NCLB Title I, Part A Parent Notification Idaho SDE Title I Director’s Meeting September 15, 2008 Cathryn Gardner, Senior Program Advisor Northwest Regional Comprehensive Center Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory

Non-regulatory Guidance USDOE: cks.jhtml?src=ln cks.jhtml?src=ln arentinvguid.doc

What we will cover today… 1.Notification about LEA Improvement 2.Notification about School Improvement [SI] SI and School Choice Supplementary Education Services [SES] Corrective Action Restructuring 3.Notification about LEA and School Parent Involvement Policies

What we will cover today…2 4.Parents’ right to know – teacher and paraprofessional qualifications 5.Parents’ right to know – non-highly qualified teachers 6.Title I-A Annual Parent Meeting

How must LEAs and Schools communicate in general? Provide information to parents of students participating in an: Understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request ‘to the extent practicable’ in a language parents can understand

1.LEA Improvement SEAs notify parents that LEA has been identified for improvement Annual Report Card SEAs disseminate to parents and public information on corrective actions taken by SEA

2.School Improvement SI and School Choice The letter MUST contain: LEA shall promptly provide to a parent or parents) an: explanation of what the identification means how the school compares in terms of academic achievement to other elementary schools or secondary schools served by the LEA and SEA the reasons for the identification;

2.School Improvement cont… 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 address the achievement problem; an explanation of how the parents can become involved in addressing the academic issues that caused the school to be identified; and an explanation of the parents' option to transfer their child to another public school (with transportation provided by the agency)

2.Notification about School Improvement: SDE Sample letter-Choice Dear Parents, Welcome to a new school year. This letter details our school’s progress toward state reading and math goals and reviews options available to some students. Each year, all schools are required to reach goals in reading, math, and language arts. Schools must meet the proficiency targets in 41 different areas. Based on the spring’s ISAT scores, our school made (number or the areas) of 41 of the required targets. The full report is available from the Office of the Board of Education at %20District&SchoolReport.xlshttp:// 2008%20District&SchoolReport.xls

2.Notification about School Improvement: SDE Sample letter-Choice cont… This report provides information on how (name of school) compares with other schools in the (name of district) and in the state. (name of school) is in (list AYP status i.e. School Improvement Yr. I) Because (number of sub groups) did not meet the academic targets in (list indicator) In keeping with the No Child Left Behind [NCLB] law, you have the option to transfer your child to another school that is not in School Improvement status. etc…

2.School Improvement: SDE Sample letter-No Choice Dear Parents, Welcome to a new school year. This letter details our school’s progress toward state reading and math goals and reviews options available to some students. Each year, all schools are required to reach goals in reading, math, and language arts. Schools must meet the proficiency targets in 41 different areas. Based on the spring’s ISAT scores, our school made (number or the areas) of 41 of the required targets. The full report is available from the Office of the Board of Education at: %20District&SchoolReport.xls

School Improvement: SDE Sample letter- No Choice cont… This report provides information on how (name of school) compares with other schools in the (name of district) and in the state. (name of school) is in (list AYP status i.e. School Improvement Yr. I) because (number of sub groups) did not meet the academic targets in (list indicator) In keeping with the No Child Left Behind [NCLB] law, you have the option to transfer your child to another school that is not in School Improvement status. Under NCLB law, you have the option to transfer your child to another School that is not in School Improvement status where it is possible and/or practicable. (name of district) is not able to offer school choice because (make the appropriate choice there is only one school in the district/all schools in the district are in improvement status/the distance your child would be required to travel to the nearest eligible school is too far/etc.) etc…

2.Notification about LEA and School Improvement Supplementary Education Services the availability of services; the identity of approved providers of those services that are within the LEA or whose services are reasonably available in neighboring LEAs; and a brief description of the services, qualifications, and demonstrated effectiveness of each such provider;

2.School Improvement: SDE Sample letter- Supplementary Education Services nt_Notification_Letter_1.doc Dear Parent/Guardian, Help your child succeed in school – sign up for free tutoring! As a result of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, your child can Receive extra help in the areas of math, reading, and language arts. You can receive this free tutoring because your child’s school is in its second year or later of “school improvement,” and your family meets the income limits under the law.

