No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, P.L Section School Parent Involvement Policies Virginia Department of Education March 11, 2009

School Parental Involvement Policy 2 Virginia Department of Education Review of Title I School Parental Involvement Policies Section 1118 (h) REVIEW- The state educational agency shall review the local educational agency's parental involvement policies and practices to determine if the policies and practices meet the requirements of this section.

School Parental Involvement Policy 3 Virginia Department of Education In General From Section 1118 (b) (1): Each school served under this part shall jointly develop with, and distribute to, parents of participating children a written parental involvement policy, agreed on by such parents, that shall describe the means for carrying out the requirements of subsections (c) through (f). Parents shall be notified of the policy in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language the parents can understand. Such policy shall be made available to the local community and updated periodically to meet the changing needs of parents and the school.

School Parental Involvement Policy 4 Virginia Department of Education Existing Parent Involvement Policies From Section 1118 (b) (2) SPECIAL RULE- If the school has a parental involvement policy that applies to all parents, such school may amend that policy, if necessary, to meet the requirements of this subsection. (3) AMENDMENT- If the local educational agency involved has a school district-level parental involvement policy that applies to all parents, such agency may amend that policy, if necessary, to meet the requirements of this subsection.

School Parental Involvement Policy 5 Virginia Department of Education Parent Comments From Section 1118 (b)(4): If the plan (i.e. Title I application) under section 1112 is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the local educational agency shall submit any parent comments with such plan when such local educational agency submits the plan to the state.

School Parental Involvement Policy 6 Virginia Department of Education Non-Regulatory Guidance Section D of the Parental Involvement Guidance addresses: School-level Parental Involvement Policies and Funding tinvguid.doc

School Parental Involvement Policy 7 Virginia Department of Education Ensure that each participating school develop a written policy that describes the means for carrying out the division’s policy Ensure that each participating school develop a written policy that describes the means for carrying out the division’s policy [Section 1118 (a) (2)] [Section 1118 (a) (2)] (The HOW)

School Parental Involvement Policy 8 Virginia Department of Education Convene an annual meeting Convene an annual meeting

School Parental Involvement Policy 9 Virginia Department of Education Conduct an annual evaluation of the parental involvement policy Conduct an annual evaluation of the parental involvement policy

School Parental Involvement Policy 10 Virginia Department of Education Communicate a policy for promoting parental involvement in program implementation, school review, and development of improvement plans Communicate a policy for promoting parental involvement in program implementation, school review, and development of improvement plans

School Parental Involvement Policy 11 Virginia Department of Education Title I School-Parent Compact The School-Parent Compact describes:  School’s responsibility to meet the state’s student academic achievement standards  Ways in which parents will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning monitoring attendance, homework completion, and television watching volunteering in their children’s classrooms participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children and positive use of extracurricular time

School Parental Involvement Policy 12 Virginia Department of Education Title I School-Parent Compact (continued) The School-Parent Compact addresses the importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis through:  Parent/teacher conferences (discuss compact)  Frequent reports to parents on children’s progress  Reasonable access to staff  Opportunities to volunteer/participate in children’s classes  Observational classroom activities

School Parental Involvement Policy 13 Virginia Department of Education No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), Section 1118 (b)–(h) ALL schools receiving Title I, Part A, funds are required to develop a School Parental Involvement Policy with specified sections. Title I School Parental Involvement Policy Checklist

School Parental Involvement Policy 14 Virginia Department of Education Title I School Parental Involvement Policy Checklist Note: In Section 1118(e). Building Capacity for Involvement, items (1)–(5) and (14) are required and shall be implemented. However, items (6)–(13) are not required, but they may be included in the policy.

School Parental Involvement Policy 15 Virginia Department of Education Title I School Parental Involvement Policy Checklist This checklist has been designed so that each section can be reviewed independently and the status of compliance of each section can be indicated. The responses will serve as a guide for the recommended adjustments to the Title I school parental involvement policy

School Parental Involvement Policy 16 Virginia Department of Education Title I School Parental Involvement Policy Checklist Section 1118 (b) School Parental Involvement Policy Write a school parental involvement policy jointly developed with, and distributed to, parents with children participating in a title I program. Yes No NA Page Paragraph or Bullet # X

School Parental Involvement Policy 17 Virginia Department of Education Title I School Parental Involvement Policy Checklist Section 1118 (c)(5) Policy Involvement Ensure that if the schoolwide program plan under Section 1114(b)(2) is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, parent comments will be considered for inclusion prior to making the plan available to the local educational agency. Yes No NA Page Paragraph or Bullet # X

School Parental Involvement Policy 18 Virginia Department of Education Title I School Parental Involvement Policy Checklist Section 1118 (d)(1) Shared Responsibilities for High Student Academic Achievement Describe the school’s responsibility to provide high- quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables the children served under this part to meet the state’s student academic achievement standards,

School Parental Involvement Policy 19 Virginia Department of Education Title I School Parental Involvement Policy Checklist and the ways in which each parent will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning, such as monitoring attendance, homework completion, and television watching, volunteering in their child’s classroom, and participating as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children and positive use of extracurricular time. Yes No NA Page Paragraph or Bullet # X 12 3

School Parental Involvement Policy 20 Virginia Department of Education Title I School Parental Involvement Policy Checklist Section 1118(e)(5) Ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to the parents of participating children in a format, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand. Yes No NA Page Paragraph or Bullet # X

School Parental Involvement Policy 21 Virginia Department of Education Title I School Parental Involvement Policy Checklist After using the checklist to review the policy, make adjustments as needed. Maintain a copy of the policy in each Title I classroom, the Title I coordinator’s office, the principal’s office, and have available for distribution as requested.

