Title I School-Level Parent and Family Engagement Policy
Elm Street School
December 2024
2.0 With approval from the local governing board, Elm Street School has developed a written Title I parent and family engagement policy with input from parents and family members of participating children. The policy is created and approved annually with input and feedback from School Site Council (SSC) and English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC). The school has distributed the policy to parents and family members of children served under Title I, Part A. Through parent email, our website, and directly to our parents and student iPads via application. (EC Section 11503; 20 United States Code [U.S.C.] Section [§] 6318[b][1-4])
2.1 Involvement of Parents in the Title I Program
The policy describes the means for carrying out Title I parent and family engagement requirements. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[b][1])
To involve parents and family members in the Title I program at Elm Street School, the following practices have been established:
- The school convenes an annual meeting at a convenient time, to which all parents of participating children shall be invited to attend and encouraged to attend, to inform parents and family members of their school’s participation in the Title I program and to explain the requirements, and the right of the parents to be involved. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[c][1])
During the Title I meeting, which occurs at Back to School Night:
- Parents are informed of their school’s participation in the Title I program.
- The requirements of Title I are explained.
- The right of parents to be involved is explained.
- Election of parents to advisory committees occurs as needed.
- The school offers a flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening, and may provide, with Title I funds, transportation, child care, or home visits, as such services relate to parent involvement. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[c][2])
- Parent meetings are held regularly throughout the school year, including parent workshops, parent training, tech trainings, School Site Council (SSC), English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC), Parent Teachers Association (PTA), etc.
- Parent meetings are held at different days/times to accommodate parent availability.
- Parent meetings are held with child supervision to increase parent participation
- Title I funds are utilized to provide parent education opportunities for parents and provide translation to encourage parents to participate.
Additionally, various parent education programs are offered throughout the school year, such as
- Parent meeting that reviews how to read student report cards
- A-G requirements presentation
- Pathway to Biliteracy information
- Reclassification Process and Requirement Information
- Community Street Safety
- ELAC Reclassification information
- Loving Solutions parent series
- Parent Empowerment Workshops
- Parent Technology training
- Antibullying parent education
- Building resiliency in parent education
- Cyberbullying parent education
- Parent Literacy training on how to support our students
- Parent Math training on how to help our student
- The school involves parents in an organized, ongoing, and timely way in the planning, review, and improvement of the school’s Title I program, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school parent and family engagement policy and the joint development of the schoolwide program plan. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[c][3])
- Elm Street School holds an annual Title 1 meeting at Back to School Night.
- Title funds and activities are reviewed at SSC meetings throughout the school year, and adjustments are made based on available data/information regarding the effectiveness of activities.
- Regular/ongoing messages are shared with parents regarding opportunities for students to participate in activities to support student achievement.
- Parent training, parent education, SSC, ELAC, etc., are regularly offered. Title funds will be utilized to provide training materials, refreshments, etc. (for in-person meetings/training).
- The Parent Involvement Policy is developed and reviewed with input from ELAC and SSC and approved by SSC.
- The school provides parents of participating children with the following:
- Timely information about the Title I program. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[c][4][A])
- Elm School holds an annual Title 1 meeting.
- Timely information is shared through Class Dojo, ParentSquare written and voice messages, written flyers with information, Back to School Night, ELAC, SSC, and PTA (English/Spanish for all activities).
- Parent/teacher conferences for all students are offered after the first trimester and as needed after the second trimester for those students not at grade level (translation available as needed).
2. A description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the achievement levels of the challenging State academic standards. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[c][4][B])
- Parent meetings, including ELAC, SSC, and other meetings, are held regularly where student achievement is presented with an opportunity for questions from parents.
- Parent/Teacher conferences for all students in the fall and as needed in the spring trimester. Parent/Teacher conferences are also scheduled as necessary.
- Posting of California School Accountability Report Card annually, as required.
- Information about district-adopted curriculum is shared during Back to School Night and Parent/Teacher conferences.
- The Elm Street School website and social media accounts provide information about the staff, classroom activities, and parent resources.
- Student state testing results (ELPAC and CAASPP) are made available through Parent Connect. Hard copies are available on request.
