From the Director’s Desk

Parents and Members of the Community,

As Federal Programs Director, the staff and I are working collaboratively with administrators, teachers and parents with continuing efforts to provide the children of East Carroll with effective and innovative programs. With the passage of the Improving America's Schools Act in October 1994, Chapter I once again reverted to Title I, as it was known from its inception in 1965. Again in 2001, mandates brought about the No Child Left Behind Act and placed greater emphasis on reaching impoverished children and improving the teaching and learning opportunities for all children. Title I is now the integral part and the driving force for the East Carroll Parish School District in meeting the demands of the No Child Left Behind Act.

In East Carroll, Title I serves all students in six schools (public and nonpublic). The program’s sufficient size, scope, and quality give reasonable promise of progress toward meeting the educational needs of students being served. Reviews of test data indicate ample evidence of progress in the areas of reading and mathematics. The District can boast about its exceptional academic growth in 2003-2004. Three of its schools’ Growth Label was Exemplary Academic Growth and one was labeled Recognized Academic Growth. Title I provides a State of the Arts Parent Center that affords parents the opportunity for training. Each school has two Labs with research-based software Plato and MTS software, comprehensive and individualized trained to be computer driven programs, for instruction. Also, all Computer Labs and classrooms have Internet capabilities which give students access to a wealth of other resources which includes research sites, and other approved instructional websites. As director, it is my goal to provide our teachers and students with the best available labs and research-based programs so that ‘No Child Is Left Behind.” On April 11, 2004, Title 1 will celebrate its Fortieth (40) Anniversary. Although across the years, the program was known as Title I, Chapter I, Improving America School Act and now No Child Left Behind, this program makes an impact on education and student achievement for the children of East Carroll Parish.

Helen Millikin, Federal Programs Director