Program Description

1.     Title I, Part A (Title I) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended (ESEA) provides financial assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

2.     The school must focus Title I services on children who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet state academic standards.

3.     Designed to help students served by the program to achieve proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards.

4.     Schools with percentages of students from low-income families of at least 40 percent may use Title I funds, along with other Federal, State, and local funds, to operate.

Section 1118: PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

A. LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY (LEA) POLICY

1.     An LEA may receive funds under this part only if the agency implements programs, activities, and procedures for the involvement of parents.

2.     Each local educational agency that receives funds under this part shall develop jointly with, agree on with, and distribute to, parents of participating children a written parent involvement policy.

3.     Build the schools' and parents' capacity for strong parental involvement as described.

4.     Coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies with related parental involvement strategies under other programs such as: the Head Start program, Reading First program, Early Reading First program, Even Start program, Parents as Teachers program etc.

5.     Conduct with parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parental involvement policy in improving the academic quality of the schools served. Identify barriers to greater participation by parents in activities (with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background). Use the findings of such evaluation to design strategies for more effective parental involvement, and to revise, if necessary, the parental involvement policies.  

B. SCHOOL PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT POLICY

1.     Each school served under this part 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.

C. POLICY INVOLVEMENT

1.     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 under this part and to explain the requirements of this part, and the right of the parents to be involved.

2.     Offer a flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening, and may provide, with funds provided under this part, transportation, child care, or home visits, as such services relate to parental involvement.

3.     Involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of programs under this part, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school parental involvement policy and the joint development of the school wide program.

4.     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.

5.     If requested by parents, opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children.

D. SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HIGH STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

1.     As a component of the school-level parental involvement policy developed: the entire school staff and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the State's high standards.

2.     Describe the school's responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment and the ways in which each parent will be responsible for supporting their children's learning, such as monitoring attendance, homework completion, and volunteering.

3.     Opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child's class, and observation of classroom activities.

E. BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INVOLVEMENT

1.     Ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school involved, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement.

2.     Provide assistance to parents of children. In understanding such topics as the State's academic content standards and State student academic achievement standards.

3.     Provide such other reasonable support for parental involvement activities.

F. ACCESSIBILITY

1.     In carrying out the parental involvement requirements, full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required shall in a language such parents understand.

G. INFORMATION FROM PARENTAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCE CENTERS

1.     a parental information and resource center is established to provide training, information, and support to parents and individuals who work with local parents, local educational agencies, and schools receiving assistance under this part, each local educational agency or school that receives assistance under this part and is located in the State shall assist parents and parental organizations by informing such parents and organizations of the existence and purpose of such centers.

H. REVIEW

1.     The State educational agency shall review the local educational agency's parental involvement policies and practices to determine if the policies and practices meet the requirements of this section

Parents’ Right to Know

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)  is a United States Act of Congress that is a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which included Title I, the government's flagship aid program for disadvantaged students. NCLB supports standards-based education reform based on the premise that setting high standards and establishing measurable goals can improve individual outcomes in education. The Parents' Right to Know provision requires that two types of communication be provided to parents of students in Title I schools:  

1.     Parent Notification by District: A district receiving Title I funds must send a notification to parents, informing them of their right to request information on the qualifications of their child's teacher. The information that the district must provide (if requested) includes the following:

§ Whether or not the teacher has met the certification requirements of the state.

§ Whether or not the teacher is teaching under an emergency or other provisional status.

§ The bachelor's degree major of the teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher in the field or discipline of his or her certificate or degree.

§ Whether or not the child receives service from a paraprofessional and, if so, his or her qualifications.

2.     Parent Notification by School: Additionally, schools receiving federal Title I Funds must send parents certain information in a timely manner, in a language that is understandable, to the extent that is feasible. Title I schools must provide the following:

§ Information on the child’s level of achievement on state assessments.

§ Timely notice that the child has been assigned to or been taught by a teacher who does not meet the highly qualified teacher requirements for four or more consecutive weeks.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requires notification to parents/guardians when any of the following situations exit in a district/local educational agency receiving Federal funds.

1.      Districts/LEAs must annually disseminate Federal Programs Complaint Resolution Procedures to parents/guardians of students and appropriate private school officials or representatives.

