Title I Part A Information
Waiver Request for Title I School Improvement Grant
State and Federal Grants Handbook
Highly Qualified Teachers (HQT) Notice on Letters to Parents, Dec. 2008
Example Letter to Parents (Student has non-HQT for four weeks or more)
Example Letter to Parents on Request for Teacher Information
Montana Title I School Improvement Plan Supplement
Montana Title I District Improvement Plan Supplement
Checklist for Parental Rights
Checklist for Parental Involvement
Parental Involvement
Parents Rights
School, Parent, Student Compact
E-Grants - Topic 6 - Parent Involvement - Sample Answers
Intervention for Title I Schools & Districts in Improvement, Corrective Action, or Restructuring
Implementing Requirements Under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
Turning Around Chronically Low-Performing Schools
Center on Innovation & Improvement
Comparison of Allocations using Census poverty vs. Free/Reduced Lunch

Title I Part A Guidance
Highly Qualified Teachers
ARRA Title I Funds
Using Title I, Part A ARRA Funds
Homeless Guidance
LEA and School Improvement
Parental Involvement, Title I Part A
Public School Choice
Schoolwide Programs
Serving Preschool Children Under Title I
Serving Private Schools
Supplemental Educational Services
Title I Fiscal Issues
Title I Paraprofessionals
Title I Targeting

Definitions
AYP
NCLB

Federal Laws
Intervention for Title I Schools & Districts in Improvement, Corrective Action, or Restructuring

OPI ESEA/NCLB Services to Private/Nonpublic Schools
Statewide System of Support
Montana Approved Providers of Supplemental Educational Services (SES as of February 2007)

A Schoolwide Program is a strategy for implementing comprehensive school change. A schoolwide program permits a high poverty school (40% or more) to use funds from Title I, Part A and other federal education program funds and resources with regular and state resources to upgrade the entire educational program of the school in order to raise academic achievement for all the students. Research has shown that for lowest achieving students in highest poverty schools to meet high standards of performance, their entire instructional program, not just a separate Title I program, (or other program) must be substantially improved. We hope you find the link here helpful as you go through planning or implementing a schoolwide program.

http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/designingswpguid.doc

• Federal - Requires an independent evaluation of the program to:
  (1) determine the performance and effectiveness of the program;
  (2) identify effective Even Start programs; and
  (3) provide technical assistance to States and subgrantees to ensure that local evaluations provide accurate information on the effectiveness of the program.
• State - Requires States to develop indicators of program quality (some are specified in the law) and use them to monitor, evaluate, and improve Even Start programs within the State. (States were required to submit these indicators to the Secretary by June 30, 2001 in order to receive program funds.)
• Local - Requires a subgrantee to provide for an independent program evaluation that is to be used for program improvement.

Allocations

• Federal to State - Formula allocations are based on each State's current-year share of Title I, Part A funds, with a minimum State allocation of the greater of $250,000 or _ of 1 percent.
• State to Local - SEAs make competitive subgrants to partnerships of LEAs and other organizations, giving priority to proposals that target areas designated as empowerment zones or enterprise communities or that propose to serve families in other high-poverty areas.

Set-Asides

• Federal - Requires 6 percent of the annual appropriation for programs serving migrant children, the outlying areas, and Indian tribes and tribal organizations if the appropriated amount for the program exceeds $200 million (or 5 percent when the appropriation is $200 million or less). Requires a grant for an Even Start project in a women's prison. Allows up to 3 percent for evaluation and technical assistance.

  In years in which the appropriation exceeds the amount appropriated for the preceding fiscal year, requires $2 million, or 50 percent of the excess, whichever is less, for the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) to carry out scientifically based research on family literacy. When the appropriation is the same or less than the preceding year's appropriation, requires "sufficient funds" for NIFL to continue multi-year research projects.

Authorizes $1 million for competitive grants to States for Even Start statewide family literacy initiatives in years when the appropriation increases over the previous year.

• State - Allows SEAs to reserve up to 6 percent of their allocation to administer the program; provide technical assistance for program improvement and replication through subgrants or contracts; develop indicators of program quality and monitor, evaluate, and improve programs based on the State's indicators; and (beginning with the 2001 amendment) improve the quality of family literacy services provided under Even Start programs. An SEA may use up to half of this reservation for program administration.