School Parental Involvement Policy 22 Virginia Department of Education Title I School Parental Involvement Policy The following slides contain sections of the Title I School Parental Involvement Policy requirements and specific examples.

School Parental Involvement Policy 23 Virginia Department of Education Citation from Law: NCLB Act of 2001 Section 1118 (c) (4) (B) Provide parents of participating children a description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet; (Required) Question: Does the following example satisfy the parental involvement policy requirement stated above? Sample Response from a Title I School-Level Parental Involvement Policy: The school’s curriculum reflects the Virginia Standards of Learning and is guided by Marazano’s research-based strategies. Reading/Language Arts: In the primary grades, students learn to read and write using phonics, language structure, meaning, reinforcing effort and providing recognition, setting objectives, and providing feedback. In the upper grades, students learn to use reading to acquire new information, expand information writing, generate and test hypotheses, cues, questions, and advanced organizers. At each grade level, students read, write, and discuss their reading and writing with their teacher and peers. They have the opportunity to write frequently and learn to edit using correct punctuation and spelling.

School Parental Involvement Policy 24 Virginia Department of Education Sample Response (continued): Mathematics: In the primary grades, students learn how to become mathematical problem solvers, communicate mathematically, reason mathematically, and make mathematical connections. In the upper grades, students develop the mathematical understandings needed to pursue higher education and to compete in a global, technology intensive society. Assessment: PALS, SOL, historical data, STAR, On Your Mark, Tests for High Standards, and various locally-designed assessment instruments are employed to compile a student’s portfolio performance. Assessment data are available to the public through the annual school’s report card, the school’s Web site, featured topics during scheduled monthly PTO meetings, scheduled parent-teacher conferences, and Title I parental meetings, as requested. Title I School-Level Parental Involvement Policy

School Parental Involvement Policy 25 Virginia Department of Education Question: Does the following example satisfy the parental involvement policy requirement stated above? Citation from Law: NCLB Act of 2001 Section 1118 (c) (3) Involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of programs under this part, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school parental involvement policy and the joint development of the schoolwide program plan under Section 1114(b)(2), except that if a school has in place a process for involving parents in the joint planning and design of the school's programs, the school may use that process, if such process includes an adequate representation of parents of participating children; (Required) Sample Response from a Title I School-Level Parental Involvement Policy: Parents are important partners in their children’s education. The school values parental input and invites parents to participate in the planning, review, and improvement of the school parental involvement policy and schoolwide program. Parents will be informed of meetings to be held twice in the fall and twice in the spring to discuss the policy and schoolwide program. Two representatives from the PTA are assigned to attend these meetings; however, all parents are invited to attend.

School Parental Involvement Policy 26 Virginia Department of Education Question: Does the following example satisfy the parental involvement policy requirement stated above? Sample Response from a Title I School-Level Parental Involvement Policy: The parent involvement policy will be discussed with parents at the Open House in September, and reviewed again at Parents’ Night in November and March. Additionally, school staff are available to discuss the compact at the parents’ request. Citation from Law: NCLB Act of 2001 Section 1118 (d) (2) (A) Include a schedule for elementary school parent-teacher conferences, at least annually, during which the compact shall be discussed as the compact relates to the individual child's achievement; (Required)

School Parental Involvement Policy 27 Virginia Department of Education Question: Does the following example satisfy the parental involvement policy requirement stated above? Citation from Law: NCLB Act of 2001 Section 1118 (d) (2) (C) Afford parents, of children receiving Title I services, reasonable access to staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child's class, and observation of classroom activities; (Required) Sample Response from a Title I School-Level Parental Involvement Policy: Parents may consult with staff during these scheduled times: 1. October, January, and April parent-teacher conferences 2. By request during a teacher’s planning period 3. By or phone call to a teacher Parents will learn about volunteer opportunities at the quarterly Open Houses as well as through a quarterly newsletter that will go home with each child. Parents are welcomed to coordinate with their child’s teacher to inquire about volunteering or observing on a day not specified in the meetings or newsletters.

School Parental Involvement Policy 28 Virginia Department of Education Question: Does the following example satisfy the parental involvement policy requirement stated above? Citation from Law: NCLB Act of 2001 Section 1118 (e) (5) Ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to the parents of participating children in a format, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand; (Required) Sample Response from a Title I School-Level Parental Involvement Policy: - Bimonthly notifications of upcoming programs, meetings, and school activities are mailed to parents in English and Spanish. - Brochures about school and parent programs are also available in the school’s front office as well as on the school’s Web site. - All communications are in English and Spanish. Translators of other languages are available as needed.