2.      At the beginning of each school year, a participating school district/LEA must notify the parents/guardians of each student attending a building that receives Title I funds that they may request, and the district/LEA will provide in a timely manner, information regarding the professional qualifications of their child’s classroom teachers and any paraprofessionals providing services to their child.

3.      A building that receives Title I funds must provide all parent/guardians notice that their child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks, by a teacher or a person who is not appropriately certified.

4.      When a school is identified for School Improvement, the district/LEA must notify the parents/guardians of all children in the identified Title I building of its School Improvement status. Yearly updates are provided to parents with available options until the building is no longer identified for improvement.

5.      Within thirty days after the beginning of the school year, a district/LEA must inform parents/guardians that their limited English proficient (LEP) child has been identified for participation in a language instruction educational program.

6.      Parent/guardians of students enrolled in a persistently dangerous school, or students who are victims of violent criminal offense while on school property, must be notified of their option to transfer their student to a school that is not designated persistently dangerous.

Missouri Consolidated Federal Programs Administrative Manual, January 2005

Inquiries related to Department programs and to the location of services, activities, and facilities that are accessible by person with disabilities may be directed to the Jefferson State Office Building, Civil Rights Compliance (Title VI/Title IX/504/ADA/Age Act), 5^th Flr., 205 Jefferson Street, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480; (573) 526-4757 or Relay Missouri 800.735.2966.

The Special Administrative Board of the Transitional School District of the City of St. Louis (The” Board”) believes the education of students is a shared responsibility.  The school, parent/family, and the community share this responsibility.  We are committed to making the parent/family and the community a part of the educational process of our students.  Our mission is to cultivate activities that will encourage the home and the community to take an active role in the education of their children and our students.

To this end, the Board recognizes and adopts the following (6) goals:

▪   Promote regular, two-way, meaningful communication between home and school. 

▪   Promote and support responsible parenting.

▪   Recognize the fact that parents/families play an integral role in assisting their children

     to learn.                         

▪   Promote a safe and open atmosphere for parents/families to visit the school that their

    children attend and actively solicit parent/family support and assistance for school

    programs.

▪   Include parents as full partners in the decisions affecting their children and families. 

▪   Use available community resources to strengthen and promote school programs,  

    family practices and the achievement of students.

The Plan to implement these goals is as follows:

1.    Promote regular, two-way, meaningful communication between home and school.

▪   School staff at the direction of the principal will make reasonable efforts to contact   the home of every student assigned to their school prior to the start of the school year.

▪   Schools will use the automatic dialing system to inform parents of school activities.

▪   Teachers will make reasonable efforts to contact the home of every student assigned to their class within the first two weeks of the school year.

 ▪    Principals, teachers, school social worker, family parent support specialists, or other school staff will attempt to visit the home of every student they are unable to contact by phone; and.

 ▪    The Principal will ensure effective two-way, meaningful communication between home and school and shall include, but is not limited to, newsletters, flyers,

e-mail, active updated website and calendars.

▪     Principals will monitor communication between home and school done by staff.

2.    Promote and support responsible parenting.

§ To the extent possible each school will have at least one workshop per semester that deals directly with parenting skills, and at least one workshop that will explain and help parents understand the district's curriculum.  Adequate Yearly Progress, the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP).

§ Each school will have a parent resource area, which will have parenting materials as well as instructional materials for each grade level in the school readily available for distribution to parents.

§ Each school in the district is encouraged to support the formation and sustain the activities of an active Parent Teacher Organization (P.T.O.).

§ The Parent Assembly of the Saint Louis Public Schools shall serve as an independent, non profit organization providing in collaborative parental involvement decision making input to the Office of Federal Programs, the Superintendent of Schools and the Special Administrative Board or any other governing body charged with the oversight of the St. Louis Public Schools.

§ Each school building will coordinate and integrate its parent involvement strategies, programs and activities with Community Education, Parents as Teachers (PAT), Reading First, Head Start, and community partners.

