RSDSS Resources:

Highly Qualified Teachers

One key goal of the federal reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, is that all students are taught by highly qualified teachers by the end of the 2005-06 school year. To this end, each local educational agency (LEA) must develop a plan to ensure that all elementary, middle and high school teachers, who are assigned to teach core academic subjects, meet the NCLB requirements to ensure they are highly qualified. There are three requirements for teachers to be NCLB compliant. A teacher of core academic subjects must have: (1) a bachelor's degree; (2) a state credential or have an Intern Certificate/Credential for no more than three years, and (3) demonstrated core academic subject matter competence. NCLB defines core academic subject areas as: English, reading/language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics/government, economics, arts, history, and geography. Elementary school teachers must demonstrate competence in reading, writing, mathematics and other core areas of the elementary school curriculum.

NCLB Guidance

Elementary and Secondary Education Policy Guidance published by the US Department of Education which provide clarification for effective implementation of NCLB.

Program Improvement

Program Improvement is a formal designation for Title I-funded schools and LEAs that do not make AYP for two consecutive years. A Title I school becomes PI if it does not make AYP for two consecutive years on the same indicator (annual measurable objectives for English-language arts and mathematics, participation rate, Academic Performance Index (API), graduation rate). A school is eligible to exit PI status once it makes AYP for two consecutive years. An LEA becomes PI if for each of two consecutive years, the LEA does not make AYP and it has an LEA-wide API of less than 560 for the socio-economically disadvantaged subgroup. The API threshold will increase incrementally from 560 to 800. LEAs will be identified for the first time in August 2004. The LEA would exit PI after meeting the API target for the socioeconomically disadvantaged subgroup for two consecutive years or making AYP for two consecutive years.

Schoolwide Programs

Schoolwide programs (SWPs) are a cornerstone of the vision for school reform as defined in Title I of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. Title I schools often choose to change their status from targeted assistance to SWP status for fiscal reasons. NCLB allows schools that have received approval to be an SWP to consolidate or blend funds from other sources. SWP schools may then use their consolidated federal, state, and local funds to upgrade their entire educational program. Eligible schools are those in which at least 40 percent of the children in the school attendance area are from low-income families for the initial year of the SWP. To become an SWP, eligible Title I schools must develop a comprehensive plan that describes how the school will be improved academically so that all students attain proficiency on the state academic content standards, especially those students farthest away from demonstrating proficiency.

Statewide System of School Support (S4)

Section 1117 of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 requires each state to establish a statewide system of intensive and sustained support and improvement for local education agencies and schools receiving Title I funds to increase the opportunity for all students to meet the state's academic content and achievement standards. This federal requirement was codified in state law through AB 312, a trailer bill to the 2002 Budget Act for California, which established a Statewide System of School Support (S4) designed to support the requirements of NCLB. Three entities work together to complete the work of S4: the Regional System of District and School Support (RSDSS), two federally funded Comprehensive Assistance Centers (CACs), and the California Department of Education (CDE), in an administrative role. The RSDSS is organized around the eleven county superintendent regions identified by the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA). Each region has an RSDSS Director who operates out of one of the county offices of education in each region. The two CACs facilitate the dissemination of resources and information via the RSDSS. Still under development, a system of School Support Teams will be utilized as a priority strategy in supporting school districts' efforts to serve their low-performing schools.

Title I in California

Purpose: to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach minimum, proficiency. [Section 1001.Statement of Purpose]

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RSDSS Resources:

Highly Qualified Teachers

NCLB Guidance

Program Improvement

Schoolwide Programs

Statewide System of School Support (S4)

Title I in California

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