Crosstown High �Annual Title I & Family Engagement Meeting

Crosstown High

August 5, 2026 | 6:00 p.m. (Evening Session)

August 4, 2025 | 5:00 p.m. (Virtual Session)

Erin Johnson

Why are we here?

• The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires that each Title I school hold an annual meeting of Title I families in order to:
• inform you of your school’s participation in Title I,
• explain the requirements of Title I, and
• explain your rights as parents and family members to be involved.

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What will I learn?

• What is a Title I school?
• What are my rights?
• What can Title I funds be used for?
• How does our school use Title I funds?
• What is the SIP?
• What are our schoolwide program goals?
• How is parent and family engagement funded?
• What is the Parent and Family Engagement Policy?
• What is the School-Parent Compact?
• What curriculum does our school use?
• What tests will my child be taking?
• How can I be involved?
• Who can I contact for help?

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We will also discuss…

• Policies for Family Engagement (SCS Parent & Family Engagement Policy & Plan; School
• Reporting Pupil Progress
• Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Parent & Family Engagement Requirements
• Availability of Parent Training
• District/School Progress/School Status
• School Improvement Plan
• Opportunities for additional Parent Meetings
• Teacher Qualifications
• Parents’ Right to Know
• Notice of Title I School Status
• School/Parent Compact
• Student Code of Conduct

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What is a Title I school?

• Title I was passed in 1965 under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It is the largest federal assistance program for our nation’s schools.
• Title I schools receive extra funding (Title I dollars) from the federal government. These dollars are used to:
• identify students experiencing academic difficulties and provide assistance to help these students;
• purchase additional staff, programs, materials, and/or supplies; and
• conduct parent and family engagement meetings, trainings, events, and/or activities.

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What are my rights?

• The families and parents of Title I students have a right, by law, to:
• be involved in decisions made at both the school and district level;

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• be provided with information on your child’s level of achievement on tests in reading/language arts, writing, mathematics, and science;

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• request and receive information on the qualifications of your child’s teacher and paraprofessionals who are working with your child from Kat McRitchie – our Director of Academics – at kat.mcritchie@crosstownhigh.org

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• request opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions about the education of your child. The school is required to respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible.

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What can Title I funds be used for?

• In general, Title I funds my be used for:
• smaller class sizes,
• additional teachers and paraprofessionals,
• additional training for school staff,
• extra time for instruction (before and/or after school programs),
• parent and family engagement activities, and/or
• a variety of supplemental teaching materials, equipment, and technology.

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How does our school use Title I funds?

• In 2026-2027, our school was allotted approximately $194,771.04 in Title I funding.
• We developed a Schoolwide Program, which means we plan to spend our funds on the following:
• We use our funds for supplemental staff members. Those staff members are:
• Restorative Justice Coordinator #1
• Restorative Justice Coordinator #2
• College & Career Advisor

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What is the SIP?

• The SIP is the School Improvement Plan. It includes:
• the identification of the school planning team and how they will be engaged in the planning process;
• a needs assessment and summary of academic and non-academic data;
• prioritized goals, strategies, and action steps to help address the academic and non-academic needs of students;
• teacher and staff professional development needs; and
• budgets and the coordination of resources.
• The school must include family representatives on our school planning team. We have parents and students representatives on our school planning team this year.

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What are our schoolwide program goals?

College & Career Readiness� We will help more students feel prepared for life after high school by:

• Building stronger math skills so students are ready for college and careers.�
• Offering more opportunities for early college credit and advanced classes.�

Academics – English Language Arts (ELA)� We will:

• Use a strong, consistent curriculum in every classroom.�
• Support teachers with training to help all students grow as readers and writers.�
• Give extra help to students who need it, so more will reach or exceed grade level.

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Academics – Math� We will:

• Use a strong, consistent curriculum in every math class.�
• Support teachers with training to help all students grow in math.�
• Give extra help to students who need it, so more will show steady growth each year.�

Safe & Healthy Schools� We will:

• Work with students and families to improve attendance.�
• Reduce the number of students who miss too many days of school.

Specific Goals from School Improvement Plan:

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• College & Career: By May 2029, increase the average ACT composite score for Black, Hispanic, and Native American (BHN) students from approximately 17.7 to 20.5, reducing the achievement gap between BHN students and the schoolwide average.
• Academics:
• ELA:
• By May 2029, we will increase ELA proficiency among students with disabilities from 9.1% to 20.0% and increase Math proficiency among students with disabilities from a 0.0% baseline to 10.0%, through targeted, evidence based academic instruction, intervention, and personalized learning support.
• By May 2029, we will increase ELA proficiency among economically disadvantaged students from 23.3% to 32.0%, accelerating their rate of growth relative to recent years to prevent the achievement gap with the schoolwide average from continuing to widen, through targeted academic intervention, personalized learning support, and equitable access to instructional resources.
• Math: By May 2029, we will increase math proficiency schoolwide from a 2025-26 baseline of 11.0% to 20.0%, with corresponding gains for the Black/Hispanic/Native American subgroup (9.8% to 19.0%) and economically disadvantaged students (6.7% to 17.0%), through aligned math curriculum implementation, expanded intervention time, and targeted professional development in math instruction.