3.    Recognize the fact that parents/families play an integral role in assisting their children to learn.

• Schools and the district shall involve parents/families in the planning of school-wide program and school-linked, including school improvement planning and the development and implementation of any new school policies or procedures.
• In developing school calendars, schools will include parents in the planning deliberations to include night and weekend events to help bring parents/families into the school.  (For example, curriculum night, reading night, family health care night, bingo night, parenting skills night, etc.)  Collaborative effort will be used to create calendars that will serve the needs of each individual school.
• Parents, families, and community partners will be included in the school and district planning and evaluation of parent involvement strategies, programs, and activities.
• The district and schools will involve parents in the joint development of the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) and in the process of implementing school improvement strategies, programs, and activities for improving student achievement.
• The CSIP, where necessary, will include school-wide improvement goals for parent & community involvement that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, and Relevant & Timely (SMART) and connected directly to school data.
• The district will provide coordination, technical assistance, and other support to assist schools in planning, implementing, and sustaining meaningful two-way communication to parents about effective research-based parental involvement activities to improve student achievement;

4.    Promote a safe and open atmosphere for parents/families to visit the school that their children attend and actively solicit parent/family support and assistance for school programs.

• Schools will provide parents/families with a copy of the district's policy on student discipline and attendance, as well as any school specific policies (uniform policy, school code of conduct, etc.).
• Schools will be encouraged to provide parents/families opportunities to communicate with teachers through phone calls and or conferences.

5.    Include parents as full partners in the decisions affecting their children and families.

• The district will inform parents/families and the community of any changes in the district’s curriculum or discipline policy and give parents an opportunity to provide feedback.
• Build the schools' and parents' capacity for strong parental involvement by assisting parents in understanding such topics as the State's academic content and achievement standards, academic assessments, how to monitor a child's progress, and how to work with educators, by providing materials and training to help parents work with their children. One training session per semester will be devoted to educating teachers, student support services, principals, and other staff in the value and utility of the contributions of parents and how to work with parents.

6.    Use available community resources to strengthen and promote school programs, family practices, and the achievement of students.

• School staff and other district staff will actively recruit members of the community and businesses in the community to take an active role in the education of all students in the district.
• Schools may provide parents/families and the community with a list of volunteer opportunities in the school.
• Coordinate parental involvement strategies with those under other programs, such as Head Start, Reading First, Early Reading First, Even Start, Parents as Teachers, Home Instruction for Preschool Youngsters, Office of Volunteer Services and State-run preschool programs (providing support for parental involvement activities as parents request it) and Title III English Languages Learners (ELL) programs;
• Conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent involvement policy, including the identification of barriers to greater participation, especially by parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background; use the findings of the evaluation to design strategies for more effective parental involvement; revise, if necessary, parent involvement policies;

Each school will evaluate overall parental involvement at the end of school year.  The building staff will use the school's evaluation to make improvements in an effort to enhance the district's parental involvement policy.

To further implement this policy, the schools will provide information in a format accessible to all members of the public, including individuals with disabilities.  Further, all school and district information shall be provided for the parent in a timely manner and in a language parents can understand.

References:

Legal: Section 167.700 RSMo.

Policy adopted: May 17, 2012

The Parental Information and Resource Center (PIRC) program is funded by the US Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement, established to provide training, information, and support to parents and individuals who work with local parents, districts, and schools that receive Title I.A funds. PIRCs provide both regional and statewide services and disseminate information to parents on a statewide basis.

PIRCs help implement successful and effective parental involvement policies, programs, and activities that lead to improvements in student academic achievement, and that strengthen partnerships among parents, teachers, principals, administrators, and other school personnel in meeting the education needs of children; and to assist parents to communicate effectively with teachers, principals, counselors, administrators, and other school personnel.

The recipients of PIRC grants are required to: serve both rural and urban areas, use at least half their funds to serve areas with high concentrations of low-income children, and use at least 30 percent of the funds they receive for early childhood parent program.

Centers must include activities that establish, expand, or operate early childhood parent education programs and typically engage in a variety of technical assistance activities designed to improve student academic achievement, including understanding the accountability systems in the state and school districts being served by a project. Specific activities often include helping parents to understand the data that accountability systems make available to parents and the significance of that data for such things as opportunities for supplemental services and public school choice afforded to their children attending buildings in school improvement.

PIRCs generally develop resource materials and provide information about high quality family involvement programs to families, schools, school districts, and others through conferences, workshops, and dissemination of materials. Projects generally include a focus on serving parents of low-income, minority, and limited English proficient (LEP) children enrolled in elementary and secondary schools.

Missouri has two PIRCs – one in St. Louis and one in Springfield. For service and contact information, go to their website at http://www.nationalpirc.org/directory/MO-32.

St. Louis Public Schools

Office of Family and Community Engagement

(314) 345-2484