Parental Involvement in Title I Plan Part I: General Expectation Louisa County Public Schools agrees to implement the following statutory requirements: §
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Accept the following statutory definition of parental involvement: Parent involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring— a. That parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning; b. That parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school; c. That parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child; d. The carrying out of other activities, such as those described in section 1118 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Put into operation programs, activities, and procedures for the involvement of all parents in all of its schools with Title I, Part A programs that are in compliance with section 1118 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Work with its schools to ensure that the required school-level parental involvement policies meet requirements of ESEA, including a school-parent compact. Provide, to the greatest extent possible, full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children. Provide information to parents in an understandable format and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand. Submit any parent comments of dissatisfaction about the plan to the Virginia Department of Education. Involve parents in how the 1% of Title I, Part A funds for parental involvement is spent.
Part II: Parental Involvement Plan Components 1. Louisa County Public Schools agrees to take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development of its district wide parental involvement plan under section 1112 of the ESEA: A. Conduct a district wide Annual Title I meeting during September with all four elementary schools meeting jointly. At this meeting the following information will be shared with parents: ·
Overview of Title I and all components of school-wide programs as implemented in Louisa County Public Schools
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State and Federal Achievement Expectations/Accountability
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Goals and objectives
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District and school-level parental involvement plans
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Importance of Parental Involvement and ways parents can be involved
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Curriculum information
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Assessment information
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Parent-School Compact
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How to monitor their child’s progress, and
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How to work with educators.
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Multiple opportunities will be available for parents to attend the annual meeting. There will be a meeting held in the evening for parents. Upon request an additional meeting will be held during the school day. Handouts from the meeting will be available to parents by request from each of the elementary schools and available online
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The school division will establish a Title I Advisory Committee and a minimum of two parents from each school will serve on the Division Title I Advisory Committee which will meet at least twice per year. These meetings will be open to all parents.
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The Division Title I Advisory Committee will establish a meeting schedule that will be approved by the advisory members. Those dates will be advertised for all parents.
During the annual meetings and advisory meetings, parents will be invited to make comments.
2. Louisa County Public Schools will take the following actions to involve parents in the process of school review and improvement under section 1116 of the ESEA: · · · ·
The Title 1 Advisory meetings will be open to all parents. The purpose of the advisory group will be to review available data with the school staff and to offer input to assist the school in updating the school and district Title I plans. The school/district data will be communicated through newsletters from the school principals and on school and district websites. The state created school/division report cards will be available through the district and school websites. (Hard copies are available by request.)
3. Louisa County Public Schools will provide the following necessary coordination, technical assistance, and other support to assist Title I, Part A schools in planning and implementing effective parental involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance: ·
Each individual school will receive a funding as requested for parental involvement activities using Title 1 funds.
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The Title 1 staff and coordinator will provide technical assistance for parents in obtaining curriculum information, information on the standard assessments, and services provided by each school.
4. Louisa County Public Schools will coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies in Part A with parental involvement strategies under the following other programs by: ·
Each school will develop its own summer reading activities including access to the school and/or public library.
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Each school will provide at least one workshop per year which will be funded by Title 1 parental involvement funds and one county-level parental involvement workshop.
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Louisa County Public Schools will operate a division-wide preschool program for at-risk four year olds through the Virginia Preschool initiative.
5. Louisa County Public Schools will take the following actions to conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of this parental involvement plan in improving the quality of its Title I, Part A schools. The evaluation will include identifying barriers to greater participation by parents in parental involvement activities (with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background). The school district will use the findings of the evaluation about its parental involvement plan and activities to design strategies for more effective parental involvement, and to revise, if necessary (and with the involvement of parents) its parental involvement plan. ·
Louisa County Public Schools will conduct a parent survey in the spring of each year in order to determine the level of participation and to identify barriers that have prevented participation.
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Parent surveys will be school based and offered on paper and in an electronic format.
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As part of the total school program, each school will develop and implement strategies to increase parental involvement based on the survey data.
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Each school will conduct a workshop evaluation for each parent workshop held during the school year.
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The workshop evaluations will be used to determine the needs of parents and to plan future workshops.
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Louisa County Public Schools will continue to use the School Messenger System and website postings to notify parents of meetings and important school events.
6. Louisa County Public Schools will build the schools’ and parent’s capacity for strong parental involvement, in order to ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school involved, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement, through the following activities specifically described below: A. The school district will, with the assistance of its Title I, Part A schools, provide assistance to parents of children served by the school district or school, as appropriate. · ·
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Each school will establish dates on their school calendar for parent/teacher conferences. School and individual teacher websites will provide information regarding schedules, class work, home work, school events, supply lists, and contact information. The division’s Title I parental involvement plan will be available on the
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division website. Hard copies will be provided to parents upon request. Parents’ right to know information will be made available in the Parents’ Handbook/Code of Behavior. The district wide school calendar will report dates for the 9-week report cards and interims. Information regarding how to access division curriculum and state standards will be available on the district and school websites. The principal will share information regarding the benchmarks for establishing Annual Measurable Objectives as defined by No Child Left Behind/ESEA Flexibility waiver through newsletters, announcements at PTA meetings, and/or other parent meetings, phone calls, or other appropriate venues.
B. The school district will, with the assistance of its schools, provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement, such as literacy training, and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement by: ·
Each school will conduct at least one workshop per year to assist parents with monitoring their child’s progress in school and one workshop at the county level.
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Parental Involvement information/activities will be provided through the parent resources in the office/foyer areas of the school, on line at the district and school websites, and through take home materials for parent-child interactions or parent education.
C. The school district will, with the assistance of its schools and parents, educate its teachers, pupil services personnel, principals and other staff, in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to implement and coordinate parent programs and build ties between parents and schools by: ·
The school division will offer resources on community outreach with administration.
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The Title I staff will provide a parent information kiosk in each Title I school’s office or entry way.
D. The school district will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parental involvement programs and activities with Head Start, Reading First, Early Reading First, Even Start, Home Instruction Programs for Preschool Youngsters, the Parents as Teachers Program, and public preschool and other programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children, by: · · · · ·
Each school will develop its own summer reading activities including access to the school and/or public library. Louisa County will operate a division-wide preschool program for at risk fouryear old children. Each school will host parent workshops in areas such as, healthy eating, literacy, homework, or discipline. The Title I coordinator will meet with the Head Start Coordinator once a year to discuss enrollment and parental involvement in both programs. The school principal that houses the county’s Head Start program will consult with the Head Start Coordinator as needed to address any issues that arise.
E. The school district will take the following actions to ensure that information related to the school and parent-programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the parents of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand: · · · · · ·
Each school will establish dates on their school calendar for parent/teacher conferences. The school calendar will be available in print form and electronic form. Upcoming events will be listed on the district and school websites monthly. School and individual teacher websites will provide schedules, class work, school events, supply lists and contact information. The division parental involvement plan will be available to each student’s family on the division website. Hard copies will be provided upon request. Dates for interim reports and nine-week report cards will be available on the district/school calendars and websites and a hard copy of the school division’s calendar at the beginning of the school year. Information regarding access to division curriculum and the standards will be available on the district website.
PART III. ADOPTION This plan was adopted by the Louisa County School Board on ___________________________ and will be in effect for the period of one year. The school district will make available this plan to all parents of participating Title I, Part A children on or before December 1, 2014. Deborah Pettit, Superintendent
Gregory V. Strickland, Board Chairperson
