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Community and Parent Decision Making: A Review
Introduction
A
note from the authors:
we realize that this action brief is lengthy but we feel it is critical
that community and parent leaders understand how often they are
asked to play a role in the implementation of NCLB and to understand
the importance of that role. We have looked carefully at every section
within all ten Titles of the law.
In
many sections NCLB requires that community and parents be involved
and this involvement is usually called "consultation".
Consultation requirements occur on a number of different levels—federal,
state and local school district levels, and often call for "representatives"
of parents and/or the community to be selected to advise NCLB officials.
Please
be aware that many of the community and parent decision-making opportunities
pertain to Title I, but many other programs under NCLB, not part
of Title I, require parent and community consultation as well. This
Brief contains only those parent and community roles that require
ACTION, and does not include the various provisions where state
and local school districts must provide "information."
Did
you know?
The
law now says that parents are to be "afforded substantial
and meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of
their children." Title I, Sec. 1001 (12)
Parents
and community representatives need to be part of this critical planning
process. This requirement gives them the opportunity to work with
educators to (1) develop a plan that addresses how the SEA, LEA,
and individual schools will promote the social, emotional, and academic
growth of students, and (2) shape Title I services that include
meaningful parental involvement policies and school practices that
lead to increased student achievement.
There
are over ten different roles used in NCLB to describe the ways that
parents and/or community organization can become involved. They
are:
|
• |
"advice
and recommendation" |
|
• |
"evaluation
and review of [plans]" |
|
• |
"in
consultation with" or "shall be consulted by"
or "in meaningful consultation with" or "in
systematic consultation with"...[usually followed by state
or local school districts] |
|
• |
"opportunity
to submit comments" or "challenge a decision"...[usually
by the state or local school district] |
|
• |
"in
participation with" |
|
• |
"school
district shall work with" |
|
• |
"input
being sought" |
|
• |
"in
partnership with" |
Often, NCLB requires that "representatives"
of certain groups such as parents, community-based organizations,
volunteer organizations, and service organizations among others
be includes in advisory, service or consultation capacity
While
the various involvement and consultation roles provided for in NCLB
are not specifically defined in the statute, PEN and NCPIE recommends
that community members and parents take advantage of each and every
opportunity that the law talks about their involvement, including
limited literacy, limited English proficiency, and disabilities.
It should strive to be in partnership with the school entities,
and should be ongoing throughout the process of NCLB development
and implementation.
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Title
I, Part Requirements for Parental and Community Involvement at the
National Level
Federal
Regulations and Negotiated Rulemaking
Title I, Section 1901
Before publishing in the Federal Register proposed regulations under
Title I, the Secretary shall obtain the advice and recommendations
of among others, representative of parents, teachers, paraprofessionals,
local school boards and other organizations involved with the
implementation of Title I programs.
National
Assessment of Title I
Title I, Part E, Section 1501
Parents
shall be appointed to an independent Title I review panel that the
US secretary of education is required to establish to advise the
secretary on the national assessment of Title I and its impact on
states, LEAs, schools, and students. The national Title I assessment
will investigate, among other issues, how effective schools, LEAs,
and states have been in publicizing and disseminating LEA report
cards to teachers, school staff, students, parents, and the community.
National
Title I Peer Process to Review State Applications
Section 1111 (e) (1)
Representatives
of parents, teachers, state education agency staff, and local school
district personnel and others who are familiar with educational
standards, assessments, accountability, the needs of low performing
schools and other educational needs of students shall be appointed
by the US Secretary of Education to participate in a peer review
process assisting in the evaluation of State Title I plans.
