No Child Left Behind Act of 2001

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 was signed into law on January 8, 2002. The four main focuses of the law are:  Stronger accountability for student achievement  Focus on what works (scientifically based research)  Flexibility and local control  Parental Involvement

No Child Left Behind Overview

The NCLB Act recognizes that all children can achieve the same high standards and must be provided the education they need to reach those standards.

Successful student academic performance depends on the opportunity to attend schools that:  Provide instruction to all student that will lead to gains in achievement for all students.

 Have highly qualified teachers and principals.

 Provide a learning environment that is safe, drug free, and conducive to learning.

 Are accountable to the public for results.

No Child Left Behind Overview

Under the new law, Public Law 107-110, schools will strive to provide every student with a high-quality education – regardless of income, ability or background.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) gives parents new opportunities to make sure their child receives the very best education possible.

National Standards for Family Involvement

 Communication between the home and school will be consistent, two-way, and meaningful..

 Parents/Guardians will be actively involved in their student’s education.

 Parents/Guardians will play an integral role in assisting student learning.

 Parents/Guardians will be active and become volunteers.

 Parents/Guardians are full partners in the decision-making process that affects students and families.

 Parents/Guardians will use community resources to strengthen the family and campus effort toward student achievement.

Accountability

The primary theme of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is holding schools accountable for improving student performance, and parents are viewed as integral players in that process. Throughout the school improvement process, the state, district, or school must communicate with the parents of each child attending the school.

The regulations require State Education Agencies (SEA), Local Education Agencies (LEA), and schools to provide accountability information to parents directly. The regulations also emphasize that all communications must respect the privacy of students and their families.

Perhaps the key mechanism for parental input is the annual school review for determining adequate yearly progress (AYP). The results of this review must be communicated by the LEA to parents, teachers, principals and the community at large.

If a school is found to be “In Need of Improvement,” the school must develop a school plan, and parents must be given an opportunity for input. In fact, any LEA may condition approval of the school’s improvement plan on community and parental support.

Accountability

• • • • Parents must receive very detailed notices upon a school’s identification as being in need of improvement. The information parents receive must be truly useful to them in understanding the school and their options. When a school is identified for improvement, corrective action or restructuring, parents must receive prompt notice of: What “identification” means and how the school compares to others; The reasons for identification; How the parents can become involved in addressing the school’s academic problems; and The parents’ options regarding their right to seek a transfer of their children or to seek supplemental educational services.

• • • The LEA also must publish and disseminate to parents and the public any actions taken by the school and the LEA to address the problems in the school. This notice must include: What the school is doing to address the problem of low achievement; What the LEA and SEA are doing to help the school; and If applicable, a description of specific corrective actions or restructuring plans.

Accountability

Two of most powerful vehicles through which parents can exert their influence are school choice and the selection of supplemental educational services. The implementation of these provisions by LEAs requires significant communication with parents to let parents know of their options, assess parents’ preferences, and effectuate the school choice or commencement of supplemental educational services.

A comparably high level of involvement is required at each succeeding stage of school improvement, as a persistently failing school moves through corrective action to restructuring.

The laws also requires SEAs to provide similar opportunities for parental involvement during any state intervention in failing LEAs, although with much less specificity.

SCHOOL

Elementary and Secondary Education

P.L. (Public Law) 107-110, Part A – Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies, Subpart 1 – Basic Program Requirements www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.html

Section 1120.

Participation of Children Enrolled in Private Schools

Section 1120A.

Fiscal Requirements

Section 1119.

Qualifications for Teachers and Paraprofessionals

Section 1111.

State Plans

Section 1112.

Local Educational Agency Plans

PL 107-110

Section 1113.

Eligible School Attendance Areas

Section 1114.

School wide Programs

Section 1118.

Parental Involvement

Section 1117.

School Support and Recognition

Section 1115.

Targeted Assistance Schools

Section 1116.

