Overview:
Title I funding is essential for supporting the academic, emotional, and behavioral needs of students in high-poverty alternative schools, and proposed federal cuts threaten to dismantle the critical services that help these vulnerable learners thrive.
As an educator in a Title I alternative school, I see students walk inside each morning, burdened by far more than textbooks. They carry trauma, learning disabilities, food insecurity, unstable home lives, and a deep sense that school has never truly welcomed them. Yet with focused, trustworthy support, I’ve watched those same young people grow, achieve, and slowly start to believe in themselves again.
That support doesn’t come from thin air; it rides in with federal programs such as Title I funds for classroom supplies and early interventions, Title II dollars for professional training that keeps classes small, and IDEA money for specialized services our students with disabilities need. But the GOPs proposed One Big Beautiful Bill Act threatens to slash billions from programs like those, leaving schools like mine scrambling to stay open, let alone treat every child fairly.
Calling this bill “beautiful” misses the daily mess it would actually drop on classrooms around the country. Far from elegant, it quietly unravels the very supports that help our most at-risk kids stand a little taller.
Jason DeJiacomo
The Realities of a Title 1 Alternative School
At my school, almost every student gets free or reduced lunch. Many families are just one paycheck-or-one missed rent notice away from losing their homes. We take in young people who were pushed out of traditional schools because of tough behavior, unsteady mental health, or learning needs that no one bothered to fix. Our small team leans hard on federal dollars so we can give one-on-one lessons, emotional check-ins, trained counselors, aide support, and even that late-afternoon tutoring that keeps kids engaged.
I keep thinking about one kid in particular—let’s call him Marcus. When he first walked through our doors, he was furious, quiet, and well behind his classmates. He’d been shuffled between foster homes, missed months of class, and collected more suspensions than anyone should ever face. But at our school, he found something different: a counselor who checked on him every morning (funded through IDEA), a teacher trained in trauma-sensitive methods (thanks to Title II money), and a classroom aide who gently kept him on task.
Today Marcus is not just on track to graduate; he’s tutoring younger kids and dreaming of a career in youth outreach. Under the proposed bill, all those touchpoints-the small moments that helped him heal-could disappear. Our budget cannot absorb the cuts, and we do not have a wealthy PTA or a big corporate donor waiting in the wings. Without steady federal support, kids like Marcus will slip back to the edges where they started.
The Widening Gap
What bothers me most is the widening gap between what lawmakers promise and what kids actually experience in classrooms. Politicians keep saying that slashing federal money gives districts more freedom and makes spending leaner. That reasoning sounds tidy, but it assumes every district starts on an equal footing. In high-poverty towns, local control really means choosing between saving a school counselor or a reading coach, or between paying for basic paper and offering urgent mental health care.
For alternative schools-the last stop for many kids on the brink of dropping out-there simply is no extra budgetary cushion. Every teacher, every supply, every service backed by Title I or IDEA is the bare minimum these students can count on. Federal dollars in this context are not perks; they are a public promise that every child, no matter where they live or how they learn, deserves a fair shot at a strong education.
That’s why I worry that timing will slam post-pandemic recovery even harder. We are still rebuilding student trust, stamina, and emotional strength after COVID-19 tore through homes and classrooms. Pulling support now sends a cruel message-that their bounce-back doesnt matter, and that their futures are worth less than the cost of a program, rule, or line in a budget spreadsheet.
Protecting Students in Title 1 Schools
As a Christian teacher, I keep hearing Proverbs 31:9 telling us to “defend the rights of the poor and needy.” That command sits heavy on my heart every day I walk into a Title I classroom. Protecting these kids is more than one policy goal among others; it feels like a sacred duty. We have to speak up when their stories get buried under budget cuts and election cycles.
The One Big Beautiful Bill may sound cheerful, but its math pushes more families to the sidelines. Slashing programs that give low-income students a fair start cannot possibly build the stronger America we all want. If lawmakers truly care about family, freedom, and true opportunity, they must show it now by stable, generous funding for public schools. Dollars spent on classrooms are the most honest vote of confidence they can cast.
My students do not ask for perfection or miraculous test scores. They ask for adults who show up again and again and believe learning is a team journey. They need working tablets, summer reading camps, and counselors who listen, not half-plans that disappear after the headlines fade. I urge every decision-maker to visit our hallways, hear the laughter and the struggle, and then direct resources toward the promise, not away from it.
About the Author: Jason DeJiacomo
Jason DeJiacomo is a passionate educator, coach, and advocate for student development, currently serving as a Graduation Coach and the Director of Golf at Gainesville High School in Georgia. With more than a decade of experience across K–12 and higher education, Jason blends his background in business leadership and academic coaching to support students both in the classroom and on the field.
Holding an MBA from Berry College, a Specialist from Liberty University, and multiple teaching certifications—including CTAE, Health & PE, Social Studies, and Educational Leadership—Jason brings a multifaceted perspective to today’s educational challenges. He has taught and mentored students in traditional and alternative settings, including his current role at Horizon Academy, where he supports at-risk youth through career development, leadership instruction, and personal growth initiatives.
Jason’s writing focuses on educational leadership, student motivation, and the intersection of athletics and academics. Drawing on his experience in coaching, business ownership, and school reform, his contributions aim to elevate conversations about equity, engagement, and student-centered success.
As a doctoral student in Educational Leadership at Liberty University, Jason continues to explore the connection between school culture, effective leadership, and teacher retention—especially within nontraditional learning environments. His mission is rooted in empowering educators and students alike through practical insight and heart-driven leadership.
You can find Jason on the sidelines of a golf match, leading professional development, or writing about the real-life triumphs and trials of today’s educators.
