Title I Schoolwide Program (SWP) authorization under Public Law 107-110, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 provides for the consolidation and use of Title I funds together with other federal, state, and local funds. It upgrades the entire educational program of a Title I school in which at least forty percent of the students are from low-income families (Section 1114 of NCLB). NCLB requires that SWPs include the ten components outlined in California Department of Education's (CDEs) Components of a Title I Schoolwide Program Plan Web page.
Title I schools that wish to operate a Schoolwide Program subsequent to the enactment of NCLB must develop a comprehensive plan according to the steps outlined in CDEs Steps to Schoolwide Programs Web page with the help of a technical assistance provider (as defined in Section 1117). These schools should develop their SWP plans over a one-year period, unless the technical assistance provider recommends and the district determines that less time is needed (Section 1114 (b)(2)(B)). Please note that schools operating Schoolwide Programs before the enactment of NCLB must amend their existing plans to reflect the provisions of NCLB during the first year in which they receive technical assistance for this purpose (Section 1114 (b)(2)(B)(II)).
NCLB requires SWP plans to be developed with the involvement of parents and community members as well as by those individuals who will carry out the plan, including teachers, principals, administrators, and, if appropriate, pupil services personnel, technical assistance providers, other school staff, and (for secondary schools) students. SWP plans should clearly describe how the school will implement the components outlined in Components of a Title I Schoolwide Program Plan and how Title I and other resources will be used for this purpose. The SWP plan should include a list of state and local programs and other federal programs that will be consolidated in the schoolwide program. Other specific SWP planning requirements are contained in Section 1114 (b)(2). Section 1114 and other pertinent sections of NCLB can be accessed online at the U.S. Department of Education (Outside Source) Web site.
The Request for Authorization of Schoolwide Program form (DOC; 50KB; 3pp.) is provided for the purpose of district authorization of SWP plans and must be retained by the school district after the plan is written and approved by the school board. The Request for Authorization form provides a profile of the school and district approval information, and evidence of stakeholder involvement, information about other programs addressed in the Schoolwide Program plan and required assurances for those programs (Section 1114 (b)(2)(B)). Once the local school board approves the Schoolwide Program plan, these pages are affixed to the plan and kept on file in the district. The date of the local school board's action, as reflected in the meeting minutes, is to be the date the school is authorized to begin operating a SWP. A copy of the Request for Authorization is to be sent to the California Department of Education to allow for an update of the State's Schoolwide Programs database.
Please provide copies of these Web pages to school board members, district and school staff, parents, technical assistance providers, and others who you think would benefit from the information.