Academic Assessment and Local Educational Agency and School Improvement

Language and Format

Information regarding student interpretive, descriptive, and diagnostic reports, plans, policy, compact, parent meetings, and other required correspondence should be given in an understandable and uniform format, and to the extent practicable, in a language that parents can understand. (1111.b.3.C.xii; 1111.h.6.C; 1112.c.1.N; 1112.g.2; 1114.b.2.B.iv; 1116.b.3.A.vi; 1116.b.6; 1116.b.7.E.ii; 1116.c.6; 1116.e.2.A)

State Education Agency Plans

 The SEA shall submit to the Secretary a plan, developed by the SEA, in consultation with…parents. (1111.a.1)  The state plan shall describe how the SEA will provide information to LEA’s and schools regarding effective parental involvement practices that increase student achievement and lower barriers to parental involvement. (1111.d.1&2)

Local Education Agency Plans

 The LEA plan shall include a description of how teachers, in consultation with parents…will identify children most in need of services in targeted assistance schools. (1112.b.1.H)  The LEA plan shall describe the strategy to implement effective parental involvement. (1112.b.1.P)  The LEA plan shall be developed in consultation with…parents. (1112.d.1; 1114.b.2.B.ii)

Campus Plans

A school that operates a schoolwide program shall develop a comprehensive plan with the involvement of parents. (1114.b.2.B.ii)

Parents Right-to-Know Professional Qualifications

At the beginning of each school year the LEA shall notify the parents that they may request and the LEA will provide information regarding the professional qualifications of the teacher, including:  Whether the teacher has met state qualification and licensing criteria;  Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or provisional status;  The baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and other graduate certification;  Whether the child is provided services by a paraprofessional. (1111.h.6.A)

Teacher Qualification Notice to Parents

Information is power, and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) goes further than any previous law in ensuring that parents know what is going on in their children’s school and how their children are doing.

One wholly new provision – “parents’ right to know” – requires all Local Education Agencies (LEA) to notify parents of all children in all Title I schools that they have the right to request and receive timely information on the professional qualifications of their children’s classroom teachers. It must be emphasized that this requirement applies to all children in the school —whether or not they receive identifiable Title I services —and it applies to all Title I schools, both targeted assistance and school wide.

Teacher Qualification Notice to Parents

At a minimum, if a parent requests it, LEAs must report the following information:  Whether the teacher has met state certification criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher is teaching;  Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which certification criteria have been waived;  The baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, including the field of discipline of the certification or degree; and  Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

Teacher Qualification Notice to Parents

Parents must be notified that they have the right to request this information at the start of each school year. Note that this notification itself does not contain information on teacher qualification; it is simply a description of the type of information parents may request, if they wish.

Parents need to be aware that if a child is assigned, or taught by, a teacher who is not highly qualified for four or more consecutive weeks, a timely, separate notification must be sent to the parents.

Source: The New Title I: The Changing Landscape of Accountability, March 2005 by K. Cowan and C. Edwards. Reprinted with permission © Thompson Publishing Group Inc.

EXAMPLE Parent Notification Compliance with P.L. 107-110, Section 1111(h)(6)(A)

To: From: Date: All Parents

[insert school district name] [insert date]

Subject: Notification to Parents of Teacher Qualifications As a parent of a student at

[insert school name],

you have the right to know the professional qualifications of the classroom teachers who instruct your child. Federal law allows you to ask for certain information about your child's classroom teachers, and requires you to receive this information in a timely manner. Specifically, you have the right to ask for the following information about each of your child's classroom teachers: • Whether

[insert name of your state's department of education]

has licensed or qualified the teacher for the grades and subjects he or she teaches.

• Whether

[insert name of your state's department of education]

teach in a classroom without being licensed or qualified under state regulations because of special circumstances. • The teacher's college major; whether the teacher has any advanced degrees and, if so, the subject of the degrees.

• Whether any teachers' aides or similar paraprofessionals provide services to your child and their qualifications.

has decided that the teacher can If you would like to receive any of this information, please call

[insert name]

at

[insert telephone number].

EXAMPLE Notificatio n a los Padres Cumplimiento de la Ley Pu blica 107-110, Seccio n 1111(h)(6)(A)

A: De: Fecha: Todos los padres de familia

[insert name of school district] [insert date]

Materia: Notificacio n a los padres de familia sobre calificaciones de maestros Como padre de un alumno en

[insert name of school],

Ud. tiene el derecho de conocer las calificaciones profesionales de los maestros que enseñan a su hijo, y la ley federal requiere que el distrito escolar le facilite esta información oportuna si Ud. la pide.

Específicamente, Ud. tiene el derecho de pedir la siguiente información acerca de cada uno de los maestros de su hijo: • Si el maestro cumple las calificaciones y criterios de la certificación estatal para los grados y materias que enseña.

• Si el maestro tiene el título provisional o de emergencia debido a circunstancias especiales.

• Si el maestro tiene título de postgrado en el currículo que se especializa. • Si los auxiliar de los profesionales tienen las calificaciones esenciales para ofrecer los servicios a su hijo. Si Ud. quiere recibir esta información, puede comunicar con

[insert name of contact person]

al

[insert telephone number].