This program was reauthorized in December 2000 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2001 (P. L. 106-554), with the following major changes:

• Research In years where the appropriation exceeds the amount appropriated for the previous fiscal year, the Secretary is required to reserve $2 million or 50 percent of the excess amount, whichever is less, for the National Institute for Literacy to carry out scientifically based reading research that focuses on adult literacy. In years where the appropriation is equal to or less than the amount appropriated for the previous fiscal year, the Secretary may reserve only what is needed to continue multi-year activities.
• Statewide Family Literacy Activities - Authorizes $1 million for competitive grants to States for Even Start statewide family literacy initiatives in years when the appropriation increases over the previous year. Prior to this reauthorization, as part of the Reading Excellence Act, the Department was required to reserve $10 million annually for this purpose.
• Technical Assistance for Family Literacy Services - Adds a provision that allows States to use a portion of program funds to help subgrantees to improve the quality of family literacy services.
• Staff Qualifications - Requires that, within 4 years, the majority of individuals providing academic instruction in Even Start whose salaries are paid in whole or in part with Even Start funds have an associate's, bachelor's, or graduate degree in a field related to early childhood education, elementary or secondary school education, or adult education, and, if applicable, meet State qualifications requirements for those areas; all new personnel must meet these requirements beginning on the effective date of the reauthorization (12/21/00). In addition, within 4 years, the individual responsible for the local administration of family literacy services must have received training in the operation of a family literacy program, and paraprofessionals who provide support for academic instruction must have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
• Scientifically Based Reading Research - Requires that instructional programs be based on scientifically based reading research.
• Eligible Participants - Allows Even Start programs that collaborate with Title I, Part A programs to expand Even Start services to children who are 8 years of age or older if funds from the Part A program are used to contribute to the cost of providing programs for these children.

The NCLB Act includes one amendment: Under the 2000 reauthorization of the program, States may reserve up to 6 percent of funds for State-level activities, including administration, technical assistance for program improvement through a grant or contract, and administering the Indicators of Program Quality requirements in the law. The reauthorized ESEA allows States to also use these funds for improving the quality of family literacy services provided under Even Start programs.

Federal Definition
Who's eligible?
Montana Even Start Family Literacy Programs Policies
Montana Even Start Programs
Montana Even Start Program Contacts

2009-2010 Even Start Grant Application
2009-2010 Request for Proposal
Even Start Bidders Conference
Even Start Data Collection Software Users Manual
Even Start Timeline for Grants
Even Start Guidance
Guide to Quality: Even Start Family Literacy Program
Guide to Quality: Program Self-Assessment
Montana Even Start Consortium Members
Montana Even Start Performance Indicators
Montana Family Literacy Intitiative Video
OPI Title I Even Start Quality Rating Rubric
Research in Family Literacy: Annotated Bibliography of over 170 Articles and Writings
Rental/Lease Guidance

Additional Resources
Department of Education Even Start Resources
English as a Second Language
National Center for Family Literacy
National Even Start Association
Welcome to Head Start

ESEA Title I 2008-09 Performance Report - Regular Term
ESEA Title I 2008-09 Performance Report - Summer Term
MT Certificate of Eligibility Process
MEP Certificate of Eligibility
Parent Survey - Encuesta Para Los Padres
Data Collection & Reporting Instruments
MEP Staff Survey
MEP Subgranting Process
Needs Assessment Survey
Out of School Youth Profile
Program Success Story
2010 Site Contact List
Montana Migrant Education Program Services Handbook
Health Data Entry Form (Parts I & II)
Verification of Birthdate Form
Montana Migrant Education Student Withdrawal Form

The Mission of the Montana Migrant Education Program

Because issues of mobility, language and poverty affect the migratory student's opportunities to receive excellence and equity in the classroom, the MEP strives to provide an educational experience which can help children reduce the educational disruptions, and other problems that can result form repeated moves. During the regular school year, in areas with concentrations of migrant children, migrand education projects can operate in support of, and in coordination with, the regular school program. During the summer, at the peak of Montana';s agricultural season, educational programs are set up exclusively for migrant children since regular school programs are not in operation for the most part during that time. In Montana migrant education projects are located in counties all across the state.

