2014-15 ESEA Directors Institute

Title I, Part AParental Involvement Requirements

Title I, Part A Parental Involvement

Topics:

NCLB definition of parental involvement District and school Title I parental involvement

responsibilities Shared and optional responsibilities in building involvement Parental notice requirements Funding principles Allowable and non allowable expenditures Resources Questions/answers and contact

Parental Involvement Definition

No Child Left Behind defines Title I, Part A parental involvement as the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, ensuring that—

Parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning; Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s

education at school; Parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included

in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child; and

Other activities are carried out, such as those described in ESEA Section 1118 Parental Involvement.

ESEA Section 1118- District Title IParental Involvement Responsibilities

Written parental involvement policy shall be developed jointly with and distributed to parents of participating children. The policy will be incorporated into the LEA plan and establish the agency’s expectation for parent involvement. District policy must contain ESEA Section 1118 (2) Written Policy A-F.

The policy describes how the LEA will involve parents in the:• joint development of the district plan (ESEA Section 1112)• process of school review and improvement (ESEA Section 1116)

Annually evaluate the parental involvement policy for content and effectiveness by parents and educational stakeholders. Identify the barriers to participation- parents who are economically disadvantaged, disabled, LEP, limited literacy, minority background. Use the evaluation findings to design more effective parental involvement strategies and to revise the PI policies.

ESEA Section 1118- District Title I Parental Involvement Responsibilities

LEA will assist schools in planning and implementing effective parent involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance.

Build the schools’ and parents’ capacity for strong parental involvement (training, timely information, two way communication, understandable language, translation)

Coordinate and integrate parent involvement with other programs such as Head Start, Even Start, Parents as Teachers, Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters

Involve parents in the activities of the schools

6

ESEA Section 1118- Title I School Responsibilities

Policy Involvement Subsections (b) and (c)

Jointly develop and update periodically with parents a school parental involvement policy which is made available to parents

Convene an annual meeting to explain the Title I Programs

Offer flexible number of meetings– morning or afternoon

Involve parents in in an organized, ongoing, and timely way in planning, review, and improvement of Title I, Part A programs including the school parental involvement policy and the joint development of the schoolwide program plan

(School Improvement Plan) Section 1114(b)(2)

7

ESEA Section 1118- Title I School Responsibilities

Policy Involvement Subsections (b) and (c)

Provide parents timely information about Title I school programs

Provide parents a description and explanation about:• school’s curriculum;• forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress; and• proficiency levels students are expected to meet

Upon the request of parents, schools provide opportunities for regular meeting

If the schoolwide program plan is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, submit any parent comments on the plan when the school makes the plan available to the local educational agency.

8

Annual Title I School Meeting Agenda & Facilitator’s Notes

1. Discuss the school’s previous year’s progress- AYP results and what it means

2. Explain the Title I programs/activities in your schoolwide school or targeted assisted school that are designed to increase children’s academic achievement especially in reading and math. Describe your Title I program (in class, pull out, block schedule, after school, etc.)

3. Explain the amount of Title I school funds and parental involvement funds your school receives and how these funds are being used. Describe how funds were used the previous year based on assessments and the school improvement plan. Provide information so that parents can participate in these meetings.

4. Explain that Title I parents can be involved in reviewing and updating the PI policies and provide the meeting dates/times. Distribute a copy of:

• Title I District Parent Policy• Title I School Parent Involvement Policy • Title I School-Parent Compact

9

Title I Meeting Continued

5. Curriculum- Describe and explain the curriculum the school uses.(McMillan K-5, Everyday Math, Write Tools, etc.)

6. Contacting Staff- Describe the process for parents to contact school staff for questions or concerns about their child’s progress or other issues.

7. Assessments

• Forms of academic assessment used to measure student’s progress: by grade level Example: Terra Nova = 1st and 2nd grade; TCAP = 3rd, 4th & 5th grade)

• Proficiency Levels – Describe the proficiency levels students are expected to meet. Explain to parents that students must be proficient, not basic, on the TCAP.

• Describe specifically when and how often parents receive reports on children’s progress Example: Wednesday folder; folder goes home daily in K and 1; Diebel results were sent home; TCAP results are mailed home in the fall, report cards, mid progress reports, etc.

8. Important Dates-provide a list of workshops, parent events, district meetings, etc. that may be of interest to parents or are opportunities for them to be involved.