Parents Right to Know Highly Qualified Status of Teacher

The LEA shall notify the parents that the child has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified. (1111.h.6.B.ii)

EXAMPLE Parent Notification Compliance with P.L. 107-110, Section 1111(h)(6)(B)

To: From: Date: Subject: All Parents

[insert school district name] [insert date]

Notification to Parents of Teachers not “Highly Qualified” As a parent of a student at

[insert school name],

you have the right to know if your child has been assigned or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who does not meet the Federal requirements of “highly qualified.” According to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 [P.L. 107-110, Section 9505(23)], a highly qualified teacher is one who: • Has obtained a Bachelor’s degree • Has demonstrated competency in the subject area assigned to teach • Has obtained full State certification as a teacher or has passed the State teacher licensing examination; and • Has not had certification or licensure requirements waived on an emergency, temporary, or provisional basis.

This notice is to inform you that your child has been assigned to or taught by the following teacher(s) who does not currently meet these requirements:

[insert teachers by name]

If you have any questions regarding this notice, please contact

[insert contact person’s name]

at

[insert telephone number].

EXAMPLE Notificación a los Padres Cumplimiento de la Ley Pública 107-110, Sección 1111(h)(6)(B)

A: De: Fecha: Materia: Todos los padres de familia

[insert name of school district] [insert date]

Notificación a los padres de familia sobre maestros no “altamente calificados” Como padre de un alumno en

[insert name of school],

Ud. tiene el derecho de saber si a su hijo le hayan asignado al programa federal, o haya recibido enseñanza por cuatro semanas consecutivas o más por un maestro que no cumple los requisitos federales por ser “bien calificado.” Según la ley “No Child Left Behind” de 2001 [Ley Pública 107-110, Sección 9505(23)], un maestro bien calificado es uno que • Ha obtenido su Licenciatura; • Ha demostrado competencia en la materia que enseña; • Ha conseguido la certificación estatal de maestría, o que ha sido aprobado por un examen estatal de certificación; y • No ha recibido una exención de los requisitos para cumplir la certificación u obtenido la licencia sobre bases provisionales, temporales, o de emergencia.

Esta noticia es para informarle a Ud. que a su hijo le han designado, o ha recibido enseñanza por, el(los) siguiente(s) maestro(s) que en la actualidad no cumple (n) estos requisitos:

[insert teachers by name]

Si Ud. Tiene alguna pregunta sobre esta noticia, puede comunicar con

[insert name of contact person]

al

[insert telephone number].

Parents Right to Know: Academic Assessments

The SEA shall produce individual student interpretive, descriptive, and diagnostic reports that allow parents to understand and address the specific academic needs of students. (1111.b.3.C.xii & .xv) The LEA shall provide to parents information on the level achievement of the child in each of the state academic assessments. (1111.h.6.B.i; 1112.c.1.N) The LEA shall publicize and disseminate the results of the annual review to parents reporting whether the school is making adequate yearly progress. (1116.a.1.C)

Parents Right to Know: Report Cards

The SEA shall prepare and disseminate an annual report that is concise, understandable, and in a language parents can understand. (1111.h.1.B) The LEA shall publicly disseminate an annual report card to schools and parents in an understandable and uniform format and in a language parents can understand. (1111.h.2.E)

Parents Right to Know: School Improvement

The LEA shall promptly provide to parents:  An explanation of what the identification means;  The reasons for the identification;  An explanation of what the school is doing to address the problem of low achievement;  An explanation of what the LEA or SEA is doing to help the school;  An explanation of how the parents can become involved in addressing the academic issues at hand;  An explanation of the parents’ options to transfer their child to another public school. (1116.b.6.A-F)

Schoolwide Program

The schoolwide program shall include:  High-quality and ongoing professional development for teachers and…if appropriate for parents to enable all children to meet the state’s student academic achievement standards. (1114.b.1.D)  Strategies to increase parental involvement, such as family literacy services. (1114.b.1.F)  A plan to provide the individual student academic assessment results to parents including and interpretation of those results. (1114.b.2.A.iv)  A comprehensive plan developed with the involvement of parents. (1114.b.2.B.ii)  Information to parents and schools of the ability of to consolidate funds from Federal, State, and local sources. (1111.c.1.A)

Targeted Assistance Schools

The targeted assistance school program shall include:  The means to identify children not older than 21, who are not at grade level, who are failing or at risk of failing the state’s academic achievement standards. Children in preschool through grade 2 shall be identified on the basis of teacher judgment, interviews with parents, and developmentally appropriate measures. (1115.b.1.A&B)  Opportunities for professional development for teachers…and if appropriate for parents who work with participating students in this program. (1115.c.1.F)  Strategies to increase parental involvement such as family literacy. (1115.c.1.G)

Homeless Children

A child who is homeless and attending a targeted assistance school is eligible to receive services. (1115.b.2.E) A child who is homeless and attending an LEA receiving Title I, Part A funds, the LEA is required to provide Title I, Part A services to that student.

