Federal Programs

Coordinator of Federal Programs
Lisa Roderick, M.Ed.
contact information:
email - [email protected] 
phone - 850-973-1583

Welcome to Federal Programs

Welcome to the Office of Federal Programs.  The Federal Program Office at the Madison County School District is committed to providing a quality education for all students and timely customer service to all community and parent partners. The office and its staff are available to assist any student, parent and/or community member in understanding the role of federal grant dollars in the public schools of Madison County and the eligible Title I private schools.

Federal programs offered by the district provide a variety of services through several grants such as:  Title I, Part A;  Basic: Title I School Improvement; Title I, Part C (Migrant); Title II, Part A; Title IV Safe and Supportive Programs; Title V, Rural and Low Income; and Title IX Part C, Students in Transition. All traditional public schools in Madison County (MCHS and MCCS) implement a schoolwide Title I program. Schoolwide Title I programs allow all students enrolled in the schools to access evidence-based programs and supplemental resources to help improve academic achievement. Federal entitlement funds are used to carry out supplemental instructional activities that all students can access within schoolwide programs.

Services funded through federal entitlements and grants include: intervention services in reading, mathematics and science; computer-assisted instruction; parent services; Exceptional Student Education (ESE); career education programs; programs for homeless students; English Language programs, and the migrant education program.

Student assessment data is provided to all schools annually and made available to each parent and the community after the results of the State Assessment are released.  School grade and outcome data are available in this section of the district website.

Annual needs assessments, conducted at each school, allow the school administration, faculty, staff, students and parents input on the needs of the school and students and in the development of grant applications and parent family engagement plans. Data from the needs assessment and program evaluations are used to compliment the development of individual School Improvement Plans (SIP) and Parent and Family Engagement Plans (PFEP).  Parents are involved in decisions about activities to be included in the SIP and PFEP annually. Activities in the SIP may be funded through Title I as long as they supplement and do not supplant (replace) local or other state dollars and are allowable programmatically. In accordance with the recently reauthorized Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 that replaced the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Title I schools must employ teachers and paraprofessionals who are certificated and provide quality supplemental services.

Parent's Right to Know Statement

Parent Right To Know

At the beginning of each school year, Madison County Public School District must inform parents of each student attending a Title I, Part A school of their right to request information about the professional qualifications of both the teachers and the paraprofessionals who teach and work with their children.  The information is provided in a letter called the Parents Right to Know letter and it is in an understandable format and to the extent possible, is provided in a language the parents can understand.  In compliance with Federal Law (Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015), parents may request information regarding the professional qualifications of their child's teacher(s) and paraprofessional(s).  The information regarding the professional qualifications of a child's teacher(s) includes:
  • Certification type
  • Subject area coverage and grade level of coverage
  • Degree(s) and defined major area of work
  • Services to be provided by the paraprofessional under the direct supervision of the teacher
Federal law requires that schools receiving Title I funds hire qualified teachers and instructional paraprofessionals.  The Madison County Public School District employs certificated personnel according to the Florida Department of Education requirements.

In addition to this letter, Florida Statute 231.095 states, "When a teacher in a district school system is assigned teaching duties in a class dealing with subject matter that is outside the field in which the teacher is certified, the parents or guardians of all students in the class shall be notified in writing of such assignment."  If a child is being taught by one or more teachers or paraprofessionals that fall within this category for four weeks or more, the school will provide the child's parents with a letter of notification and the steps the school is taking to get the teacher or paraprofessional fully certified.

If parents would like to request any of the above information, please contact the principal at your child's school.  Additionally, you may contact your child's school directly regarding your child's academic progress.

Title I Requirements for Teachers and Paraprofessionals

Title I Requirements for Teachers and Paraprofessionals

Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, is designed to help disadvantaged children reach high academic standards.

One of the most important factors in raising student achievement is a high quality teacher. Research shows that teacher subject-matter knowledge is greatly associated with student learning. In this era of high standards and high expectations, having a high quality teacher has never been more important. The law requires that all teachers in the classroom be certificated. A teacher is "certificated" if the teacher has obtained full Florida teacher certification, which may include certification obtained through alternative routes to certification, or has passed the Florida teacher licensing examination and holds a license to teach in Florida.  Certificated teachers are also evaluated annually to determine their overall quality.  High quality teachers are teachers who are certificated and who also have effective or highly effective teacher evaluations using objective data such as Value Added Model (VAM) ratings or other objective measures of evaluating teacher performance if the teacher is not rated by VAM.

