Title I

What is Title I?
Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) provides financial assistance to states and school districts to meet the needs of educationally at-risk students. The goal of Title I is to provide extra instructional services and activities which support students identified as failing or most at risk of failing the state’s challenging performance standards in mathematics, reading, and writing.

What will Title I do for my child?
The Title I program will provide your student with extra educational assistance beyond the regular classroom.

Which schools does Title I Serve?
The program serves students in elementary and secondary (middle and high)schools who have demonstrated that extra assistance is needed. In Lynden School District, the following schools receive Title I funds: Fisher Elementary, Bernice Vossbeck Elementary, and Lynden Middle School.  Title I also serves eligible students who attend participating private schools because these funds are federal funds (not local or state). The district is required to provide access to a proportionate share of these federal funds for Lynden Christian Schools  (the only participating Private School at this time).

How does our school receive Title I money?
First, the federal government provides funding to each state. Then, each State Educational Agency sends money to its school districts. How much money each school receives is determined by the number of low-income students attending that school. Finally, Title I schools:

• Identify the students at their school who need the most educational assistance based on the criteria that school has chosen. Students do NOT have to be from low-income families to receive Title I services.
• Set goals for improving the skills of educationally disadvantaged students at their school.
• Measure student progress to determine the success of the Title I program for each student.
• Develop programs for each individual student in order to support/supplement regular classroom instruction.

What do Title I programs offer?
Title I programs generally offer:

• Smaller classes or special instructional spaces
• Additional teachers and aides
• Opportunities for professional development for school staff
• Extra time for teaching Title I students the skills they need
• A variety of supplementary teaching methods
• An individualized program for students
• Additional teaching materials which supplement a student’s regular instruction

Title I in Lynden School District
Each year Lynden School District receives federal funds to provide supplemental services to students who are not yet meeting the academic standards set forth at the state level. These federal funds can only be used in specific ways because they are “categorical funds.”  Following the regulations set forth at the federal and state level, the district utilizes these Title I funds at 3 schools to implement school wide approaches targeting students based on academic need:

• Fisher Elementary
• Bernice Vossbeck Elementary
• Lynden Middle School

In each of these schools there are a number of strategies used to help students gain access to learning conditions that make a difference for their particular need(s). The district uses an approach recognized by the state. This approach, a Schoolwide Title I Model, is widely recognized as a “best practice” which allows districts some additional flexibility for how these funds are used.  

Schoolwide Model – Title I, Part A
A schoolwide program takes the form of a comprehensive reform strategy designed to improve all educational programming in a school. The primary goal is to ensure that all students, particularly those who are presently achieving below the state standards, are provided the means  by which they can meet and exceed the learning goals defined by state academic standards. This can differ at each site where Title I funds are used but this goal remains the same. 

Schools that receive Title I, Part A funds and use the schoolwide model must complete these 4 reform strategies:

1. Conduct a comprehensive needs assessment.
2. Identify goals and strategies that address those needs.
   • Commit to putting the strategies into action and meeting related goals.
3. Create a comprehensive plan.
4. Conduct an annual review that evaluates the effectiveness of the schoolwide program.
   • Revise the plan as necessary.

OSPI Title I Information

Parent and Family Engagement Policy/School—Parent Compacts

What is a School-Parent Compact

A School-Parent Compact for Achievement is an agreement that parents, students, and teachers develop together. It explains how parents and teachers will work together to make sure all our students reach grade-level standards. Effective compacts:

• Link to goals of the school improvement plan
• Focus on student learning skills
• Describe how teachers will help students develop those skills using high-quality instruction
• Share strategies parents can use at home
• Explain how teachers and parents will communicate about student progress

The parents, students, and staff of Lynden School District Title I schools developed this School-Parent Compact for Achievement. Teachers suggested home learning strategies, parents added ideas to make them more specific, and students told us what would help them learn. Meetings are held annually to review the Compact and make changes based on student needs.

Parents are welcome to contribute comments at any time. If you would like to share a suggestion, please contact your child’s school.

Lynden School District Strategic Plan 2025-2028

Mission: All students graduate college or career and citizenship read
Vision: High quality instruction, learning, and opportunities for Every Student, Every Day

Strategic Priorities

Key Performance Indicators

Strategic Priority 1: Safe and supportive Environments

Strategic Priority 2: Exceptional Learning Experience for All Students

Strategic Priority 3: Family and Community Partnerships

KPI: Regular Attendance
Maintain an annual regular attendance rate of 85% in kindergarten-5th grade and 80% in 6-12th grade.

KPI: Early Literacy Readiness
Maintain a rolling 3-year average of 90% of kindergarten students demonstrating literacy readiness on the WaKIDS assessment taken in the fall.

KPI: STAR 3rd Grade Reading Benchmark
By Spring 2028, increase the percentage of third grade students meeting expected growth and/or grade-level proficiency on the Spring STAR Reading Assessment to 82%.

KPI: Multilingual Learner Language Proficiency
By Spring 2028, increase the percentage of multilingual learners making annual progress towards English language proficiency to 50% while also maintaining at 10% rate of students successfully exiting multilingual learner services.

School Goals and Focus Areas
Administrators and teachers from all schools have studied our student performance data to determine the most important areas of improvement for our school.

Activities to Build Partnerships

Our schools are committed to providing ways to build a deeper partnership between home and school. The following events offer parents the chance to work together with our school to provide fun, educational opportunities for all students:

• Back to School Night
• Parent/Teacher Conferences

Our schools are committed to frequent two-way communication with families about children’s learning. Some of the ways you can expect us to reach you are:

• School/Home Communication
• Parent-teacher conferences/calls/emails
• Updates & communication on Parent Square
• Monthly/Weekly Classroom NewslettersSchool/Home Communication

Do you have questions about your child’s progress? Contact your child’s school.

Teachers, Parents & Students — Together, for Success

ALL GRADES

Teacher/School Responsibilities

Teachers will work with students and their families to achieve student success in the areas of reading, math, writing, and learning & life skills. Teachers will support stu-dent learning through:
Reading: Providing reading materials that meet the needs of each student.
Math: Providing hands-on experiences in math, and unit updates on what is taught as well as interventions.
Writing: Providing writing guidelines and writing practice in different genres as well as opportu-nities to share.
Learning & Life Skills: Providing tips and techniques on self regulation.

Family Responsibilities at Home

Support at home is key to each student reaching their goals in reading, math, writing, and learning & life skills. Listed
below are a few ideas parents and teachers have developed together to complete at
home to help students be successful.
Reading: My child will read each night independently, or orally, and parents will discuss the reading with them.
Math: Review math homework and concepts.
Writing: Help my child practice writing and spelling phonics skills. Practice cursive
writing.
Learning & Life Skills: Reinforce techniques implemented at school to help
self-regulate emotions and behaviors.

*Parents should be aware of and engaged on communication platforms. They should also create Parent Square  in order to stay informed of student grades and teacher communication.  

Student Responsibilities

Students will work to reach their goals through the following methods:
Reading: Read a book each night .
Study spelling/phonics patterns for the week.
Math: Talk to family members about what is being learned in math.
Writing: Practice writing at home using cursive.
Learning & Life Skills: Build positive relationships, be responsible and respectful to teachers, friends, family members, and school materials. .