districts may choose to provide support and services to increase student achievement and growth through schoolwide programs or targeted assistance programs. Additionally, districts may support some district-level Title I, Part A activities through district-managed activities and/or parent and community engagement activities.
Overview of School Level Programs
Title I, Part A schools can operate either as targeted assistance or schoolwide program:
Targeted assistance schools
Targeted assistance schools identify students who are at risk of not meeting the state's content and performance standards and provide individualized instructional programs to the identified students so that they may meet the state's standards. In targeted assistance schools, the program is designed to provide extra educational assistance beyond the regular classroom to identified at-risk students.
Title I, Part A Targeted Assistance
Schools operating a targeted assistance model are required to use Title I, Part A funds to provide supplemental services only to eligible students that are identified as at-risk of failing to meet the challenging state academic and performance standards.
Components of a Targeted Assistance Program
Targeted assistance schools must use Title I, Part A funds to provide programs, activities, and academic courses necessary to provide a well-rounded education designed to help eligible students meet state academic standards.
Targeted assistance schools must:
- Help provide an accelerated, high-quality curriculum.
- Minimize the removal of children from the regular classroom during regular school hours for instruction provided by Title I, Part A.
- Review the progress of eligible students on an ongoing basis and revise the targeted assistance program, if necessary, to provide students with additional assistance to meet state academic standards.
- Be incorporated into existing school planning.
- Use effective methods and instructional strategies that rely on evidence-based research; and
- Coordinate with and support the regular educational program, which may include services to assist preschool children transition into early childhood programs such as Head Start or state-run preschool programs.
Student Eligibility
A Targeted Assistance School must establish objective criteria to identify students most in need of additional academic support. Student selection must be based on multiple, educationally related, objective criteria, such as:
- Academic assessments and benchmark data
- Classroom performance and grades
- Progress monitoring results
- Teacher recommendations supported by objective evidence
- Diagnostic assessments
- Attendance or other academic indicators, when educationally relevant
For preschool through grade 2, developmentally appropriate measures, teacher observations, and other objective criteria may be used.
The following students are automatically eligible for Title I, Part A services:
- Students who participated at any time in Head Start or Title I, Part A preschool at any time during the previous two years.
- Students who attended a community day program or living in a state or local neglected or delinquent institution.
- Students, who were served in the previous two years under the Migrant Education program; and
- Students, who are homeless.
Important: Automatic eligibility does not eliminate the need to determine the student's academic need for services. Schools should maintain documentation supporting both eligibility and need.
Spending Options in a Targeted Assistance Program
Targeted assistance schools may use Title I, Part A funds to serve their eligible students by:
- Expanding learning time for eligible students, including before- and after-school programs, summer programs, and opportunities.
- Providing early intervening services to eligible students, including services coordinated with similar activities and services provided under IDEA.
- Providing eligible students with extra support aligned to the school's regular education program, which may include services to assist preschool children as they transition from early childhood education programs to elementary school programs.
- Providing professional development for teachers, principals, other school leaders, paraprofessionals, and, if appropriate, specialized instructional support personnel, and other school personnel, who work with eligible students; and
- Implementing strategies to increase the engagement of parents and families of eligible students.
A secondary school operating a targeted assistance program may use Title I, Part A funds to provide dual or concurrent enrollment program services to eligible children.
Schoolwide program schools
Schoolwide program schools use their funds to improve the entire program of the school so that all students are impacted. In schoolwide programs, the use of Title I, Part A, Part A funds are based on comprehensive needs assessment.
Title I, Part A Schoolwide Programs
Schoolwide programs use Title I, Part A, Part A funds to upgrade the educational program of the entire school, with special attention to providing services to students identified as at-risk. Title I, Part A, Part A funds must be used to address the educational needs of the school.
Required for Implementing a Schoolwide Program:
Eligibility for Schoolwide:
The school must be a Title I, Part A school with at least 40% of students living in poverty or receive a waiver from PDE (which is the 2nd page of the Intent to Plan Form) to operate a schoolwide program without meeting the 40% threshold.
Core Implementation Steps:
- Comprehensive Needs Assessment: Conduct a thorough assessment involving an analysis of academic performance data of all students and ESSA defined subgroups on State and local assessments as well as stakeholders’ input (parents, staff, community) to identify the needs of students, especially those failing or at risk of failing to meet state standards.
