Transcript No Child Left Behind: Parent Involvement Constance Webster, PhD Office of Student Achievement and Accountability.

No Child Left Behind:
Parent Involvement
Constance Webster, PhD
Office of Student Achievement and
Accountability
What you need to do to be in compliance:
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The following slides are going to describe in
detail what LEAs and schools, that accept
Title I, Part A funds, must do under Section
1118 of NCLB for parental involvement.
District Parental Involvement Policy
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Establishes the LEA’s expectations for
parental involvement
Must be developed jointly with, and agreed
upon with, the parents of children
participating in Title I, Part A programs and
Distributed to parents
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If the LEA already has a district-level parent involvement
policy the LEA may amend existing policy, to meet
requirements of section 1118.
District PI Policy must describe 
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Involve parents in developing local plan(s)
Provide support to assist Title I schools in planning
and implementing effective PI activities
Build schools’ capacity for strong PI
Coordinate PI strategies under other programs
Conduct an annual evaluation of effectiveness of the
PI in improving academic quality of the school
Involve parents in activities of schools served under
Title I, Part A
School Parent Involvement Policy
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Developed jointly with parents of children
participating in Title I, Part A
Describes how the school will carry out the PI
requirements in section 1118(c) – (f).
Parents must be notified of PI policy
School must make PI policy available to local
community
School Parent PI Policy must describe
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Section 1118 (c) – (f) includes:
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Build the schools’ and parents’ capacity for strong
parental involvement
Coordinate PI strategies with PI strategies under
other programs
Conduct, with PI involvement, an annual
evaluation of content and effectiveness of PI
policy in improving academic achievement
Involve parents in activities of the schools served
School – Parent Compact
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A school-parent compact is a written
agreement between the school and the
parents of children participating in Title I, Part
A programs that identifies activities parents,
school staff and students will take to share
responsibility for improved academic
performance
School – Parent compact must describe
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School’s responsibility to provide high-quality
curriculum and instruction
Ways that parents will be responsible for
supporting their child’s learning
Importance of communication between
parents and teachers through at a minimum
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Parent teacher conferences at least annually
Frequent reports on child’s progress
Reasonable access to volunteer in child’s class
Informing Parents about Title I, Part A
Program
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Schools served under Title I, Part A must
convene an annual meeting, at a time
convenient for parents, to inform them about
the Title I, Part A program, explain the
requirements and the rights of parents to be
involved in these programs.
Informing Parents about Title I, Part A
Program
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Schools must provide participating parents of
children, information about the Title I, Part A
program that includes:
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Description and explanation of school’s curriculum
Info. on the forms of academic assessment used
to measure student progress
Info. on the proficiency levels students are
expected to meet
Upon request, opportunity for parents to
participate in decisions about the education of
their children
LEA Responsibility for communicating
AYP results
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Explain what the identification means
How the school compares to others in district
Reasons for the identification
Explain how parents can be involved in addressing
academic issues
Explain parents options to transfer or obtain SES services
What the school is doing to address the problem
What the LEA and SEA is doing to address the problem
If applicable, description of specific corrective actions or
restructuring plans
AYP Data Report by School
AYP Data Report by School
Where Do I Find These Reports?
http://www.nj.gov/education/title1/accountability/ayp/
0809/profiles/
Parents’ Right-to-Know Requirements
At the beginning of each school year, LEAs must notify
parents of each student attending a Title I, Part A school
of their right to request information about the
qualifications of both the teachers and paraprofessionals
who teach their children, whether the teacher has met
State qualifications and licensing criteria.
Parent’s Right to Know Requirements
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Title I, Part A schools must give each parent timely
notice when their child has been assigned, or has been
taught for four or more consecutive weeks, by a
teacher who is not highly qualified.
Parent Notification
Language Instruction Education
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LEAs using Title I, Part A funds to provide a
language instruction educational program (as
defined in Part C of Title III of NCLB) must
provide the following information to a parent
of child receiving services:
Language Instruction Education:
The Parents Notification Must Include
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Reason for the identification
Child’s level of English proficiency
Method of instruction
How the program will meet the needs of the
child
How the program will specifically help the
child learn English
Exit requirements
Title I, Part A Reserve
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An LEA that receives a Title I, Part A
allocation of $500,000 or more must reserve
not less than 1% based on the total Title I,
Part A allocation for parent involvement
95% of set aside must be filtered to schools
Private school must receive equitable access
to this set aside
Providing Assistance and Training
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Schools and LEAs must help parents
understand
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State’s academic content assessment and
achievement standards
Academic assessments
Parent involvement requirements of section 1118
How to monitor their child’s progress and work
with educators to improve achievement
Approvable expenditures
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Transportation
Childcare costs
Training to parents to enhance involvement
Attend training opportunities for parents
Pool school level dollars to fund a district
wide parent coordinator, parent resource
center
Why is Parent Involvement
Important?
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A synthesis of parent involvement research
concluded that “the evidence is consistent,
positive, and convincing: families have a major
influence on their children’s achievement in
school and through life. 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.”
Parent Involvement and Student
Achievement
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Studies have found that students with involved
parents, no matter what their income or
background, are more likely to—
Earn high grades and test scores, and enroll in higherlevel programs;
Pass their classes, earn credits, and be promoted;
Attend school regularly; and
Graduate and go on to postsecondary education.[1]
Compliance & Effective Practices
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NCLB requires school districts and buildings to
develop comprehensive parent involvement
plans (compliance).
