SUBJECT:                             PARENT INVOLVEMENT

ORIGINATING OFFICE:     DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT, EDUCATION SERVICES

EFFECTIVE:                         OCTOBER 13, 2015

REVISED:                             JULY 28, 2020

The Board of Trustees recognizes that parents/guardians are their children's first and most influential teachers and that sustained parent involvement in the education of their children contributes greatly to student achievement and a positive school environment. The Superintendent or designee shall work with staff and parents/guardians to develop meaningful opportunities at all grade levels for parents/guardians to be involved in district and school activities; advisory, decision-making, and advocacy roles; and activities to support learning at home.

Parents/guardians shall be notified of their rights to be informed about and to participate in their children's education and of the opportunities available to them to do so.

The district's local control and accountability plan shall include goals and strategies for parent/guardian involvement, including district efforts to seek parent/guardian input in district and school site decision making and to promote parent/guardian participation in programs for English learners, foster youth, students eligible for free and reduced-price meals, and students with disabilities. (Education Code 42238.02, 52060)

The Superintendent or designee shall regularly evaluate and report to the Board on the effectiveness of the district's parent involvement efforts, including, but not limited to, input from parents/guardians and school staff on the adequacy of parent involvement opportunities and barriers that may inhibit parent/guardian participation.

Title I Schools

The Superintendent or designee shall involve parents/guardians and family members in establishing district expectations and objectives for meaningful parent/guardian and family engagement in schools supported by Title I funding, developing strategies that describe how the district will carry out each activity listed in 20 USC 6318, as contained in the accompanying administrative regulation, and implementing and evaluating such programs, activities, and procedures. As appropriate, the Superintendent or designee shall conduct outreach to all parents/guardians and family members. (Education Code 11503; 20 USC 6318)

When the district's Title I, Part A allocation exceeds the amount specified in 20 USC 6318, the Board shall reserve at least one percent of the funding to implement parent/guardian and family engagement activities. The Superintendent or designee shall involve parents/guardians and family members of participating students in decisions regarding how the district's Title I funds will be allotted for parent/guardian and family engagement activities and shall ensure that priority is given to schools in high poverty areas in accordance with law. (20 USC 6318, 6631)

Expenditures of such funds shall be consistent with the activities specified in this policy and shall include at least one of the following: (20 USC 6318)

1. Support for schools and nonprofit organizations in providing professional development for district and school staff regarding parent/guardian and family engagement strategies, which may be provided jointly to teachers, principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, paraprofessionals, early childhood educators, and parents/guardians and family members

2. Support for programs that reach parents/guardians and family members at home, in the community, and at school

3. Dissemination of information on best practices focused on parent/guardian and family engagement, especially best practices for increasing the engagement of economically disadvantaged parents/guardians and family members

4. Collaboration with community-based or other organizations or employers with a record of success in improving and increasing parent and family engagement

5. Any other activities and strategies that the district determines are appropriate and consistent with this policy

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that each school receiving Title I funds develops a school-level parent/guardian and family engagement policy in accordance with 20 USC 6318.

Non-Title I Schools

The Superintendent or designee shall develop and implement strategies applicable to each school that does not receive federal Title I funds to encourage the involvement and support of parents/guardians in the education of their children, including, but not limited to, strategies describing how the district and schools will address the purposes and goals described in Education Code 11502. (Education Code 11504)

Legal Reference:

EDUCATION CODE

11500-11506 Programs to encourage parent involvement

48985 Notices in languages other than English

51101 Parent rights and responsibilities

64001 Single plan for student achievement

LABOR CODE

230.8 Time off to visit child's school

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20

6311 Parental notice of teacher qualifications and student achievement 6312 Local educational agency plan

6312 Local educational agency plan

6314 Schoolwide programs

6316 School improvement

6318 Parent involvement

CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 28

35.104 Definitions, auxiliary aids and services

35.160 Communications Management Resources:

CSBA PUBLICATIONS

Parent Involvement: Development of Effective and Legally Compliant Policies, Governance and Policy Services Policy Briefs, August 2006

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICIES

89-01 Parent Involvement in the Education of Their Children, rev. 1994

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NON-REGULATORY GUIDANCE

Parental Involvement: Title I, Part A, April 23, 2004

WEB SITES

CSBA: http://www.csba.org

California Department of Education, Family, School, Community Partnerships: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/pf

California Parent Center: http://parent.sdsu.edu California State PTA: http://www.capta.org

National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education: http://www.ncpie.org National PTA: http://www.pta.org

No Child Left Behind: http://www.ed.gov/nclb

Parent Information and Resource Centers: http://www.pirc-info.net Parents as Teachers National Center: http://www.parentsasteachers.org

