1. Parent Involvement Meeting April 3, 2009

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3. Agenda Welcome / Introductions Evaluation of Parental Involvement Activities Review of Current Parental Involvement Policy Review DRAFT Policy on DOE Template Evaluation of Policy Using Checklist Review / Revise Parent Compact Parent Involvement Self-Evaluation Checklist Survey of Effectiveness 1% Set-Aside for Parental Involvement

4. Evaluation of Parental Involvement Activities Use rubric provided to evaluate parent involvement activities Are there barriers to parent participation that you can identify?

5. Review of Current Parental Involvement Policy and Plans Take a few moments to reacquaint with the district policy and school level plans that are currently in place.

6. 09-10 Policy NOTE: In support of strengthening student academic achievement, each Local Educational Agency (LEA or school district) that receives Title I, Part A funds must develop jointly with, agree on with, and distribute to, parents of participating children a written parent involvement policy that contains information required by section 1118(a)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The policy establishes the LEA’s expectations for parent involvement and describes how the LEA will implement a number of specific parent involvement activities, and is incorporated into the LEA’s plan submitted to the State educational agency (SEA).

7. 09-10 Policy The Gilchrist County School Board agrees to implement the following statutory requirements: The school district will put into operation programs, activities, and procedures for the involvement of parents in all of its schools with Title I, Part A programs consistent with section 1118 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Those programs, activities, and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children.

8. 09-10 Policy Consistent with section 1118, the school district will work with its schools to ensure that the required school-level parent involvement policies meet the requirements of section 1118(b) of the ESEA, and each include, as a component, a school-parent compact consistent with section 1118(d) of the ESEA. The school district will incorporate this district wide parent involvement policy into its LEA plan developed under section 1112 of the ESEA.

9. 09-10 Policy In carrying out the Title I, Part A, parent involvement requirements to the extent practicable, the school district and its schools will provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under section 1111 of the ESEA in an understandable and uniform format and, including alternative formats upon request, and to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand.

10. 09-10 Policy If the LEA plan for Title I, Part A, developed under section 1112 of the ESEA is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school district will submit any parent comments with the plan when the school district submits the plan to the Florida Department of Education.

11. 09-10 Policy The school district will involve the parents of children served in Title I, Part A schools in decisions about how the one percent of Title I, Part A funds reserved for parent involvement is spent, and will ensure that not less than 95 percent of the one percent reserved goes directly to the schools.

12. 09-10 Policy The school district will be governed by the following statutory definition of parent involvement, and expects that its Title I schools will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition: Parent involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two- way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring— –(A) that parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning; –(B) that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school; –(C) that parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child; –(D) the carrying out of other activities, such as those described in section 1118 of the ESEA.

13. 09-10 Policy The school district will inform parents and parent organizations of the purpose and existence of the Parent Information and Resource Center(s) (PIRC) in the state. Florida has two PIRCs. For more information regarding the PIRC of Family Network on Disabilities of Florida (FND) please visit their Web site at: http://www.fndfl.org/projects/pirc/index.asp. For more information regarding the PIRC at University of South Florida (USF), please visit their Web site at: http://www.floridapirc.usf.edu. A sample letter to inform parents of PIRCs as required by NCLB, Section 1118, may be found at: http://www.floridapirc.usf.edu/pdfs/NCLB_PIRC_Pare nt_Notify.pdf.

14. 09-10 Policy The Gilchrist County School District will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development of its district wide parent involvement policy under section 1112 of the ESEA: Conduct Annual planning meetings, involving parents Conduct Annual Parent Surveys Disseminate parent involvement policy through report cards, newsletters, handbooks Complete Parent, School, Student Compacts Disseminate parent involvement information and opportunities at annual Open House Disseminate parent involvement information and opportunities at PTA/PTO Meetings

15. 09-10 Policy The Gilchrist County School District will take the following actions to involve parents in the process of school review and improvement under section 1116 of the ESEA: School Improvement meetings, Advisory Council Membership Ensure that all Title I schools conduct an annual review of School Parental Involvement with input from parents Share information with and encourage input from parents through handbooks, school websites, and school newsletters

16. 09-10 Policy The Gilchrist County School District will provide the following necessary coordination, technical assistance, and other support to assist Title I, Part A schools in planning and implementing effective parent involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance: Provide technical assistance for principals and staff on how to effectively involve parents in their students’ education. Provide written guidance to each principal in the development of a school Parent Involvement Policy as well as assist in the alignment of the policy to each school’s School Improvement Plan. Assist schools in providing information for parents in other languages as needed. Monitor Title I schools to ensure: –The development and dissemination of a parent involvement policy with parents involved in the process –An annual meeting to inform parents of the schools participation in Title I with flexible meeting times –Development of school compacts –Provide resources for parents to improve academic achievement through parent centers, website, newsletters, parent/teacher communications, reports to parents –Provide opportunities for parent-teacher conferences Collaborate with schools to provide family literacy activities, strategies, and parent workshops, such as Accelerated Reader Nights, PTA literacy meetings, FCAT meetings, transition services, multi-cultural materials availability, etc.

