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What are the required and optional Federal Set Asides for Title I?

The term “set aside” includes all reservations taken “off the top” of an LEA’s Title I, Part A allocation, including reservations for administration, parental involvement, and district-wide initiatives.  The school system is mandated by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to set aside funds to provide services to equitably support the enrollment, attendance, and success of homeless youth. The Title I, Part A, homeless set-aside may pay for the cost of the Homeless Liaison, transportation, allowable Title I services, and other activities required under the McKinney Vento Homeless Education Act. Students are eligible whether or not they attend a Title I school. LEAs must reserve “such funds as are necessary,” based on the needs of homeless children and the resources in the LEA . Funds must also be reserved to support neglected and delinquent youth, if such are located in the district residential area. The LEA may also elect to set aside funds for other activities, such as administration, indirect costs, salary differential, comprehensive improvement school support, targeted improvement school support, professional development districtwide, early childhood programs districtwide, summer school districtwide, or others determined by the district.

What is the 1% set-aside and how are parents involved?
Any school district with a Title I Allocation exceeding $500,000 is required by law to set aside 1% of its Title I allocation for parent and family engagement. From that 1%, 10% may be reserved at the LEA for system-wide initiatives related to parent and family engagement.  The remaining 90% must be allocated to all Title I schools in the LEA. Therefore each Title I school receives its portion of the 90% to implement school-level parent and family engagement with clear expectations and objectives for meaningful involvement.
Title I parents have the right to be involved in how this money is spent.