How are Title I funds spent in your school district? This is a question that should be revisited and examined each year. Often educators are overwhelmed with the many requirements of spending Title I funds and the never-ending sales pitches for programs that can best utilize the money. The easiest decision is to continue to spend the grant money the same way that it has been spent in the past.

When revisiting the purpose of Title I, Part A – Improving basic Programs, the money is provided as supplemental funding to state and Local Education Agencies (LEA’s). The funding specifically provides resources to LEAs and schools with high percentages of students from low-income families. Title I resources are intended to improve education quality and help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards with a focus on students that are most at risk of failing.

If you continue to spend Title I funds the same each year, please stop and reflect on these questions: Is there research to support that decision? Are there results or improvements in student’s literacy skills that are documented with data? Are students better prepared to succeed in high school and beyond? It’s also the year that you should ask if a change in spending Title I funds should occur due to the many changes that have taken place in educating students during the pandemic.

Title I funding offers substantial assistance in providing best practices in literacy instruction and improvement. Educators know that improvement of students’ reading skills is at the core of reaching the desired outcomes and improvements for at risk students. Teacher and student days are packed full, especially with remote and hybrid learning options that educators are now facing with the pandemic.

A proven way to gain time is to engage students throughout the summer. Kids Read Now extends the school year to close the learning gap that exists for students living in poverty, engages parents and family with a result proven strategy. Kids Read Now is eligible for use of Title I funds. In fact, it’s a great choice with proven results through independent research. Now is the perfect time to engage students through the summer, while limiting in person contact, using summer downtime to provide literacy support that is turnkey, data-driven and offers real time student analytics.