Stevensville School District 

 INSTRUCTION 

 Title I Parent and Family Engagement

 NOTE: Schools receiving federal ESEA funds are required to have a parent and family engagement policy. This sample policy can be used as the basis for the joint development of a  policy, as required by the federal legislation. This policy cannot be the District’s policy without some parental involvement in its development at the local level.

The District endorses the parent and family engagement goals of Title I and encourages the regular participation of parents and family members (including parents and families of migrant students if applicable) of Title I eligible children in all aspects of the program to establish the agency’s expectations and objectives for meaningful parent and family involvement. The education of children is viewed as a cooperative effort among the parents, family members, school, and community. In this policy the word “parent” also includes guardians and other family members involved in supervising the child’s schools.

Pursuant to federal law the District will develop jointly with, agree upon with, and distribute to parents of children participating in the Title I program a written parent and family engagement policy. This may include meaningful consultation with employers, business leaders, and philanthropic organizations, or individuals with expertise in effectively engaging parents and family members in education.

At the required annual meeting of Title I parents and family members (including parents and families of migrant students if applicable), parents and family members will have opportunities to participate in the design, development, operation, and evaluation of the program for the next school year. Proposed activities to fulfill the requirements necessary to address the requirements of family engagement goals shall be presented.

In addition to the required annual meeting, at least three (3) additional meetings shall be held at various times of the day and/or evening for parents and family members of children (including parents and families of migrant children if applicable) participating in the Title I program. These meetings shall be used to provide parents with:

1. Information about programs provided under Title I;

2. A description and explanation of the curriculum in use, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet;

3. Opportunities to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children; and

4. The opportunity to bring parent comments, if they are dissatisfied with the school’s Title I program, to the District level.

Title I funding, if sufficient, may be used to facilitate parent attendance at meetings, through payment of transportation and childcare costs.

The parents and family members of children (including parents and families of migrant children if applicable) identified to participate in Title I programs shall receive from the school principal and Title I staff an explanation of the reasons supporting each child’s selection for the program, a set of objectives to be addressed, and a description of the services to be provided. Opportunities will be provided for the parents and family members to meet with the classroom and Title I teachers to discuss their child’s progress. Parents will also receive guidance as to how they can assist at home in the education of their children.

Each school in the District receiving Title I funds shall develop jointly with parents and family members of children served in the program a “School-Parent Compact” outlining the manner in which parents, school staff, and students share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement in meeting state standards. The “School-Parent Compact” shall:

1. Describe the school’s responsibility to provide high quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment enabling children in the Title I program
to meet the state’s academic achievement standards;

2. Indicate the ways in which each parent will be responsible for supporting their child’s learning, such as monitoring attendance, homework completion, and television watching;
volunteering in the classroom; and participating, as appropriate, in decisions related to their child’s education and positive use of extracurricular time; and

3. Address the importance of parent-teacher communication on an ongoing basis with, at a minimum, parent-teacher conferences, frequent reports to parents, and reasonable access
to staff.

The activities authorized under this policy may include establishing a parent advisory board comprised of a sufficient number and representative group of parents 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 and family engagement policy.

NOTE: Districts with more than one (1) school participating in a Title I program may wish to consider the establishment of a district-wide parent advisory council.

Legal Reference:
Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
46 20 U.S.C. §§ 6301-6514
§ 1116 Every Student Succeeds Act

Policy History:
Adopted on: March 2011
Reviewed on: April 9, 2019; September 12, 2023
Revised on: May 14, 2019; October 10, 2023