- Teachers assess students informally and formally to monitor student growth in the core areas and meet to analyze student data results to plan instruction and student interventions. Our School Goals are: 1. Writing across the curriculum 2. Developing oracy 3. Promoting Growth Mindset in Mathematics and ELA.
- Oxnard School District STAR 360 assessment to evaluate English, Spanish, and Mathematics proficiency thrice a year.
3. If requested by parents, opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[c][4][C])
- Parents are offered the opportunity to provide input for the School Plan for Student Achievement during regularly scheduled parent meetings such as ELAC, SSC, and PTA.
- If parents request, Elm Street School provides opportunities for regular meetings to formulate questions, participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to their child's education, and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible.
- Informal requests for parent meetings, Back to School Night, ELAC, and parent training opportunities offer forums for parents to provide suggestions and to be involved in decision-making.
- If the schoolwide program plan is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school submits any parent comments on the plan when the school makes the plan available to the local educational agency. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[c][5])
- Elm Street School will immediately submit all written documentation of parent comments that reflect that the program is not satisfactory to the LEA (Oxnard School District).
2.2 Building Capacity for Involvement
To ensure the effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school involved, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement, each school and local educational agency assisted with Title I, Part A funds establishes the practices listed below. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[e])
- The school provides parents with assistance in understanding such topics as the challenging State academic standards, State and local assessments, the requirements of Title I, Part A, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[e][1])
- Parents will be provided assistance in understanding academic content and achievement standards and how to monitor and improve their child's achievement through general parent information and parent education meetings.
- Parent/Teacher conferences for all students will be held in the fall and as necessary or as parents request throughout the school year.
- State standards for the grade level will be reviewed at Parent/Teacher conferences.
- Student achievement expectations and results will be discussed at ELAC and SSC meetings.
- Student achievement and opportunities for students to improve will be discussed at Back to School Night.
- Elm Street School posts links to all the content area standards for all students (in both English and Spanish), on our website.
- Family Engagement Nights –Activities such as parent and student art classes, Movie night, ornament-making activities, Manila making activity, Parent and child dance night, and Pajama Reading night.
- Parent informational nights based on parent request
- Parent Report Card Review
- Antibullying parent training
- Loving Solutions parent series
- Parent Empowerment workshops
- Community Safety
- A-G requirement Presentation
- Pathway to Biliteracy Information night
- Reclassification Process and Requirement presentation
- Building resiliency parent presentation
- Cyberbullying parent presentation
b) The school provides parents with materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children's achievement. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[e][2])
- Parent training, including parent workshops, is offered throughout the school year as coordinated by the school administration, counselors, and outreach specialists. We gather input through surveys, public comments in meetings (ELAC, SSC, PTA), and informal requests via calls or visits to the office. We prioritize and plan parent education topics according to the feedback received, addressing specific areas of interest expressed by parents.
- Community Street Safety We are working with Oxnard City program Walk n Roll, which educates our families on street safety when walking or riding their bike to our school site We review the safety procedures of drop off and pick up of our student
- ELAC Reclassification information
- How do you read a school report card?
- Technology PD
- Parent Literacy training on how to support our students
- Parent Math training on how to help our students
c) The school educates teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals, and other school leaders, and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[e][3])
- Parent training, including parent workshops, SSC, ELAC, technology training, etc., are offered throughout the school year as coordinated by the school administration, counselor, and outreach specialist.
- Professional development for teachers and support staff throughout the school year.
- Parents are adequately represented in school/education partner groups, including SSC, ELAC, and PTA.
d) The school, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinates and integrates parent involvement programs and activities with other Federal, State, and local programs, including public preschool programs, and conducts other activities, such as parent resource centers, to encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[e][4])
- Parent training, including parent workshops, SSC, ELAC, technology training, etc., are offered throughout the school year as coordinated by the school administration, counselor, and outreach specialist.
- Elm Street School coordinates with parents/families to ensure we have parent representation at all district committees, including the District English Language Advisory Committee (DELAC), Parent Advisory Committee (PAC), etc.
e) The school ensures that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to parents in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[e][5])
- All school communications, including print, video, and pictures, are sent home in English and Spanish.