2.School Improvement: SDE Sample letter- Supplementary Education Services cont… Your child’s school has been identified for improvement because it has not made adequate yearly progress on state measures of academic achievement for at least three years. Our district’s report card (enclosed with this letter) shows how your child’s school compares to other schools in our district and state. Your child’s school has been identified because [list reasons for identification]. We will be sending you more information in a few weeks about how you can help us improve the school in these areas.

2.School Improvement: SDE Sample letter- Supplementary Education Services cont… For now, you can now choose a free tutoring program that is best for your child. A list of approved tutoring programs in your area is enclosed. These programs have been approved by the state department of education and will provide your child with tutoring that is coordinated with what is being taught in school. When deciding which tutoring program is best for your child, you may want to ask these questions: When and where will the tutoring take place (at school, home, a community center)? How often and for how many hours in total will your child be tutored? …etc.

2.School Improvement: Corrective Action The LEA shall publish and disseminate information regarding any corrective action the LEA takes at a school: to the public and to the parents of each student in a school in corrective action status; in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language that the parents can understand; and through such means as the Internet, the media, and public agencies.

2.School Improvement: Restructuring The LEA shall: provide prompt notice to teachers and parents [about restructuring] provide the teachers and parents with an adequate opportunity to: comment before taking any action participate in developing any plan

3.Notification about LEA and School Parent Involvement Policies Each LEA shall develop jointly with, agree on with, and distribute to, parents of participating children a written parent involvement policy. Requirements of policy in Section 1118.

3.Notification about LEA and School Parent Involvement Policies Each school shall jointly develop with, and distribute to, parents of participating children a written parental involvement policy, agreed on by such parents. 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. policy made available to the local community and updated periodically to meet the changing needs of parents and the school.

4.Parents’ right to know – teacher and paraprofessional qualifications - Qualifications At the beginning of each school year, an LEA shall notify the parents that they may request [and be provided in a timely manner], information about the professional qualifications of the student's classroom teachers, including, at a minimum, the following: Whether the teacher has met State qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.

4.Parents’ right to know – teacher and paraprofessional qualifications cont… Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which State qualification or licensing criteria have been waived. The baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification or degree. Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

5.Parents’ right to know – non-highly qualified teachers In addition, a school shall provide to each individual parent— information on the level of achievement of the parent's child in each of the State academic assessments; and timely notice that the parent's child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by, a teacher who is not highly qualified.

and again…the format… The notice and information provided to parents under this paragraph shall be in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language that the parents can understand

5.Parents Right to Know: SDE Sample letter- Non-Highly Qualified Teachers Letter Dear Parent/Guardian: By now you are probably familiar with the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). It has been designed to help your child achieve more in school, and requires that all teachers must meet a specific, federal definition of “Highly Qualified” in order to teach in schools that receive federal funding. As you know, our school receives federal funds to support the programs we offer to your child.

5.Parents Right to Know: SDE Sample letter- Non-Highly Qualified Teachers Letter cont… We believe that all of the teachers working in our school are qualified for their teaching assignments. However, some teachers have not yet met all of the requirements for the federal designation of “Highly Qualified”.

5.Parents Right to Know: SDE Sample letter- Non-Highly Qualified Teachers Letter The new law also requires us to notify parents if their child is being taught for four or more weeks by a teacher in a Title I school or program who does not yet meet the definition of “Highly Qualified”. This letter is to inform you that your child’s teacher, is in the process of meeting these requirements, and we are providing the support necessary for success…etc.

6.Title I-A Annual Parents’ Meeting Each school shall — convene an annual meeting, at a convenient time, to which all parents of participating children shall be invited and encouraged to attend, to inform parents of their school's participation and requirements of Title I, and their right be involved;

6.Title I-A Annual Parents’ Meeting cont… involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of programs including the school parental involvement policy

6.Title I-A Annual Parents’ Meeting cont… provide parents of participating children — timely information about title I programs ; 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

Questions? Contact details: Cathryn Gardner, Senior Program Advisor Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory Northwest Regional Comprehensive Center