Office of Federal Programs
Ph: 218-336-8700 x1011
sharie.blevins@isd709.org
Duluth, MN 55811
Welcome to Federal Programs
We work with many departments within the Duluth Public Schools and the Minnesota Department of Education. If you want specific information on Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV, or Other Areas, please click on the links below.
Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) provides financial assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools. Districts or schools accepting Title I funds are required to provide all children with fair, equitable and significant educational opportunities to obtain a high-quality education and meet grade level state academic standards and assessments.
Questions/Answers:
1) Which Schools Receive Title I Services?
- Stowe Elementary
- Laura MacArthur Elementary
- Piedmont Elementary
- Myers-Wilkins Elementary
- Lowell Elementary (Ojibwe Immersion and English Classrooms only)
- Lincoln Park Middle School
- Stella Maris - St. James (Nonpublic)
2) How is it determined which schools receive Title I Services?
Answer: The district has an average poverty rate (free/reduced lunches) that is determined yearly. This rate usually hovers around 40%. Any schools above this rate receive Title I services. The district then chooses which levels (Elementary, Middle School, High School) to serve. ISD709 chooses to give services to the elementary and middle school levels. St. James receives Title services because their campus resides within a public school boundary that also receives Title services (Laura MacArthur Elementary).
3) How does ISD709 spend their Title I dollars?
- Reading Interventionists
- Math Interventionists
- Behavior Interventionist
- Family in Transitions (also knows as McKinney-Vento or Homeless)
- Neglected and Delinquent (also known as Residentials or Title I, Part D and include Merritt, Chester, Rockridge, Arrowhead Juvenile Center, Superior Academy)
4) What is a Schoolwide or Targeted Assisted Title I School?
Answer: An easy way to think about Schoolwide compared to Targeted-Assistend is flexibility. In a Schoolwide Title I School, all students are considered Title I students so students can fluidly move into and out of intervention groups. This is different than Targeted-Assisted where only certain students can receive interventions at a given time. All of our public schools are Schoolwide Title Schools. St. James (nonpublic) is a Targeted Assisted Title I School because Nonpublics can only be Targeted Assisted Schools.
LINK to MDE: Title I, Part A
Title I, Part D (aka as Residentials or Neglected/Delinquent) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act’s (ESEA) provides prevention and intervention for youth who are neglected, delinquent or at-risk. We spend our Title I Part D dollars on math and reading interventionists at our Residential sites.
Our Residential Sites within ISD709:
- Chester Creek Academy
- Merritt Creek Academy
- Rockridge Academy
- Arrowhead Juvenile Center
- Superior Academy
MDE Site: Title I, Part D
Residential Principal: Jacob Hintsala (jacob.hintsala@isd709.org)
Title II
The purpose of Title II, Part A is to increase student achievement consistent with state standards, improve the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school leaders, and provide low-income and minority students greater access to effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders.
Where does ISD709 spend their Title II dollars? (PD = Professional Development)
- Professional Development (Mentorship Program, Multiple Tiered Systems of Support, Professional Learning Communities, Continuous Improvement Teams)
- Professional Development Staff (PD Coordinator, Content Area Specialists)
- Sending staff and bringing in experts for Professional Development.
- Class Size Reduction - reducing class sizes in our most at-risk schools.
MDE: Title II Page
Title III helps school districts ensure that English learners (ELs) and immigrant students attain English proficiency and meet state academic standards. We have to spend money in three areas:
- Language Programing
- Professional Development
- Parent Involvement
Title III monies are braided with our district's English Lanuague monies to hire staffing and provide in the three areas listed above. Most of the EL students reside within ISD709 and Marshall Schools. Our EL Coordinator is Annmarie Barta (Annmarie.Barta@isd709.org)
MDE Site: Title III
Title IV, Part A, also known as the Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grant program, is a relatively new federal Title grant program under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The purpose of this annual program is to improve access to a holistic education. Money is spent in these three areas:
- Well-Rounded Education
- Safe and Healthy Students
- Effective Use of Technology
ISD709 has used this limited funding to provide: Gifted/Talented (now called E-squared), COVID, and Helpdesk staffing.
MDE Site: Title IV - Student Support and Academic Enrichment
- Nonpublics - Our Title Programs work with the nonpublic schools to provide education throught the Duluth Area. We work with Marshall, Stella Maris, Lakeview Christian Academy, Many Rivers Montessori, Montesorri School of Duluth, and Spirit of the Lake. We work with them regarding professional development, textbook ordering, and staffing within Title programs.
- Homeschool - If you decide to Homeschool your child, you can pick up a packet from Sharie Blevins at 4316 Rice Lake Road, Suite 108, Duluth, MN 55811. If you have any questions regarding Homeschool, please email Darren Sheldon (darren.sheldon@isd709.org). MDE Site: Homeschool
- Family in Transitions is also known as McKinney-Vento or Homeless.
- We work with the FIT program by placing staff within our schools to intervene with students who are considered homeless or in transition.
- MDE Site: Homeless
- FIT Coordinator: Lisa Larson (lisa.larson2@isd709.org)
- Federal Programs mainly works with transportation regarding transporting those in Foster Care to their School of Origin (goal: keep consistency with students by keeping them in their current school building). This has to be requested with the student's St. Louis County Case Worker and then approved by St. Louis County and ISD709 administration as both entities share in the cost of this transportation.
- MDE Site: Foster Care
- Foster Care Point of Contact: Darren Sheldon (darren.sheldon@isd709.org)