Parent Involvement Policy

Board Policy 6020 02/28/2024

The Governing Board recognizes that parents/guardians are their children's first and most influential teachers and that sustained parent/guardian involvement in the education of their children contributes greatly to student achievement and a positive school environment. The Superintendent or designee shall work with parents/guardians and family members to jointly develop and agree upon policy and strategies to meaningfully involve parents/guardians and family members in district and school activities at all grade levels; 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 (LCAP) shall include goals and strategies for parent/guardian involvement and family engagement, 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/guardian and family engagement efforts, including, but not limited to, input from parents/guardians, family members, and school staff on the adequacy of involvement opportunities and on barriers that may inhibit 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 and shall distribute at least 90 percent of those reserved funds to eligible schools, with priority given to high-need schools as defined in 20 USC 6631. 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. (20 USC 6318)

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)

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
Support for programs that reach parents/guardians and family members at home, in the community, and at school
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
Collaboration, or the provision of subgrants to schools to enable collaboration, with community-based or other organizations or employers with a record of success in improving and increasing parent/guardian and family engagement
Any other activities and strategies that the district determines are appropriate and consistent with this policy

If the district also receives funds under federal Title IV, Part E, to coordinate and enhance family engagement programs, the Superintendent or designee shall inform parents/guardians and organizations of the existence of Title IV. (20 USC 6318)

The district's Board policy and administrative regulation containing parent/guardian and family engagement strategies shall be incorporated into the district's LCAP in accordance with 20 USC 6312. (20 USC 6318)

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.

District and school-level parent/guardian and family engagement policies and administrative regulations shall be distributed to parents/guardians of students participating in Title I programs and shall be available to the local community. Parents/guardians shall be notified of the policy in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language the parents/guardians can understand. (20 USC 6318)

AR 6020 02/28/2024

District Strategies for Title I Schools

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

Involve parents/guardians and family members in the joint development of a district plan that meets the requirements of 20 USC 6312 and in the development of school support and improvement plans pursuant to 20 USC 6311 (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 district's local control and accountability plan (LCAP) in accordance with the review schedule established by the Governing Board
2. Invite input on the plan from other district committees and school site councils
3. Communicate with parents/guardians through the district newsletter, website, or other methods regarding the plan and the opportunity to provide input
4. Provide copies of working drafts of the plan to parents/guardians in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents/guardians can understand
5. Ensure that there is an opportunity at a public Board meeting for public comment on the plan prior to the Board's approval of the plan or revisions to the plan
6. Ensure that school-level policies on parent/guardian and family engagement address the role of school site councils and other parents/guardians as appropriate in the development and review of school plans
Provide coordination, technical assistance, and other support necessary to assist and build the capacity of Title I schools in planning and implementing effective parent/guardian and family engagement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance, which may include meaningful consultation with employers, business leaders, and philanthropic organizations or individuals with expertise in effectively engaging parents/guardians and family members in education (20 USC 6318)

The Superintendent or designee may:

1. Assign district personnel to serve as a liaison to the schools regarding Title I parent/guardian and family engagement issues
2. Identify funding and other resources, including community resources and services, that may be used to strengthen district and school parent/guardian and family engagement programs
3. Provide training for the principal or designee of each participating school regarding Title I requirements for parent/guardian and family engagement, leadership strategies, and communication skills to assist in facilitating the planning and implementation of related activities
4. With the assistance of parents/guardians, provide information and training to teachers and other staff regarding effective parent/guardian involvement practices and legal requirements
5. Provide information to schools about the indicators and assessment tools that will be used to monitor progress
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
2. Involve district and school site representatives from other programs to assist in identifying specific population needs
3. Schedule joint meetings with representatives from related programs and share data and information across programs
4. Develop a cohesive, coordinated plan focused on student needs and shared goals
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 greater 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
2. 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
3. Strategies to support successful school and family interactions

The Superintendent or designee may:

a. Use a variety of methods, such as focus groups, surveys, and workshops, to evaluate the satisfaction of parents/guardians and staff with the quality and frequency of district communications

b. Gather and monitor data regarding the number of parents/guardians and family members participating in district activities and the types of activities in which they are engaged

c. Recommend to the Board measures to evaluate the impact of the district's parent/guardian and family engagement efforts on student achievement

