PARENTS’ RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND OPPORTUNITIES UNDER NCLB

1. PARENTS’ RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND OPPORTUNITIESUNDER NCLB David Gray REGION VII COMPREHENSIVE CENTER The University of Oklahoma (800) 228-1766

2. USED Directive to Region VII • Provide technical assistance to high poverty schools identified by states for improvement. • Demonstrate impact of work on participants through: • Organizational support and change • Use of new knowledge and skills • Student learning outcomes Region VII Comprehensive Center

3. Workshop Purposes • Prepare participants for an active role in the school community in support of children’s learning. • Provide ongoing support for participants from high poverty/low achieving schools who take up the challenge of active involvement. Region VII Comprehensive Center

4. Congress & the US Department of Education Citizens’ Investment States High Content & Performance Standards +Aligned Assessments Districts and Schools Higher Student Achievement Each Year Standards, Assessment, and Adequate Yearly Progress Region VII Comprehensive Center

5. National Education Problems • Weakness in core academics • Poor teachers • Persistently (f)ailing schools • Education fads • Lack of state standards and high quality assessments • Federal $$$s not paying off in results. Region VII Comprehensive Center

6. January 8, 2002 Region VII Comprehensive Center

7. NCLB Essentials • Reading and Core Academics • Accountability • Choice and Flexibility • Teacher Quality • Scientifically-Based Research To download a file for the No Child Left Behind Desktop Reference, go to this link: http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/nclbreference/page.html?exp=0 Region VII Comprehensive Center

8. NCLB Essentials (cont.) • Title I –Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged • Title II –Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High Quality Teachers and Principals • Title III –Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students • Title IV –21st Century Schools • Title V –Promoting Informed Parental Choice and Innovative Programs • Title VI –Flexibility and Accountability; Title VII –Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native Education; Title VIII –Impact Aid; Title IX –General Provisions; Title X –Repeals, Redesignations, and Amendments to Other Statutes Region VII Comprehensive Center

9. NCLB and Parents’ Rights • Parents must be involved in the following district activities: • Development of a district parent involvement policy. • Development of the district’s consolidated plan. • Process of school review and improvement under the accountability section of the law. • Annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent involvement policy in improving the academic quality of schools receiving Title I funds. Region VII Comprehensive Center

10. Parents’ Rights • Districts must communicate with parents concerning: • Parents’ opportunities for involvement • Their children’s eligibility for special programs • Their children’s educational progress • Parents’ right to know the professional qualifications of teachers and paraprofessionals serving their children • The progress and status of their children’s schools (annual school report card) • The district’s actions to address problems that led to the identification of a school for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring. Region VII Comprehensive Center

11. Parents’ Rights • Districts are required to notify parents of students in schools identified for improvement, corrective action, or reconstruction. • Districts are required to build parents’ capacity to understand what the identification means, the reasons for the identification, how parents can be involved in addressing the academic issues, and their options for transfer and/or supplemental services. (See the AYP handout) Region VII Comprehensive Center

12. Illinois AYP Model Region VII Comprehensive Center

13. Parents’ Rights • Schools are required to: • Have a parent involvement policy. • Convene an annual information meeting • Carry out specific capacity building activities • Involve parents in the planning, review, and improvement of the parent involvement policy, Title I programs, and schoolwide program plans (if the schoolwide option is selected) • Jointly develop with parents a school-parent compact that outlines the shared responsibilities of parents, the entire school staff, and students for improved student academic achievement Region VII Comprehensive Center

14. Parents’ Responsibilities • Support your child’s learning • Take advantage of USED resources at:http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/tools-for-success/index.html • Support your end of the parent-school compact • Understand and exercise your rights • Monitor district and school for compliance to parent involvement requirements and policies Region VII Comprehensive Center

15. Parents’ Opportunities • Improve your parenting skills • Become an activist for school improvement • Participate in professional development activities • Partner with community or faith-based organizations for grants • Become a supplementary services provider Region VII Comprehensive Center

16. Grandparents’ Opportunities Region VII Comprehensive Center

17. For a Zipped File of All Materials- Email a request for “parent materials” to sredcon@aol.com