Why Join the Title I Distinguished Schools Program?

Title I Distinguished Schools, against all odds, hold their students to high standards and take seriously their charge to improve children's learning. As a selected school you will be an example to other Title I schools of approaches, programs, and creative education techniques that work. This award illuminates your successes in a way that inspires and helps all Title I schools!

The Title I Distinguished Schools are invited to the NASTID annual meeting in January. The Distinguished Schools’ representatives benefit from attending the conference sessions and being recognized as being a school where children learn.  Each school receives a plaque and a banner to hang outside their school and has its story posted on the Title I Website with contact information so that others may contact them.

Title I is the largest federal-aid program in K-12 education. Your efforts at using Title I monies to improve the education of all students in high-poverty Title I schools are bearing much fruit. Celebrating what works is an important way to keep the Title I Program healthy. Since 1996, the National Association of State Title I Directors (NASTID) has selected examples of superior Title I school programs for recognition. These schools are selected for outstanding results in one of two categories: 1- Exceptional student performance for two or more consecutive years or, 2- Closing the achievement gap between student groups. The winning schools join hundreds of other distinguished schools honored since the recognition program began.

The Title I program has served over 150 million children in need of extra academic support in reading, writing, and math since 1965. At its core, Title I is a reading and mathematics program. But these distinguished schools go beyond that mandate. They work to improve citizenship, character, enjoyment of the arts, and community spirit. They also know the importance of making the school a hospitable hub of the community. Many students served by Title I go on to be the first in their families to graduate high school and college. Some - whose backgrounds include migrant farm work, non-English speaking homes, and extreme poverty - have become teachers, military officers, computer experts, and engineers.

The distinguished schools demonstrate strengths in the following areas:

• opportunity for all children to meet proficient and advanced levels of performance,
• strong professional development,
• coordination with other programs,
• curriculum and instruction to support achievement of high standards, and
• partnerships among schools, parents and communities.         

In addition to the above requirements, each school submits the last three years of achievement data, has State representatives visit their school for evaluation, and creates a one-page school description. This narrative is the basis for each school’s story that is included on the NASTID Website. Please see application details on the NASTID Website at www.titlei.org. We hope you will be able to join the hundreds of honored schools and share what works with each other. 

We need to be learning from each other how to continue to make a difference in the lives of each of our children.