Transcript Slide 1

Educational Services and Choices:
Information for Parents
Florida PIRC at USF
(Parental Information and Resource Center)
www.floridapirc.usf.edu
The Florida PIRC at USF
We can help!
The Parental Information and Resource
Center (PIRC) is a project of the U.S.
Department of Education. Our federal
funds are designated to assist all Florida
school districts, schools, and organizations.
The Florida PIRC at USF works to increase
student achievement by promoting family
involvement.
Florida PIRC Activities
• Provide FREE parental involvement workshops
and materials to school districts, schools, and
organizations.
• Assist school districts and schools with
parent involvement policies.
• Work with school districts, schools, and
organizations to inform parents about the
educational choices and services
provided by No Child Left Behind.
Where You Come In
2-1-1 services are available to all Florida
residents, and many of those residents
are PARENTS! You have the
opportunity to connect parents to
valuable, FREE services that will
enhance their child’s education.
Resources for 2-1-1 Staff
When a parent asks about educational
services or choices you can refer to 2-1-1
websites or the following list of FAQ’s
provided by the PIRC:
•No Child Left Behind: A Parent Guide
•No Child Left Behind: A Parent’s Role
•No Child Left Behind : Accountability
•School Choice
•Supplemental Educational Services (SES)
Objectives
Participants will
• Understand the basic components of
NCLB.
• Understand the free educational services
and choices available to families under
NCLB.
• Learn how to connect parents with more
resources and information about these
services.
Agenda
• Discuss parents’ need for information and
the importance of parent involvement in
education.
• Look at the basic components of NCLB.
• Discover the choices and services offered
by NCLB.
• Explore how 2-1-1 and the Florida PIRC
can help parents.
Helping Children as a Team
The evidence is consistent, positive, and
convincing: Families have a major
influence on their children’s
achievement. When schools, families,
and community groups work together
to support learning, children tend to do
better in school, stay in school longer,
and like school more.
Anne T. Henderson & Karen L. Mapp,
A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family and
Community Connections on Student Achievement
The Need for Information
Parents cannot make well-informed
decisions about their child’s education
unless they have access to high-quality
and accurate information. This
information must be family-friendly and
regularly updated.
What is No Child Left Behind?
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is
an education law that was passed
in 2001. NCLB seeks to achieve
four main goals.
NCLB’s Goals
1) ALL students will receive a highquality education.
2) ALL students will perform on grade
level in Reading and Math by 2014.
3) The “achievement gap” will close.
4) Parents will have more choices
and greater involvement in
their child’s education.
What does NCLB mean
to schools?
Schools are held
accountable for each
student’s progress.
How are schools held
accountable?
Schools are required to make Adequate
Yearly Progress (AYP) every year. AYP
is the government’s measurement of a
school’s overall success.
Is AYP the same as
Florida’s A+ Plan?
No, AYP and Florida’s A+ Plan
measure different aspects of
school achievement.
How is AYP determined?
Progress is measured by how well
students perform on a statedeveloped test. In Florida, students
take the Florida Comprehensive
Assessment Test (FCAT).
When do students take the FCAT?
Grade
Reading
Math
3
FCAT
FCAT
4
FCAT
FCAT
5
FCAT
FCAT
6
FCAT
FCAT
7
FCAT
FCAT
8
FCAT
FCAT
9
FCAT
FCAT
10
FCAT
FCAT
11
Writing
Science
FCAT
FCAT
FCAT
FCAT
FCAT
FCAT
How is AYP determined?
• Each year the bar is set higher, and a
higher percentage of students must score
at or above grade level in Reading and
Math on the state test.
• In order to make AYP, a school’s total
population must meet the statedetermined goal, AND each individual
subgroup of students must make AYP.
Title I Schools that Miss AYP
Year
Consequences
1st Year of
Not Making AYP
No consequence for Year 2.
2nd Year of
Not Making AYP
School identified as “in need of
improvement.” Must offer School
Choice With Transportation in Year
3.
3rd Year of
Not Making AYP
Must offer School Choice With
Transportation and SES in Year 4.
4th Year of
Not Making AYP
Must offer School Choice With
Transportation, SES, and
implement corrective action in
Year 5.