To ensure that migrant children are provided appropriate services including support services that address their special needs in a coordinated and efficient manner, the MEP with the assistance of local operating agency personnel have identified the following areas of focus to be addressed by the Montana Migrant Education Program:

• Identification and Recruitment of all eligible children who reside in the state on an on-going basis; Identification and Recruitment (Ages 3-21);
• An assurance of sequence and continuity between schools in the instructional program by coordinating the use of curriculum, instructional methods, assessment systems through participation in programs such as Project SMART-Summer Migrants Access Resources through technology, an instructional television broadcast for migrant students and PASS, Portable Assisted Study Sequence.
• Special teachers, tutors or aides to work with students individually or inn small groups on areas of academic weakness;
• Summer school programs to supplement the regular school program. Participation in the New Generation System of electronic record transfer (New Generation System (Ages 0-21);
• Supportive health services, including emergency medical or dental services; nutritional services, in coordination with other agencies; Preschool and kindergarten programs designed to prepare migrant children for a successful school experience;
  
• Assistance with Bilingual or ESL instruction for those children who speak little or no English in cooperation with other federal ESL and Title VII services;
• Intercultural education, including participation in the Binational Education Initiative, teacher exchange and textbook initiatives;
• Coordination with Department of Labor Program for adults and secondary youth.

Why give special help to Migrant Children?
Most school programs (including those supported by Title 1) are set upon nine- month academic year. However, when migrant children move with their families, their education, as well as their lives, are interrupted. They may come from large families with inadequate living space and low incomes. Poor nutrition, housing and sanitary conditions may cause a high incidence of health problems. They often have limited English skills and/or little experience with success at school. These problems combined with irregular attendance often lead to frustration and low-academic performance, causing many children to drop out of school in their early teens. Because migrant youth have limited knowledge of, and preparation for, other kinds of jobs, they face a high risk of unemployment or become part of the migrant labor force. With help from the Migrant Education Program, migrant children can develop their self-confidence and begin to feel good about themselves. They can begin to enjoy school, attain an education and overcome the many difficulties in their lives.

What is a Migrant Worker?
Migrant workers seek temporary or seasonal jobs in agriculture, fishing or related work including food processing. They follow the growing seasons across the country and are largely responsible for the cultivation and harvest of fruits, vegetables and many other food products. Many migrant workers have an average annual income below the national poverty level. The migrant population is made up of diverse ethnic. Nationally, Hispanics, blacks, whites, Native Americans and Asians complete the overall population. Each part of the country has its own ethnic composition, with such distinct groups as Russian Old Believers in the northwest, Haitians and Puerto Ricans on the east coast, and Indochinese in the Pacific and Gulf coastal states. Mexican Americans and Central Americans follow migration patterns all over the country.

Who is eligible for the Migrant Education Program?
To qualify for the program, a migrant child must have moved within the past three years across state or school district lines with a migrant parent or guardian to enable the child (in the case of secondary youth), the child's guardian or parent, or member of the child's immediate family to obtain temporary or seasonal employment in an agricultural or fishing activity. The child may be in any grade between preschool and grade 12 and must not be above 21 years of age.

The Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) receives a grant annually from the Office of Migrant Education (OME),United States Department of Education (USDE) based on the number of identified migrant students that reside in the State of Montana. In 2008-09, the Montana Migrant Education Program (MTMEP) identified approximately 1000 students. A very large percentage of these students migrate from the state of Washington. Other students migrate both within the state across school district and county boundaries and from Montana to other states.

Since these children enroll temporarily in various schools, the Montana MEP has a major responsibility to ensure that coordination across program, school district and state lines occur. The Montana MEP has the responsibility to ensure that migrant students at all grade levels and their families have their needs met and are able to access all services for which they are eligible.

The statuatory purposes of the MEP set forth in Section 1301 of the law are:
(1)" support high quality and comprehensive educational programs for migratory children to help reduce the educational disruptions and other problems that result from repeated moves;
(2) ensure that migratory children are provided with appropriate educational services (including supportive services) that address their special needs in a coordinated and efficient manner;
(3) ensure that migratory children have the opportunity to meet the same challenging State content standards and challenging State student performance standards that all children are expected to meet;
(4) design programs to help migratory children overcome educational disruptions, cultural and language barriers, social isolation, various health-related problems, and other factors that inhibit the ability of such children to do well in school, and to prepare such children to make a successful transition to post secondary education or employment; and
(5) ensure that migratory children benefit from State and local systematic reforms."

The Montana MEP is 100 percent federally funded. Under this mandate, the federal funds that Montana receives are distributed to the school districts based on the needs of the children identified and their concentration within a particular school district or county.