Federal Programs are funded through Title I, II, III, IV, and IX of the Every Student Succeeds Act and provide support for students that fall into the economically disadvantaged category. The purpose is to try to level the playing field and give all students equitable access to resources. These programs provide academic intervention, services for homeless and neglected students, computer access, and services for English Learners.

Use the resources at the bottom of this page for information pertaining to homeless students, students who speak limited English, immigrant students and family engagement plans. For additional assistance, contact John Hutchins, Director of Federal Programs .

View our School Improvement Plans.

 

 

JOHN HUTCHINS, Ed.S.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SCHOOLS FOR OPERATIONS

email:  john.hutchins@ecschools.net

office:  423-547-8000 ext. 8214

 

FEDERAL PROGRAMS SUPPORT STAFF

 

 

 

EMILY HARGIS: 

LANGUAGE SUPPORT LIAISON & LEAD ESL TEACHER

CONTACT INFORMATION:

email:  emily.hargis@ecschools.net         

cell:  423-895-0004

 

 

 

REBECCA "BECKY" WAGNER:

SPECIAL POPULATIONS LIAISON (HOMELESS, FOSTER, MIGRANT, & IMMIGRANT)

CONTACT INFORMATION:

email: rebecca.wagner@ecschools.net  

office:  423-547-8000 ext. 8229  

cell:  423-707-4856

 

 

 

MARSHA TAYLOR:

FEDERAL PROGRAMS ASSISTANT, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT LIAISON & TITLE I-N SUPERVISOR

CONTACT INFORMATION:

email:  marsha.taylor@ecschools.net  

office: 423-547-8000 ext. 8230

Cell:  423-656-1569

ECS FEDERAL FUNDING:

Title I - A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides financial assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Title I-A Neglected funds are generated by the number of students that are enrolled in non-public facilities within our district.  Neglected facilities are a public or private residential facilities other than a foster home, operated primarily for the care of children who have been committed or placed in the institution due to abandonment, neglect, or death of their parents.We currently have two facillities we partner with... the Elizabethton Academy, and the East Tennessee Childrens Home. 

Title II - A  funds are used to increase student academic achievement through strategies such as improving teacher and principal quality and increasing the number of highly qualified teachers in the classrooms and highly qualified principals and assistant principals in schools.

Title III - helps ensure that English learners (ELs) attain English language proficiency and meet state academic standards.

 

FEDERAL PROGRAMS SERVICES 

AT A GLANCE

 

ENGLISH LANGUAGE SERVICES:

English learners (ELs) are assessed each year with an assessment called ACCESS 2.0. (Note: Tennessee has partnered with an non-profit organization called WIDA since 2014-15 in order to measure the English proficiency levels of EL students. ACCESS 2.0 is a WIDA-developed assessment.)

The results from ACCESS 2.0 are used in accountability measures and to provide districts with information to determine EL placement in courses; student results on ACCESS 2.0 guide decisions regarding student participation in content area classrooms, as well as their need for English as a Second Language (ESL) services. Results from this assessment also provide districts and schools with valuable information to evaluate the effectiveness of their programming and support for ELs.

For additional information and resources, visit WIDA’s website. Specific Tennessee guidance is available here.

Additional Links:

English as a Second Language Manual

English Learner Framework   

Supporting Long-Term English Learners: A Guide

U.S. Ed English Learner Toolkit

For more information, please select the link below. It will take you to the Tennessee Department of Education's English Learner website.

https://www.tn.gov/education/student-support/english-learners.html

For more information regarding language services, please contact:

EMILY HARGIS: 

LANGUAGE SUPPORT LIAISON & LEAD ESL TEACHER

CONTACT INFORMATION:

email:  emily.hargis@ecschools.net         

cell:  423-895-0004

HOMELESS STUDENT SERVICES - FOR STUDENTS IN TRANSITION

The purpose of the Tennessee Homeless Education Program is to develop educational programs that meet the unique needs of homeless children and youth. Because homeless children face many obstacles to an appropriate education, such as lack of transportation and resources, frequent school changes, loss of school records, and emotional stress, special programs are necessary.

The Homeless Education Program is designed to facilitate the enrollment, attendance and success of homeless children and youth in Tennessee schools. All school districts in Tennessee are required to provide needed services to homeless children. The department receives funding for the program through the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Grant Program. The department distributes grants competitively to local education agencies (LEAs) that have developed programs that document effective collaboration among school districts and service providers to ensure that homeless children in that district receive needed services.

Homeless Education as defined by the McKinney-Vento Act states that “homeless children and youth” are individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. McKinney-Vento also includes children and youth who are:

• sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason (sometimes referred to as doubled-up);
• living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations;
• living in emergency or transitional shelters; - abandoned in hospitals; or awaiting foster care placement;
• Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;
• Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and 
• Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above. 

Use the resources to the right of this page to find information pertaining to students who speak limited English, are seeking to register for school, but lack a fixed, regular, adequate nightime residence. 

