Support Services

Title I

Pan American Academy Charter School has a school-wide Title I program. Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) provides financial assistance to states and school districts to meet the needs of educationally at-risk students.

The goal of Title I is to provide extra instructional services and activities which support students identified as failing or most at risk of failing the state’s challenging performance standards in mathematics, reading, and writing.

For federal Right to Know documentation, view PANAM Title I.

What will Title I do for my child?

The Title I program will provide students with extra educational assistance beyond the regular classroom.

Which schools does Title I serve?

The program serves students in our lower, middle, and upper schools who have demonstrated that extra assistance is needed.

How does our school receive Title I money?

First, the federal government provides funding to each state. Then, each State Educational Agency sends money to its school districts. How much money our school receives is determined by the number of low-income students enrolled in our school.

Who qualifies for the Title I program?

Pan American Academy Charter School, a PA Charter School has a school-wide Title I Program. Students do NOT have to be from low-income families to receive Title I services. We set goals for improving the skills of educationally disadvantaged students at our school and supplement regular classroom instruction.

What do Title I programs generally offer?

• Smaller classes or special instructional spaces
• Additional specialty teachers and aides
• Opportunities for professional development for school staff
• Extra time for teaching Title I students the skills they need
• A variety of supplementary teaching methods
• Additional teaching materials which supplement a student’s regular instruction

We need you! Research shows that how well students do in school depends a great deal upon how much their parents/guardians get involved in their education.

How can I become more involved?

• Monitor homework and grades
• Attend parent-teacher conferences
• Support school extra-curricular activities and sports
• Volunteer at the school
• Communicate with your child’s teacher regularly by writing notes, email, or by phone
• Keep your child’s teacher informed about events in his or her life which may affect performance at school
• Reinforce to your child that a good education will improve his or her future and that is truly why we are all here

McKinney-Vento Act

In 1987, Congress passed the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, (subsequently renamed the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act) to aid homeless persons. The Act defines the term “homeless children and youths” as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. On December 10, 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was enacted, amending McKinney-Vento.

What is the definition of a “homeless youth” under McKinney-Vento? “Homeless” is defined as “anyone lacking a fixed, adequate, regular nighttime residence.”

What situations fit this definition?

• Staying in the home of other people due to unavailable housing, financial hardship, or similar circumstances
• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks (in some instances – examples: leaking roof, no heat, etc.), public places, or campgrounds due to unavailable suitable housing options
• Living in an emergency shelter or transitional housing
• Unaccompanied (not living in direct care of legal parent or guardian) or runaway youth
• Refugee and migrant youth

Who Are Unaccompanied Homeless Youth in Pennsylvania? 

Unaccompanied homeless youth (UHY) are children and youth who lack fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian including:

• Runaway children and youth. 
• Children and youth forced out of their homes/told to leave by parent/guardian. 
• Children and youth living in shelters, including domestic violence shelters. 
• School-aged parents living in houses for school-aged parents without other housing options. 
• Migratory children and youth. 
• Children and youth who enter the country without their parent/legal guardian and/or for any other reasons have been separated from them (i.e. na

The McKinney-Vento liaison at PAACS is Ms. Lorna. As the McKinney-Vento Liaison, she is responsible for ensuring that our school is supporting the students and families protected by the McKinney-Vento Homelessness Act. For more information and/or guidance, she can be reached at lconcepcion@panamacs.org.