1. If the Title I/LAP funding is driven to the schools based on poverty, can we only serve students who are on free and reduced lunch?
   
   Title I/LAP dollars are driven to your school based on poverty. However, the service delivery model, including the students served, is a building based decision that is based on academic need. If you have a targeted assistance program, you must be able to show that the dollars are targeted for students with the greatest academic needs. In a school-wide program, you must be able to show that the Title I funding is supporting your efforts to implement a building program that helps all students meet the Seattle Public Schools standards.
   
2. What should I use Title I/LAP money for?
   
   Title I and LAP money is intended to provide, supplementary, accelerated academic instruction to help students meet challenging state standards and to eliminate the achievement gap. Purchases of staff, books, supplies, field trips, classroom materials, and equipment should be directly linked to improving and accelerating the academic achievement of all students, including special education, bilingual, migrant, and homeless students.
   
3. Is there a general guideline that should be followed when budgeting Title I/LAP dollars?
   
   The most helpful guideline is to ask the questions, If we budget Title I/LAP dollars in this area, how will it help students improve and accelerate their academic performance? and Does purchasing this staff person or this item supplant basic education money?
   
4. I know I am not supposed to supplant with Title I/LAP funds. What does this mean?
   
   Supplanting means funding a position or activity through Title I /LAP that should be funded by baseline dollars (staffing to negotiated class size limits), or is not supplementary to basic education. This includes
   
   Funding a position or activity with Title I/LAP dollars that would normally be funded by baseline dollars, so that the baseline dollars can be freed up and used for something that never would be allowed as a Title I/LAP purchase. An example is purchasing basic office supplies from Title I/LAP so that the school supply budget can be used to purchase a commercial popcorn popper
   
   Funding a position that is required by law for children with disabilities and children with limited English proficiency, such as a Special Education teacher or a Transitional Bilingual teacher. However, you may add additional staff to supplement the requirements.
   
5. What purchases or expenditures are allowed for Title I/LAP?
   
   Expenditures must be shown to supplement basic funding used to improve and accelerate student academic achievement. You can purchase equipment if it is determined that the equipment is reasonable and necessary to improve and accelerate student academic achievement, existing equipment is not sufficient, and costs are reasonable. Necessary wiring to make the equipment work is allowed. Adult travel and conference costs are allowed if they are specifically related to improving and accelerating student academic achievement and not to the general needs of the school, and are reasonable and necessary. All expenditures must be pre-approved by the Student Services Department.
   
6. Our school believes that all children should have a full day kindergarten experience. Is it acceptable to use Title I/LAP dollars to increase the kindergarten to full day?
   
   This is acceptable. Title I and LAP dollars may be spent on kindergarten.
   
7. Can our school use Title I/LAP dollars to purchase a librarian?
   
   In a school-wide program, the foundation formula should be used first and then supplemented with Title I dollars. Regular education dollars can also be used. In a targeted assistance school, a librarian is not an allowable cost unless you have not had a librarian in your building for 3 years. (This is the general guideline used by OSPI.)
   
8. Can a school increase bilingual or special education service options by supplementing them with Title I/LAP funds?
   
   Yes. In fact, the law states that Title I dollars should be focused on students who are not meeting the academic standards, particularly those who are bilingual, special education, migrant, and homeless.
   
9. Can a school use bilingual or Title I/LAP dollars to add to the bilingual IA staff assigned from central office?
   
   Yes. Increasing language support in schools is very important to the success of students and
   the involvement of parents in their children's education.
   
10. Can Title I dollars be used to provide supplemental services to homeless students?
    
    Yes. The dollars set aside for services for homeless students should be established in relation to the number of homeless students in the school.
    
11. What are appropriate uses for Parent money?
    
    Parent money is to be used for helping families (1) become more informed about Title I and LAP program expectations, (2) learn ways to help their children improve their academic achievement, and (3) encourage parent participation in school activities where academic achievement is demonstrated. Parent money can be spent on food for parents, supplies for families to use or for meetings that parents attend, children?s books for parents to read with their children, registration for parents to attend workshops or conferences where Title I or LAP is discussed, training to enable families to help their children increase their academic achievement, etc. It may be used to pay for childcare during parent meetings that meet the above criteria, provide translations or interpreters for families attending meetings, or to hire a parent coordinator who engages parents in the above activities. Paying for interpreters and providing written translations regarding school events or policies is an allowable and suggested expenditure in the parent program.

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updated 08/01/2006