10

Title I Meeting Continued

9. Opportunities to Volunteer –

Describe the various opportunities for parents to volunteer or become involved in…

• The school, in classrooms, or on fieldtrips • School decisions, planning for school improvement, and Title I school parent

involvement • District councils- meetings throughout the year with parents participating in

school-wide program planning and deciding how to use the Title I parent involvement funding

10. Parents’ Rights under ESEA

• Request the qualifications of your child’s teacher• Be notified if your child is taught for more than 4 consecutive weeks by a teacher

who is not highly qualified• Request opportunities for regular meetings with staff • Participate in decisions relating to the education of your child• Submit a written comment on the school-wide program plan when the school

makes the plan available to the district if you are not satisfied with the plan

ESEA Section 1118- Title I School Responsibilities:

School-Parent Compact

SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HIGH STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Policy Involvement Subsection (d)

The compact describes:

1. The school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables children served under Title I, Part A to meet the State’s student academic achievement standards;

2. The parents’ responsibility for supporting their children’s learning, for example: monitoring attendance, homework completion, television watching, volunteering in their child’s classroom, participating as appropriate in decisions relating to the education of their children, and positive use of extracurricular time; and

3. The importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis.

12

School-Parent Compact Linked To Learning

“This compact pledges our school community to increase student reading and math skills, so that all students will be proficient by the end of third grade.”

Teachers Pledge: We will Create a partnership with every family in my class Monitor student progress in reading & math, update

parents monthly, help students learn Send home learning materials in math and reading Explain my approach to teaching, expectations, and

grading system to students and families Make sure students understand the assignment and

what they’ll learn from it

13

School-Parent Compact Linked To Learning

“This compact pledges our school community to increase student reading and math skills, so that all students will be proficient by the end of third grade.”

Parents Pledge: I will Let the teacher know if my child has problems

learning the assignment. Use reading and math materials the school sends

home each week to help my child. Read to my child 20 minutes a day, keep a list of new

words, and link letters to sounds. Play numbers games with my child every week. Help my child see how to use reading and math to

pursue his/her interests and goals.

14

School-Parent Compact Linked To Learning

“This compact pledges our school community to increase student reading and math skills, so that all students will be proficient by the end of third grade.”

Students Pledge: I will Let my teacher and family know when I need

help. Read on my own and with my family every day. Write down assignments, do my homework every

day, and turn it in when it’s due.

15

ESEA Section 1118- Combined Responsibility:Each District and Title I School

(e) Build Capacity For Involvement- Each school and local educational agency will ensure effective parent involvement and support a partnership among the school to improve student academic achievement:

(1) shall provide assistance to parents served by the school or local educational agency in understanding topics such as the State's academic content standards and State student academic achievement standards, State and local academic assessments, the requirements of this part, and how to monitor a child's progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children;

(2) shall provide materials and training to help parents to work with their children to improve their children's achievement, such as literacy training and using technology to foster parental involvement;

ESEA Section 1118- Each District and Title I School

(3) shall educate staff- teachers, pupil services personnel, principals with the assistance of parents, in the contributions of parents and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners; coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school;

(4) shall coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with Head Start, Reading First, Early Reading First, Even Start, the Home Instruction Programs for Preschool Youngsters, the Parents as Teachers Program, and public preschool and other programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children;

ESEA Section 1118- Each District and Title I School

(5) shall ensure that information is sent to the parents in a language and format that the parents can understand related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities;

(14) shall provide other reasonable support for parental involvement activities as parents may request.

ESEA Section 1118(e) Building Capacity For Parental Involvement

Each District and Title I SchoolMay (Optional)

Funding and carrying out “may” is optional in the law.

(6) may involve parents to develop training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness of such training;(7) may provide necessary literacy training from funds received under this part if the local educational agency has exhausted all other reasonably available sources of funding for such training;(8) may pay reasonable and necessary transportation and child care costs to enable parents to participate in school-related meetings and training sessions;(9) may train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents;

ESEA Section 1118(e) Building Capacity For Parental Involvement

Each District and Title I SchoolMay (Optional)

Funding and carrying out “may” is optional in the law.

(10) may arrange school meetings at a variety of times or conduct in-home conferences between teachers or other educators who work directly with participating children with parents who are unable to attend such conferences at school, in order to maximize parental involvement and participation;(11) may adopt and implement model approaches to improving parental involvement;(12) may establish a districtwide parent advisory council to provide advice on all matters related to Title I parental involvement programs;(13) may develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in parent involvement activities.

20

District Activities To Build Strong Parental Involvement

Be sure that principals understand policies and implement required and effective parent involvement practices at their schools.

Put in place family-friendly volunteer policies to build and organize help and support from parents.

Train parents to successfully participate in decisions about curriculum and budget.

Find and use resources and services from the community to strengthen school programs, family practices, and student learning and development.

Be sure staff and family know about and may attend training in effective school, family, and community partnerships.

Train staff, with the help of parents, in how to reach out to and work with parents as equal partners in the education of their children.

Make sure that teachers and families know how to help students with homework and other curriculum-related activities.