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How is parent and family engagement funded?

• Any district with a Title I allocation exceeding $500,000 is required by law to set aside 1% of it’s Title I allocation for parent and family engagement.
• Of that 1%, 10% may be reserved at the district for system-wide initiatives related to parent and family engagement. The remaining 90% must be allocated to all Title I schools in the district.
• You, as Title I parents and family members, have the right to be involved in how this money is spent.

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What is a Parent and Family Engagement Policy?

• These plans address how the district and school will implement the parent and family engagement requirements of ESSA. Components should include:
• how parents and families can be involved in decision-making and activities;
• how parent and family engagement funds are being used;
• how information and training will be provided to families; and
• how the school will build capacity in families and staff for strong parent and family engagement.
• You, as a Title I parent or family member, have the right to be involved in the development of these plans.

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What is a Parent and Family Engagement Policy?

• The Parent and Family Engagement Policy can be found on our website at

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• www.crosstownhigh.org
• The school Parent and Family Engagement Policy will be shared throughout the first quarter through parent square.

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What is a School-Parent Compact?

• A school-parent compact is a written commitment that outlines how the entire school community – teachers, families, and students will share the responsibility for improved academic achievement.
• The compact must describe how the school will:
• provide high-quality curriculum and instruction;
• hold parent-teacher conferences, annually in elementary schools;
• provide parents with reports on their child’s progress;
• provide parents reasonable access to staff.
• provide parents opportunities to volunteer; and
• ensure regular two-way meaningful communication between family members and staff, to the extent practicable, in a language family members can understand.
• You, as a Title I parent or family member, have the right to be involved in the development of the compact.

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What is a School-Parent Compact?

• The School-Parent Compact can be found on our website at:

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• www.crosstownhigh.org
• The school School Parent Compact will be shared throughout the first quarter through parent square.

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What curriculum does our school use?

• The Tennessee Academic Standards provide a common set of expectations for what students will know and be able to do at the end of a grade for each subject area.
• Tennessee's academic standards form the framework for everything taught at Crosstown High
• For more information about Tennessee’s academic standards, see:

https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/education/instruction/academic-standards.html

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Additionally, we are a project based learning school and a competency based learning school. Both of these types of learning are woven within our curriculum and Tennessee’s academic standards, as well as national standards.

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What tests will my child be taking?

• State Testing (April 2026): TN Ready testing will occur in
• Benchmark Testing (Throughout the Year): iReady benchmark testing will occur throughout the year (at least 3 times per year, sometimes more for specific students)
• AP Testing (May 2026): Students who are enrolled in AP courses will take AP exams in May 2026.
• ACT Testing (October 2025 & March 2026): 11^th & 12^th graders will take a state required ACT test during the year. 9^th graders have the option to take the Pre-ACT. 10^th Graders are all required to take the Pre-ACT. All ACT testing, minus 11^th grade, occurs in October. 11th Grade ACT testing is in March
• PSAT Testing (October 2025): All students have the option to take the PSAT and SAT.

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How can I be involved?

• We need you! Research has proven that family engagement in education has more impact on student achievement than any other factor.
• Come to our school wide events this year! Use our public calendar to join events.
• To get involved with the SIP, reach out to Mrs. Johnson at erin.johnson@crosstownhigh.org
• To get involved with the Parent and Family Engagement Policy, reach out to Ms. Williams at jasmine.Williams@crosstownhigh.org OR Mrs. Johnson at erin.johnson@crosstownhigh.org
• To get involved with the School Parent Compact, reach out to Ms. Baier at mbaier@crosstownhigh.org or reach out to Mrs. Johnson at erin.johnson@crosstownhigh.org

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How can I be involved?

• We are better with YOU involved! Here are a few ways to be and stay involved:
• Join parent square to get the most up to date information and communication
• Support your student with daily attendance
• monitoring grades and schoolwork through Canvas and reach out to teachers to ask questions
• Join teachers weekly office hours for any support needed
• attending family events and parent teacher conferences. (Backstage Pass, Yeticon, Showcase, Presentations of Learning and more)
• Volunteer at school and/or with a specific classroom as a community partner
• joining family groups and committees (e.g., Game Changers, etc._
• Visit our updated website to explore ongoing projects and follow our Instagram for learning highlights! www.crosstownhigh.org

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Who can I contact for help?

• For general questions, call the front office at: 901-401-5500
• To reach the Head of School, Mrs. Johnson - call: 901- 401-5508
• To reach the Director of Culture, Dr. Anderson – call: 901-401-5500
• To reach the School Counselors, Ms. Gregory or Ms. Abrego call: 901-401-5500
• To reach our Director of Community Life – call Ms. Williams, call: 901-401-5500
• To reach your child’s teacher, call the front office or view our staff directory at:
• www.crosstownhigh.org

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WE JUST WANT TO SAY…

THANK YOU!