No Child Left Behind: Parent Involvement

1. No Child Left Behind:Parent Involvement Constance Webster, PhD Office of Student Achievement and Accountability

2. What you need to do to be in compliance: • The following slides are going to describe in detail what LEAs and schools, that accept Title I, Part A funds, must do under Section 1118 of NCLB for parental involvement.

3. District Parental Involvement Policy • Establishes the LEA’s expectations for parental involvement • Must be developed jointly with, and agreed upon with, the parents of children participating in Title I, Part A programs and • Distributed to parents • If the LEA already has a district-level parent involvement policy the LEA may amend existing policy, to meet requirements of section 1118.

4. District PI Policy must describe - • Involve parents in developing local plan(s) • Provide support to assist Title I schools in planning and implementing effective PI activities • Build schools’ capacity for strong PI • Coordinate PI strategies under other programs • Conduct an annual evaluation of effectiveness of the PI in improving academic quality of the school • Involve parents in activities of schools served under Title I, Part A

5. School Parent Involvement Policy • Developed jointly with parents of children participating in Title I, Part A • Describes how the school will carry out the PI requirements in section 1118(c) – (f). • Parents must be notified of PI policy • School must make PI policy available to local community

6. School Parent PI Policy must describe • Section 1118 (c) – (f) includes: • Build the schools’ and parents’ capacity for strong parental involvement • Coordinate PI strategies with PI strategies under other programs • Conduct, with PI involvement, an annual evaluation of content and effectiveness of PI policy in improving academic achievement • Involve parents in activities of the schools served

7. School – Parent Compact • A school-parent compact is a written agreement between the school and the parents of children participating in Title I, Part A programs that identifies activities parents, school staff and students will take to share responsibility for improved academic performance

8. School – Parent compact must describe • School’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction • Ways that parents will be responsible for supporting their child’s learning • Importance of communication between parents and teachers through at a minimum • Parent teacher conferences at least annually • Frequent reports on child’s progress • Reasonable access to volunteer in child’s class

9. Informing Parents about Title I, Part A Program • Schools served under Title I, Part A must convene an annual meeting, at a time convenient for parents, to inform them about the Title I, Part A program, explain the requirements and the rights of parents to be involved in these programs.

10. Informing Parents about Title I, Part A Program • Schools must provide participating parents of children, information about the Title I, Part A program that includes: • Description and explanation of school’s curriculum • Info. on the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress • Info. on the proficiency levels students are expected to meet • Upon request, opportunity for parents to participate in decisions about the education of their children

11. LEA Responsibility for communicating AYP results • Explain what the identification means • How the school compares to others in district • Reasons for the identification • Explain how parents can be involved in addressing academic issues • Explain parents options to transfer or obtain SES services • What the school is doing to address the problem • What the LEA and SEA is doing to address the problem • If applicable, description of specific corrective actions or restructuring plans

12. AYP Data Report by School

13. AYP Data Report by School

14. Where Do I Find These Reports? http://www.nj.gov/education/title1/accountability/ayp/0809/profiles/

15. Parents’ Right-to-Know Requirements At the beginning of each school year, LEAs must notify parents of each student attending a Title I, Part A school of their right to request information about the qualifications of both the teachers and paraprofessionals who teach their children, whether the teacher has met State qualifications and licensing criteria.

16. Parent’s Right to Know Requirements • Title I, Part A schools must give each parent timely notice when their child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks, by a teacher who is not highly qualified.

17. Parent NotificationLanguage Instruction Education • LEAs using Title I, Part A funds to provide a language instruction educational program (as defined in Part C of Title III of NCLB) must provide the following information to a parent of child receiving services:

18. Language Instruction Education:The Parents Notification Must Include • Reason for the identification • Child’s level of English proficiency • Method of instruction • How the program will meet the needs of the child • How the program will specifically help the child learn English • Exit requirements

19. Title I, Part A Reserve • An LEA that receives a Title I, Part A allocation of $500,000 or more must reserve not less than 1% based on the total Title I, Part A allocation for parent involvement • 95% of set aside must be filtered to schools • Private school must receive equitable access to this set aside

20. Providing Assistance and Training • Schools and LEAs must help parents understand • State’s academic content assessment and achievement standards • Academic assessments • Parent involvement requirements of section 1118 • How to monitor their child’s progress and work with educators to improve achievement

21. Approvable expenditures • Transportation • Childcare costs • Training to parents to enhance involvement • Attend training opportunities for parents • Pool school level dollars to fund a district wide parent coordinator, parent resource center

22. Why is Parent Involvement Important? • A synthesis of parent involvement research concluded that “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.”

23. Parent Involvement and Student Achievement • 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, and enroll in higher-level programs; Pass their classes, earn credits, and be promoted; Attend school regularly; and Graduate and go on to postsecondary education.[1]

24. Compliance & Effective Practices • NCLB requires school districts and buildings to develop comprehensive parent involvement plans (compliance). • Every LEA in the state that receives Title I money has a parent involvement policy at both the district and at each Title I school. • However, not every school district can claim that they have great parent involvement. • WHY??

