MCSM Title I Program Converts to Schoolwide Program

On Monday, April 14, MCSM teachers and DC-37 support staff voted by a 69 - 25 margin (73.4%) to convert our Title I administrative approach from the current Targeted Assistance program to what is known as the Schoolwide Program option. This followed by one week the parents' unanimous, 25 - 0 vote at our regular April 8 PTA meeting in favor of the same conversion (the third consecutive year the parents have voted unanimously for the Schoolwide option). Now that both parents and teachers have approved the conversion, MCSM will implement Title I under the Schoolwide Program beginning next September. Since the legislation governing Title I states that this conversion can only take place once, no more annual votes will be required.

Under the Schoolwide option, our school's administration and teachers can now work together to apply resources and develop programs to support any student deemed to be at risk of failing. Previously, under Targeted Assistance, our Title I funds could only be used for students who entered MCSM with a 1 or a 2 on their eighth grade ELA or Math exams or who had already failed a Regents exam. These guidelines are very strict and subject to audit, and because only about 15% of our school's students have qualified for targeted assistance in past years, MCSM has been forced to return unused money to the government every year since we became a Title I school in 2004 (a total of about $750,000 returned through the end of this school year). Now that we can convert to Schoolwide Program, our Principal, Assistant Principals, and teachers will have enough flexibility to ensure that all our Title I funds are used to support our children's academic needs.

We wish to express our gratitude to the 69 teachers and staff members who voted for the Schoolwide Program, a change consistently unanimously desired by parents and one that will benefit our school and many students who need extra academic support but were not previously eligible. We parents are grateful that Title I funds can now be used to help students before they fail rather than having to wait for them to fail first, as we have had to do until now.