Federal Programs

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides financial assistance through state education agencies (SEAs) to local education agencies (LEAs) and public schools with the highest percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Title I funds may be used for children from preschool through grade 12.

More information on Title I, Part A

Annual Title I PowerPoint

Title I, Part D consists of 2 discretionary subparts.  Subpart 1 is the State Agency (SA) formula grant program, while Subpart 2 is the Local Education Agency (LEA).

More information on Title I, Part D (Delinquent)

The purpose of Title II, Part A at HPS is to increase student academic achievement consistent with the challenging state academic standards; improve the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school leaders; increase the number of teachers, principals, and other school leaders who are effective in improving student academic achievement in schools; and provide low-income and minority students greater access to effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders.

More information on Title II

Title III of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 provides Federal financial support to state and local educational agencies to supplement English language instruction to ensure that all English Language Learners, including immigrant children and youth, attain English proficiency, develop high levels of academic language proficiency in English, and meet the same challenging State academic achievement standards as all Mississippi students are expected to meet.

More information on Title III, Part A - EL & Immigrant Children and Youth

The purpose of the Title IV-A Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grant is to improve students’ academic achievement by increasing the capacity of States, local educational agencies, schools, and local communities to provide all students with access to a well-rounded education, improve school conditions for student learning, and improve the use of technology in order to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students.

More information on Title IV, Part A

The Mississippi Department of Education is dedicated to ensuring each child who is homeless has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education available to other students. This commitment includes services to preschool students and unaccompanied youth who are homeless.

Grants for the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program are awarded to local educational agencies on a competitive, yearly basis. The funding source of these awards is Title IX, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act.  School districts may also reserve a portion of their Title I Part A funds to meet the needs of homeless students.

These grants provide activities that enable these students to enroll, attend, and succeed in school. These services might include before or after-school tutoring, supplemental instruction, and enriched educational activities. Activities may be provided on school grounds or at other facilities that can effectively meet the needs of students who are homeless.

More information on Title IX, Part Al - Homeless Education

The following definition of homeless is given in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
(Title X, Part C of the No Child Left Behind Act – Sec 725):
The term “homeless children and youth” – Means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and
adequate nighttime residence; and

Includes:

1.  Children and youth who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship or similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement;
2. Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
3. Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and Migratory children who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (1) through (3).
4. Unaccompanied youth (emancipated) include youth in a homeless situation who are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.

A student who is in a home for Child Protection Services (CPS) placement or in
Foster Care does not qualify as homeless. (There are still protections for children
in foster care, however).

Note: Once a student is classified as homeless, they remain classified and are eligible for
services for the entire year.

2024-25 McKinney Vento Handbook 

Homeless Parent Brochure (English)

Homeless Parent Brochure (Spanish)

Homeless Parent Poster (English)

Homeless Parent Poster (Espanol)

Homeless Youth Poster (English)

Homeless Youth Poster (Espanol)

Student Handbook (English)

Student Handbook (Spanish)

The purpose of Parent and Family Engagement under Title I, Part A is to provide support to schools, family, and the community in the development of partnerships and building relationships.  Parent and Family Engagement focuses on increasing active participation, communication, and collaboration between all stakeholders, reaching beyond barriers of culture, language, disabilities, and poverty to improve education and other important outcomes for children, youth, and adults.

HPS Parent and Family Engagement Policy

MDE English Learners Resources

HPS English Learners Plan

Parent Letter (English)

Parent Letter (Español)

Student Handbook (Español)

HPS Foster Care Plan

MDE and MDCPS Foster Care Guidance

Mississippi Department of Education Foster Care Point of Contact

twilliams@mdek12.org

Hattiesburg Public Schools Foster Care Point of Contact

chavis.bradford@hattiesburgpsd.com