Parental Involvement The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA)

2. “Parent Involvement, Parent Engagement, Parents as Leaders”Oklahoma State Department of EducationOffice of Federal ProgramsRamona Coats, Assistant State SuperintendentGloria Bayouth, Executive DirectorMelissa McGavock, Director, Bilingual/Migrant

3. Parental InvolvementThe Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) • Purpose of Presentation: • To provide participants with information regarding Title I, Part A requirements for parental involvement as established by the ESEA Act of 1965.

4. Title I, Part A • Title I, Part A is a program designed to help close the achievement gap between disadvantaged and minority students and their peers • Title I, Part A changes the culture of America's schools so that success is defined in terms of student achievement and schools that invest in every child. • Title I, Part A includes parental involvement provisions that require involvement of parents in their children’s education and schools

5. Parental Involvement Set Asides • Parental involvement strategies and activities are included in the Local Education Agency (LEA) Consolidated Application and budget. • For LEAs receiving $500,000 or more in Federal Title I, Part A funds, 95% of 1% goes to the Title I schools for parental involvement. • LEAs receiving less than $500,000 in Title I, Part A funds are not required to set aside funding.

6. Title I Principles • Reasonable and Necessary • In making decisions about using Title I Parental Involvement funds it is important to examine several issues, whether itis serving tea at parent nights, or paying for something else. Expenditures are expected to be reasonable and necessary, as well as allowable. • Ask: Is this the best use of parental involvement funds or are there other ways that materials, activities, and trainings would benefit student achievement?

7. Title I Principles • Supplement not Supplant • The supplement not supplant provision requires federal funds to augment or add to the regular educational program. The LEAs must be careful not to supplant funding; that is, not to substitute federal funding to replace state, local and other federal funds. Title I can’t pay for an expenditure if it was paid for by state, local, or other federal funds the previous year. • Ask: • What materials, activities, and trainings would be provided in the absence of federal funds? • How do you fund similar items for non-Title I schools? • Would you be comfortable in explaining that the expense was reasonable, necessary, supplemental, and will enhance student achievement to a federal auditor?

8. Parental Involvement Activities and Allowable Expenditures • Meetingsto engage parents in planning, development, and evaluation of the Title I programs • Meetings to discuss their child’s programs and to inform parents about the school’s parental involvement program • Parent training and materials on topics such as the state performance standards, school curriculum, student academic assessments, family literacy, teacher-parent conferences and parenting skills • Meeting notifications, invitations, flyers, newsletters, training materials, paper, pens, drinks, website

9. Parental Involvement Activities and Allowable Expenditures • Translation of information for parental outreach for parental involvement into a language spoken by a significant percentage of parents of Title I participating children • Communication: internet, telephone, newsletters, postage, and printing to reach parents for training and announcements • Parental notice requirements: report cards, progress review, written parental involvement policies, written SEA complaint procedures, parents’ right to know about their child’s teacher and paraprofessional qualifications, general programs and language instruction educational programs for limited English proficient students

10. Parental Involvement Activities and Allowable Expenditures • Contracts with community-based organizations to provide parent involvement services • Distribution of home-based educational activities • Payroll costs related to work on parental involvement activities • Equipment and supplies for a parent resource room • Title I funds can supplement Pre-K programs that operate in the LEA to purchase consumables such as paper, glue, scissors, and crayons for make and take projects that promote early learning, and books for a loan program or check out system.

11. Incomplete List of Non-Allowable Title I Expenditures per EDGAR by Brustein and Manasevit, Attorneys at Law • Be cautious about: • Gifts, and Door Prizes • Charges for promotional items, memorabilia, and public relations • Non-parental involvement activities such as student recruitment • General purpose equipment • Entertainment costs such as live music • Purchase, rental, maintenance, and repair of buildings or vehicles • Paying for employee positions such as janitor, therapist, or nurse • Audit costs

12. Title III, Part A • The purpose of Title III is to ensure that limited English proficient (LEP) students master English and meet the same rigorous standards for academic achievement as all children are expected to meet, and to support to the extent possible, the native language skills of such students. (Sec. 3101 of P.L. 107-110)

13. Title III Section 3302. Parental Notification (a) In General. – Each eligible entity using funds provided under this title to provide a language instruction educational program shall, not later than 30 days after the beginning of the school year, inform a parent or parents of a limited English proficient child identified for participation in, or participating in, such program of- Sec. 3302 (a)(1) – (a)(7) omitted.

14. Title III Section 3302. Parental Notification (a)(8) information pertaining to parental rights that includes written guidance – • detailing – • the right that parents have to have their child immediately removed from such program upon their request; and • the options that parents have to decline to enroll their child in such program or to choose another program or method of instruction, if available; and (B) assisting parents in selecting among various programs and methods of instruction, if more than one program or method is offered by the eligible entity.

15. Title III, Part A: Parental Notification Questions • Have you met parents who did not want their children enrolled in a language instruction educational program (LIEP)? • What were the reasons they did not want their children enrolled in a LIEP? • What are some effective practices that LEAs can use to ensure parents have the information necessary to make informed decisions about their children’s education?

16. Reminder All students identified as English language learners must participate in the annual English language proficiency assessment, including students whose parents refuse Title III services.

17. Title III, Part A: Examples of Allowable Uses of Funds for Parental Involvement • Provision of community participation programs, family literacy services, parent outreach, and training activities to ELL students and their families • Provision of family literacy, parent outreach, and training activities designed to assist parents to become active participants in the education of their children. • Parental involvement/parent training for new immigrants

18. What is Parental Involvement under ESEA? • Statute defined: • Parental involvement is the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring; • that parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning • that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their • child’s education at school • 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

19. What Does Research Reveal About Parental Involvement? Research concludes: 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. The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement, 2002, p. 7

20. What Does Research Further Reveal About Parental Involvement? • 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 • Pass their classes and be promoted • Attend school regularly • Graduate and go on to postsecondary education

21. Title I, Part A Parental Involvement Requirements • Annual Title I, Part A Parent Meeting • Parent Notification, Public Law 107-110, Section 1118 (B)(b): Parents shall be notified of the policy in understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language the parents can understand.