Title III, Part C

The Lea shall inform a parent of a limited English proficient child identified for participation in a language instruction education program:  The reasons for identification of the child;  The child’s level of English proficiency;  The methods of instruction used in the program;  How the program will meet the child’s needs;  How the program will help the child learn English;  The specific exit requirements;  Information pertaining to children with disabilities;  Information pertaining to parental rights. (1112.g.1.A.i-viii)

Title III, Part C continued…

As a separate notification, the LEA shall inform the parent that the child has failed to make progress on the annual measurable achievement objectives in the language instruction educational program. (1112.g.1.B) The LEA shall implement an effective means of outreach to parents of limited English proficient students to inform the parents how they can be involved in the education of their child. (1112.g.4)

School Improvement

 The LEA shall provide all students enrolled in a school identified for school improvement the option to transfer to another public school served by the LEA that has not been identified for school improvement, and this notice must be provided not later than the first day of the school year following the such identification. (1116.b.1.E)  If a majority of the parents believe the proposed identification is in error the principal may provide supporting evidence to the LEA. (1116.b.2.B)  Each school shall develop or revise a school plan in consultation with parents. (1116.b.3.A & 1116.c.7.A)  The plan shall describe how the school will provide written notice about the identification to parents. (1116.b.3.A.vi)  The plan shall include strategies to promote effective parental involvement in the school. (1116.c.7.A.viii)

School Improvement continued…

 The LEA shall publish and disseminate to the public and to parents information regarding the corrective action the LEA pursues. (1116.b.7.E.i)  The LEA shall provide prompt notice to teachers and parents whenever a school is subject to restructuring and alternative governance. (1116.b.8.C.i); and the LEA shall provide teachers and parents with an adequate opportunity to comment before taking any action and to participate in developing a plan. (1116.b.8.C.ii)  The SEA shall publicize and disseminate to parents…the results of the state review and the reasons for the LEA to be identified for improvement and how parents can participate in upgrading the quality of the LEA. (1116.c.1.B & 1116.c.6. & 1116.c.10.E)  The LEA shall provide annual notice to parents about 1. the availability of supplemental education services; 2. the identity of approved providers; 3. a brief description of the services, qualifications, and demonstrated effectiveness of providers. (1116.e.2.A)  The LEA shall, if requested, provide assistance to parents in choosing a provider. (1116.e.2.B)

School Improvement continued…

 When a parent selects approved provider the LEA shall develop in consultation with the parents and the provider and agreement: 1. specific goals for the student; 2. how student progress will be measured; 3. a timetable for improvement; 4. how parents and teachers will be informed of student progress; 5. a termination clause; 6. a method of payment; 7. a clause that prevents the release of student identification by the provider without the written permission of the parents. (1116.e.3)  The SEA shall promote maximum participation by providers to ensure parents have as many choices as possible and maintain an updated list of providers. (1116.e.4)  The SES provider shall provide information to parents in a format and language the parents can understand. (1116.e.5)

School Support Teams

The SEA shall establish a statewide system of intensive and sustained support and improvement for LEA’s and schools. The statewide system can include School support Teams composed of knowledgeable persons including parents. (1117.a.5.A.iii) Each school support team assigned to a school shall collaborate with parents…in the design, implementation, and monitoring of a plan. (1117.a.5.B.ii)

Parental Involvement Policy: LEA

 Each LEA that receives funds shall develop a written policy that:  Is developed jointly with, agreed on with, and distributed to parents, and it shall be incorporated into the LEA plan;  Provides the coordination, technical assistance, and other support in planning and implementing effective parental involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and student performance;  Builds the schools, and parents’ capacity for strong parental involvement;  Coordinates and integrates parental involvement strategies at the school with other programs;  Conducts, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the effectiveness of the parental involvement policy…and use the findings to devise new strategies and revise the parental involvement policies;  Involves parents in the activities of the school. (1118.a.2.A-F)

