505.8 - PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT DISTRICT-WIDE POLICY (08/14/2024)

Parent and family engagement is an important component in a student’s success in school.  The board encourages parents and families to become involved in their child’s education to ensure the child’s academic success.  In order to facilitate parent and family involvement, it is the goal of the district to conduct outreach and implement programs, activities and procedures to further involve parents and families with the academic success of their students.  The board will:

  1. Involve parents and families in the development of the Title I plan, the process for school review of the plan and the process for improvement by: 

Parents and families will be provided information and given opportunities for feedback as it relates to the Title1 program through information and resources shared in the Title Parent Brochure, parent survey completed each spring, student progress shared each trimester, and participation in parent-teacher conferences. 

  1. Provide the coordination, technical assistance and other support necessary to assist and build the capacity of all participating schools in planning and implementing effective parent and family involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance by: 

Student selection will be based on multiple factors.  These factors are based on formative reading assessment scores through FAST, reading recovery test packets (RRTP) as well as Fountas and Pinnell (F&P) – bench mark assessment system for reading level and data trends over time.  Students will not be accepted into the Title I program if they are receiving an individualized education plan in the area of reading.  If a student has an IEP in the area of reading, their services would fall under special education. 

  1. To the extent feasible, coordinate and integrate parent and family engagement strategies under Title I with parent and family engagement strategies outlined in other relevant Federal, State, and local laws and programs by: 

The school provides a parent compact that outlines what the parent, student, teacher, and principal will do to increase student achievement.  This compact is provided to the parents of all Title I students and outlines the ways in which all stakeholders will work together to achieve proficiency. 

  1. Conduct with the involvement of parents and family members, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parental and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of the school served including identifying:  barriers to greater participation by parents in Title I activities (with particular attention to low-income parents, Limited English Proficient (LEP) parents, parents of any racial or ethnic minority, parents with disabilities and parents with low literacy); needs of parents and family to assist their children’s learning; and strategies to support successful school and family interactions by: 

Parents of selected Title I students will be sent a parent letter outlining their child’s participation in the Title I program and a returned, signed parent permission slip is required.  The Title I teacher will attend the fall and spring parent/teacher conferences to update parents on the progress of the student.  Trimester updates will also be completed by the teacher and a paper copy sent home with report cards.  If there is a need, the teacher and/or parents have the right to call for a conference.  Input from parents on the planning, review and improvement of the Title I program will be gathered through the spring parent Title I parent survey.

  1. Use the findings of the annual evaluation to design strategies for more effective parent and family involvement and to revise, as necessary, the parent and family involvement policies by: 

The results from the spring parent survey will be analyzed and incorporated when possible and applicable.

  1. Involve parents and families in Title I activities by

Through the spring parent survey, parents will be able to comment on the effectiveness of the Title I program.  Additional parent resources are provided in the Title I parent brochure and there are opportunities for collaboration during parent/teacher conferences. The brochure provides parents multiple suggestions and ideas on how to engage with their students in reading. 

The district shall involve parents in determining how to allocate reserved Title I funds in accordance with applicable laws.

The board will review this policy annually.  The superintendent is responsible for notifying parents and families of this policy annually or within a reasonable time after it has been amended during the school year.  The superintendent may develop an administrative process or procedures to implement this policy.


Cross Reference:  903.2 – Community Resource Persons and Volunteers

          Approved:  May 10, 2006

          Reviewed:  November 11, 2015; December 13, 2023; August 14, 2024

East Buchanan Community School District