 Every LEA in the state that receives Title I
money has a parent involvement policy at both
the district and at each Title I school.
However, not every school district can claim that
they have great parent involvement.
WHY??
What the Research Says…
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“A New Wave of Evidence”: The Impact of
School, Family and Community Connections on
Student Achievement
 Reviewed over 50 comprehensive studies on
the effect of parent and community
involvement on student achievement over the
past 25 years. Issued recommendations for
creating successful and engaging parent
programs
Recommendation #1
Recognize that all parents, regardless of income,
education level or cultural background, are interested in
their children’s learning and want their children to do well
in school.
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Every study that looked at high performing schools in
low-income areas found that parents were highly
engaged.
Most studies showed that the children’s gains were
directly related to how much families were involved.
Recommendation #1
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Always proceed with the assumption that all families
can help improve their children’s performance in
school and influence other key outcomes that affect
achievement.
Adopt a No Fault Policy
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Refrain at all times from blaming families for their
children’s low achievement.
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Never assume that families don’t care about their
children.
High expectations should not apply just to students…but
to teachers, school staff and families.
Recommendation #2:
Create programs that will support families to guide their
children’s learning, from preschool through high school.
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Early Childhood:
 Home Visits
 Lending Libraries
 Discussion Groups
 Workshops on how to stimulate their children’s mental,
physical and emotional development.
Elementary/Middle School:
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Interactive homework involving both
parents/children.
Workshops on topics parents suggest.
Regular calls from teachers (not just when there are
problems). Remember to always lead with
something positive.
Learning packets in reading, science, math, as well
as training on how to use them.
Regular meetings with teachers to talk about their
child’s progress and what they are learning.
High School:
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Regular meetings with teachers and counselors to
plan their children’s academic programs
Information about program options, graduation
requirements, test schedules and post secondary
education options and how to plan for them.
Explanations of courses students should take to be
prepared for college or other postsecondary
education.
Information about financing postsecondary education
and applying for financial aid.
Recommendation #3:
Work with families to build their social and
political connections
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When parents feel they have the power to change and
control their circumstances, children tend to do better in
school. Their parents are also better equipped to help
them.
When schools work with families to develop their
connections, families become powerful allies of the
schools and advocates for public education.
provide connections with neighbors, other parents in the
school and teachers. Use the same vocabulary, shared
rules of behavior and resources to make the connections
possible.
Recommendation #3
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Translate all communications with families into their
home languages; provide an interpreter at all
meetings.
Offer childcare, meals and transportation for all
activities at school.
Ask families about the best times for them to attend
events at school. Ask what kind of events? Ask what
they think would make the school better.
Recommendation #3
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Make sure parents understand how the system works
and how to have an effect on public decisions. Give
parents access to the people who run the school system
and a voice in policymaking process.
Support families’ involvement in decision making.
Ask the Superintendent, Board Members and district
staff to meet with parents at the school and explain what
they do.
Recommendation #4
Develop the capacity of school staff to work
with families and community members.
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Few teacher prep program include instruction on how
to partner with parents and community.
Help all staff recognize the advantage of school and
family connections.
Explore how trusting and respectful relationships with
family and community members are achieved.
Enhance schools staff’s abilities to work with diverse
families.
Explore the benefits of sharing power with families.
Recommendation #5:
Link family and community engagement
efforts to student learning
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Develop or adopt programs to engage parents in working
with their children to develop specific skills.
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Demonstrate an activity for parents
Give materials to each family - offering advice on how to use
Help parents assess child’s progress and steer child to next steps
Lend materials to use at home.
Works with local after school programs to link their
content to what students are learning in the classroom.
Recommendation #5
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Link school’s traditional staples of parent
involvement (open house, etc.) to learning
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Incorporate information on standards and exhibits
of student work at open houses and back-to-school
nights.
Engage parents and students in math/reading
games at Family Nights.
Use school newsletter to discuss test results and
how students are doing to meet higher standards.
Recommendation #6:
Focus efforts to engage families and
community members in developing trusting
and respectful relationships
A theme throughout all research studies indicate
that relationships are key. Building of relationships
must be intentional and consistent.
Recommendation #6:
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Respect cultural and class differences.
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Make an effort to learn about the concerns of families
and how they define and perceive their role in your
school. (If parents don’t attend activities arranged by
schools staff and held at school, the school should not
assume that “parent’s don’t care”.)
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Parent and community members feel respected when
educators attempt to understand and relate to their needs.
Recommendation #6
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Allocate Resources to help build relationships
and support parent and community involvement.
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Adopt simple but effective practices of teacher
outreach to families.
 Meeting face to face
 Sending materials on ways to help their child at
home.
 Telephoning both routinely and when a child is
having problems.
Recommendation #6
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Allow school staff the resources and time to create
programs that:
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Invite and welcome parent and community members
Honor the contributions and accomplishments of
parents
Connect families to learning goals for children.
Recommendation #7
Embrace a philosophy of partnership and be
willing to share power with families
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Make sure that parents, school staff, and community
members understand that the responsibility of children’s
educational development is a collaborative enterprise.
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Partnerships mean sharing power with family and community
members. Both will lose interest in partnering when their
participation is token.
Avoid using parents and community members to merely
rubberstamp decisions already made.
Contact and Web Site Information
Office of Student Achievement and Accountability
Office: 609-943-4283
Fax: 609-633-6874
Website: http://www.nj.gov/njded/title1/
Email: [email protected]