Elementary and Secondary Education Parent, Family and Community Engagement

Families saying hi while they get food.

Purpose

Family and community engagement is an integral part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Title I, Part A helps to provide local educational agencies (LEAs) with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families with funds to help ensure that all students are receiving a high quality education. ESSA funds assist schools in providing supports and programs to students that help them to meet challenging state academic standards. Schools and LEAs must actively engage parents, families and community members in the development of state and local education plans for the use of ESEA funds including Title I, Part A, Title I, Part C, Title II, Title III, Title IV and Title V. Schools must partner with stakeholders in the development of school improvement plans for any schools identified for support and improvement under ESSA.

Written Family LEA Engagement Policy (District Level):

Each LEA receiving Title I, Part A funds shall maintain a written parent and family engagement policy that is, jointly developed, agreed upon and distributed to parents and family members of students participating in Title I programs or services. The parent and family involvement strategies outlined in the district’s written policy must be evaluated to demonstrate effectiveness in supporting academic achievement for students.

LEA Written Policy Requirements
LEA Policy Self-Assessment (Coming Soon)

Written Title I School Parent and Family Engagement Policy (School Level):

Each Title I school shall maintain a written parent and family engagement policy that is, jointly developed with, distributed to, and agreed on by parents of students participating in Title I, Part A programs and services. Parents shall be notified of the School Parent and Family Engagement Policy in an understandable and uniform format, to the extent practicable, provided in a language the parents can understand. The policy must be made available to the local community and updated periodically to meet the changing needs of parents and the school.

Title I School Parent and Family Engagement Policy Requirements
Title I School Policy Self-Assessment (Coming Soon)

Annual Title I Meeting:

Schools receiving Title I, Part A funds must convene an annual meeting at a convenient time to inform parents of their school’s participation in Title I, Part A services, programs or activities. The school must offer multiple meetings and involvement opportunities such as morning or evening events. Schools must also, if requested by parents, offer opportunities for regularly scheduled opportunities to provide suggestions and to participate in decisions regarding the education of their student.

School-Parent Compact:

A component of the Title I, Part A school level Parent and Family Engagement policy, is for each Title I school to jointly develop with parents, a school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved academic achievement.

Title I, Part A Parent-School Compact

Capacity Building:

Ensure all essential communications related to school, parent programs, meetings and other activities are sent to parents and families in a format and language parents can understand.

ESEA Parent Communication Language Requirements:

Notices and information provided to parents under the ESEA shall be in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language that the parents can understand.

ESEA Parent Notification Requirements (District):

Section 1112 (e)(1)(A) of the ESSA requires LEAs to notify each parent of a student attending a Title I school that they may request (and district must provide in a timely manner) the following information regarding their qualifications of their student’s teacher and/or paraprofessionals:

Whether the student’s teacher has met Colorado’s qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction
Whether the student’s teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which Colorado’s qualification or licensing criteria have been waived
Whether the student’s teacher is teaching in the field of discipline of the certification of the teacher
Whether the student is provided services by paraprofessionals and if so, the par’s qualifications

Section 1112(e)(2)(A) At the beginning of each school year, districts receiving Title I Part A funds shall notify all parents with students attending a Title I school, that they may request (and district must provide in a timely manner) information regarding Colorado’s or the districts policy regarding student participation in assessments. The district must inform parents of the policy, procedures and parental right to opt the child out of assessments where applicable.

ESEA Parent Notification Requirements (Title I Schools):

Section 1112 (e)(1)(B) of the ESSA requires Title I schools to inform each parent of a student attending a Title I school the following information:

Information on their student’s level of achievement and growth on Colorado’s academic assessments
Timely notice that their student has been assigned, or has been taught for 4 or more consecutive weeks by, a teacher that does not meet Colorado’s licensure or certification requirements at the grade level and subject area in which the teacher has been assigned.

Resources

Allowable Activities

LEAs receiving a Title I, Part A allocation of $500,000 or greater must use the Parent Activities set-aside for at least one of the following activities:

Support schools and nonprofit organization in providing PD for district and school personnel regarding parent and family engagement strategies
Support programs that reach parents and family members at home, in the community and at school
Share information on best practices focused on parent and family engagement
Collaborate, or provide subgrants to schools to enable the school to collaborate with community-based organizations, businesses or employers
Engage in any other activities and strategies that the district determines are appropriate and consistent with the parent and family engagement policy
Provide literacy or math trainings to share practices with families that support student academic achievement
Provide transportation and child care costs to enable parents to participate in school-related meetings and training session associated with family involvement activities
Conduct in-home conferences between teachers or other educators to maximize parental involvement and participation
Adopt and implement model approaches to improving parental involvement