Title
I, Part Requirements for Parental and Community Involvement at the
State Level
Consultation
Process in the Development of State Title I Plan
Section 1111 (a) (1)
"School districts, teachers, principals, pupil services
personnel, administrators, other staff, and parents"
shall be consulted by each state receiving funds in developing their
Title I plan. The plan must indicate how each level of the school
system will support parental involvement, and coordinated with other
programs under NCLB, the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act, the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act
of 1998, the Head Start Act, the Adult Education and Family Literacy
Act, and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
School
Support Team for Title I Schools
Section 1117 (a) (4) (A)
The state must establish a state-wide system school support teams
focusing on Title I schools in this order:
-
First, with schools that are identified for corrective action;
-
Second, with schools that are identified as needing improvement;
and
-
Third, with schools that need support and help to meet the state
achievement expectations, AYP.
This
team shall be comprised of people who are knowledgeable about scientifically
based research and practice related to teaching and learning, successful
school wide programs, and opportunities for low-achieving students.
The team shall be comprised of representative’s of highly
qualified principals and teachers; parents; pupil services personnel;
regional research laboratory staff, and outside consultant groups.
Each support team is responsible for:
-
reviewing and analyzing all facets of the Title I school’s
operation
- assisting
in developing an improvement plan that will increase student achievement
in that school
-
collaborating with parents and school staff in the implementation
and monitoring of the plan
-
evaluating, at least semi-annually the effectiveness of school
personnel assigned to the school; and
-
making recommendations to the state education agency concerning
additional assistance that is required.
State
Committee of Practitioners
Section 1903 (b) (1-3)
Each state that receives Title I funds must create a committee of
practitioners comprised with a majority of its members being representatives
of parents, school administrators, teachers, school board members,
private schools and pupil services personnel. The committee shall
advise the state in implementing Title I; review before publication
any proposed or final Title I state rule or regulation; and review
any emergency rule or regulation immediately after the issuance,
but before its released in its final form.
Title
I, Part Requirements for Parental and Community Involvement at the
Local Level
Development
of Local School District Plan for Title I Application
Section 1112 (d) (1)
Teachers, principals, administrators, and other appropriate school personnel,
and with parents of children in schools served under this part, shall
be consulted by the local school district before it submits its Title
I application to the State for approval.
Title
I school district plans must provide for parental input and participation
as follows:
| • |
Must
be developed in consultation with parents of children in schools with
Title I programs, along with teachers, principals, administrators,
and other appropriate school personnel; |
| • |
Must
describe strategies to implement effective parental involvement; |
| • |
Must
describe how teachers and the school, in consultation with parents,
will identify eligible children most in need of Title I services (for
targeted assistance schools, see
targeted assistance programs in Glossary); and |
| • |
Must
submit parents’ comments when the plan goes to the state for
approval, if Title I parents are not satisfied with the plan. |
Development
of School Plan To Be Part of the School District’s Title I Application
Sections 1114 and 1115
Title I school plans must provide for parental input and participation
as follows:
| • |
Must
describe ways the school district will inform parents, teachers, and
students about student progress in achieving state standards and,
in consultation with parents, ways to identify students most in need
of special services; |
| • |
Must
describe LEA parental involvement policies and programs, how the district
will provide technical assistance to support parental involvement
programs, and how parental involvement programs will be coordinated
with Even Start, Head Start, Reading First, Early Reading First, transition
from preschool to kindergarten programs, and LEP programs; |
| • |
Must
describe how the school will disseminate school and district parental
involvement policies; and |
| • |
Must
describe how services will be coordinated and integrated with other
educational programs such as Even Start, Head Start, Reading First,
Early Reading First, transition from preschool to kindergarten programs,
and LEP programs. |
Note: Targeted
assistance schools can use Title I funds to collaborate with local
service providers of health, nutrition, and other services if no other
public or private resources are available to cover those costs.
Process
for Parents to Object to an Unsatisfactory Title I Plan in Application
Section 1118 (a) (B) (4)
If the school
district plan is unsatisfactory to Title I parents, the school district
shall submit parent comments when it sends it plan to the State for approval.
Title
I School Wide Program Plan in Application
Section 1114 (b) (2)(B)(ii) and (iv)
Each school
that qualifies to be a school
wide program must develop a comprehensive plan which shall be developed
with the involvement of parents and other members of the community
to be served who will carry out such plan including teachers, and school
administrators.
