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Home - Harford County Public Schools

Title I Grant Services

Proud to be Title I


Contact:
Title I Office
102 South Hickory Avenue
Bel Air, MD 21014
Map and Directions 		Tammy Bosley
Title I Supervisor
410-638-4618
Tammy.Bosley@hcps.org

Mission Statement
The mission of Title I in Harford County Public Schools is to ensure academic achievement for at-risk students attending schools in high poverty areas.
We Believe In:
  • Implementing research-based instructional practice
  • Utilizing additional resources in instruction
  • Involving parents and community
About Title I Schools

Title I is intended to help ensure that all children in the program have the opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach proficiency on challenging state academic standards and assessments. Title I targets resources to schools where the needs are greatest.

High-poverty elementary schools (those with 49.5 percent or more direct certified students) are eligible to adopt Title I programs to raise the achievement of low-achieving students by improving instruction.

There are 2 types of Title I programs:

Targeted Assistance Program  - When a school becomes a Title I school, the school must operate a Targeted Assistance program for two years. During these two years, the additional funds are used to focus on a targeted group of students the school has identified. After implementing the Targeted Assistance program for two years, the school may choose to operate a Schoolwide Program by developing a Schoolwide plan. Title I Targeted Assistance Schools pamphlet 

Schoolwide Program  - All students can receive additional services. No student identification is made that renders them eligible or ineligible for services, thus the Title I funds serve all children. Students identified as most at risk are given additional assistance.

Side by Side comparison of Title I Schoolwide program vs Targeted Assistance Programs 

The use of effective instructional strategies such as, Do The Math, I Station , extended-day, and extended-year programs, addresses the needs of students/parents in schools.

Title I Resources:
General Info



2024-2025 Title I Participating Schools

School # Name Designation Address Phone Number
12 Bakerfield Elementary School Schoolwide  36 Baker Street
Aberdeen, MD 21001 		410-273-5518
15 Edgewood Elementary School Schoolwide  2100 Cedar Drive
Edgewood, MD 21040 		410-612-1540
20 Deerfield Elementary School Schoolwide  2307 Willoughby Beach Road
Edgewood, MD 21040 		410-612-1535
11 George D. Lisby Elementary School @ Hillsdale Schoolwide  810 Edmund Street
Aberdeen, MD 21001 		410-273-5530
30 Hall's Cross Roads Elementary School Schoolwide  203 East Bel Air Avenue
Aberdeen, MD 21001 		410-273-5524
37 Joppatowne Elementary School Schoolwide  407 Trimble Road
Joppa MD 21085 		410-612-1546
31 Magnolia Elementary School Schoolwide  901 Trimble Road
Joppa, MD 21085 		410-612-1553
43 Riverside Elementary School Schoolwide  221 Stillmeadow Drive
Joppa, MD 21085 		410-612-1560
40 Old Post Road Elementary School Schoolwide  2706 Old Philadelphia Road
Abingdon, MD 21009 		410-612-2033
Intermediate Building

410-612-1566
Primary Building



Parent Involvement




Frequently Asked Questions

Click the Questions in the categories below for Answers:

Title I Schools – General Information

Title I Schools – Targeted Assistance Program

Title I Schools – Schoolwide Program

Title I Schools – General Information


    Q:   What is a Title I school?
    A:  Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) has 33 Elementary schools. Of this number, 9 are designated as Title I for 2024-2025.

    The identification of a school for Title I status is based upon one thing and one thing only—the poverty level of the families and students who reside in the attendance area of the school. The designation as a Title I school has nothing to do with the academic level of the students in the school. It is strictly and solely based on the economics of the surrounding area.
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    Q:   What are my rights as parents?
    A:  Parents are encouraged to provide input on the development of the Parent Involvement Plan and Parent-School Compact; provide input on how parent involvement funds should be spent; provide input on how school staff can work with parents as equal partners in their child’s educational process; volunteer at their child’s school; and participate in parent-teacher conferences.
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    Q:   Is there a Side by Side comparison of the Title I Schoolwide program vs the Targeted Assistance Program?
    A:  Yes. A Side by Side comparison of the benefits of Title I Schoolwide program vs the document is available. 
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    Q:   How are schools in Harford County selected to be Title I?
    A:  The law requires each school system to use a standardized measure to determine the poverty level of each school’s attendance zone. One of those options is the free-lunch count. In HCPS Schools, the percentage of free-lunch students determines whether or not a school is eligible to receive the added resources of Title I funding.
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    Q:   How does that happen?
    A:  Each year there are two critical dates that determine the school’s poverty level. The first date is September 30th. That is the date on which the school’s official enrollment is recorded. The second critical date is October 31st. That is the date on which the free-lunch eligibility of all students in the school is determined. Those two numbers, enrollment and free-lunch, are then used to calculate a ratio or percentage known as the school’s Poverty Index. The two dates of September 30th and October 31st are established by regulations. The dates cannot be changed and the same dates must be used for all of the schools in the school system.
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    Q:   Can you provide an example of how a Poverty Index ratio is calculated?
    A:  On September 30th a school’s enrollment has officially been recorded at 400 students. On the following October 31st (one month later), after all of the lunch applications have been collected and recorded, that school has 300 students eligible for free-lunch, 50 students eligible for reduced-lunch, and the remaining 50 students ineligible for any lunch subsidy. The Poverty Index is then calculated by dividing the free-lunch number (300) by the enrollment number (400). When you divide 300 by 400 the result is 75%. Therefore, this school’s Poverty Index is 75% (300 divided by 400 equals 75%).
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Title I Schools – Targeted Assistance Program


    Q:   What is a Title I Targeted Assistance Program?
    A:  When a school becomes a Title I school, the school must operate a Targeted Assistance program for two years. During these two years, the additional funds are used to focus on a targeted group of students the school has identified. After implementing the Targeted Assistance program for two years, the school may choose to operate a Schoolwide Program by developing a Schoolwide plan.

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    Q:   How does the Targeted Assistance Program benefit my child?
    A:  The program provides additional funds to support the achievement of students at-risk of not achieving state standards by providing targeted students with extended learning opportunities using small group Instruction and access to supplemental resources.
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    Q:   What are the requirements of this grant?
    A:  In addition to spending the funds for student achievement of targeted students, the school also has a parent involvement obligation amount that must be spent on parent involvement activities for parents of Targeted Assistance students.

    These activities should build:
    parent capacity to assist in their child's education,
    parent-school communication, and
    parent, school, and community partnerships.
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    Q:   Is there a pamphlet available in which I can get more information?
    A:  Yes, a HCPS Title I Targeted Assistance Schools pamphlet is available. 
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Title I Schools – Schoolwide Program


    Q:   What is a Title I Schoolwide Program?
    A:  All students can receive additional services. No student identification is made that renders them eligible or ineligible for services. Students identified as most at risk are given additional assistance.
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    Q:   How does the Schoolwide Program benefit my child?
    A:  Program promotes improved instruction for all students and constitutes comprehensive school reform. Title I funds are used to provide professional development for all staff to support all students.
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    Q:   What are the requirements for a school to be a Title I Schoolwide Program?
    A:  The requirements for eligibility for a Schoolwide Program are:
    • Must have been a Targeted Assistance School (TAS) for at least two years
    • Meet state approval for moving from TAS to Schoolwide.
    • Meet annual Poverty rate % cut-off (can vary each year)
    • Meet annual Grade Span being serviced (elementary, middle, high)
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