Under Title I, local educational agencies (LEAs) are required to provide services for eligible private school students, as well as eligible public school students. In particular, §1120 of Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), requires a participating LEA to provide eligible children attending private elementary and secondary schools, their teachers, and their families with Title I services or other benefits that are equitable to those provided to eligible public school children, their teachers, and their families.
The Title I services for private school students must be developed in consultation with officials of the private schools. The NCLB strengthened these requirements by, among other things, requiring meetings with private school officials and a written affirmation signed by private school officials that the required consultation has occurred.
The amount of Title I funds allocated to each participating public school attendance area is determined mainly on the basis of the total number of low-income students—both public and private-- residing in each area. Expenditures for private school students in each area generally are determined based on the proportion of students from low-income families residing in that area who attend private school.
The Title I services provided by the LEA for private school participants are designed to meet their educational needs and supplement the educational services provided by the private school. These services may be provided by the LEA, or by a contractor who is independent of the private school and any religious organization. Title I services or benefits must be secular, neutral, and nonideological.
(U.S. Department of Education, 2003, p. 5-6)
