The LEA is required to use the same measure of poverty to determine the eligibility of educationally and economically disadvantaged students. The following measures individually or in composite are used to determine Title I eligibility with respect to all school attendance areas in the district:

1. The number of children ages 5 through 17 in poverty counted in the most recent census data approved by the USDE.
2. The number of children eligible for free and reduced-price lunches under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.
3. The number of children in families receiving Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) assistance under the state program funded under Title IV, Part A of the Social Security Act.
4. The number of children eligible to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid program.
5. A composite of such indicators, with respect to all school attendance areas in the local
   These measures of poverty are used for the following:

(A) To identify eligible school attendance areas.
(B) To determine the ranking of each area.
(C) To determine allocations under subsection 1113(c).

Exception: This does not apply to an LEA with a total enrollment of less than 1,000 children.
(* The same method should be used for each grade span when determining poverty criteria.)

Source:
Eligible School Attendance Area: http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/pg2.html#sec1113

Inquire Further

Title I, Part A Sec. 1113