Parent Engagement: The Law, Assessment, Strategies and Evaluation

1. Parent Engagement:The Law, Assessment, Strategies and Evaluation District (LEA) andSchool/BuildingExpectations and Requirements

2. NCLB Definition “… the participation of parents in regular, two way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities.”

3. Section 1118 (Parent Involvement) of NCLB Addresses the Following Topics: • District Parent Involvement Policy • Reservation of Funds • School/Building Parent Involvement Policy • Building Capacity for Involvement • Shared Responsibilities • Parent Compact

4. DISTRICT PARENT INVOLVEMENT POLICY

5. The law reads: “Each local educational agency may receive funds… only if such agency implements programs, activities, and procedures for the involvement of parents in programs assisted under this part… Such… shall be planned and implemented with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children.” District (LEA) Parent Involvement Policy

6. Gather Data Study Student Achievement Do Plan The Planning Process

7. Required Components of District Parent Involvement Policy The written policy shall describe how the LEA will involve parents in: • Development of the plan • The process of school review and improvement…

8. Required ComponentsThe LEA Will Provide: • Coordination • Technical assistance • Other support • Assistance in planning and implementing activities to improve student academic achievement

9. Required ComponentsThe LEA Will: • Build the schools’ and parents’capability for strong parentalinvolvement • Coordinate and integrate parentalinvolvement strategies

10. The LEA will Annually Evaluate • Content and effectiveness • Identify barriers to greater participation: Vision to See, Faith to Believe and Courage to Do • Revise, if necessary

11. RESERVATION OF FUNDS

12. Reservation of Funds • Reserve not less than 1% of such agency’s allocation … except that this paragraph shall not apply if 1% of such agency’s allocation … is $5,000 or less • (B) Parents of children receiving services under this part shall be involved in decisions regarding how funds reserved … are allotted for parental involvement activities • (C) Not less than 95% of the funds … shall be distributed to schools served under this part

13. SCHOOL PARENT INVOLVEMENT POLICY

14. SchoolParent Involvement Policy Each school will distribute to parents of participating children a written parental involvement policy, agreed to by parents

15. School Policy Requirements • Annual meeting • Convenient time • Parents invited/encouraged to attend • Explain Title I programs • Rights of parents to be involved

16. School Policy • Flexible meetings • Use funds to provide transportation, child care, or home visits related to parent involvement

17. School Policy Requirements • Involve parents in planning, reviewing, and improvement of programs • Including improvement of parental involvement and Title I program plans

18. School Policy Requirements • A description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school • Forms of academic assessment used • The proficiency level students are expected to meet • Respond to any suggestions as soon as possible • Parental comments to be attached to the submitted Title I Plan

19. DEVELOPING THE CAPACITY FOR PARENT INVOLVEMENTAT THE SCHOOL LEVEL

20. Developing CapacityFor Parent Involvement • Educate teachers, pupil services personnel, principals, and other staff, with the assistance of parents: • To communicate • Work as equal partners • Implement and coordinate programs • Ensure effective involvement of parents

21. Developing CapacityFor Parent Involvement • Provide assistance to parents in understanding: • State’s academic content standards • State and local academic assessments • How to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators

22. Developing CapacityFor Parent Involvement • Provide materials and training to help parents work with their children • Support a partnership with the school, parents, and the community • Improve student academic achievement

23. Developing CapacityFor Parent Involvement • Coordinate and integrate involvement in programs such as Head Start, Reading First, Early Reading First • Send information related to school and parent programs in a format parents can understand • Provide other support for parental involvement as parents request

24. SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HIGH STUDENTACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

25. Shared Responsibilities for High Student Academic Achievement • Jointly develop a school-parent compact • Outlines how the parents, the school staff and students, will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement

26. PARENT COMPACT

27. Parent Compact • School’s responsibility: • Provide high-quality curriculum andinstruction • Supportive and effective learning environment • Enable children to meet State’s academic achievement standards • Identify challenges confronting the parents’ ability to help their children

28. Parent Compact • Parent’s responsibility: • Support their child’s learning • Participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children and positive use of extracurricular time

29. Parent Compact • On-going communication between teachers and parents: • Annual parent-teacher conferences in elementary schools to discuss the individual child’s achievement • Frequent reports to parents on children’s progress • Access to staff and opportunities to volunteer and participate in child’s class

30. Section 1111 of NCLB Addresses the Following Topics Related to Parent Involvement • Annual Report Cards • Parents’ Right to Know: • Teacher and Paraprofessional Qualifications • Student Achievement • Non-Highly Qualified Teachers

31. SECTION 1112 OF NCLB ADDRESSES THE TOPIC OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT AS RELATED TO LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT STUDENTS

32. Section 1116 of NCLB Addresses the Following Topics Related To Parent Involvement • Progress Review • Schools Identified for School Improvement, Corrective Action, or Restructuring • Choice – Schools Identified for School Improvement, Corrective Action and Restructuring • Supplemental Services – Schools in the Second Year of Improvement, In Corrective Action, or in Restructuring • Schools Identified for Restructuring

33. QUESTIONS

34. Parent Involvement Resources US Department of Education (USED): www.ed.gov Engaging Parents in Education (USED): www.ed/gov/admins/comm/parents/parentinvolve/index.html Partnership Schools: www.partnershipschools.org Simple Solutions Educational Services: asearcy@aol.com

35. Parent Involvement Resources Alliance for Parental Involvement: www.croton.com The Center for Comprehensive School Reform: www.centerforcsri.org Joyce Epstein - Center on School Family and Community Partnerships: www.scov.cjos.jhu.com

36. Parent Involvement Resources National Campaign for Public School Improvement: www.projectappleseed.org/titlei.html 50 Ways to Involve Parents: www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/famncomm/pa1lk20.htm Parent Engagement Information and Tools: www.michigan.gov/documents/Parent_Involvement_Part_1_12-16-04_111426_7.pdf

37. Effective LearningEnvironment Resources • Brucato, John M. (2005), Creating a Learning Environment: An Educational Leader’s Guide to Managing School Culture. Scarecrow Education. • Dermody, Julie. (2003). Creating Caring Schools, Developing the caring classroom. Classroom Leadership, vol.6, #7. • Irvin, Judith, et. al. (2007). Taking Action on Adolescent Literacy, chpt.1 Student motivation, engagement, and achievement. ASCD publication.

38. Effective LearningEnvironment Resources • Freiberg, H. Jer. (1999), School Climate: Measuring, Improving and Sustaining Healthy Learning Environments. Routledge 1 Edition. • Perkins-Gough. (2008). The Positive Classroom Special Report / School Climate: Urban Parents’ Views. Educational Leadership, vol. 66, #1, pgs. 89-91.

39. Effective LearningEnvironment Resources • Victor-Reed, Evelyn and Stronge, James H. (2001). More Strategies for Educating Everybody’s Children, chpt 2 Diverse teaching strategies forhomeless children. ASCD publication. • Willis, Clarissa Ann, (2008). Creating Inclusive Learning Environments for Young Children: What to do on Monday Morning. Corwin Press.

40. Questions and Answers Contact your regional Office of School Improvement consultant: • Region 1 . . . . . . . . . . 517-373-4009 • Region 2 . . . . . . . . . . 517-373-0161 • Region 3 . . . . . . . . . . 517-373-6341 • Region 4 . . . . . . . . . . 517-373-4004 • Region 5 . . . . . . . . . . 517-373-4212