Swansea Public Schools

Title I Parent/Community Involvement Policy

The purpose of this policy is to meet federal requirements related to parent/community involvement and to support a partnership among school staff, community members and parents who help meet the needs of Title I students. Swansea Public Schools recognizes the importance of parent involvement in the development of programs that support student academic achievement. Our district policy was developed jointly with and approved by Swansea’s Title I Parent Advisory Council (PAC), which consisted of parents and school personnel. This policy shall be incorporated into our district for selected programs funded under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

All parents of children receiving Title I services in our * Targeted Assistance schools, including those whose home language is not English, will be provided with the following:

· Written notice about their child’s participation in Title I in a language that parents can understand

· An annual meeting to provide information about the Title I program and student achievement

(i.e. Open House/Orientation). These meetings will be held at flexible times. Information will also be

distributed through means such as, but not limited to, teacher conferences and/or student handbooks.

· A Home-School Compact, which outlines how parents, teachers, and students will share the responsibility

for improved student academic achievement.

· Parent/Teacher conferences to discuss their child’s academic achievement

· Their child’s assessment results with explanation

· A description and explanation of the curriculum used and achievement expectations

· Regular meetings will be held with Title I PAC members so they may have input into the program,

receive information about Title I and become aware of the Parent involvement policies.

· The planning and implementation of effective parent involvement activities to improve

student academic achievement and school performance.

· Parents will be involved in formulating and participating in an annual evaluation of content and

effectiveness of parent involvement.

· Opportunities for regular meetings related to the education of parents, including those with

limited English proficiency or disabilities, to improve their skills to help them effectively

work with their children.

Under “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB), parents in Title I schools have the right to:

- Request information, which the district must provide, regarding the professional qualifications of

your child’s teachers.

- Know if paraprofessionals are providing services to their children and what the paraprofessional’s

qualifications are.

- Know if their child has been taught for four weeks or more by one who is not highly qualified

- Know if their children’s school is in need of improvement, corrective action, or restructuring.

The school must notify parents on how they can become involved in school improvement efforts.

- Help create and/or review the school’s Title I plan and program evaluation, and have input into how

Title I monies are spent for parental activities.

In addition to being posted on the school district's website, this policy will be distributed through one of the following means: sending the policy home with students and having parents acknowledge receipt; distribution at parent/teacher conferences; distribution at school registration; or insertion in the students handbooks.

* A targeted assistance school is one that operates a Title I program for selected at-risk students. Parents of children receiving Title I services in targeted assistance schools, have the right to be involved in the development of the student selection policies.