Federal Programs

• Title I Reading and Math Program
• Title III/English Language Learners (ELL)
• Native American Education: Title VII/JOM
• No Child Left Behind

• Title I Reading and Math Program
Title I is a federally funded, supplemental program intended for the elementary level. All Title I programs in Broken Arrow are targeted assisted sites. The goal of the Title I Programs is to assist students who are able to make gains in skill development, and to promote a positive self concept with a positive attitude toward learning.

The objective of the Title I reading program is to enhance the students’ reading skills at their instructional level by combining all language abilities to include speaking, writing and thinking. Basic skill development (phonological awareness, phonics, sight words, word meaning, etc.) is strongly emphasized. Promoting comprehension is a major priority for all teachers. Skills such as identifying main ideas and facts and details, sequencing, predicting, inferring, comparing and evaluating information that has been read are reinforced.

The Title I Math program provides high-quality, research based curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment. This enables the participating children to meet the State’s student academic standards. These standards are achieved through: 1) using curriculum which has been aligned with all district and state PASS objectives, 2) using research based methods and materials, 3) working with students both in small group settings and partnering with teachers in inclusion settings and 4) supporting teachers through district teacher training.

The Title I ELL program provides a high quality education program for English Language Learners at our four regional sites. The four sites are Arrowhead, Lynn Wood, Rhoades and Westwood. Our curriculum goals are enhancing language acquisition and reading development. This will be accomplished by establishing a supportive and effective learning environment, along with alignment of our district and state objectives.

Student referrals are usually made by the homeroom teacher and are based on classroom performance and results from standardized tests. In addition, a parent may request that a screening be administered due to concerns they may have regarding their child’s skill level in reading or math.

We encourage parental involvement at both the district and site levels and we always welcome active participation.

Broken Arrow Public Schools is fortunate to have strong Title I reading, math and ELL programs. Based on the percentage of students qualifying for the free and reduced lunch programs, eight Broken Arrow schools received federal funding. This funding supplements, but may not supplant, state and local funds allocated for the provision of additional reading, math and ELL programs.

Each school having a Title I Program has a reading specialist. Six schools have either a math specialist or one or two ELL teacher and one school has both. These staff members are able to provide additional reading, math or language acquisition instruction, beyond the regular classroom, to any students qualifying for support in those areas. The Title I reading and math specialists and ELL teachers are valuable resources to be utilized by their schools to improve curriculum and instructional strategies.

Supporting and increasing parental involvement is another aspect of the Title I programs that makes them valuable assets to Broken Arrow Schools. Throughout the school year, informative reading and math activities that involve the entire family are provided at each site.

The federally funded Title I Program is another positive feature that makes Broken Arrow schools a place "Where Excellence Is a Tradition." Arrow Springs, Arrowhead, Indian Springs, Lynn Wood, Oak Crest, Rhoades, Vandever and Westwood are the eight Broken Arrow Title I elementary schools.

• Title III/ English Language Learners Program

We want to raise our children so that they can take a sense of pleasure in both their own heritage and the diversity of others. – Mister Rogers

Broken Arrow Public Schools offers English Language Learner (ELL) services to all English Language Learners in grades Kindergarten through twelfth grade.  The mission statement of the Title III ELL Program is:

To provide high quality, research-based English language instruction in order to engage ELL students in English language development and grade-level academic standards.

Identification and Assessment of English Language Learners

All students complete a Home Language Survey upon enrollment.  If a language other than English is spoken in the home the student is assessed with the ACCESS for ELLs language proficiency test to determine the student’s level of language proficiency per the Title III requirements of No Child Left Behind 2001.  Students are identified as English Language Learners and eligible for ELL services if the overall score is below 4.8.

Reassessment and Exiting of English Language Learners

English Language Learners are reassessed each spring with the ACCESS for ELLs test per Title III of NCLB.  When a student scores an overall score of 4.8 or higher the student is reclassified as Fluent English Proficient (FEP). 

FEP students are conditionally exited from ELL services and placed on monitor status for two full academic years immediately following the proficient score.  Once the two year monitoring phase has been completed successfully the student is formally exited from all ELL services.

Parent Notification

Parents will be notified of their student’s ACCESS for ELLs test score by the district.  Per Title III of NCLB, parents have the right to decline for their student to participate in ELL services by completing a Waiver Form, available upon written request to the ELL Center.  Although parents can decline for their students to participate in ELL services, students identified as ELLs cannot be waived from participating in the annual ACCESS for ELLs test.

English Language Learner Programs

Broken Arrow Public Schools offers ELL programs for students in grades Kindergarten thru 12th grade throughout the school day as well as supplemental services such as after-school tutoring and summer school, as funding permits.  All district teachers have participated in Sheltered Instruction training which equips them with language learning strategies to use with high-proficiency level ELL students in general education classes as well.

Elementary ELL Programs

Middle School ELL Programs

Intermediate High School and High School ELL Programs

Parental Rights and Responsibilities

Research shows that children who are literate in their first language perform much better in school than children who are not literate in their first language.  Please continue to interact with your children in your first language and to encourage them to become bilingual.

• Native American Education

Why does Broken Arrow Public Schools Need Native American Educational Assistance?

