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MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Laura Blackmon <br />County Manager <br />FR(_)A~I: James Spivey <br />DATE: June 05, 2007 <br />RE: Apri123, 2007 A~Iemo: Hillsborough ~Y, Central Elementary Schools <br />VtW e understand that concern has been voiced that errors of fact may be referenced in the April 23, <br />2007 A~Iemorandum regarding Hillsborough and Central Elementary Schools. The "errors of fact" <br />consisted of vieFVS expressed by communit3r members during a. Human Relations Commission meeting an <br />the topic of Title I School Improvement Status and its implications. The views expressed were not <br />intended to represent the opinion of County staff, nor did staff subject the community's statements to <br />independent verification since the issue was determined to be beyond the purview of the HRC. <br />However, to help ensure information conveyed to the HRC and BOCC about Title I Schaol <br />Improvement Status is technically correct, I contacted Dr. Belinda Black, Coordinator of Na Child Left <br />Behind, Schaal and District Improvement Sanctions Division of the North Carolina Department of Public <br />Instruction. I asked Dr. Black to clarify three (3) questions: 1) If an elementary school does not pass the <br />Annual Yearly Progress {AYP) assessment, does that school became Title I School Improvement Status?; <br />2) With a designation of Title I School Improvement Status, does this designation mean the State <br />Department of Instruction will monitor and manage that school?; and 3) With this clesignatian, will <br />students be allowed to transfer to any other school in the School District, with the associated <br />transportation cast borne by the Schaal District? <br />Dr. Black responded as follows: <br />1. If a Title I school does not make AYP for two consecutive years in the same subject (either reading or <br />math), it moves into a level of sanction called Year 1 of School Improvement. <br />2. 11jot necessarily. Title I schools in Year 1 of school improvement must amend their school <br />improvement plans to address the school's performance shortcomings under RrCLB. They must also <br />offer public school choice and the district must provide transportation jor the students who choose to <br />transfer. The district will determine which school(s) isiare provided as transfer options. The district <br />should provide technical assistance to help bring the school out of improvement. The state Title 1 <br />office may offer technical assistance if requested. <br />3. The District will determine if there is another school or schools that the students may transfer to. <br />There should be at least two options provided, but sometimes that is not possible. In some instances, <br />only one option for transfer is prati~ided. In certain rare instances, there may be no school to which <br />students can t~°ansfe~°. Yes, the dist7°ict is responsible for p~°oviding transpo~°tation. <br />I believe Dr. Black's clarification addresses the fundamental concerns regarding Title I School <br />Improvement Status. Please let me know if additional information is required. <br />Ij es <br />xc: I~lembers, Human Relations Commission <br />