The Superintendent or designee shall notify parents/guardians of this review and assessment through regular school communications mechanisms and shall provide a copy of the assessment to parents/guardians upon their request. (Education Code 11503)

Use the findings of the evaluation conducted pursuant to item #4 above to design evidence-based strategies for more effective parent/guardian and family involvement and, if necessary, to revise the parent/guardian and family engagement policy (20 USC 6318)

The Superintendent or designee may:
1. Analyze data from the evaluation to identify parent/guardian and family engagement activities that have been successful and those activities that have had lower participation or less meaningful involvement by parents/guardians
2. Analyze parent/guardian and family participation to determine the level of participation by traditionally underrepresented groups
3. With the involvement of parents/guardians, recommend and draft proposed policy revisions to submit to the Board for consideration
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 and family members
2. To the extent practicable, assist schools with translation services or other accommodations needed to encourage participation of parents/guardians and family members
3. Establish processes to encourage parent/guardian input regarding their expectations and concerns for their children

In addition, the district shall promote the effective involvement of parents/guardians and support a partnership among the school, parents/guardians, and the community to improve student achievement by implementing the actions specified in item #7 of the section "School-Level Policies for Title I Schools" below. (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 the parents/guardians and family members of participating students. The school policy shall describe the means by which the school will: (20 USC 6318)

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
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/guardian involvement
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/guardian and family engagement 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.
Provide the parents/guardians of participating students all of the following:

a. Timely information about Title I programs

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

c. 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. The district shall respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible.
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
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 challenging academic achievement standards
2. Ways in which parents/guardians will be responsible for supporting their children's learning, 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:
  1. Parent-teacher conferences in elementary schools, at least annually, during which the compact shall be discussed as it relates to the student's achievement
  2. Frequent reports to parents/guardians on their children's progress
  3. Reasonable access to staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child's classroom, and observation of classroom activities
  4. Regular two-way, meaningful communication between family members and school staff, and, to the extent practicable, in a language that family members can understand
Promote the effective involvement of parents/guardians and support a partnership among the school, parents/guardians, and the community to improve student achievement through the following actions:

1. Assist parents/guardians in understanding such topics as the state academic 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
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. Provide other such reasonable support for parent/guardian involvement activities as parents/guardians may request
  
  In addition, the school plan may include strategies to:

1. 1. Involve parents/guardians in the development of training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness of such training
  2. Provide necessary literacy training, using Title I funds if the district has exhausted all other reasonably available sources of funding for such training
  3. Pay reasonable and necessary expenses associated with parent/guardian involvement activities, including transportation and child care costs, to enable parents/guardians to participate in school-related meetings and training sessions
  4. Train parents/guardians to enhance the involvement of other parents/guardians
  5. Arrange school meetings at a variety of times or, when parents/guardians are unable to attend such conferences, conduct in-home conferences between parents/guardians and teachers or other educators who work directly with participating students, in order to maximize parent/guardian involvement and participation
  6. Adopt and implement model approaches to improving parent/guardian involvement
  7. Establish a parent advisory council to provide advice on all matters related to parent/guardian involvement in Title I programs
  8. Develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in parent/guardian involvement activities
  9. Make referrals to community agencies and organizations that offer literacy training, parent/guardian education programs, and/or other services that help to improve the conditions of parents/guardians and families
  10. Provide a master calendar of district/school activities and meetings
  11. Provide information about opportunities for parent/guardian and family engagement through the district newsletter, web site, or other written or electronic means
  12. Engage parent-teacher organizations to actively seek out and involve parents/guardians through regular communication updates and information sessions
  13. To the extent practicable, provide translation services at school sites and at meetings involving parents/guardians and family members as needed
  14. Provide training and information to members of district and school site councils and advisory committees to help them fulfill their functions
  15. Provide ongoing workshops to assist school site staff, parents/guardians, and family members in planning and implementing improvement strategies, and seek their input in developing the workshops
  16. Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of staff development activities related to parent/guardian and family engagement
  17. Include expectations for parent/guardian outreach and involvement in staff job descriptions and evaluations
To the extent practicable, provide opportunities for the informed participation of parents/guardians and family members (including parents/guardians and family members with limited English proficiency, parents/guardians and family members with disabilities, and parents/guardians and family members 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 receiving Title I funds shall annually evaluate the effectiveness of its parent/guardian and family engagement policy. Such evaluation may be conducted during the process of reviewing the school 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)

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