Parental Involvement Policy: School

 Each school shall develop a written parental involvement policy that:  Is jointly developed with and distributed to parents; (1118.b.1)  Convenes an annual meeting at a convenient time to inform parents of the school’s participation and requirements in the Title I, Part A program and the parents’ right to be involved; (1118.c.1)  Offers a flexible number of meetings; (1118.c.2)  Involves parents in an organized, ongoing, and timely way the planning, review, and improvement of the parental involvement programs, the school parental involvement policy, and the schoolwide program plan; (1118.c.3)  Provides parents timely information about programs; a description of the curriculum, the forms of academic assessment; and expected proficiency levels; and if requested opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate in decisions relating to the education of their children; (1118.c.4)  Allows parents to express their dissatisfaction with the schoolwide program plan and submit their comments to the LEA; (1118.c.5)

Parental Involvement Policy: School continued…

 Has as a component of the plan a school-parent compact. (1118.d )  Builds the capacity for effective involvement of parents to improve student academic achievement; (1118.e)  Provides opportunities for parents with limited English proficiency, disabilities, and parents of migratory children to participate; (1118.f)

Written Parental Involvement Policy

Each LEA must develop and distribute to parents a written parental involvement policy saying how it will support the involvement of parents. ED ’s parental involvement guidance from 2004 provides a helpful sample template of an acceptable district-wide parental involvement policy, although federal law does not mandate a specific format.

This policy must be developed jointly with parents and agreed upon by them.

The policy becomes part of the LEA plan submitted to the state. (If parents object to the LEA ’s overall plan, their comments must be included when the LEA submits its plan to the SEA.) If an LEA has a parental involvement plan for all parents, the LEA may simply amend that plan to meet the Title I standard.

The only significant change to the mandate for an LEA-level parental involvement policy relates to the requirement for an annual review of the parental involvement plan to determine its effectiveness. Under the old law, this review focused on the plan ’s success in increasing parental involvement; under the new law, the review will focus on whether the parental involvement plan increased the academic quality of the school.

Written Parental Involvement Policy

In the same fashion, each Title I school must develop and distribute its own written parental involvement policy. This policy must specify that the school will: • Convene an

annual meeting

to explain the Title I program to parents and inform them of their right to be involved in the program; • Offer a flexible number of meetings, and may use Title I funds to pay

related expenses

, such as child care, transportation, or home visits; • Involve parent, “in an organized, ongoing and timely way,” in

planning, review and improvement

of Title I programs; • Provide

timely information

about its Title I programs to parents, describe the curricula, the student assessments and proficiency levels students are expected to meet, provide opportunities for regular meetings where parents can provide input, and respond promptly to parent suggestions; and • Provide parents with an opportunity to submit

dissenting views

school wide program is not acceptable to them.

to the LEA if a school’s As with the LEA plan, if a school already has a plan for involving all parents, it may amend that plan to meet Title I requirements, rather than develop a separate plan.

Source: The New Title I: The Changing Landscape of Accountability, March 2005 by K. Cowan and C. Edwards. Reprinted with permission © Thompson Publishing Group Inc.

__________ INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

Parent Involvement Program Sample Campus Parent Involvement Policy

The ____________ School will involve

parents

in the joint development of the Title I plan and the process of school review and improvement.

Ad adequate number of

parents

will work collaboratively with ____________ School committee in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of the Title I program. (Examples:

Parent Advisory

, Title Advisory) Annually the school will convene a meeting to which all

parents

are invited to inform the

parents

of participating students of the school’s participation in the Title I program and of the parents’ right to be involved. (

Parent Goals Night, Parent-Teacher Conferences,

Assessment Overview/Explanation Night)

Parents

will be provided timely information about available programs. (Newsletters, flyers, television)

Parents

will be provided with the school performance profiles and assistance with interpreting their child’s individual assessment results. (

Parent Goals Night, Parent Teacher Conferences

, Assessment Overview/Explanation Night) Parents will be provided a description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficient levels students are expected to meet. (

Parent Goals Night

)

__________ INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

Parent Involvement Program Sample Campus Parent Involvement Policy (cont.) Parents

will be provided with opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions, share experiences with other

parents

, and to participate in decisions relating to the education of their children. (Advisory, Campus/District Meetings)

Parents

will receive a timely response to their suggestions.