Assistance & Services Provided

Elizabethton City Schools currently serve more than 100 students as "Homeless" or as Students in Transition. We can provide assistance in several ways:

• Removing Barriers to enrollment in school

• Tutoring Services

• Transportation

 

MIGRANT STUDENT SERVICES

The Migrant Education Program (MEP) is authorized by Part C of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). Grants provided through ESEA assist states in improving educational opportunities for migratory children to help them succeed in the regular school program, meet the same State academic content and student academic achievement standards that all children are expected to meet, and graduate from high school.

The program aims at identifying and servicing children between the ages of 3 and 21 who are, or whose parents or spouses are, migratory agricultural workers, including migratory dairy workers, or migratory fishermen, and who, in the preceding 36 months, traveled across division/state lines in order to obtain, or accompanied such parents or spouses, in order to obtain, temporary or seasonal employment in agricultural or fishing activity.

The general purpose of the MEP is to ensure that migratory children fully benefit from the same free public education provided to other children. More specifically, the purposes of the MEP are to:

• Support high-quality and comprehensive educational programs for migratory children in order to reduce the educational disruption and other problems that result from repeated moves;
• Ensure that migratory children who move among the States are not penalized in any manner by disparities among the States in curriculum, graduation requirements, and State academic content and student academic achievement standards;
• Ensure that migratory children are provided with appropriate educational services (including supportive services) that address their special needs in a coordinated and efficient manner;
• Ensure that migratory children receive full and appropriate opportunities to meet the same challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards that all children are expected to meet;
• Design programs to help migratory children overcome educational disruption, cultural and language barriers, social isolation, various health-related problems, and other factors that inhibit their ability to do well in school, and to prepare them to make a successful transition to postsecondary education or employment; and
• Ensure that migratory children benefit from State and local systemic reforms.

If you have any questions regarding this program, please contact:

BECKY WAGNER:

SPECIAL POPULATIONS LIAISON (HOMELESS, FOSTER, MIGRANT, & IMMIGRANT)

CONTACT INFORMATION:

email:  rebecca.wagner@ecschools.net  

office:  423-547-8000 ext. 8229  

cell:  423-707-4856

 

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT SERVICES:

Since 2001, the definition of parental involvement has broadened, now including any adult in a child’s life, and calls for families to be full partners with school staff and other members of the community in the work of creating and sustaining high-performing schools.

Over 40 years of research is clear—when schools, families, and communities work together to support learning, students do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more. Regardless of income or background, research has shown that students with involved families:

• earn better grades and test scores;
• enroll in higher-level courses and programs;
• are more likely to be promoted, pass their classes, and earn credits;
• have better school attendance;
• show improved behavior and have better social skills; and
• graduate and go on to postsecondary education.

 

The department has developed a series of resources focused on Title I, Parent and Family Engagement. These resources contain numerous tools to help districts and schools meet federal regulations while also focusing on building strong partnerships with parents and families. Districts are encouraged to share and utilize these resources in all Title I schools.

 

NEW PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT RESOURCES:

• Make the Connection: Creating an Effective School-Parent Compact
• Developing a Written Parent and Family Engagement Policy: A Guide for Districts and Schools
• Annual Title I Meeting - Questions & Answers
• Annual Title I Meeting – Meeting Presentation Template

 

If you have any questions regarding this program, please contact:

MARSHA TAYLOR:

FEDERAL PROGRAMS ASSISTANT, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT LIAISON & TITLE I-N SUPERVISOR

CONTACT INFORMATION:

email:  marsha.taylor@ecschools.net  

office: 423-547-8000 ext. 8230

Cell:  423-656-1569

 

National Center for Homeless Education

Connecting Schools and Displaced Students Handbook Series

• Download After the Storm: Information for Parents on How Schools Can Help After Disasters (A Handbook for Parents)

• Download Disaster Relief Agencies and Schools: Working Together to Ensure School Enrollment and Success (A Handbook for Local Liaisons and State Coordinators)
• Download From the School Office to the Classroom: Strategies for Enrolling and Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness (A Handbook for Local Liaisons, Enrollment Staff, and District Administrators)
• Download School as a Safety Net: Connecting Displaced Children With Educational and Support Services (A Handbook for Relief Agency Staff and Volunteers)

Visit the NCHE website.

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Federal Homeless Resources 

1. American Red Cross Disaster Tools and Resources
   This disaster and safety library from the American Red Cross will assist community members in preparing their homes, schools, and workplaces in the event of a disaster or emergency. The webpage includes fact sheets, preparedness checklists, recovery guides, and other helpful information to keep communities informed and safe.
   Visit the Disaster Tools and Resources webpage.
    
2. DisasterAssistance.gov: The Nation's First Stop for Disaster Relief
   This U.S. government website enables citizens to locate and apply for disaster relief.
   Visit the website.
    
3. Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA)
   FEMA's website provides disaster victims with information on how to access a variety of support services, including government benefits, hotlines for finding loved ones, and more.
   Visit the website.
   Additional FEMA resources:
   National Disaster Housing Resource Center
   National Disaster Recovery Framework