Title
I Targeted Assistance School Plan
Section 1112 (b) (E); Section 1118 (c) (5)
| • |
In
consultation with parents, administrators, and pupil services personnel,
the school district must include a description of how teachers,
in consultation with parents, will identify the eligible children
most in need of services for Title I as part of the Title I school
district plan that that is submitted to the State for approval. |
| • |
If the
school wide plan is not satisfactory to the parents of participating
children, parents must be provided the opportunity to submit their
comments on the plan when the school presents the plan for adoption
to the school district. |
Title
I School Improvement Plans
Section 1116 (b) (2) (B); Section 1116 (b) (B) (ii); Section 1116
(b) (A); Section 1116 (b) (D) (i); Section 1116 (c) (3) (6)
| • |
If a
school is identified for school improvement, the local school district
must develop a plan for improving the school, and NCLB says that the
district MAY condition the approval of the plan on feedback from
parents and community leaders. |
| • |
If a
school is identified for either school improvement, corrective discipline,
or restructuring, the majority of parents in that school may challenge
the identification based on a statistical error, or other substantive
reasons, which is presented to the school district before it makes
it final decision to identify the school as needing improvement. |
• |
After
a school has been identified for school improvement, each school must
develop a school plan, or revise a previous plan, for improvement,
in consultation with parents, school staff, the school district
and outside experts. The plan will cover a two-year period. In
addition, parents shall be consulted if the plan is revised
during that period. |
• |
Within
45 days of receiving the school plan, the school district must establish
a peer review process to assist in the review of the school plan,
recommending either approval by the district or revisions of the plan.
While the law does not explicitly require that parents and community
members be part of this review process, we recommend that they be
included, since the state includes parents in its own review process
of state plans. |
• |
If an
entire school district is identified as needing improvement or corrective
action, the state educational agency must notify all parents of
the district with recommendations on how they can participate in upgrading
the quality of the entire district. |
• |
Each
school district identified for improvement must develop an improvement
plan in consultation with parents, school staff and others. |
Title
I School Restructuring
Section 1116 (b) (8) (C) (ii) (II)
If a school
is identified for "corrective action," which results when
a school does not make AYP, or the achievement levels expected by the
state, after 4 straight years, the school must be restructured. In this
case, the school district must provide the teachers and parents with an
adequate opportunity to comment about the school restructuring plan, and
participate in the development of a revised new plan.
Title
I Public School Choice
Section 1116 (b) (E); Section 1116 (b) (11)
| • |
For
schools that are in their first and second years of school improvement;
corrective action or restructuring, parents must be notified well
before the beginning of the school year in which choice will be offered
that they may transfer their student into another public within
the school district if any such schools may be available. |
| • |
If all
of the schools in a school district are identified as needing improvement,
corrective action or restructuring, the school district to the extent
practicable try to establish a cooperative agreement with another
school district in the area. |
Title
I Supplementary Educational Services
Section 1116 (e) (4) (A); Section 1116 (e) (2) (B); Section 1116(e)
(3) (A)
| • |
The
state educational agency shall, in consultation with school districts,
parents, teachers and other interested members of the public,
promote a maximum number of providers to participate so that parents
will have as many choices of providers as possible. |
• |
If a
child is eligible for supplementary educational services, the
parents shall select and approve the provider of the services,
and in consultation with the parent, the school district will develop
a statement of specific achievement goals for the student, how the
student’s progress will be measured, and a timetable for improvement,
that, in the case of a student with disabilities is consistent with
the student’ individualized plan. |
| • |
The
school district is prohibited from disclosing the identity of students
who are eligible for or receive supplement educational services without
written permission of the parents of the student. |
Title
I School District and School Parental Involvement Policy
Section 1118 (a) (1); Section 1118 (a) (2) (A); Section 1118 (a) (2)
(E); Section (a) (2) (F); Section 1118 (a) (3) (B); Section 1118 (b) (1)
and (4); Section 1118 (c) (1-5)
| • |
Any