 

21

District Activities To Build Parent Leadership

Activities Be sure that all schools have parent/family involvement programs. Meet requirements of state and federal law regarding

parent/family involvement. Be sure parents are on district and school committees. Put in place district family involvement policies and programs. Involve families in advisory groups and training activities.

 Resources Provide funding and staff to put the parent/family involvement

plan into practice.

 

22

District Activities To Ensure Progress

Be sure schools include parent involvement goals in the school improvement plan.

Supervise and coordinate parent involvement activities across programs.

Keep a record of progress of each school’s parent involvement program.

Assess the effectiveness of school, family, and community partnerships at each school.

23

District Activities To Build Parent Access and Equity

Access and Equity

Be sure that parent information is provided in ways that are easy to find and read, and in languages spoken by families in the district.

Be sure parents serving on committees reflect the make-up of the student body.

Be sure schools have ways to communicate from school to home and from home to school on a regular basis.

24

Helping the District Increase Parental Involvement:

In Summary What The District Does

Provide principals with information, support, and training about: Role of families in district and school administra tion and decision-

making Required school policy and plan for parent involvement Developing parent involvement and education plans/activities

through: parent advisory committee, Title I committee, school improvement plan, PTA/PTO

Support schools: To conduct at least two parent-teacher conferences per year. Provide teachers with written information on how to supervise

parent volunteers in classrooms. Provide information, support, and training for staff on

parent/family involvement.

25

Helping the District Increase Parental Involvement: In Summary What The District

Does Use parent input to design and deliver staff training on parent

involvement. Provide guidelines for parents visiting classrooms to observe. Survey parents to plan activities to help parents support child

learning and development. Ensure parent representation on district & school committees.

Create a district parent involvement policy that is developed with parents and approved by the school board, and applies to all Title I schools in the district. a. Send to parents the written parent involvement policy. b. Annually review the parent involvement policy and identify barriers to parent participation and obtain parental input to revise policy.

26

Helping the District Increase Parental Involvement: In Summary What The District

DoesParental Involvement Activities Include parents in decisions about planning and spending

funds for parent/ family involvement activities. Establish district family involvement programs. Spend at least 1 percent of Title 1 funds for districts

receiving $500,000 or more for parental involvement. Announce and hold regular meetings for input from parents

of English learners. Provide other support for parent involvement activities. Coordinate parent involvement across programs, including

Title I, Head Start/Early Head Start, Even Start, Reading First/Early Reading First, Parents as Teachers, Home Interaction Program for Preschool Youngsters, and State preschools.

Title I, Part A Parental Notice Requirements Parents As Informed Consumers

The law requires many different kinds of information and notices. Some notifications have specific guidelines about distribution.

Notifications are distributed: District and school websites Letters home Local newspapers School newsletters Title I brochures District and school meetings Student handbooks Media

Title I, Part A Parental Notice Requirements

District and school report card Schools identified for school improvement- focus, priority,

reward schools Written district and school parental involvement policies Written complaint procedures

Parents’ Right To Know Teacher and paraprofessional qualifications Non-highly qualified teachers Student report card Student assessment reports

Title I, Part A Parental Notice Requirements

School meeting about Title I, Part A programs and requirements

Meetings to inform parents of limited English proficient children

Notice to parents of limited English proficient students identified for participation in a language instruction educational program

Military recruiter access to student

Homeless children services

Student privacy

Title I, Part A Funding

Tennessee generated $260 million in Title I, Part A funding in 2014-15 to be used for improving the academic achievement of disadvantaged students and for parental involvement.

Title I, Part A Improving Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged: The program provides supplemental educational services to economically disadvantaged children through grade 12 who are not older than age 21, so that all children have an equal opportunity to obtain a high quality education. Title I, Part A provides services to public school students, pre-school students, homeless students, migrant students, schools serving neglected children, charter schools, and private schools.

* Proficient on state curriculum standards and assessments* Reading assistance* School district accountability systems & holding schools accountable for achievement* Teacher preparation and training* Close achievement gap between high and low performing children* Increase amount of instructional time- staff, before/after school tutoring, summer school and school year extension programs* Parental participation

To generate funding the number of economically disadvantaged children ages 5-17, foster children, neglected children, and families receiving TANF, Medicaid, or free and reduced school lunch program are counted. The school district poverty rate is determined by the U.S. Census.

31

Title I, Part A Funding Principles

Title I is supplemental funding used to add to existing, regular services. It must be tracked to an allowable purpose. Funds are used to support the district strategic plan and school improvement plan. It can pay for salaries, learning materials and supplies, and professional development.

Funds are not used to supplant. Title I funds do not pay for items that are paid with other local, state, or federal funds. Title I can’t pay for an expenditure if it was paid for by state, local, or other federal funds the previous year.

