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:

1. Involve parents/guardians in the joint development of the district’s overall Title I plan and the process of school review and improvement.
2. 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.
3. Develop activities that promote the schools’ and parents’/guardians’ capacity for strong parental involvement.
4. Coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies with appropriate programs, as provided by law.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Use findings of annual evaluations to design strategies for more effective parental involvement.
8. 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:

1. Explanation of the reasons supporting their child’s selection for the program.
2. Set of objectives to be addressed.
3. 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:

1. Information about programs provided under Title I.
2. 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.
3. Opportunities to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children.
4. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.