Title I

Evan Clapsaddle
Title, Director of Federal Programs
Email Evan Clapsaddle
(828) 488-3129 ext.5144

Please view our Parent and Family Engagement (PFE) District plan and more information here in English or in Spanish.

For a brief overview of Swain County Schools Title Program funds and uses for 2023-2024 school year, please click this link.

Swain County Schools - ANNUAL PUBLIC NOTICE for Federal Programs

The Swain County Schools 2023-2024 ESSA Title I application - Improving Basic Programs, will be available for public review from July 26-28, 2023 and may also be viewed (after approval by North Carolina Department of Public Instruction) at:

http://www.swain.k12.nc.us/title1/

This project will be open to public review and comments in the office of Evan Clapsaddle, Federal Programs Director located at the Swain County Central Office, 50 Main Street, Office 224, Bryson City, NC. Title I is a federally-funded program that provides all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps. All comments will be considered prior to submission of the amended Project to the NCDPI in Raleigh, NC.

Swain County Schools will host the Annual Public Meeting for our Federal Programs on Monday, July 28, 2023 from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. at Swain County Central Office # 223. Anyone interested in knowing more about our programs is welcome. The following federal programs will be available for review, questions or comments:

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA):
Title I, Part A, Improving Basic Programs
Title II, Part A, Supporting Effective Instruction
Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment
Title IV, Part B, 21st Century Community Learning Centers
Title V, Part B, Rural Education Initiative
Title VI, Part A, Indian Education

Other Federal Programs:
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Education for Homeless Children and Youth
IDEA, Part B, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - 611 and 619
Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act

Title I History & Additional Information

Title I funding began as a part of the Great Society Program of President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 under the ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act.) The intent of the law was to provide services to students who had needs that were not addressed in any other funding – those who were not handicapped but who were not working up to their grade placement. This law continued until 1980, when ECIA (Education Consolidation and Improvement Act) was enacted, continuing the same basic provisions as ESEA. 1994 saw another change for this funding to IASA (Improving America’s School’s Act). The major changes to this legislation came in two forms: allotting funding to school on the basis of number of low-income students rather than number of those who could not read, and making selection of students more school-based. Title I ESEA was in operation from 1965-1980. Chapter I ECIA was in operation from 1980-1994. Chapter 1 ECIA became Title I IASA, in 1994. In the 2001 reauthorization, Title I is referred to as “No Child Left Behind.” In December 2015 new federal legislation was approved entitled ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act). This legislation now replaces No Child Left Behind. States are now required to develop their own ESSA plan to comply with the federal law. The state plan will address issues of school accountability, student assessments, support for struggling schools, and other elements. The new law continues focus on accountability and student-level assessments for all students in reading and mathematics in grades 3-8, science assessments at least once in the elementary grades and at least once in the middle grades, college and career readiness in the high school grades, and being accountable for all student subgroups. More information on ESSA may be found at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/succeeds/

FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act)

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C.1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their childrens’ education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.”

Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student’s education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies.

Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records that they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information.

Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions:

  • School officials with legitimate education interest

  • Other schools to which a student is transferring

  • Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes

  • Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student

  • Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school

  • Accrediting organizations

  • To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena

  • Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies

  • State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific state law.

Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory” information such as a student’s name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.

Swain County’s Title I Schools:
Swain County East Elementary School
Swain County West Elementary School
Swain County Middle School

Swain County Schools Released School and District Report Cards

Across the state of North Carolina, public schools release each year the NC School Report Cards. School and district report cards provide school, district, and state comparison information on four general topics, profiles, high student performance, safe/orderly/caring schools, and quality teachers/administrators. The profiles include information on school size, average class size, and use of funds. High student performance provides information on overall student EOG/EOC performance and trends. Safe/orderly/and caring schools reports data on disciplinary issues plus attendance, media and technology. The Quality Teachers/Administrators section details teacher and administrators license and qualification information.

Current NC State Report Cards may be viewed or printed by clicking here or go straight to Swain County Schools’ NC Report Cards here.

2022-2023 NC Report cards and additional data is available: https://ncreports.ondemand.sas.com/src/?county=Swain