- Translation is offered for all committee meetings, including SSC, ELAC, etc.
- Spanish translation is immediately available for a parent when necessary. Mixteco translation is arranged through the OSD Mixteco translators. Interpretation in Zapoteco and other languages is provided through American Language Services.
f) The school provides such other reasonable support for parental involvement activities under this section as parents may request. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[e][14])
- Elm Street School immediately provides translation for parents in person, online, or by telephone.
- Parents are encouraged to participate in workshops and trainings, and parents are frequently asked at these meetings for suggestions about future meeting agendas/information requests.
2.3 Accessibility
Elm Street School to the extent practicable, provides opportunities for the informed participation of parents and family members (including parents and family members who have limited English proficiency, parents and family members with disabilities, and parents and family members of migratory children), including providing information and school reports required under section 1111 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. § 6311), as amended by ESSA, in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language such parents understand. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[f])
- All school communications, including print, video, and pictures, are sent home in English and Spanish.
- Translation is offered for all committee meetings, including SSC, ELAC, PTA, etc.
- Spanish translation is immediately available for a parent when necessary. Mixteco translation is arranged through the OSD Mixteco translators. Interpretation in Zapoteco and other languages is provided through American Language Services.
2.4 School-Parent Compact
As a component of the school-level parent and family engagement policy, each school served under this part shall jointly develop with parents for all children served under this part a school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and how the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the state’s high standards. The school-parent compact shall carry out the requirements listed below. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[d])
- Describe the school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables the children served under this part to meet the challenging state academic standards and how each parent will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning; volunteering in their child’s classroom; and participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children and positive use of extracurricular time. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[d][1])
- At Elm Street School, this responsibility includes:
- Providing parents with information about intervention and enrichment opportunities.
- Ensuring staff availability to work directly with parents to support students.
- Providing parent training on how to support students.
- Ensuring ongoing regular communication with parents regarding their student’s progress, including progress reports, parent conferences, and implementation of parent monitoring tools within CANVAS.
- Creating a positive school climate through implementing STOIC Program, PBIS staff Committee and other programs to create a safe and nurturing school and classroom environment that is conducive to learning.
b) Address the importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis through, at a minimum, the requirements listed below. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[d][2])
1. Parent-teacher conferences in elementary schools, at least annually, during which the compact shall be discussed as the compact relates to the individual child’s achievement. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[d][2][A])
- Parent/Teacher conferences for all students are held in the Fall and as needed.
- Teachers also hold parent/teacher conferences in the Winter for struggling students
- Families can also request conferences throughout the school year
2. Frequent reports to parents on their children’s progress. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[d][2][B])
- Elm Street School sends out formal grade notifications three times yearly (after each trimester in November, March, and June).
- Parent/Teacher conferences for all students are held in the Fall and as needed.
- Families have access to grades on CANVAS.
- Students receive Progress Reports throughout the year.
3. Reasonable access to staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and observation of classroom activities. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[d][2][C])
- Elm Street School regularly communicates with parents regarding how parents/guardians can directly communicate with staff members, including email, phone communication, Parent Square, Class Dojo, and parent/teacher conferences.
- Elm Street School parents are welcome to observe in classrooms with previous notification to the school.
4. Ensuring regular two-way, meaningful communication between family members and school staff, and, to the extent practicable, in a language that family members can understand. (20 U.S.C. § 6318[d][2][D])
- Elm Street School regularly communicates with parents, guardians, and stakeholders in an ongoing manner throughout the year. This communication includes phone calls, email communication, Parent Square, Class Dojo, text messages, voice messages, the Elm Street School website, our district website, Instagram, and our student applications on iPads.
*It may be helpful to include the parent and family engagement policy review in the annual review of the Single Plan for Student Achievement.
**The policy must be updated periodically to meet changing needs of parents and family members and the school. If the school has a process in place for involving parents and family members in planning and designing the school’s programs, the school may use that process if it includes adequate representation of parents and family members of children receiving Title I, Part A services.