Federal Programs

Federal Programs in the Mifflin County School District

The Federal Programs Office is responsible for Title I, Title II, Title III and Title IV programs as well as other state and federal grants. The Coordinator of Federal Programs, Mr. Frank W. Miller, supervises Federal Programs staff, writes and supervises state and federal grants, and develops program budgets on an annual basis. Mrs. Amanda Kaniecki supports Mr. Miller, as the Federal Programs secretary.

Title I, Title II, Title III and Title IV are the largest federally-funded programs in the nation and provide the district with annual funding to raise student achievement. The district will receive approximately $3,311,550 in funding for the 2024-2025 school year.

Title I currently serves all four K-3 elementary schools within the Mifflin County School District: East Derry Elementary, Indian Valley Elementary, Lewistown Elementary, and Strodes Mills Elementary. Title I funds also serve students at Sacred Heart School, Belleville Mennonite School, Our Lady of Victory, and Mifflin County Christian Academy. The Schoolwide Title I programs offered in our K-3 buildings offer comprehensive programming to assist all students in meeting grade level reading and mathematics expectations. Supplemental instruction is provided to academically needy students in reading and mathematics as determined by each school’s schoolwide plan. Teachers, principals, parents, families, Chief Academic Officer and the Federal Programs Coordinator work as a team at each school to review the needs of students at the school and annually update the Schoolwide plans so that the school can accomplish its mission of ensuring that all students meet grade level goals in reading and mathematics.

The Title II program (staff development and class size reduction) is integrated with Title I to provide comprehensive, ongoing staff development driven by an annual professional development needs assessment survey. Title II funds also support four class size reduction teachers at the primary level in the Mifflin County School District.

The Title III (ESL) program desires to provide a program for each student whose dominant language is not English for the purpose of facilitating student achievement in English proficiency and the academic standards. Mifflin County School District offers a pull out Structured English Immersion program model to EL students. This shall include appropriate placement in an EL program tailored to meet the needs of each student to enable him/her to be successful in the mainstream classroom, the school environment, and the community at large. All students in the MCSD who 1) first acquired a language other than English; 2) live in a home where a language other than English is the dominant language; or 3) speak a language other than English can be eligible for EL services. Instruction will take place in the EL classroom, content classes, and/or pull out/push in instruction for EL students in grades K-12. Educational practices for EL students mirror approaches used throughout the district in the mainstream classroom. The EL program provides intensive instruction of the English language. All instruction is conducted in English, and students are grouped according to language needs when possible, as well as appropriate grade levels.

Title IV funds are to be used to focus district efforts on safe and healthy students, and how technology can be integrated into schools to improve teaching and learning in addition to emphasizing access to a well-rounded education that includes a wide variety of disciplines. The Mifflin County School District has earmarked Title IV funds to help support an additional elementary guidance counselor, advanced placement test examination fees for low income students, and SMARTBoard training for our K-12 staff.

Title programs are designed to enhance student learning, improve instruction and to create safe and supportive schools. We welcome your input and insight into our programming. Please do not hesitate to contact our office.

How schools qualify for Title I service in Mifflin County School District

The Title I program was established by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESSA) of 1965, and its purpose is to provide supplemental services to children in schools that have a greater than normal percentage of economically disadvantaged students. School eligibility is established during the preceding school year. School eligibility is based on the poverty level in a school’s attendance area. If the percentage of economically disadvantaged students in a school is 35% or more, the school becomes eligible to offer Title I services. When a school becomes eligible, students who lack proficiency in reading and/or math are eligible for services. Schools with 40% or more economically disadvantaged students can qualify to operate schoolwide programs.

The Schoolwide Title I programs offered in our K-3 buildings offer comprehensive programming to assist all students in meeting grade level reading and mathematics expectations. Supplemental instruction is provided to academically needy students in reading and mathematics as determined by each school’s schoolwide plan. Teachers, principals, parents, families, Chief Academic Officer and the Federal Programs Coordinator work as a team at each school to review the needs of students at the school and annually update the Schoolwide plans so that the school can accomplish its mission of ensuring that all students meet grade level goals in reading and mathematics.