The Every Student Succeeds Act also requires that all paraprofessionals providing academic support and paid with Title I, Part A Basic funds must meet minimum qualifications to be identified as highly qualified.  Properly trained paraprofessionals can play important roles in improving student achievement in Title I schools where they can reinforce and augment a teacher's effort in the classroom. Title I requires that paraprofessionals meet higher standards of qualification, and ensures that students who need the most help receive instructional support only from highly qualified paraprofessionals.

There is a full array of professional learning available for all teachers and staff through the Office of Professional Learning at the district.  

School Report Cards

School Report Cards

School Public Report Cards

On this site each individual school report can be opened and reviewed. by clicking on the link below. The report provides all the necessary information about what a school's demographics are, what the educational statistics are at that school and how well the school is performing overall.  These reports are always one year behind the current school year but best reflect the demographics of each school. 

Check your child(s) school webpage for even more information about a school, and its teachers and students activities. A new interactive site to view the different components of a school and its report is provided by Florida Department of Education at: edudata.fldoe.org/ReportCards/Schools.html

FDOE State Plan with USDE

Approved Titled Grants

Annual Title I Parent Meeting

The Every Student Succeeds Act (federal law) requires Title I schools to hold an annual meeting to explain and discuss the school’s Title I programs, parents’ rights, and other school requirements.  The meeting must be held at the beginning of the school year (no later than October) and must be a meeting that is separate from open house, Parent Teacher Organizations, or School Advisory Council meetings.

Parent and Family Engagement (PFEP)

PFEP

Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policy (PFEP)

As a recipient of Title I, Part A, Basic federal funding, Madison County is required to develop and implement a districtwide Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policy (PFEP) annually. This plan, developed jointly with parents of participating children must be agreed upon and distributed.  It must contain information required by Section 1118(a)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The plan establishes the expectations for parental involvement and describes how the district will implement specific parental involvement activites. This plan is reviewed by parents every year and parent input becomes part of the upcoming school year's PFEP. In addition to the district's Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policy, each Title I school must have an individual Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policy. The individual school plans outline activities specific to the school and must be distributed annually to families of all participating children. The District's Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policy may be viewed on the upload at this site. Copies of individual school plans are available from each school.

 For specific information regarding the District's Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policy contact Lisa Roderick at 850-973-1583.

Parent Family Engagement Plans

School-Parent-Student Compact

General Expectations (NOTE:  Each district in its District Title I Parent and Family Engagement Plan (PFEP) must establish the district’s expectations for parental involvement.  [Section 1118(a) (2), ESEA.]   Those programs, activities and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children.   

Consistent with section 1118, the school district will work with its schools to ensure that the required school-level parental involvement policies meet the requirements of section 1118(b) of the ESEA, and each will include a school-parent compact consistent with section 1118(d) of the ESEA.

The school district will be governed by the following statutory definition of parental involvement, and expects that its Title I schools will carry out programs, activities and procedures in accordance with this definition:  Parental involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring—

(A)  that parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning;

(B) that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school;

(C) that parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist  in the education of their child; (D)  the carrying out of other activities, such as those described in section 1118 of the ESEA. 

Each school receiving funds under Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) must develop a written school-parent compact jointly with parents for all children participating in Title I, Part A activities, services, and programs.  That compact is part of the school’s written parental involvement policy developed by the school and parents under section 1118(b) of the ESEA.  The compact must outline how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the State’s high standards.   Schools and parents, in consultation with students, are encouraged to include other relevant and agreed upon activities and actions as well that will support effective parental involvement and strengthen student academic achievement.  Schools at the elementary level must discuss the compact with parents at annual parent-teacher conferences.

Student-Parent Compact English and Spanish

Title I Climate Survey

Positive school climate must be a shared mission, created and sustained by students, parents, and school staff, and supported by the community. Efforts to improve school climate must be an integral part of school improvement plans in order to have a positive and sustainable effect. Too often, fragmented solutions are implemented, are marginalized in the school, and improvements are short-lived. In order to achieve meaningful and sustainable improvements, schools must have a clear sense of their vision and goals. Schools also need to understand the barriers to learning that their students experience beyond the school and address those barriers before students can achieve and thrive.

Using a school climate survey to collect school climate perception data from students, school staff, and families is the first step in creating a positive school climate. Survey results can provide schools with information about how each group of individuals perceives conditions for learning. Such information can then be used to design prevention and intervention programs specific to the needs of the school community.

School climate encompasses the quality and character of school life, reflecting norms, values, relationships, and organizational structures within a school. It's a crucial factor in shaping student outcomes and experiences. A positive school climate is characterized by high levels of respect, safety, social and emotional support, and a shared vision among stakeholders. Core components include school safety, strong relationships, effective teaching and learning, and a healthy, welcoming external environment.