Expenditures are expected to be reasonable and necessary as well as allowable.

Schoolwide program- 40% or more of school students are from low income families. A schoolwide program can consolidate all of its local, state, and federal funds to upgrade the entire educational program of the school.

Ex: Title I funds can be used to hire a reading interventionist to work with all grade level reading teachers or to purchase computers for all math classrooms.

Targeted assisted programs- Provide additional academic services to children who are identified as failing or at risk for failing to meet the state standards. The services must be provided over and above what the identified child would have received in the regular education program.

Ex: Title I funds can be used for after school tutoring or pull out reading services.

Title I, Part A Parental Involvement Funding

By federal law, school districts receiving $500,000 or more in Title I, Part A set aside 1% for parental involvement. The 95% of 1% is distributed to the Title I schools. Parents in district and school committees/ meetings determine how Title I, Part parental involvement funding is spent.

LEAs receiving less than $500,000 in Title I Part A funds are required to carry out the provisions of ESEA Section 1118, but the LEAs are not required to set aside funding. The LEAs may opt to set aside a certain percentage at their own discretion.

Parental involvement funding is used for parent information and training, required parental notification, and activities outlined in ESEA Section 1118 Parental Involvement.

Allowable Title I Parental Involvement Expenditures (Partial List)

Meetings to discuss school and student progress, school programs, district and school improvement planning, parental involvement development and evaluation

Parent training and materials on topics such as: curriculum and achievement standards, student assessments, family literacy, math night, teacher-parent conferences, parenting skills, paper, pens, drinks, light refreshments

Communication: meeting invitations, postage and printing, flyers, newsletters, internet, telephone, parental notice requirements

Translation of written information and translators for parental outreach for a significant percentage of parents of Title I children. Districts that have Title III use it for English Language learner expenses.

Allowable Title I Parental Involvement Expenditures

K-12 home based academic educational activities

Pre-k program consumable purchases for make and take projects that promote early learning such as paper, glue, and scissors

Books/manipulatives for a parent loan program/ check out system

PI coordinator salaries + benefits (school or district), workshop presenter stipend,

Equipment and supplies for a parent resource room

Light refreshments for parent meetings and training

35

Recent US DE Clarification on Using Title I Funds For Food

The new guidance which came out in June 2013 is intended to apply to professional meetings, including those that you may have with LEA staff, and not to school-based events such as a Title I parent meeting, Reading Night, etc.

Title I funds cannot be used to provide snacks or meals at professional meetings, conferences, and workshops for staff, except in rare instances where you can prove that “…paying for food and beverages with Federal funds is necessary to meet the goals and objectives of a Federal grant.” (Use Consolidated Admin instead)

If the conference or workshop is for parents and facility/program youth, at the school’s discretion Title I funds may be used to provide food and light refreshments.

The guidance can be found at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/gposbul/gposbul.html

Non-Allowable Title I Expenditures Per EDGAR

Be cautious about personal items, gifts, and door prizes  

Promotional items, memorabilia, and public relations

Student recruitment, books for students

General purpose equipment for the school

Entertainment costs such as live music, liquor

Purchase, rental, maintenance, and repair of buildings or vehicles

Paying for employee positions such as a janitor, therapist, or nurse

Audit costs

37

$ Title I Parental Involvement Funding Worksheet $

In your area work together to complete the Title I, Part A Parental Involvement Funding worksheet covering:

Allowable expenditures Funding Decisions Effective Funding

38

Parent Involvement Websites

1. Parental Involvement NCLB Section 1118http://www.tn.gov/education/districts/cpm/title_i.shtml

2. Family and Community Engagement http://www.tn.gov/education/student_support/engagement.shtml

Link for Communities (community topics on student achievement) Link for Parents (parent information for school related subjects)

Link for Educators • NCLB Section 1118 Parental Involvement Regulations• Parental Involvement: Title I, Part A Non Regulatory Guidance• Toolkit for Title I Parental Involvement• Sample School Parental Involvement Plan (contains action steps & calendar)• TSBA templates for federal and state- parental involvement policy• TN Senate Bill 293• TN Parental Involvement Standards and Implementation Assessment Guide• Federal and State PI Policy Templates

Contact

Liz Roper Tennessee Department of Education Family and Community Engagement Consultant

615-253-0047Elizabeth.Roper@tn.gov

40

FRAUD, WASTE or ABUSE

Citizens and agencies are encouraged to report fraud, waste or abuse in State and Local government.

NOTICE: This agency is a recipient of taxpayer funding. If you observe an agency director or employee engaging in any activity which you

consider to be illegal, improper or wasteful, please call the state Comptroller’s toll-free Hotline:

1-800-232-5454

Notifications can also be submitted electronically at:

http://www.comptroller.tn.gov/hotline