22. The Annual Title I, Part A Parent Meeting • Purpose of the annual parent meeting: • To inform parents of their school’s participation • To explain the requirements • To explain the right of parents to be involved

23. The Annual Title I, Part A Parent Meeting Requirements • Each school served must provide an annual parent meeting. • All parents of participating children should be invited to attend. • Meetings should be held at convenient times for parent accessibility. • Transportation and child care may be provided.

24. Recommended Topics for Discussion • Planning • Review of supplemental programs • School Parental Involvement policy • Parent/School Compact • Schoolwide/Targeted Assistance programs • Curriculum, instruction and assessment • Measuring student progress, and student proficiency levels

25. School Parental Involvement PolicyPublic Law 107-110, ESEA Requirements • Each school served under Title I, Part A should provide opportunity for parents to be involved in the development of the Parental Involvement Site Policy. • Meetings for this purpose should be conducted at a convenient time, and all parents of participating children should be invited and encouraged to attend. • Flexibility in number and times for meetings should be provided utilizing format and language parents can understand.

26. School Parental Involvement PolicyPublic Law 107-110, ESEA Requirements • Involving parents in an organized, ongoing, and timely way for the purpose of planning, review, and improvement of the school Parental Involvement Policy. • The completed written Parental Involvement Policy should be distributed to parents in an understandable language. • Parental Involvement Policy - Section 1118

27. Parental Involvement Site Policy • There should be an adequate representation of parents present at the planning and development meetings. • Timely responses to parent suggestions at meetings should be provided. • Timely information to parents should be provided. • Each meeting should be documented with sign-in sheets, flyers, and agendas. • If the schoolwide program plan under Section 1114 (b)(2) is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, parent comments should be accepted regarding the plan when the school makes the plan available.

28. Ways to Notify Parents • Letters mailed to parents • School Website • School newsletter • Local newspaper • Local cable television • Title I, Part A brochure • Webcasts • Flyers sent home with children • Flyers posted in the school office and library

29. The School-Parent CompactPublic Law 107-110, ESEA Requirements • Schools, parents, and communities should share responsibilities for high student performance under Title I, Part A. • The School-Parent Compact is a component of the school-level Parental Involvement Policy. • All Title I, Part A schools are required to develop a School-Parent Compact in collaboration with parents of participating children. • The School-Parent Compact strengthen and improves the entire instructional program. • Schools strongly encourage obtaining parental signatures on the School-Parent Compact. • Parental Involvement - Section 1118

30. What is a School-Parent Compact? • A School-Parent Compact is a written agreement of shared responsibility that: • Defines the goals and expectations of schools and parents as partners in the effort to improve student achievement • Translates the policies and goals of parents and schools into “action” statements • Serves as a catalyst for collaboration and a guide for ongoing and more effective communication between school and parents

31. Why a Compact? • It develops strong school-family partnerships that can: • Improve school programs and the school climate • Increase the skills and leadership abilities of parents • Ensure the provision of family services and support • Sustain long-term improvement in student academic achievement • Help teachers, parents, and schools to be more effective

32. What Should a School-Parent Compact Include? • A description of the school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables participating students to meet the State’s challenging student performance standards. • A description of the ways that parents will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning such as attendance, homework completion, volunteering, participating in decision making processes of their child’s education, and encouraging positive use of extracurricular time.

33. The School-Parent Compact Should Also Include • Addressing the importance of establishing ongoing and effective communication between teachers and parents through, at a minimum • (1) annual parent-teacher conferences to discuss individual student achievement as it relates to provisions of the compact • (2) frequent progress reports to families on student academic progress, and • (3) reasonable access to staff and opportunities to volunteer, observe, and participate in classroom activities. • Continually assess the effectiveness of the Compact (at least annually) and use the results to implement improvements.

34. Building Capacity for Parental Involvement Requirements Public Law 107-110, ESEA • Schoolshall provide assistance to parents regarding understanding topics such as the State’s academic content standards and State student academic achievement standards. • School shall provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve achievement. • School shall educate teachers, pupil services personnel, principals, and other staff, with the assistance of parents on how to effectively include parents as equal partners. • School shall coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities.

35. Building Capacity • School shall ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and activities is sent to the parents in a language the parents can understand. • School may involve parents in the development of training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness of such training. • Schoolmay provide necessary literacy training. • School may pay reasonable and necessary expenses associated with local parental involvement activities • School may train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents.

36. Building Capacity • School may arrange school meetings at a variety of times. • School may adopt and implement model approaches to improving parental involvement. • School may establish a district-wide parent advisory council. • School may develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses. • School shall provide such other reasonable support for parent involvement activities.

37. Parent Involvement Resources • http://pinterest.com/federalprograms • http://ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/ FedProg-TitleIAToolkit.pdf • http://ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/ Bilingual-ParentNot.pdf • http://www.nationalpirc.org/engagement webinars/archives.html

38. OSDE Contact Information Ramona Coats, Assistant State Superintendent Ramona.Coats@sde.ok.gov 405-522-0217 Gloria Bayouth, Executive Director Gloria.Bayouth@sde.ok.gov 405-522-3249 Melissa McGavock, Director Melissa.McGavock@sde.ok.gov 405-522-3218