Born during the Civil Rights Movement, the program was supposed to bolster learning to offer an escape from poverty. That goal was never met
For almost 60 years, the federal government has imposed itself into the affairs of local schools and districts through its Title I program. The American people, both conservatives and progressives, have pushed back and demonstrated that they value local control of education. It is time to pare back or even end this program, as it is ill-suited to the emerging reformation in education policy occurring in state capitals and local school districts nationwide.
Nobly born at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Title I was originally construed as a funding stream to be targeted to a specific group of young people: those attending public or private schools with a high percentage of students from lower income families. Its laudable ideal, as expressed by then-President Lyndon Johnson, was that “poverty will no longer be a bar to learning, and learning shall offer an escape from poverty. … For this truly is the key which can unlock the door to a great society.” As I demonstrate in my new Manhattan Institute report, that goal was never met. Over the decades, Title I was repeatedly modified and now emphasizes general school improvement efforts while requiring states to measure student achievement and academic differences across racial and economic groups.
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Ray Domanico is a senior fellow and director of education policy at the Manhattan Institute. Based on a recent issue brief.
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