2261.01 - PARENT PARTICIPATION IN TITLE I PROGRAMS

Cedar Springs Public School District

Bylaws & Policies

2261.01 - PARENT PARTICIPATION IN TITLE I PROGRAMS

In accordance with the requirement of Section 1118 of Title I, programs supported by Title I funds must be designed and implemented in consultation with parents of the students being served.

The Superintendent shall ensure that the Title I plan contains a written statement of guidelines which has been developed with, approved by, and distributed to parents of participating students. The guidelines shall describe how:

	A.	the District expects the parents to be involved in the program, including their participation in the development of the plan;
	B.	meetings will be conducted with parents including provisions for flexible scheduling and whatever assistance the District may be able to provide parents in order to better ensure their attendance at meetings, and for providing information in a language the parents can understand;
	C.	meetings will include review and explanation of the curriculum, means of assessment, and the proficiency levels students are expected to achieve and maintain;
	D.	opportunities will be provided for parents to formulate suggestions, interact and share experiences with other parents, and participate appropriately in the decision-making about the program and revisions in the plan;
	E.	parents will be involved in the planning, review, and improvement of the Title I program;
	F.	information concerning school performance profiles and their child's individual performance will be communicated to parents;
	G.	parents will be assisted in providing help to their children in achieving the objectives of the program by such means as ensuring regular attendance; monitoring television-watching; providing adequate time and the proper environment for homework; guiding nutritional and health practices; and the like;
	H.	timely responses will be given to parental questions, concerns, and recommendations;
	I.	the District will provide coordination, technical assistance and other support necessary to assist Title I schools to develop effective parental participation activities to improve academic achievement;
	J.	an annual evaluation of the parental involvement plan will be conducted with parents, identifying any barriers to greater parental involvement (such as limited English, limited literacy, economic disadvantage, disability, etc.) and devising strategies to improve parental involvement;
	K.	the parental involvement plan will be coordinated with other programs, such as Head Start, Reading First, Even Start, Parents as Teachers, and Home Instruction for Preschool Youngsters;
	L.	other activities will be conducted as appropriate to the plan and State or Federal requirements.

The Superintendent shall also assure that each Title I participating school develops a specific plan, with parental involvement, which:

	A.	convenes an annual meeting at a convenient time to which parents of participating children are invited to attend to explain the parents’ rights to be involved and the schools obligations to develop an involvement plan;
	B.	will devise a flexible meeting schedule and describe assistance to encourage parental involvement, such as child care, transportation, home visits, or similar aid;
	C.	will involve parents in an organized, on-going and timely way in the development, review and improvement of parent involvement activities;
	D.	will provide participating students’ parents with:

		1.	timely information about the Title I programs;
		2.	an explanation of the curriculum, the forms of academic assessment and the proficiency levels expected;
		3.	regular meetings, upon request, to make suggestions and receive response regarding their student’s education;

develops jointly with parents a school-parent compact which outlines the responsibilities of the school staff, the parents and the student for academic improvement, including:

		1.	the school’s responsibility to provide high quality curriculum, and instruction in a supportive, effective learning environment;
		2.	parent’s responsibility for such things as monitoring attendance, homework, extracurricular activities and excessive television watching; volunteering in the classroom;
		3.	the importance of parent teacher communication on an on-going basis through at least annual parent teacher conferences to discuss achievement and the compact; frequent progress reports to the parents; reasonable access to the staff and opportunities to observe and participate in classroom activities.

20 U.S.C. 6318, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
34 C.F.R. Part 200 et seq.