Purpose
The Board recognizes that parental involvement contributes to the achievement of academic standards by students participating in Title I programs. The Board views the education of students as a cooperative effort among the school, parents/guardians and community.
Definition
Title I is a Federally-funded supplemental education program. Title I program funds are provided to help children meet the state content and performance standards in reading, language arts, and/or mathematics.
Authority
In compliance with federal law, the district and parents/guardians of students participating in Title I programs shall jointly develop and agree upon written parental involvement procedures. The district shall ensure the procedures describe how the district will:
- Involve parents/guardians in the joint development of the district’s overall Title I plan and the process of school review and improvement.
- Provide the coordination, technical assistance and other support necessary to assist participating schools in planning and implementing effective parental involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance.
- Develop activities that promote the schools’ and parents’/guardians’ capacity for strong parental involvement.
- Coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies with appropriate programs, as provided by law.
- Involve parents/guardians in an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the procedures improving the academic quality of schools served under Title I.
- Identify barriers to participation by parents/guardians who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority.
- Use findings of annual evaluations to design strategies for more effective parental involvement.
- Involve parents/guardians in the activities of schools served under Title I.
The Board shall approve and distribute the parental involvement procedures, which shall be incorporated into the district’s Title I plan and shall be evaluated annually, with parental involvement.
Delegation of Responsibility
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the district’s Title I parental involvement procedures, plan and programs comply with the requirements of federal law.
The building principal and/or Title I staff shall provide to parents/guardians of students participating in Title I programs:
- Explanation of the reasons supporting their child’s selection for the program.
- Set of objectives to be addressed.
- Description of the services to be provided.
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that information and reports provided to parents/guardians are in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents/guardians can understand.
Guidelines
An annual meeting of parents/guardians of participating Title I students shall be held to explain the goals and purposes of the Title I program. Parents/Guardians shall be given the opportunity to participate in the design, development, operation and evaluation of the program. Parents/Guardians shall be encouraged to participate in planning activities, to offer suggestions, and to ask questions regarding procedures and programs.
In addition to the required annual meeting, additional parent/guardian meetings shall be held. At these meetings, parents/guardians shall be provided:
- Information about programs provided under Title I.
- Description and explanation of the curriculum in use, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet.
- Opportunities to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children.
- Opportunities to submit parent/guardian comments about the program to the district level.
If sufficient, Title I funding may be used to facilitate parent/guardian attendance at meetings through payment of transportation and child care costs.
Opportunities shall be provided for parents/guardians to meet with the classroom and Title I teachers to discuss their child’s progress.
Parents/Guardians shall be given guidance as to how they can assist at home in the education of their child.
School – Parental Compact
Each school in the district, receiving Title I funds, shall jointly develop with parents/guardians of students served in the program, a School-Parental Compact outlining the manner in which parents/guardians, school staff and students share responsibility for improved student achievement in meeting academic standards. The compact shall:
- Describe the school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment, enabling students in the Title I program to meet the district’s academic standards.
- Indicate the ways in which parents/guardians will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning, such as monitoring attendance, homework completion, and television watching; volunteering in the classroom; and participating, as appropriate, in decisions related to their child’s education and positive use of extracurricular time.
- Address the importance of parent-teacher communications on an ongoing basis through, at a minimum, parent-teacher conferences, frequent reports to parents/guardians, and reasonable access to staff.
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