WINCHESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Title I PARENT & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY

PART I.          GENERAL EXPECTATIONS AND OBJECTIVES

The Winchester Public Schools agrees to implement the following statutory requirements: 

1. Involve parents and family members in jointly developing the local educational agency’s Title I, Part A plan under section 1112, and the development of school support and improvement plans under section 1111(d).
2. Provide the coordination, technical assistance, and other support necessary to assist and build the capacity of all participating schools within the LEA in planning and implementing effective parent and family involvement activities. These activities must improve student academic achievement and school performance, which may include meaningful consultation with employers, business leaders, and philanthropic organizations, or individuals with expertise in effectively engaging parents and family members in education;
3. Coordinate and integrate parent and family engagement strategies to the extent feasible and appropriate, with other relevant Federal, State, and local laws and programs;
4. Conduct, with the meaningful involvement of parents and family members, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of all schools served under this part, including identifying—
   • Barriers to greater participation by parents/families in activities authorized by this section (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 needs of parents and family members to assist with the learning of their children, including engaging with school personnel and teachers; and
   • Strategies to support successful school and family interactions;
5. Use the findings of such evaluation to design evidence-based strategies for more effective parental and family engagement, and to revise, if necessary, the parent and family engagement policies described in this section; and
6. Involve parents in the activities of the schools, which may include establishing a parent advisory board comprised of a sufficient number and representative group of parents or family members served by the LEA to adequately represent the needs of the population. This advisory board will help develop, revise, and review the parent and family engagement policy.
7. Implement an effective means of outreach to parents of English learners, in a language the parents can understand, to inform them regarding how the they can—

• be involved in the education of their children; and
• be active participants in assisting their children to—
  • attain English proficiency;
  • achieve at high levels within a well-rounded education; and
  • meet the challenging State academic standards expected of all students