Title I, the largest federally funded education program, provides resources to eligible school districts. Title I staff assist districts and schools in their efforts to provide services that address identified student needs. Programs use scientifically based research methods to enable low performing students to achieve State learning standards.

The expanded opportunity in Title I for school wide programs is designed to increase significantly the opportunities of schools, districts, and states to raise the achievement of all students, but particularly those who have always been beneficiaries of Title I: poor children, low-achieving children, homeless children, migrant children, children who are neglected or at risk of dropping out of school, and limited English proficient children. Consolidating all funds within a school for comprehensive planning and reform can more effectively lift the achievement of those who are farthest behind, as long as schools understand their responsibility to serve every student and to expect every student to learn.

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is the main federal education law. The goal of NCLB is to improve the academic achievement of all students in the nation's public school. This law has a special interest in closing the achievement gap. Some parts of NCLB apply to all public schools, but some apply only to Title I schools. The Title I program-the largest part of NCLB-gives extra money to schools with high numbers of students from low-income families. All schools must improve under NCLB. But only low-performing schools that receive Title I funding must offer free Supplemental Educational Services to eligible low-income children.