school district that receives Title I funds must implement programs,
activities, and procedures involving parents in programs assisted
under Title I, and those programs must be planned and implemented
with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children. |
| • |
Each
Title I school district must develop a written parental involvement
policy developed jointly with, agreed on with, and distributed
to parents of children who qualify for Title I assistance. |
• |
Each
school district shall conduct, with the involvement of parents,
an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent
involvement policy, and to make revisions as necessary. |
• |
The
parent involvement policy should stipulate how parents will be
involved in the activities of the school as identified by criteria
in the law. |
• |
Parents
shall be involved in decisions regarding Title I funds that are
spent to implement the activities in the parent involvement policy. |
• |
The
school district may establish a district wide parent advisory
council to provide advice on parental involvement programs. |
• |
Each
Title I school in the district shall be jointly developed with,
and distributed to, parents of participating children a written
parental involvement policy, agreed on by such parents, that shall
describe the means for carrying out the school district parent involvement
policy. The policy shall be made available to the local community
and updated periodically to meet the changing needs of parents. |
• |
Each
Title I school shall involve parents in an organized, timely and
ongoing way in the planning, review, and improvement of school parental
involvement policies and programs, and provide parents the opportunity
to participate in decisions that relate to the education of their
children. |
• |
As
part of the school policy, each school must convene an annual meeting
of parents to inform parents about the policy and their rights
to be involved. In addition, parents may request that
the school call regular meetings so parents can formulate suggestions
and participate in decisions relating to the education of their children,
and ask the school to respond as quickly as possible. |
• |
In
building parental involvement capacity, NCLB requires that each Title
I school district and school shall: |
|
– |
Provide
assistance to parents in understanding the requirements of NCLB; |
| |
– |
Provide
help to parents such as parent literacy training; |
| |
– |
Educate
teachers, pupil services personnel, principals and other staff in
how to communicate and work with parents as equal partners; |
| |
– |
Coordinate
Title I parental involvement with other programs such as IDEA, Head
Start, Parents as Teachers, etc; and |
| |
– |
Involve
parents in the development of training for teachers and principals. |
Title
I Parent-School Compact
Section 1118 (d)
Each Title
I school shall jointly develop with parents of students served by
Title I a school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire
school staff, and students will share responsibility for improved student
academic achievement, and the means by which school and parents will build
a partnership.
Other
Title I Programs, Parts B-H
Reading
First Student Reading Skills Improvement Grants
Title I, Part B, Subpart One, Section 1203 (d)
In order for a state to qualify for receiving reading grants under
this section, the Governor, along with the state education agency
must establish a reading and literacy partnership that includes:
| • |
A
parent of a public or private school student or a parent who
educates the parent’s child in the parent’s home; |
| • |
A
community-based organization working with children to improve
reading skills using tutors and scientifically based programs
shall be included in the partnership; and |
| • |
May
include a volunteer organization involved in reading programs |
William
F. Goodling Even Start Literacy Programs
Title I, Part B, Subpart 3, Section 1238 (a) (A) (3)
This program requires the formation of a Committee of Practioners
to advise the State in carrying out it responsibilities under the
Even Start Act and review the state plan to ensue that Even Start
is of high quality and coordinated with other programs. At minimum,
the Committee must include: representatives of school districts,
administrators, a teacher, including vocational educators, parents,
members of local boards of education, representatives of private
school children and pupil services personnel. The Act allows
additional members to be appointed.
Review Panel
A state review panel that reviews and approves local school application
must include one early childhood professional, one adult education
professional, and one individual with expertise in family literacy.
Additional members may include one or more of the following: a representative
of a parent-child education organization, a representative of a
community-based literacy organization, a member of a local board
of education, business and industry, a person involved with Title
I, and/or a person from Reading First and Early Reading First.