U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov

SUBJECT:                             PARENT INVOLVEMENT

ORIGINATING OFFICE:     DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT, EDUCATION SERVICES

EFFECTIVE:                         OCTOBER 13, 2015

REVISED:                             JULY 28, 2020

District Strategies for Title I Schools

To ensure that parents/guardians of students participating in Title I programs are provided with opportunities to be involved in their children's education, the Superintendent or designee shall:

1. Involve parents/guardians of participating students in the joint development of the Title I local educational agency (LEA) plan pursuant to 20 USC 6312 and the process of school review and improvement pursuant to 20 USC 6316 (20 USC 6318)

The Superintendent or designee may:

1. In accordance with Education Code 52063, establish a district-level parent advisory committee and, as applicable, an English learner parent advisory committee to review and comment on the plan in accordance with the review schedule established by the Governing Board

1. Invite input on the LEA plan from other district committees and school site councils

1. Communicate with parents/guardians through the district newsletter, web site, or other methods regarding the LEA plan and the opportunity to provide input

1. Provide copies of working drafts of the LEA plan to parents/guardians in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents/guardians can understand

1. Ensure that there is an opportunity at a public Board meeting for public comment on the LEA plan prior to the Board's approval of the plan or revisions to the plan

1. Ensure that school-level policies on parent involvement address the role of school site councils and other parents/guardians as appropriate in the development and review of school plans

2. Provide coordination, technical assistance, and other support necessary to assist Title I schools in planning and implementing effective parent involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance. (20 USC 6318)

The Superintendent or designee may:

1. Assist parents/guardians in understanding such topics as the challenging state academic content standards and academic achievement standards, state and local academic assessments, the requirements of Title I, and how to monitor a child's progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children

1. Provide parents/guardians with materials and training, such as literacy training and using technology (including education about the harms of copyright piracy), as appropriate, to help them work with their children to improve their children's achievement

1. With the assistance of parents/guardians, educate teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals and other school leaders, and other staff, in the value and utility of parent/guardian contributions and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents/guardians as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent/guardian programs, and build ties between parents/guardians and the schools

1. To the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent/guardian involvement programs and activities with other federal, state, and local programs, including public preschool programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents/guardians in fully participating in their children's education

1. Ensure that information related to school and parent/guardian programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to the parents/guardians of participating students in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents/guardians can understand

1. Provide other such reasonable support for parent/guardian involvement activities as parents/guardians may request

3. To the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate Title I parent/guardian and family engagement strategies with parent/guardian and family engagement strategies of other relevant federal, state, and local programs and ensure consistency with federal, state, and local laws (20 USC 6318)

The Superintendent or designee may:

1. Identify overlapping or similar program requirements

1. Involve district and school site representatives from other programs to assist in identifying specific population needs

1. Schedule joint meetings with representatives from related programs and share data and information across programs

1. Develop a cohesive, coordinated plan focused on student needs and shared goals

4. Conduct, with meaningful involvement of parents/guardians and family members, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent/guardian and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of the schools served by Title I, including identification of: (20 USC 6318)

1. Barriers to participation in parent/guardian and family engagement activities, with particular attention to parents/guardians who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background

1. The needs of parents/guardians and family members, so they can better assist with their children's learning and engage with school personnel and teachers

1. Strategies to support successful school and family interactions

5 . Involve parents/guardians in the activities of schools served by Title I, which may include establishing a parent advisory board comprised of a sufficient number and representative group of parents/guardians or family members served by the district to adequately represent the needs of the population served by the district for the purposes of developing, revising, and reviewing the parent/guardian and family engagement policy (20 USC 6318)

The Superintendent or designee may:

1. Include information about school activities in district communications to parents/guardians

1. To the extent practicable, assist schools with translation services or other accommodations needed to encourage participation of parents/guardians with special needs

1. Establish processes to encourage parent/guardian input regarding their expectations and concerns for their children

The district's Board policy and administrative regulation containing parent/guardian and family engagement strategies shall be incorporated into the district’s local control and accountability plan in accordance with 20 USC 6312 and shall be distributed to parents/guardians of students participating in Title I programs. (20 USC 6318)

School-Level Policies for Title I Schools

At each school receiving Title I funds, a written policy on parent/guardian and family engagement shall be developed jointly with and agreed upon by parents/guardians of participating students. Such policy shall describe the means by which the school will: (20 USC 6318)

1. Convene an annual meeting, at a convenient time, to which all parents/guardians of participating students shall be invited and encouraged to attend, in order to inform parents/guardians of their school's participation in Title I and to explain Title I requirements and the right of parents/guardians to be involved

2. Offer a flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening, for which related transportation, child care, and/or home visits may be provided as such services relate to parent involvement

3. Involve parents/guardians in an organized, ongoing, and timely way in the planning, review, and improvement of Title I programs, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school's parent involvement policy and, if applicable, the joint development of the plan for schoolwide programs pursuant to 20 USC 6314

The school may use an existing process for involving parents/guardians in the joint planning and design of the school's programs provided that the process includes adequate representation of parents/guardians of participating students.

