PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENT: COMMENTS PERIOD OPENS FOR WAIVER OF ESEA SECTION 1113(a)(3)-(4) AND(c)(1) THAT REQUIRES AN LEA TO SERVE ELIGIBLE SCHOOLS UNDER TITLE I, PART A IN RANK ORDER OF POVERTY AND TO ALLOCATE TITLE I, PART A FUNDS BASED ON THAT RANKING
For Immediate Release Contact: Tina McKnight, 410.767.0286
Baltimore, MD (March 14, 2014)
The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is requesting a three-year waiver of the requirements in ESEA Section 1113(a)(3)-(4) and (c)(1) that requires an LEA to serve eligible schools under Title I in rank order of poverty and to allocate Title I, Part A funds based on that rank ordering.
Maryland is making this request to allow local educational agencies (LEAs) within Maryland with Title I-eligible School Improvement Grant (SIG) 1003(g) funded Tier II middle or high schools, which are now identified as Priority schools, to be served with Title I, Part A funds at the conclusion of their SIG 1003(g) grant periods even if that school does not rank sufficiently high to be served. In the absence of this waiver, an LEA with schools currently being served with SIG 1003(g) funds would no longer be able to access federal funds to support their Priority schools' reform initiatives under Maryland's approved ESEA Flexibility Plan.
Maryland believes that the requested waiver will allow the LEAs to access Title I, Part A funding and Title I, 1003(a) funding to provide financial support to continue the interventions and school reform initiatives initiated with SIG 1003(g) funds that will result in an increase in the quality of instruction for students and improved academic achievement so that the Priority schools can reduce their percentage of non-proficient students for each of their subgroups, and overall, by half in the upcoming three years (2017).
Maryland has identified the following schools for which this waiver will apply:
| Local Education Agency | School Name | School NCES ID # | Priority SIG I or II |
| Baltimore City | Augusta Fells Savage Institute Of Visual Arts | 240009001387 | Priority SIG I |
| Baltimore City | Frederick Douglass High | 240009000209 | Priority SIG II |
| Baltimore City | Benjamin Franklin High School @ Masonville Cove | 240009000157 | Priority SIG II |
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| Prince George's County | Oxon Hill MS | 240051001471 | Priority SIG II |
| Prince George's County | Thomas Johnson MS | 240051001175 | Priority SIG II |
| Prince George's County | Thurgood Marshall MS | 240051001465 | Priority SIG I |
Maryland hereby assures that, if it is granted the requested waiver, Maryland will implement the waiver only with respect to those LEAs that have Tier II, SIG I or SIG II high schools or middle schools that are Title I eligible who request this waiver in writing, and provide an assurance that they will meet all statutory and regulatory requirements related to Maryland's ESEA Flexibility Plan, Title I, Part A, and Title I, 1003(a) Grant requirements.
Written comments will only be accepted from March 14 through March 28, 2014.
Comments must be addressed to:
Tina McKnight, Interim Director
Program Improvement and Family Support Branch
Division of Student, Family and School Support
200 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
OR
tmcknight@msde.state.md.us
If you have any concerns regarding this notice, please do not hesitate to contact Tina McKnight by phone at 410.767.0286.
Thank you for your consideration.