Education
of Migratory Children
Title I, Part C, Section 1304 (c) (c) (3); Section 1306 (a)
(1) (B)
| • |
Applications
for this program musty give assurances, satisfactory to the
Secretary, that in the planning and operations at both the State
and local levels that there is consultation with parent
advisory councils for programs of 1 year duration, and
that all programs provides for parental involvement. |
| • |
The
comprehensive plan for this program must be developed in
collaboration with parents of migratory children. |
Neglected,
Delinquent or At-Risk Children and Youth Programs
Title I, Part D, Section 1414 (c) (14); Section 1423
| • |
The
State application for this program must provide assurances that
the State agency will work with parents to secure parents’
assistance in improving the educational achievement of their
children. |
| • |
The
local application must include a description of how the
program will involve parents in efforts to improve the
educational achievement of their children. |
Comprehensive
School Reform
Title I, Part F, Subpart 1 Section 1606 (7)
Any
school district interested in applying for funds under this program
must provide for meaningful involvement of parents and the local
community in planning, implementing and evaluating school improvement
activities, and coordinating these activities with Title I parental
involvement requirements under Section 1118.
School
Dropout Prevention
Title I, Part H, Subpart 2
Any
school district that plans for programs under this part may use
funds to secure services from a community-based organization
related to school-wide efforts.
Other
NCLB Programs, Titles III-IV
Besides
Title I, NCLB provides parents and community leaders other opportunities
to become involved in the decision-making process. These programs and
opportunities include:
Preparing
and Recruiting High Quality Teachers and Principals
Title II, Section 2122 (a) (3) (7); Section 2122(a) (9) (C)
|
• |
In applying
for this program, the local school district must demonstrate and describe
how it collaborated with teachers, paraprofessionals, principals
and parents in the planning of activities in the application. |
|
• |
The
school district application must include ways that it will provide
training to teachers to involve parents in their children’s
education. |
Language
Instruction for Limited Proficient and Immigrant Students (for additional
information, see LEP Action Brief)
Title III, Section 3113, (b) (3); Section 1116 (b) (4 & 5)
| • |
The
state must give an assurance that it consulted with school districts,
education-related community groups and non-profit organizations, parents,
teachers, school administrators and researchers when developing
the state achievement objectives expected of limited English proficient
students. |
| • |
Each
school district or entity (meaning higher education, community based
organization and/or the state education agency) that applies for funds
under this program must give a description of how it will promote
parental and community participation in programs for LEP children;
and that teachers, researchers, administrators and parents, and when
appropriate, community groups and nonprofits were consulted in
the development of the plan. |
Safe
and Drug-Free Schools and Communities
Title IV, Part A, Section 4113 (a) (3, 13 & 17); Section 4114
(c) (A & B)
| • |
State
applications to receive money designated for safe and drug-free schools
and communities programs must provide assurances that: |
| |
– |
the
application was developed in consultation and coordination with
among others parents, students, and representatives of community-based
organizations; |
| |
– |
parental
input was sought regarding the use of funds by the SEA and the
chief executive officer of the state, how that will be implemented;
and |
| |
– |
the
State will monitor the implementation of activities conducted by community-based
organizations, other public entities and private organizations. |
• |
The
school district shall develop its application or funds through timely
and meaningful consultation with among others teachers, other
school staff, parents, and community-based organizations. |
• |
The
local school district will coordinate safe and drug-free schools and
communities programs with other school and community-based services,
community groups, coalitions, and government agencies, and a
description about how that will be implemented. |
• |
Drug
and violence prevention programs may include community-wide planning
and organization of activities to reduce violence and illegal
drug use, and gang activity prevention |
21st
Century Community Learning Centers Title IV, Part B, Section
4201 (B) (3); Section 4203(a) (11); Section 4205 (a) (1) (8); Section
4153
| • |
Those
eligible to apply for 21st century community learning center funds
include school districts, community-based organizations, public
or private entities, or a consortium of two or more such agencies,
organizations, or entities. |
| • |
When
the state develops its application and plan, each state must provide
assurances that teachers, parents, students, and representatives
of the business community and of community-based organizations were
consulted. |
• |
When
the local school district or entity its application and plan to receive
