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Title I, Part A School Parent and Family Engagement Policy

SSC members deemed the schoolwide program effective and would like to add the items below. Here are the parent comments on the plan when the school makes the plan available to the LEA. 

This policy describes the means for carrying out designated Title I, Part A parent and family engagement requirements pursuant to ESSA Section 1116(c). 

Each school served under this part shall jointly develop with, and distribute to, parents and family members of participating children a written parent and family engagement policy, agreed on by such parents, that shall describe the means for carrying out the requirements of subsections (c) through (f) (ESSA Section 1116[b][1]). 

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS 

Empower Academy agrees to implement the following statutory requirements:  

• Empower Academy will jointly develop with parents and distribute to parents a Parental Involvement Policy that the school and parents agree on.

• Empower Academy will notify parents about the Parental Involvement Policy in an understandable and uniform format and will distribute this policy to parents in a language the parents can understand.

• Empower Academy will make the Parental Involvement Policy available to the local community.

• Empower Academy will periodically update the Parental Involvement Policy to meet the changing needs of parents and the school.

• Empower Academy will adopt the school-parent compact as a component of its Parental Involvement Policy.

• Empower Academy agrees to be governed by the following statutory definition of parental involvement, and will carry out programs, activities and procedures in accordance with this definition:

Parental involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:

• Parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning;

• Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school;

• 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. 

Empower Academy will implement required school parental involvement policy components as follows: 

This policy describes the means for carrying out designated Title I, Part A parent and family  engagement requirements pursuant to ESSA Section 1116(c). 

Each school served under this part shall jointly develop with, and distribute to, parents and family members of participating children a written parent and family engagement policy, agreed on by such parents, that shall describe the means for carrying out the requirements of subsections (c) through (f) (ESSA Section 1116[b][1]). 

Empower Academy will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development and joint agreement of its Parental Involvement Policy and its school wide plan.  

• Gather and disseminate to parents for review the following materials:  the School’s Parental Involvement Policy, the school-parent compact, and Parent Notices.  These materials will be disseminated to parents at regular Title I parent meetings, School Site Council meetings, and parent/teacher conferences.  Written and oral input from parents will be solicited through Title I parent meetings, School Site Council meetings, parent/teacher conferences, school website, calls home, and other regular written communications with parents.

Empower Academy will take the following actions to distribute to parents and the local community the Parental Involvement Policy:

• The School Parental Involvement Policy will be distributed to parents at Title I and SSC meetings.

• The policy will be posted on the school website and School Communication Board/Parent Square. 

 Empower Academy will periodically update its Parental Involvement Policy to meet the changing needs of parents and the school through:  School Site Council Meetings, Title 1 Meetings, and general school meetings.

The school convenes an annual meeting to inform parents about Title I, Part A requirements and about the right of parents to be involved in the Title I, Part A program (ESSA Section 1116[c][1]). Empower Academy will convene an annual meeting to inform parents of the following:  

• That Empower Academy participates in Title 1 

• The requirements of Title I

• Of their rights to be involved, the school-parent compact and the school’s parental involvement policy 

• Meetings will be held at various and convenient times to encourage parents to attend.  Parents will be notified about meetings through school letters/flyers, the web page, parent square and the automated phone system.

The school offers a flexible number of meetings for Title I, Part A parents, such as meetings in the morning or evening (ESSA Section 1116[c][2]). 

Empower Academy will hold a flexible number of meetings at varying times, and may provide child care, and/or home visits, paid for with Title I funding as long as these services relate to parental involvement:  To encourage parents to attend these meetings, the school will offer training to parents to improve student success and achievement.  In situations that prevent parents from coming to the school for meetings, parents may attend via Zoom/Google Meet. school personnel may make home visits or arrange to meet the parents at a mutually convenient time off campus. 

Empower Academy will provide information about Title I programs to parents of all children in a timely manner through the automated phone system, memos, newsletters, and the web page.

Empower Academy will provide parents with a description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet  (ESSA Section 1116[c][4][B]): 

• The core program curriculum and assessments are discussed at the annual Title I parent meeting, parent/teacher conferences, Title 1 meetings, IEP meetings and Back to School activities.

•  Curriculum and district adoptions are also a topic of discussion at school site council meetings, IEP meetings and Coffee with the Principal meetings. 

If requested by parents, Empower Academy will provide parents opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children  (ESSA Section 1116[c][4][C]). 

• SSC and parent conferences provide opportunities for parents to provide input and ask questions about their child’s education. 

The school engages Title I, Part A parents in meaningful interactions with the school. The Compact supports a partnership among staff, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement. To help reach these goals, the school has established the following practices: 

The school provides Title I, Part A parents with assistance in understanding the state’s academic content standards, assessments, and how to monitor and improve the achievement of their children (ESSA Section 1116[e][1]). 

• Curriculum, computer learning programs and assessments are explained during parent conferences, IEP meetings, Welcome Back Breakfast

• Teachers communicate content and grade level standards, and assessments through back to school community events, IEP meetings, course outlines (syllabus) are translated and sent home, posted on teacher websites and/or Google Classroom, email and via phone calls,  

The school provides Title I, Part A parents with materials and training to help them work with their children to improve their children's achievement (ESSA Section 1116[e][2]). Parent University classes are offered throughout the year in English, Spanish and Arabic through the District. During COVID-19, parent university classes were recorded and translated and uploaded to our website for parents to access. Topics included study skills, developing healthy coping skills and transition to high school. 

With the assistance of Title I, Part A parents, the school educates staff members in the value of parent contributions, and in how to work with parents as equal partners (ESSA Section 1116[e][3]). 

• Parents are invited to bring their suggestions to the office or email the Principal. 

• Parents have access to teachers, mental health clinicians, who connect parents to resources and share their concerns and contributions with the principal. 

The school coordinates and integrates the Title I, Part A parental involvement program with other 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 (ESSA Section 1116[e][4]). 

• Parent gatherings that focus on community resources encourage parents to participate in programs that focus on the education of their children, both academic and social. The school distributes Information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities to Title I, Part A parents in a format and language that the parents understand (ESSA Section 1116[e][5]).

• Parent communication is delivered through all-calls in Arabic, Spanish, and English, Email blasts, flyers, phone calls, and office bulletin boards, Parent Square. The school provides support for parental involvement activities requested by Title I, Part A parents (ESSA Section 1116[e][14]).

• Parents participate in family school events, attending student recognition events, IEP meetings, and many other ongoing parent involvement activities and events. 

The school provides opportunities for the participation of all Title I, Part A parents, including parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory students. Information and school reports are provided in a format and language that parents understand (ESSA Section 1116[f]).

Empower Academy revised Title I, Part A School-Level Parent and Family Engagement Policy will be reviewed and parent input will be gathered at the next scheduled SSC meeting in September 2022. 

• Empower Academy will submit to the district any parent comments if the school wide plan under section (1114)(b)(2) is not satisfactory to parents:  Parents may submit comments in writing regarding the school wide plan to their child’s teacher, the Title I Facilitator, the principal, or the appropriate department within ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥.

Revised: 9/29/2022