Page 106 - HCSD SOPandIC Manual

EQUITABLE SERVICES – N1 through N4
Policy IDDA

The ESSA, 2015 requires public school districts to provide equitable educational services to eligible
private school students, their teachers, and families with Title program services that are equitable to those
provided to eligible public-school children, their teachers, and their families. HCSD will use Federal
funds in accordance with the established requirement of the grant(s) to provide benefits to eligible
children enrolled in private schools and to ensure that teachers and families of participating private school
children take part on an equitable basis.

Identification of Private Schools
To receive Title program funds, a private/non-public school must be nonprofit. Under 34 C.F.R. 77.1,
non-profit means that an agency, organization, or institution is owned and operated by one or more
corporations or associations whose net earnings do not benefit and cannot lawfully benefit any private
shareholder or entity. Title programs available to private schools are: Title I, Part A, Title II, Part A, Title
III, Part A, Title IV, Part A and Title IV, Part B.

1. The Federal Program Director (FPD) and the Director of Exceptional Services (DES) will verify the
“non-profit” status of private schools using the MS Secretary of State’s website tools.

2. The FPD and DES will search for any new eligible private schools in the attendance area by using one
or more of the following:
• Newspaper ads
• Google searches
• Public library postings
• Post office postings
• Local convenience stores
• Neighborhood community centers, etc.

Private School Eligibility – Title I
To be eligible for Title I services, a private school child must be entitled to a free public education
through grade 12 and not over the age of 21; and/or be a child who is not yet at a grade level at which the
local educational agency provides a free public education.

The students must also reside in a participating public school attendance area and must be identified as
having the greatest need for special assistance. (See Section 1115(b) of ESSA, 2015). These students are
selected for services based on multiple, educationally related, objective criteria.

In addition, certain children may be eligible under other criteria: for example, economically
disadvantaged children, children with disabilities, migrant children, English learners, homeless, neglected
or delinquent children, children who have two years of participation in Head Start, and children in the
literacy program under subpart 2 of Part B of Title II, or in preschool services under Title I.

Eligible Students
To be eligible for equitable services, private/non-public school students must:
• Attend a not-for-profit private/non-public school;
• Reside in a Title I participating public school attendance area of Hinds County School District
(regardless of whether the private/non-public school that the student attends is located in the
LEA); and
• Be identified through multiple educationally related objective criteria;

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