The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was passed in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson and reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) by President Barack Obama in 2015.

Title I, Part A (Title I) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESEA), provides financial assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards. 

The purpose of Title I is to provide all children with significant opportunities to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps.  To accomplish this, schools conduct a comprehensive needs assessment annually to examine data, identify challenges, and determine root causes to develop a School Improvement Plan (SIP).  School improvement activities, supported with Title I funds, address prioritized needs, program objectives, and intended outcomes. The engagement of parents and families strengthens the educational program, is supported by Title I, and is an important component of the school improvement process.