money under the 21st century learning community centers, the local
entity must describe the partnership among the school district,
any community-based organizations and/or another public or private
entity; must provide an evaluation of community needs and availability
of resources for the Center; and must provide assurance that the community
will be given notice of intent to submit the application. |
• |
Eligible
activities under the 21st century learning community center programs
include those that promote parental involvement and family literacy. |
• |
Parents
may withdraw their children from any Safe and Drug Free-program upon
written notification of parents, and the school district is required
to make reasonable efforts to inform parents or legal guardians about
the content of safe and drug free programs |
Charter
School Programs
Title V, Part B, Subpart 1, Section 5203 (b) (1); Section 5203 (b)
(3) (E); Section 5210 (2); Section 5225 (a) (1 & 2), subpart 3
| • |
States
applying for assistance under the charter school program must show
how they intend to inform teachers, parents, and communities about
the program. |
| • |
States
must describe how the charter school will involve parents and
other members of the community in the planning, program design,
and implementation of the charter school. |
• |
Developers
eligible to start a charter school at the local level include individuals
or groups of individuals (including public or private nonprofit organizations),
which may include teachers, administrators, other school staff,
parents, or other community members. |
• |
In carrying
out a charter school program, the chartering entity shall develop
its program with the involvement of parents and others in the
community to be served and provide for parents in the community to
be served information about the program and how the program will operate. |
Local
Innovative Educational Programs
Title V, Part A, Subpart 3
Every LEA
is eligible to receive federal funding under Title V, which encourages
school districts to create programs that will promote increased academic
achievement. These innovative programs then become part of the district’s
overall reform strategy. To receive funding, an LEA must submit an application
that identifies the needs of the school district, how the funds will be
used, and provisions for systematically consulting with the parents
of children who attend elementary and secondary schools in the district
or with groups involved in implementing the programs selected. The
act identifies 27 uses for the money (such as programs for smaller communities,
service learning activities, school safety programs, etc) of which four
pertain to community and parental involvement. These are:
- Initiatives
to generate, maintain and strengthen parental and community involvement;
- Academic
intervention programs such as student counseling that would be operated
jointly with community-based organizations;
- Community
service programs; and
- Adult
and family literacy programs
National
Assessment of Educational Progress
Title VI, Section 602 & Section 41
| • |
Under
the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), two parents
not employed by a local, state, or federal educational agency and
two representatives of the general public, who may be parents but
are not employed by a local, state, or federal educational agency,
shall serve on the National Assessment Governing Board. This
board was created to oversee NAEP, and parents and members of the
public may submit written complaints to the Board (Section 412 under
the Amendment to the National Education Statistics Act of 1994) |
| • |
Parents
of children participating in NAEP must be notified before an
assessment is administered that their child may be excused from the
assessment, and that students are not required to answer any test
questions. (Section 411 under the Amendment to the National Education
Statistics Act of 1994) |
Unsafe
School Choice Option
Title IX, Section 9532
Any student
attending a "persistently dangerous" public school must
be allowed to transfer to a "safe" public school in the same
district. In addition, any student who falls prey to a "violent
criminal offense" at school may transfer to a safe public school
in the same district. The community and parents should work with state
officials to define the terms "safe" and "violent criminal
offense," the definition of which NCLB leaves up to the states.
In states that have already defined the terms, the community and parents
should be notified of those definitions.
Armed
Forces Recruiter Access to Students and Student Recruiting Information
Title IX, Section 9528
Every LEA
receiving funds under NCLB must provide military recruiters with the same
access to secondary school students as is generally provided to representatives
of institutions of higher education or to prospective employers. LEAs
receiving funds shall also provide, upon a request made by military recruiters
or representatives of an institution of higher education, access to the
names, addresses, and telephone listings of secondary school students.
A secondary school student, or the parent of the student, can request
that the student’s name, address, and telephone listing not be released
without prior written parental consent.