17. 09-10 Policy The Gilchrist County School District will coordinate and integrate parent involvement strategies in Title I, Part A, with parent involvement strategies under the following other programs: IDEA, Title II, Title III, Voluntary Pre-kindergarten, 21st Century Community Learning Center After-School Program, United Way Success by 6, and Families Building Better Learners, by: ____________________________

18. 09-10 Policy The Gilchrist County School District will take the following actions to conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of this parent involvement policy in improving the quality of its Title I, Part A schools. The evaluation will include identifying barriers to increase participation by parents in parent involvement activities (with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background). The school district will use the findings of the evaluation about its parent involvement policy and activities to design strategies for more effective parent involvement, and to revise, if necessary (and with the involvement of parents) its parent involvement policies. Parent interviews School Public Accountability Reports (SPAR) LEA Report Card Title I Parent Surveys Work Session / Meeting with parents regarding effectiveness of policy

19. 09-10 Policy

20. The school district will, with the assistance of its schools, provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement, such as literacy training, and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parent involvement, by: Fund initiative such as Florida Reading Initiative, FLaRE, SUMS Conduct Parent surveys Provide resources for parent training opportunities Approve reasonable and necessary expenses associated with parental involvement activities to enable parents to participate in school-related meetings and training sessions Encourage various meeting times to maximize opportunities for parents to participate in school-related activities Provide any reasonable support for parental involvement activities requested by Title I parents.

21. 09-10 Policy The school district will, with the assistance of its schools and parents, educate its teachers, pupil services personnel, principals, and other staff in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to implement and coordinate parent programs and build ties between parents and schools, by: Technical Assistance that includes how to communicate and work with parents effectively Provide materials and resources that emphasize the role of parents Encourage parents to participate in development of parent involvement plan Provide parents with information on the need for confidentiality

22. 09-10 Policy The school district will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with Head Start, Reading First, Early Reading First, Even Start, 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, by: Collaboration of programs (Title I, Title II, Title III, IDEA, Voluntary Pre-K, etc.) Accelerated Reader Nights Parent Programs

23. 09-10 Policy The school district will take the following actions to ensure that information related to the school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the parents of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand: Provide clear information that avoids the use of jargon Provide documents in multiple languages as needed Encourage the participation of school translators at appropriate meetings

24. PART III. Discretionary District Parent Involvement Policy Components The following describes other discretionary activities under section 1118(e) of the ESEA that the school district, in consultation with its parents, chooses to undertake to build parents’ capacity for involvement in the school and school system to support their children’s academic achievement: Involving parents in the development of training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness of that training Providing necessary literacy training for parents from Title I, Part A funds, if the school district has exhausted all other reasonably available sources of funding for that training Paying reasonable and necessary expenses associated with parent involvement activities, including transportation and child care costs, to enable parents to participate in school- related meetings and training sessions Training parents to enhance the involvement of other parents In order to maximize parent involvement and participation in their children’s education, arranging school meetings at a variety of times, or conducting in-home conferences between teachers or other educators, who work directly with participating children, with parents who are unable to attend those conferences at school Adopting and implementing model approaches to improving parent involvement Establishing a district wide parent advisory council to provide advice on all matters related to parent involvement in Title I, Part A programs Developing appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses, including faith-based organizations, in parent involvement activities Providing other reasonable support for parent involvement activities under section 1118 as parents may request

25. Evaluation of Policy Based on Checklist Developed jointly with and agreed on by parents of children participating in Title I programs Written in an understandable format and provided in a language parents can understand Directly distributed to all parents of children participating in Title I programs

26. Evaluation of Policy Based on Checklist Describes how the district will: –Involve parents in the development of district parental involvement policy –Involve parents in the process of school review and improvement –Assist schools in planning and implementing effective parental involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance –Coordinate parent involvement strategies with other programs such as Even Start, Head Start, and Parents as Teachers

27. Evaluation of Policy Based on Checklist Describes how the district will: –Involve parents in an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent involvement policy in improving the quality of schools The evaluation will identify any barriers to greater participation of parents of diverse backgrounds The evaluation findings will be used to design more effective strategies for effective parental involvement

28. Evaluation of Policy Based on Checklist Describes how the district will: –Build the schools’ and parents’ capacity for strong parent involvement –Assist parents in understanding the state’s academic content standards, student academic achievement standards, state and local academic assessments, requirements of Title I, Part A, how to monitor their child’s academic progress, and how to work with educators –Provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement, such as literacy training and using technology, to foster parent involvement

29. Evaluation of Policy Based on Checklist Describes how the district will: –Educate school personnel in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners; in the value and utility of contributions of parents; and in how to coordinate parent programs and build ties between parents and schools – Coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with other organizations such as Head Start or Parents as Teachers and conduct other activities that encourage parents to fully participate in their child’s education –Ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings and other activities is sent to parents in a format and language that parents can understand

33. 1% Title I Parental Involvement Set-Aside $5,000 - $6,000 depending on budget Partially supports interpreter salary so that ESOL families can be as involved as all other families Supports monthly Accelerated Reader / Parent Nights at Title I schools

34. Next Steps Finalize revisions –Policy –Compact –Survey Board approval of policy Principals disseminate policy for continued input from stakeholders –Newsletter –Backpack Flyers –Open House –Website –BTS Guide

35. Thank you! Contact Patricia Powers with any additional input / suggestions –powersp@mygcsd.orgpowersp@mygcsd.org –(352) 463-4408