•••The Federal Government has a legal obligation to provide educational assistance to American Indians derived from treaties made during relocation.

•••According to the 2000 Census, Oklahoma has the second highest population of American Indians in the nation.

•••The Tulsa area contains more than 30,227 American Indians.

•••Among national studies of eighth graders, Native Americans were found to be more “At Risk” than any other ethnic group.

•••National studies show 30% of Native American students repeat a year of school.

•••National studies show one-third performed below basic proficiency levels in mathematics and reading.

Title VII Program
Title VII is a federally funded program through the Department of Education operating within the Office of Indian Education in Washington, D.C. Broken Arrow Public Schools administer the program for this school district. All students of Native American descent (with or without proof) are eligible. Income levels have nothing to do with this federal program.

Services:

* Title VII After School Tutoring

*Title VII Supplemental Math teachers located at all five middle schools

*Title VII Supplemental Math teacher located at BAHS, serving NIHS, and SIHS

Paperwork required:

Parent must fill out a 506 form (available at Title VII/JOM Office lcoated at Central On Main)


Johnson O'Malley Program (JOM)
J.O.M. is a federally funded program through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Subcontracts are through the Muskogee (Creek) Nation’s Education Department. Broken Arrow Public Schools administer the program for this school district. All students who have a Certificate Degree of Indian Blood card (CDIB) or whose parent(s) hold a CDIB card are eligible. Income levels have nothing to do with this federal program. Read the By-laws HERE.

Services:

*Summer/Night school tuition reimbursement (secondary-core subjects)

*Elementary cultural summer school (grades 3-5)

*ACT/SAT fee paid (one time junior year and one time senior year)

*Basic school supplies in August. (Call for reservations: 251-5316, Ext. 2)

*After school tutoring

*College tour to Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas (juniors and seniors) every other year

*College Prep Course (juniors and seniors)

Paperwork required:

Option 1
1. 506 Form (available at Title VII/JOM Office located at Central On Main)
2. Student’s CDIB card

Option 2
1. 506 Form
2. Copy of parent’s CDIB card
3. Student’s birth certificate


Meetings
• Title VII
September 8, 2008- 6 p.m.- Central On Main

• JOM
September 9, 2008- 6 p.m.- Central On Main

For more information contact:
Jana Roth, Coordinator
Central on Main
210 N. Main Street
Broken Arrow, OK 74012
(918) 251-5316


IMPORTANT LINKS:

Tribal Website Information

Tribal Colleges and Universities

How To Trace Indian Ancestry

Facts About American Indian Today


• No Child Left Behind
•What is the President Bush’s NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT OF 2001 and how will it affect Broken Arrow Public Schools?
This act is the most sweeping reform of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act since it was originally created in 1965. It redefines the federal role in K-12 education and hopes to help close the achievement gap between disadvantaged and minority students and their peers. The new law is based on four basic principals: stronger accountability for results, increased flexibility and local control, expanded options for parents, and emphasis on teaching methods that have been proven to work. In addition, this act, which is also referred to by many as H.R.1, hopes to create a greater connection between materials of instruction and how those materials are assessed.

•How will Broken Arrow be assessed?
Each school and school district in Oklahoma (including all Broken Arrow Public Schools sites) will be given a report card. Oklahoma’s version of the report card is called the Academic Performance Index (API), which relies heavily on the results of state test scores in various subjects to determine a school’s API score.

•How are student achievement levels classified by this law?
Students will be classified as "Basic", "Proficient", or "Advanced". The goal of H.R.1 is to get EVERY student in EVERY school up to "Proficient" status by the year 2013. Each state is building a plan that is being submitted to Secretary of Education Rod Paige for approval. That plan must include assessment in grades 3-8 for reading and mathematics. By 2006, assessments for science will go into effect.

•What is BAPS doing to insure that minority students who don’t speak English as a first language will be able to achieve "Proficient" status in all subjects as H.R. 1 requires by the year 2013?
Students who speak languages other than English are classified as English Language Learners (ELL). Broken Arrow Public Schools will offer a structured English Immersion Program with pullout instruction focusing on English skills. With H.R.1 requirements in mind, BAPS has named Madeline Gilbreth as the district’s Limited English Proficiency program coordinator, which addresses the needs of ELL students. The former Arrow Springs Elementary teacher has taught ELL students in the Houston area and will oversee the BAPS program that is rapidly growing in number of students. 5 years ago there were only 86 students who spoke languages other than English enrolled in the district. As of August 10, 2002, there are 443 ELL students representing 27 different languages enrolled in the district for the 2002-2003 school year. The Limited English Proficiency program is housed at Sequoyah Middle School.

•Is BAPS on target to achieve H.R. 1 requirements in the coming years?
"Broken Arrow Public Schools has been ahead of the curve in Oklahoma on preparing for H.R. 1," said BAPS Superintendent Dr. Jim Sisney. "We have focused much of our energy on putting structures and systems together that will allow us to have a close connection among our instruction, our written curriculum and the assessments in each program. H.R. 1 will create challenges in planning but will result in learning opportunities for our students. Because of our excellent instructional staff, we are confident that our students will meet and exceed the requirements of H.R. 1."