School climate surveys are valuable tools for gathering feedback from students, teachers, staff, and families to understand their experiences and perspectives. This data can inform initiatives and interventions aimed at improving school climate.

Climate Survey documents

Private Schools

Private Schools

Private schools must be registered with Florida Department of Education (FDOE) to become eligible to receive federal services.  Before determining which children attending private schools are eligible, all private schools in the district are invited to participate in a district-wide meeting to explain the components of all federal programs available at the district.  Once a private school chooses to participate they will enter into meaningful consultation with the district private school specialist to design and develop the district's program for eligible private school children.  At these meetings, the district and the private school officials will consult, (at a minimum) about:

  • how the district will identify the needs of eligible private school children;
  • what services are available to eligible private school children;
  • how and when the district will make decisions about the delivery of services;
  • how, where, and by whom the district will provide services to eligible private school children, including a discussion of service delivery mechanisms that can be used;
  • how the district will assess academically the services to eligible private school children and how the district will use the results of the evaluation to improve Title I services;
  • the size and scope of equitable services that the district will provide to eligible private school students, including the proportion of funding that the district will allocate for these services;
  • the control of any equipment or materials supplied by the district to be used for eligible private school children;
  • the method or sources of data that the district will use to determine the number of private school children from low-income families residing in participating public school attendance areas
  • the equitable services the district will provide to the teachers and families of participating private school children 
  • timelines for consultation
  • methods of feedback from private schools
  • LEA & state complaint process, and
  • LEA-wide activities

The annual meeting is usually scheduled in the fall of the first semester of each school year.  Individual consultations begin the next month and continue monthly in order to get all the criteria established so that services can start by the beginning of the next school year.

For more information about participation by private schools please call TBD 850-973-1565.  For more information about registered Florida private schools go to:
http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/Information/Private School Directory/Default.aspx

Private Schools in Madison County with Eligible Students Participating In Title I, Part A Basic, 2025-26
None at this time 

Madison County works closely with other adjacent counties to provide Title I services to identified Title I students from Madison County who are attending private schools in other adjacent counties.  Services for Madison County students in adjacent county private schools are provided through Madison County's Federal Programs Office. 

ESSA Complaint Procedure

ESSA Complaint Process

Title I, Part A Basic is a federally funded program that must adhere to the rules and regulations set forth by both the U.S. Department of Education and the Florida Department of Education. Every effort is made to ensure compliance with the regulations and satisfaction with Title I services.

If a parent has a concern or complaint about federal programs, they should contact TBD at 850-973-1565.  TBD will start an investigation into what the issues and facts are and try to assist in resolving these issues at the district level.  In the event that a concerned participant feels that services or resolution of concerns from the district level have not met expectations, procedures are in place to address concerns at the state level. This link details the procedures to be followed to file a complaint.

http://www.fldoe.org/policy/cie/file-a-complaint.stml

Private Schools in Madison County with Eligible Students Participating In Title I, Part A Basic, 2025-2026
None at this time

Private School Complaint Form

School Advisory Council

What is a School Advisory Council?

The School Advisory Council (SAC) is a team of people representing various segments of the community, parents, teachers, students, administrators, support staff, business/ industry people and other interested community members. The purpose of a SAC is to assist in the preparation and evaluation (developing and evaluating) of the results of the school improvement plan and to assist the principal with the annual school budget. Additionally, SAC receives funds "to be used at the discretion of the School Advisory Committee, if the Legislature funds Discretionary Lottery projects. A portion of the money should be used for implementing the school improvement plan."  "The improvement plan shall include performance indicators which are measurable."  "Funding for use by the School Advisory Councils should be allocated directly to the School Advisory Councils, should be clearly earmarked for their use and is not subject to override by the Principal or interim approvals by school district staff. These moneys may be expended only on programs or projects selected by the school advisory council.  These moneys may not be used for capital improvements."

Each school in the State of Florida must have a SAC.  By law, each SAC must be composed of the principal and an appropriately balanced number of stakeholders.  These individuals must be representative of the ethnic, racial and economic makeup of the community served by the school. High schools and vocational technical centers must have students on the SACs. Middle and junior high schools may to include students on their SAC.   The majority of SAC members (over 50 percent) must not be employed by the school district on whose SAC they serve.

"The whole point of school improvement is data-driven decision making. The process is to be fairly simple and straight forward: The SAC reviews relevant data (which is much more than test scores), identifies problem areas, develops improvement strategies, monitors their implementation, and then starts the whole process over when the next round of data is available."