ABSTRACT
Since the 1970s, Title I has been by far the federal government’s largest investment in elementary and secondary education for children in impoverished communities. At about $8 billion per year, it serves approximately 10.5 million children in 50,000 schools (U.S. Department of Education, 1998). A key reason for the popularity of Title I has been its broad reach, with 95% of school districts receiving Title I funds (U.S. Department of Education, 1993a). Yet this support is eroding. In 1997, the U.S. Senate passed (by a single vote) a bill that would have transformed Title I from a categorical program for students placed at risk to a block grant program with few restrictions on its use. This bill did not prevail, but sentiment in favor of block grants remains strong among a significant minority in Congress. In contrast to its rapid growth during the 1980s and early 1990s, funding for Title I has been more or less stagnant in recent years-this during good economic times. An economic downturn or other changes could seriously threaten the existence of Title I.