The school will coordinate, provide technical assistance, and other support necessary to assist

parents

in actively participating in the planning and implementing of a

parent involvement program. (Parent Advisory Council Team) Parent Involvement strategies

will be coordinated and integrated with the

parent involvement

of other programs such as Head Start Program, Reading First Program, Early First Reading program, Even Start Program,

Parents as Teachers Program

, and Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters, and State Preschool Programs.

Parents

will jointly conduct an evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the

parental involvement policy

and revise as necessary. (Fall and Spring Advisory Meetings)

School-Parent Compact

Each school shall develop a written school-parent compact that:  Is jointly developed with parents;  Outlines how parents, school staff, and children share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement – describing the school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction and the ways each parent will be responsible for supporting their child ’s learning;  Addresses the importance of communication between teachers and parents – annual parent-teacher conference in elementary schools, frequent reports to parents on children ’s progress, and reasonable access to staff. (1118.d)

REQUIRED: An annual parent-teacher conference in the elementary school during which the compact shall be discussed as it relates to the child’s individual achievement.

School-Parent Compact

(Public law 107-110 Section 1118(d)) One of the major innovations in the 1994 law was a mandate for school parent compacts. These compacts set out the respective responsibilities of the school staff, parents and students in striving to raise student achievement and explain how an effective home-school partnership will be developed.

Schools must develop compacts jointly with parents.

The compact must describe the school’s responsibility for providing a high-quality curriculum in a supportive and effective learning environment. The compact also must describe the way parents will support their children’s learning. These might include strategies such as monitoring homework completion, television time, and attendance; volunteering in their children’s classrooms; and participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children and the positive use of their extracurricular time. If interested in helping the school district develop or update the existing School-Parent Compacts, contact your local district.

School-Parent Compact

(Public law 107-110 Section 1118(d)) The compact must also address the importance of ongoing communication between parents. At a minimum, the compact must provide for:  Parent-teacher

conferences

(at least annually) in elementary schools, in which the compact forms the framework for discussion with respect to the individual child;  Frequent

reports

to parents on their child’s progress; and  Reasonable

access

to staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and observation of classroom activities.

BACK TO SCHOOL CHECKLIST Questions and tips for Parents, Schools and the Community www.ed.gov/parents/academic/involve/nclbchecklist.pdf

Source: The New Title I: The Changing Landscape of Accountability, March 2005 by K. Cowan and C. Edwards. Reprinted with permission © Thompson Publishing Group Inc.

Building Capacity for Parental Involvement

To ensure the effective involvement of parents to improve student academic achievement,

Each School and LEA

:  Shall provide assistance to parents in understanding the State’s academic content standards and academic achievement standards, State and local assessments, how to monitor a child’s progress, and how to work with educators to improve student achievement;  Shall provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve student achievement;  Shall educate teachers and school personnel with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school;  Shall coordinate and integrate parental involvement programs and activities with other programs;

Building Capacity for Parental Involvement continued…

 Shall ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to the parents in a format and language the parents can understand;  May involve parents in the development of training for teachers;  May provide necessary literacy training;  May pay reasonable expenses associated with local parental involvement activities;  May train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents;  May arrange school meetings at a variety of times or conduct in-home conferences;  May adopt model approaches to improving parental involvement;  May establish a districtwide parental advisory council  May develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations in parental involvement activities;  Shall provide other reasonable support for parental involvement activities. (1118.e)

Reservation of Funds

If the LEA’s Title I, Part A entitlement is $500,000 or more, the LEA must reserve not less that 1% for parental involvement activities, including promoting family literacy and parenting skills.

Parents shall be involved in the decisions regarding how reserved funds are allotted for parental involvement activities.

Not less than 95% of the reserved funds shall be distributed to schools. (1118.a.3.A-C)

Parent Involvement Promising Programs

Boys Town Press www.girlsandboystown.org

Dr. Dorothy Rich – Mega Skills www.megaskillshsi.org

Compass Learning Parent Modules www.compasslearning.com

HIPPY www.hippyusa.org

“I Care” Positive Parenting Curriculum www.icarenow.com

Love and Logic www.loveandlogic.com

Family Frameworks www.parentalinvolvement network.org

Parent Involvement Promising Programs

National / State PTAs www.ptas.org

Passports to Success – “Parents Assuring Student Success” www.solution-tree.com

National / State Fatherhood Initiative www.fathers.com

Parents as Teachers www.patnc.org

Parent Institute www.par-inst.com

Practical Parent Education www.practicalparent.org

Dr. Joyce Epstein – School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools www.westviewpress.com