5th Year of
Not Making AYP
Must offer School Choice With
Transportation, SES, and plan for
possible restructuring in Year 6.
What is a Title I School?
Title I schools are schools that receive
extra federal funds based on a high
percentage of students from lowincome families.
What is NCLB Public School
Choice With Transportation?
Students that attend a Title I school
that has not made AYP for two or
more years have the option to
attend a higher-performing school
with transportation paid for by
the district.
What is SES?
Supplemental Educational Services
(SES) provides free tutoring to
eligible students. Eligible students
are students that:
1. Qualify for free or reduced price
lunch.
2. Attend a Title I school that has not
made AYP for three or more years.
What does NCLB mean to
parents?
NCLB gives parents more:
• Information
• Choices
• Influence
What kind of information does
NCLB give parents?
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Individual Student Assessment Reports
School and Local Report Cards
The Right to Know
State Standards
Workshops
Information
Individual Student Assessment Reports:
Every year parents receive a report on how
their child performed on the FCAT.
This helps to identify students’
strengths and needs.
Information
School and Local Report Cards
• Each year, the school district must
distribute a report card that tells how
every school and the district as a whole
are performing.
• These reports also identify schools that
did not make AYP.
Information
How can parents access school and
local report cards?
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Yearly distribution by school districts
Local media
Schools
Florida Department of Education
website: http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org
Information
How can parents use these report cards?
NCLB gives parents a lot of choices about
where their child attends school.
Researching the performance of various
schools will help parents make a more
well-informed decision when they go
“shopping” for a school.
Information
The Right to Know: Parents have the right
to request information regarding the
qualifications of their child’s teacher.
State Standards: Schools are responsible
for helping parents understand state
requirements.
Training Opportunities: Schools provide
workshops that show parents how to
work with their children at home.
What choices does NCLB
give parents?
• NCLB Public School Choice
With Transportation
• Supplemental Educational Services
• Other School Choice Options
Choices
How do parents know if their child is
eligible for NCLB School Choice with
Transportation or SES?
Districts are required to notify parents
before the start of the school year if
their child is eligible. If they have not
yet been notified, they should contact
their child’s school.
Choices
More SES Details:
Who: Services are offered by providers
that have been approved by the state.
When: Services take place outside of the
regular school day.
Where: Services are offered at a variety of
locations.
Choices
Other School Choice Options:
These choices vary from district to district
but they generally include the following:
• Home Education
• Private Schools
• Scholarship Programs
• Public School Choice
Choices
What is Public School Choice?
Public School Choice is different
from NCLB School Choice.
Public School Choice is usually
available to all students.
Choices
Options for Public School Choice vary, but
districts usually offer the following choices:
• Controlled Open Enrollment
• Charter Schools
• Magnet Schools
• Virtual School Programs
• Career Academies
• Advanced Placement/Baccalaureate
Programs
• Dual Enrollment
What kind of influence does
NCLB give parents?
Schools are required to give parents
opportunities to influence certain decisions
and policies including the following:
• Parental Involvement Policies
• School-Parent Compact
• Parent Involvement Programs
• Parent Involvement Funds
• School Improvement
Finding Answers
We may not be able to provide all of
the answers for parents, but we can
certainly send them in the right
direction.
The Florida PIRC at USF: www.floridapirc.usf.edu
Toll free: (866) 775-8661
The Florida Department of Education:
www.fldoe.org/NCLB
Florida School Choice: www.floridaschoolchoice.org
Toll free: (800) 447-1636
FCAT: http://fcat.fldoe.org
(850) 245-0513
The U.S. Department of Education: www.ed.gov/nclb
Toll free: (800) 872-5237
2-1-1 Websites
A Team Effort
Our public schools need all the help they
can get—from parents, family members,
community residents, local
organizations, and anyone else whom
we can engage in children’s learning.
Anne T. Henderson, Karen L. Mapp, Vivian R.
Johnson, and Don Davies, Beyond the Bake
Sale: The Essential Guide to Family-School
Partnerships
Please complete your evaluations.
Thank you!
Florida PIRC at USF
www.floridapirc.usf.edu