The Tecumseh Board of Education endorses the parent involvement goals of Title I and encourages the regular participation by parents of Title I eligible children in all aspects of the program.The education of children is viewed as a cooperative effort among the parents, school, and community.In this policy, the word “parent” also includes guardians and other family members involved in supervising the child’s education.

Pursuant to federal law, the district will develop jointly with, agree on with, and distribute to parents of children participating in the Title I program a written parent involvement policy.

A meeting of the parents of participating Title I students will be held annually to explain the goals and purposes of the Title I program.

Parents will be given the opportunity to participate in the design, development, operation, and evaluation of the program for the next school year and to participate in planning activities, to offer suggestions, and to ask questions regarding policies and programs.Parents will be encouraged to attend the meeting and to become involved.

In addition to the required annual meeting, at least three (3) additional parent meetings shall be held, at various times of the day and/or evenings, for parents of children participating in the Title I program.Notices will be sent to the parents and articles will appear in the local newspaper advising parents and interested persons of the meetings.These meetings shall be used to provide parents with:

1. Information about programs provided under Title I;

2. A description and explanation of the curriculum in use, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet;

3. Opportunities to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children; and

4. The opportunity to bring parent comments, if they are dissatisfied with the school’s Title I program, to the district level.

Title I funding, if sufficient, may be used to facilitate parent attendance at meetings through payment of transportation and childcare costs.

The parents of children identified to participate in Title I programs shall receive from the school principal and Title I staff an explanation of the reasons supporting each child’s selection for the program, a set of objectives to be addressed, and a description of the services to be provided.Parents will be advised of their children's progress on a regular basis.Opportunities will be provided for the parents to meet with the classroom and Title I teachers to discuss their children’s progress.Parents will also receive information and training that will assist them in helping their children at home and at school.

Each school in the district receiving Title I funds shall jointly develop with parents of children served in the program a “School-Parent Compact” outlining the manner in which parents, school staff and students share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement in meeting state standards.The compact shall:

1. Describe the school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment enabling children in the Title I program to meet the state’s academic achievement standards;

2. Indicate the ways in which each parent will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning, such as monitoring attendance, homework completion, monitoring television watching, volunteering in the classroom, and participating, as appropriate, in decisions related to their child’s education and positive use of extracurricular time; and

3. Address the importance of parent-teacher communication on an on-going basis, with at a minimum, parent-teacher conferences, frequent reports to parents, and reasonable access to staff.

Barnard Elementary School