4. Provide the parents/guardians of participating students all of the following:

1. Timely information about Title I programs

1. A description and explanation of the school's curriculum, forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the achievement levels of the challenging state academic standards.

1. If requested by parents/guardians, opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions related to their children's education, and, as soon as practicably possible, responses to the suggestions of parents/guardians

5. If the schoolwide program plan is not satisfactory to the parents/guardians of participating students, submit any parent/guardian comments when the school makes the plan available to the district

6. Jointly develop with the parents/guardians of participating students a school-parent compact that outlines how parents/guardians, the entire school staff, and students will share responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents/guardians will build a partnership to help students achieve state standards

This compact shall address:

1. The school's responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables participating students to achieve the state's student academic achievement standards
2. Ways in which parents/guardians will be responsible for supporting their children's learning, such as monitoring attendance, homework completion, and television viewing; volunteering in the classroom; and participating, as appropriate, in decisions related to their children's education and the positive use of extracurricular time
3. The importance of communication between teachers and parents/guardians on an ongoing basis through, at a minimum:

• Frequent reports to parents/guardians on their children's progress

• Reasonable access to staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child's classroom, and observation of classroom activities

• Regular two-way, meaningful communication between family members and school staff, and, to the extent practicable, in a language that family members can understand

7. Build the capacity of the school and parents/guardians for strong parent involvement by implementing the activities described in items #2 in the section "District Strategies for Title I Schools" above

8. To the extent practicable, provide full opportunities for the participation of parents/guardians with limited English proficiency, parents/guardians with disabilities, and parents/guardians of migrant children, including providing information and school reports required under 20 USC 6311(h) in a format and language such parents/guardians can understand

If the school has a parent involvement policy that applies to all parents/guardians, it may amend that policy to meet the above requirements. (20 USC 6318)

Each school's parent involvement policy shall be made available to the local community and distributed to parents/guardians of participating students in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language the parents/guardians can understand. (20 USC 6318)

Each school receiving Title I funds shall annually evaluate the effectiveness of its parent involvement policy. Such evaluation may be conducted during the process of reviewing the school's single plan for student achievement in accordance with Education Code 64001.

The school’s policy shall be periodically updated to meet the changing needs of parents/guardians and the school. (20 USC 6318)

District Strategies for Non-Title I Schools

For each school that does not receive federal Title I funds, the Superintendent or designee shall, at a minimum:

1. Engage parents/guardians positively in their children's education by helping them develop skills to use at home that support their children's academic efforts at school and their children's development as responsible members of society (Education Code 11502, 11504)

The Superintendent or designee may:

1. Provide or make referrals to literacy training and/or parent education programs designed to improve the skills of parents/guardians and enhance their ability to support their children's education

1. Provide information, in parent handbooks and through other appropriate means, regarding academic expectations and resources to assist with the subject matter

1. Provide parents/guardians with information about students' class assignments and homework assignments

2. Inform parents/guardians that they can directly affect the success of their children's learning, by providing them with techniques and strategies that they may use to improve their children's academic success and to assist their children in learning at home (Education Code 11502, 11504)

The Superintendent or designee may:

1. Provide parents/guardians with information regarding ways to create an effective study environment at home and to encourage good study habits

1. Encourage parents/guardians to monitor their children's school attendance, homework completion, and television viewing

1. Encourage parents/guardians to volunteer in their child's classroom and to participate in school advisory committees

3. Build consistent and effective communication between the home and school so that parents/guardians may know when and how to assist their children in support of classroom learning activities (Education Code 11502, 11504)

The Superintendent or designee may:

1. Ensure that teachers provide frequent reports to parents/guardians on their children's progress

1. Provide opportunities for parents/guardians to observe classroom activities and to volunteer in their child's classroom

1. Provide information about parent involvement opportunities through district, school, and/or class newsletters, the district's web site, and other written or electronic communications

1. To the extent practicable, provide notices and information to parents/guardians in a format and language they can understand

1. Develop mechanisms to encourage parent/guardian input on district and school issues

1. Identify barriers to parent/guardian participation in school activities, including parents/guardians who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background

1. Encourage greater parent/guardian participation by adjusting meeting schedules to accommodate parent/guardian needs and, to the extent practicable, by providing translation or interpreter services, transportation, and/or child care

4. Train teachers and administrators to communicate effectively with parents/guardians (Education Code 11502, 11504)

The Superintendent or designee may:

1. Provide staff development to assist staff in strengthening two-way communications with parents/guardians, including parents/guardians who have limited English proficiency or limited literacy

1. Invite input from parents/guardians regarding the content of staff development activities pertaining to home-school communications

5. Integrate parent involvement programs into school plans for academic accountability

The Superintendent or designee may:

1. Include parent involvement strategies in school reform or school improvement initiatives

1. Involve parents/guardians in school planning processes