- Comprehensive Schoolwide Plan: Develop a plan that addresses the identified needs, describe strategies to improve academic achievement for all students (with a focus on the lowest achieving), and include benchmarks for evaluating progress. The plan should detail how instructional methods will strengthen the academic program, increase learning time, and provide a well-rounded education.
- Annual Evaluation and Revision: Review the effectiveness of the schoolwide plan each year using assessment and performance data. Revise the plan as needed to ensure continuous improvement, particularly for the lowest-achieving students. School plans are due annually in FRCPP by September 1st.
Spending Options in a Schoolwide Program:
Title I, Part A funds may be used flexibly to support any activity identified in the needs assessment and schoolwide plan, including academic, nonacademic, and enrichment activities. Funds can be consolidated with other federal, state, and local funds to upgrade the entire educational program. Funds are used to upgrade the entire educational program.
Safeguards and Compliance:
- The program must ensure the needs of historically underserved populations (economically disadvantaged, racial/ethnic groups, students with disabilities, English learners) are addressed.
- The school must comply with all federal civil rights laws and ensure that non-federal funds are used to provide required services for students with disabilities and English learners before using Title I, Part A funds.
- Maintain records demonstrating compliance with the intent and purposes of all consolidated federal programs.
All Title I schoolwide schools/charters (existing, new, and TSI designated schools) will complete/update their Schoolwide Plan in the Future Ready Comprehensive Planning Portal by September 1, 2026.
School Improvement Plans/Schoolwide Plans for "designated" (CSI and A-TSI) schools/ charters Plans are due September 1, 2026.
Feature | Targeted Assistance Program (TAP) | Schoolwide Program (SWP) |
|---|---|---|
Eligibility | Only serves students identified as most at risk of failing | Benefits all students in the school |
Funding Use | Funds must be used specifically for identified students | Funds can be used to improve overall school programs |
Student Selection | Based on academic need, typically determined through assessments and teacher recommendations | No individual student identification; all students have access to resources |
Focus | Provides additional support services to eligible students | Focuses on improving the entire educational program of the school |
Staffing | Only certain teachers and staff funded by Title I, Part A can work with identified students | All teachers and staff may be funded and involved in Title I, Part A efforts |
Parental Engagement | Parents of identified students are involved in program planning and activities | All parents are encouraged to participate in schoolwide initiatives and activities |
Flexibility | More restrictions on how funds are used | Greater flexibility in fund allocation |
Program Requirement | Must ensure Title I, Part A funds supplement and do not replace regular educational services | Must have a comprehensive school improvement plan based on needs assessment |
Implementation | Designed for schools with less than 40% low-income students (though schools above 40% may still choose this model) | Schools with at least 40% low-income students qualify automatically or a waiver approved by PDE |
Schools/charters interested in switching from Targeted Assistance to a Schoolwide Program must complete an Intent to Plan SWP Form (PDF) and submit via email attachment to Lisa St Clair at listclair@pa.gov.
For more information on Title I Schoolwide Programs
Contact: Lisa St. Clair, Schoolwide Program Manager at: listclair@pa.gov.
The following lists outline the Title IA programs offered each year by Local Education Agency (LEA) and their Title I School Building(s):
- 2025-2026 Title I Program List (Excel)
- 2024-2025 Title I Program List (Excel)
- 2023-2024 Title I Program List (Excel)
MOU (Memorandum of Understanding)
The MOU is to be developed between the LEA and the county Head Start agency. The purpose is to establish collaborations with Head Start and to develop a plan stating how the LEA will transition children who have attended a Head Start program or other early learning program.
The MOU must have all five of the required activities and must be inclusive of Head Start. The five required activities are;
- data sharing,
- channels of communication,
- joint meetings,
- joint professional development, and
- sharing of educational services.
Cyber Charter Schools and Charter Schools that do not include Kindergarten are exempt from creating an MOU with the Head Start agency.
- MOU Template (Word)
Title I - A Reallocation Procedures
Section 1126 (c) of the Every Student Succeeds Act requires the State Educational Agency (SEA) to develop procedures for the reallocation of Title I, Part A funds. Funds must be reallocated to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in a timely fashion and must be allocated in accordance with State guidelines for reallocation.