File: KBA-E - School-Level Title I Parent and Family Engagement

NOTE: All schools receiving Title I funds are required by law to adopt a policy on parent and family engagement and to jointly agree upon a school/parent compact. This sample policy and compact contain the content and language CASB believes best meets the intent of the law. However, the school should consult with the district's Title I coordinator and if appropriate, the district's legal counsel, to determine the policy language that best meets the school's unique circumstances and needs.

(School/Parent Compact)

NOTE: If the school has a Title I Schoolwide Program, this policy and compact apply to all parents in the school. If the school has a Targeted Assistance Program, this policy applies only to parents of students receiving Title I services. Parents to which this policy applies will be invited and encouraged to participate in developing the school/parent compact.

This policy and compact have been jointly developed and agreed upon by the _____________________ School and parents and families of students served in the school pursuant to Title I (hereafter referred to as "parents").

Policy

The administration, staff, parents and family members of this school believe that the improved academic achievement of each student is a responsibility shared by the entire school community, including the school district, school, community members, school administration, staff, students, and parents (as defined for purposes of this policy to include guardians and all members of a student's family involved in the student's education).

Parent and family engagement activities in the school will include opportunities for:

• Parents to volunteer and be involved in school activities

• Staff development and parent education

• Parents to provide home support for their student's education

• Parents to participate in school decision-making

• Effective communication between the school and parents

Compact

NOTE: The following list of responsibilities is a starting place for your discussions. The parents, administration and staff of each school should have a conversation about and agree upon expectations that will meet the unique needs of students in their particular school. The responsibilities listed in regular type below are required to be included in the school/parent compact by the Every Student Succeeds Act. However, you may wish to add to them or bring further specificity to some that are listed (as indicated by the additional material in italics).
The school-parent compact should be developed and agreed upon by all interested parents as a group. If appropriate, as determined by individual staff members and parents, individual compacts, based on the school compact, may then be developed. In such case, staff members and parents should feel free to include additional responsibilities or bring more specificity to responsibilities already listed.

Responsibilities of school

The school will:

• Provide a high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment enabling students to meet the district's academic standards.

• Involve parents in an organized, ongoing and timely way in the planning, review and improvement of Title I programs, plans and policies.

School Parent and Family Engagement Policy, the administration will:

• Facilitate and implement the Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policy.

• Involve parents in the planning, review and improvement of the School Parent and Family Engagement Policy at least annually.

• Provide notice to parents of the School Parent and Family Engagement Policy in an understandable and uniform format and to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand.

• Make the School Parent and Family Engagement Policy available to the community.

With regard to parent meetings, the administration will:

• Convene annual meetings to inform parents of their school's participation in Title I, the requirements of Title I and the right of parents to be involved.

• Inform parents of all meetings and encourage and invite parents to attend. Meetings shall be offered at various convenient dates and times to facilitate attendance by parents.

With regard to Title I Programs and Plans, the administration will:

• Inform parents about the goals and purposes of Title I, any Title I programs at the school, the curriculum used in the programs, the academic assessments used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet.

• Involve parents in the planning, review and improvement of any Title I programs at the school.

• If the Title I plan is not satisfactory to the parents, submit any parent comments on the plan when it is submitted to the district.

• If requested by parents, provide opportunities for regular meetings of parents and the school where parents may offer suggestions and ask questions regarding Title I policies and programs.

• Administrators will provide timely responses to parents' suggestions and questions.

• Provide assistance to parents, as appropriate, in understanding such topics as the district's academic standards, state and district academic assessments, the requirements of Title I, how to monitor their student's academic progress and how to work with school staff to improve the achievement of the student.

With regard to professional development, the administration will:

• With the assistance of parents, educate teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals and other school leaders and staff in:

• the value and utility of contributions of parents

• how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners

• implementing and coordinating parent programs

• building ties between parents and the school

With regard to the coordination with other programs, the administration will:

• To the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent engagement programs and activities with other relevant federal, state and local laws and programs, (including public preschools), and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their students.

Shared responsibilities of administration and staff

Administration and staff will:

• Provide materials and training to help parents work with their student to improve the student's achievement, such as literacy training and using technology (including education about the harms of copyright privacy) as appropriate, to foster parental engagement.

• Ensure that all information related to school and parent programs, meetings and other activities is sent to parents in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand.

[Note: This may mean not only in a language that is something other than English, but also to address the education level and other factors that affect comprehensibility].

• Provide such other reasonable support for parental engagement activities as parents may request.

• [Provide access to educational resources for parents to use together with their students.]

Responsibilities of staff

The staff will:

• Assist the administration in facilitating and implementing the Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policy and parent engagement activities.

• Advise parents of their student's progress on a regular basis.

• Be readily accessible to parents and provide opportunities for parents to meet with them on a regular basis to discuss their student's progress and to participate as appropriate in the decisions relating to their student's education. For elementary schools [may want to include this provision for all grade levels], at least one parent/teacher conference shall be held each year during which the School-Level Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policy (School/Parent Compact) will be discussed as it relates to the student's achievement.

• Provide opportunities for parents to volunteer and participate in their student's class and observe classroom activities.

• Ensure regular two-way, meaningful communication between parents and school staff, and, to the extent practicable, in a language that parents can understand.

Responsibilities of parents

Parents will:

• Support their student's learning at home by:

• monitoring attendance

• monitoring completion of homework

• monitoring television watching

• encouraging positive use of extracurricular time

• Volunteer in the classroom.

• Participate, as appropriate, in decisions related to their student's education.

• [Participate in school activities on a regular basis.]

• [Actively communicate with school staff regarding their student's needs and circumstances.]

• [Be aware of and follow rules and regulations of the school and school district.]

NOTE: The law does not require school personnel and parents to sign the School/Parent Compact. However, if the school and parents feel signing the School/Parent Compact will be helpful, signatures may be encouraged.

School staff member: ___________________ Date: _____________________

_____________________________________ __________________________
Name (print) Title

Parent: ______________________________ Date: _____________________

_____________________________________ __________________________
Name (print) Signature

(Issue date)

[Revised January 2018]