McCargar Elected National President of Title I Association

Nashville, TN – Tennessee Executive Director of Federal Programs Julie McCargar
this week assumed presidency of the National Association of State Title I Directors.
Dr. McCargar oversees statewide implementation of No Child Left Behind, including
the largest federally funded education program - Title I. The NASTID is holding
its 2008 National Title I Conference in Nashville through Sunday drawing approximately
4,000 attendees and nationally renowned education experts.

“Each and every student, regardless of race and economic situation, deserves
great teachers, high expectations and the very best resources we can provide,”
said Governor Phil Bredesen. “We must rise to the challenge to ensure every
child receives a quality education, has access to excellent teachers, and leaves
school with the tools to be a success in the world on whatever path he or she
chooses to follow.”

Title I serves students who come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds
or who attend a high-poverty school. Tennessee designed its pre-K program to
first serve such at-risk students so they could enter Kindergarten with the
same foundational learning skills as their peers. Tennessee also infused more
than $86 million new dollars into local education funding largely to boost
programs and resources for at-risk students.

Dr. McCargar was selected by the U.S. Secretary of Education to chair the
Appalachian Regional Advisory Council and was one of three state Title I directors
chosen for a federal Reading First pilot program. She also obtained a $1 million
grant to implement the Baldridge in Education program, which helped turn one
of Tennessee’s lowest performing schools into a nationally recognized Blue
Ribbon School. Dr. McCargar has 30 years experience in education, 15 of which
have been with Tennessee’s department of education.

“Dr. McCargar is a tenacious advocate for improving educational opportunities
for the students served by Title I,” Deputy Education Commissioner Tim Webb
said. “Her dedication and professionalism will be a tremendous asset in her
new role. Clearly she is as well-respected by her peers nationwide as by her
colleagues in Tennessee.”

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.