25. What the Research Says… • “A New Wave of Evidence”: The Impact of School, Family and Community Connections on Student Achievement • Reviewed over 50 comprehensive studies on the effect of parent and community involvement on student achievement over the past 25 years. Issued recommendations for creating successful and engaging parent programs

26. Recommendation #1Recognize that all parents, regardless of income, education level or cultural background, are interested in their children’s learning and want their children to do well in school. • Every study that looked at high performing schools in low-income areas found that parents were highly engaged. • Most studies showed that the children’s gains were directly related to how much families were involved.

27. Recommendation #1 • Always proceed with the assumption that all families can help improve their children’s performance in school and influence other key outcomes that affect achievement. • Adopt a No Fault Policy • Refrain at all times from blaming families for their children’s low achievement. • Never assume that families don’t care about their children. • High expectations should not apply just to students…but to teachers, school staff and families.

28. Recommendation #2:Create programs that will support families to guide their children’s learning, from preschool through high school. • Early Childhood: • Home Visits • Lending Libraries • Discussion Groups • Workshops on how to stimulate their children’s mental, physical and emotional development.

29. Elementary/Middle School: • Interactive homework involving both parents/children. • Workshops on topics parents suggest. • Regular calls from teachers (not just when there are problems). Remember to always lead with something positive. • Learning packets in reading, science, math, as well as training on how to use them. • Regular meetings with teachers to talk about their child’s progress and what they are learning.

30. High School: • Regular meetings with teachers and counselors to plan their children’s academic programs • Information about program options, graduation requirements, test schedules and post secondary education options and how to plan for them. • Explanations of courses students should take to be prepared for college or other postsecondary education. • Information about financing postsecondary education and applying for financial aid.

31. Recommendation #3:Work with families to build their social and political connections • When parents feel they have the power to change and control their circumstances, children tend to do better in school. Their parents are also better equipped to help them. • When schools work with families to develop their connections, families become powerful allies of the schools and advocates for public education. • provide connections with neighbors, other parents in the school and teachers. Use the same vocabulary, shared rules of behavior and resources to make the connections possible.

32. Recommendation #3 • Translate all communications with families into their home languages; provide an interpreter at all meetings. • Offer childcare, meals and transportation for all activities at school. • Ask families about the best times for them to attend events at school. Ask what kind of events? Ask what they think would make the school better.

33. Recommendation #3 • Make sure parents understand how the system works and how to have an effect on public decisions. Give parents access to the people who run the school system and a voice in policymaking process. • Support families’ involvement in decision making. • Ask the Superintendent, Board Members and district staff to meet with parents at the school and explain what they do.

34. Recommendation #4Develop the capacity of school staff to work with families and community members. • Few teacher prep program include instruction on how to partner with parents and community. • Help all staff recognize the advantage of school and family connections. • Explore how trusting and respectful relationships with family and community members are achieved. • Enhance schools staff’s abilities to work with diverse families. • Explore the benefits of sharing power with families.

35. Recommendation #5:Link family and community engagement efforts to student learning • Develop or adopt programs to engage parents in working with their children to develop specific skills. • Demonstrate an activity for parents • Give materials to each family - offering advice on how to use • Help parents assess child’s progress and steer child to next steps • Lend materials to use at home. • Works with local after school programs to link their content to what students are learning in the classroom.

36. Recommendation #5 • Link school’s traditional staples of parent involvement (open house, etc.) to learning • Incorporate information on standards and exhibits of student work at open houses and back-to-school nights. • Engage parents and students in math/reading games at Family Nights. • Use school newsletter to discuss test results and how students are doing to meet higher standards.

37. Recommendation #6:Focus efforts to engage families and community members in developing trusting and respectful relationships A theme throughout all research studies indicate that relationships are key. Building of relationships must be intentional and consistent.

38. Recommendation #6: • Respect cultural and class differences. • Make an effort to learn about the concerns of families and how they define and perceive their role in your school. (If parents don’t attend activities arranged by schools staff and held at school, the school should not assume that “parent’s don’t care”.) • Parent and community members feel respected when educators attempt to understand and relate to their needs.

39. Recommendation #6 • Allocate Resources to help build relationships and support parent and community involvement. • Adopt simple but effective practices of teacher outreach to families. • Meeting face to face • Sending materials on ways to help their child at home. • Telephoning both routinely and when a child is having problems.

40. Recommendation #6 • Allow school staff the resources and time to create programs that: • Invite and welcome parent and community members • Honor the contributions and accomplishments of parents • Connect families to learning goals for children.

41. Recommendation #7Embrace a philosophy of partnership and be willing to share power with families • Make sure that parents, school staff, and community members understand that the responsibility of children’s educational developmentis a collaborative enterprise. • Partnerships mean sharing power with family and community members. Both will lose interest in partnering when their participation is token. • Avoid using parents and community members to merely rubberstamp decisions already made.

42. Contact and Web Site Information Office of Student Achievement and Accountability Office: 609-943-4283 Fax: 609-633-6874 Website: http://www.nj.gov/njded/title1/ Email: Titleone@doe.state.nj.us