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Some kids need a little extra time and a smaller group to lock in the basics — reading, writing, math. Title I (federal) and LAP (state) are how we pay for that. Same staff, same support, no paperwork for families, no labels — just more time with the right teacher in the early grades.
Student Services / Title I & LAP · Reading & Math Support · Always Free
Some kids need a little extra time and a smaller group to lock in the basics — reading, writing, math. Title I (federal) and LAP (state) are how we pay for that. Same staff, same support, no paperwork for families, no labels — just more time with the right teacher in the early grades.
Title I, Part A is a federal program that helps schools serving lower-income communities give every student a real chance at grade-level skills. The dollars come through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and follow the district's free-and-reduced lunch numbers. In Montesano, Title I funds run as a school-wide program at Beacon Elementary, where most of our early-grade reading and math support lives.
Learning Assistance Program (LAP) is the state-funded counterpart, defined under RCW 28A.165. It supplements core instruction for students who are not yet meeting grade-level standards in reading, writing, math, or readiness skills. LAP and Title I serve overlapping needs, so we've braided them together — same intervention staff, same small groups, same data — with the funding stream invisible to families.
Both programs sit inside our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) as Tier 2 (targeted) and Tier 3 (intensive) support. Background on each program is on OSPI's Title I page and OSPI's LAP page.
We don't use a single test cutoff. Eligibility is built from multiple measures — fall and winter iReady or similar diagnostic screeners, classroom performance, and teacher input. A student who's scoring below grade-level standard in English language arts or math, or who the team thinks is at risk of falling behind, becomes a candidate for support.
Most of our intervention work focuses on kindergarten through third grade, because that's where the research says the return on extra reading and math time is highest. We do extend support to older grades when the data calls for it.
Title I and LAP students get small-group instruction (usually three to six kids) led by a certificated intervention specialist, alongside their regular classroom teacher. Sessions are short, frequent, and aimed at specific skills — phonics, fluency, comprehension, number sense, fact families. Most are inside the regular school day; a few are before or after school for older students.
Progress is tracked every few weeks. Groups change as kids master skills and as new data comes in. The goal is to move a student out of intervention as soon as they're back at grade-level — not to keep them in indefinitely.
Families don't need to apply. Building teams identify candidates from screening data, propose intervention groups, and notify parents in writing before services begin. If you'd like to ask about your child specifically — whether they're already getting support, or whether they should be — email Shawn Grubb (sgrubb@monteschools.org) or call your child's school directly. Beacon's office is at (360) 249-4528.
Under federal Title I rules, parents in a Title I school have specific information rights:
Just call the office and ask. We'll get the answer to you in writing within a few days.
Beacon's annual Title I parent meeting happens each fall. We talk through what Title I services look like that year, the school's improvement plan, how progress will be measured and reported back to families, and how parents can be involved. Our written parent and family engagement policy is available at the office; ask any time.
If you believe Title I, LAP, or any other federal or state program is being run in a way that's out of compliance, you can file a citizen complaint with OSPI. There's no special form — a written description of the concern is enough — and the district has 30 days to respond. We'd much rather hear from you first so we can fix it together, but the option exists and we'll tell you how to use it.
Will my child be pulled out of class? Sometimes. Most LAP and Title I work happens in the regular classroom, but small-group pull-out is common in the early grades because that's where the data says it works best. We try to schedule pull-outs around specials and other things kids care about.
Is this special education? No. Title I and LAP are general-education academic supports. Some students are in both Title I/LAP and special education; those are separate processes.
Will my child stay in this forever? No. Most kids who receive Title I or LAP support exit within a year or two as their skills catch up. Re-entry is also fine — some students cycle back in for a quarter when a tougher skill comes up. The point is the help, not the label.
Does my child need a specific test score to qualify? No single test decides. We use multiple measures so a student who tests poorly on one day isn't locked out, and a student who guesses well one morning isn't accidentally passed over.
Shawn Grubb, Reading & Math Interventionist sgrubb@monteschools.org
Most Title I and LAP work happens at Beacon, which is our school-wide Title I site.
(360) 249-4528
(360) 249-1233