Action
Opportunities for Community Leaders
|
• |
Get
a copy of your state’s Title I Plan (most likely found
on your state’s department of education website, or contact
your state Title I office). |
|
• |
Find
out who were the members of the team that created the Title
I Plan. |
|
• |
Ensure
that your state’s plan was created and developed with
the assistance of parents and that it truly indicates how each
level of the state school system will support parent involvement. |
|
• |
Find
out who the members of your state committee of practitioners
are and who the members of your school support team for Title
I schools. Ensure that these people are aware of the latest
research on Parent Involvement and are committed to actively
implementing the latest techniques and programs in your schools. |
|
• |
Work
with the SEA to develop parental involvement policies that include
linking schools and education to community endeavors and advocacy,
even though NCLB does not require it. |
|
• |
Ask
to serve on the state peer-review committee that reviews Title
I plans prior to their submission to the US secretary of education. |
|
• |
Be
a partner with the state and local school districts in developing
the applications that satisfy the requirements of the various
programs in NCLB including Title I. It should be a matter of
habit that community members/groups and community based organizations
be part of the application development, even when not specified
in the law. |
|
• |
Community
members should request representation on planning committees
and to be partners in the planning process. They can provide
community support to monitor the school accountability requirements;
offer reading, literacy, and other instructional services and
support; disseminate data and information; refer students and
families to health, preschool, social, and before- and after-school
services; strengthen education ties with community volunteers;
and offer professional development focused on helping teachers
and parents work together more effectively. |
|
• |
Community
members/groups should request to be on the state school support
team, AND the local school support teams that are organized
to provide planning, evaluation, coordination, and service support
for schools identified as needing improvements, restructuring
or corrective action. |
|
• |
Determine
who represents the community in the SEA and LEA planning processes.
Ask about strategies to engage the community in supporting student
success and hold LEAs and schools accountable for student success.
Provide professional development to help teachers and principals
work with parents and community leaders. |
|
• |
Make
resources available to support expanded educational services
for students needing the most help. |
|
• |
Develop
your own plan to provide educational services under the Supplemental
Educational Services provisions. |
|
• |
Ask
to be part of the team of community representatives and parents
evaluating state performance regarding school/community links
and parental involvement. This information should be part of
the annual SEA review sent to the US secretary of education. |
Action
Opportunities for Parent Leaders
|
• |
Work
with the SEA to develop parental involvement policies that include
linking schools and education to community endeavors and advocacy,
even though NCLB does not require it. |
|
• |
Contact
state and local education officials to get copies of the Title
I plan. Ascertain who is on the planning team, and learn about
the various ways parents and representatives of parents’
organizations have been included in the planning of Title I.
This should be done for all the programs included in NCLB. |
|
• |
Determine
how SEA and LEA plans will be distributed to the public and
inform other parents how to obtain copies of the plan. |
|
• |
Provide
input to the SEA as it compiles models of effective parental
involvement practices; inquire about the criteria and research
used to determine model practices. |
|
• |
Identify
ways the SEA will help LEAs and schools build capacity to effectively
integrate community and parental involvement into their programs. |
|
• |
Parent
leaders should make sure that a representative group of parents
participate in the development of the parent involvement policy
and parent involvement compact. |
|
• |
Once
a policy and compact have been developed, make sure they are
carried out appropriately and reviewed on a regular basis. |
|
• |
Parent
leaders should make sure that the school district appoint a
school support team that includes parents and community members
for schools identified as needing improve, restructuring and/or
corrective action. |
|
• |
Make
sure that all supplemental services offered are approved by
the state and progress monitored by the school or school district. |
|
• |
Ask
to be part of the team of community representatives and parents
evaluating state performance regarding school/community links
and parental involvement; this information should be part of
the annual SEA review sent to the US secretary of education. |
|
• |
Ask
for representation on committees advising the SEA on carrying
out Title 1 responsibilities. |
|
• |
Ensure
that your school district, when it implements programs and activities
around parent involvement, are actually done so with meaningful
consultation of parents of participating children. |
|
• |
Ask
your district to establish a district-wide parent advisory council. |
Resources