Mandated:

A. Federal/state law requires the following policy statements ensuring:

1. Equivalence among schools in teachers, administrators, and other staff; and
2. Equivalence among schools in the provision of curriculum materials and instructional supplies.

B. Further, according to the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, districts having Title I programs must develop a parent and family engagement policy. The parent and family engagement policy shall be jointly developed with, and distributed to, parents and family members of participating children, agreed to by such parents, that shall describe the means for carrying out the requirements of federal law including:

1. Conducting an annual meeting, at a convenient time, to which all parents of participating children shall be invited and encouraged to attend. Parents/guardians shall be informed regarding the district’s participation in Title I programs and of their right to be involved in the planning, review, and improvement of district programs;
2. Jointly developing with parents a school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the State’s high standards;
3. Building capacity for involvement by providing parents with information on the educational program, materials and training to help parents to work with their children to improve their children’s achievement, building relationships between staff and parents, involving parents in the development of training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness; and
4. Providing 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) in Title I programs.

C. Parents shall be notified of the policy in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language the parents can understand. The policy shall be made available to the local community and updated periodically to meet the changing needs of parents and the school. If the district (and schools) has a parental involvement policy that applies to all parents, that policy may be used and amended if necessary to meet federal requirements. (See File Code 5020 Role of Parents/Guardians).

Other Reasons:

Federal law requires a district receiving Title I funds to convene annually a public meeting to discuss with parents/guardians of all eligible children the programs and activities to be or being provided by those funds.

In addition, to receive Title I funds, the district must assure maintenance of effort, supplement not supplant (federal funds to state and local funds), and comparability of services among schools and grades.

Recommendation:

A policy addressing the federally mandated annual public meeting to which parents/guardians of all eligible children must be invited. The policy should include the mandated statements, and direct the chief school administrator to ensure that all other federal requirements are met. Equipment and supplies provided by federal funds should also be addressed here.

Remedial programs initiated by the district are better dealt with separately.

Legal References: N.J.S.A. 18A:35 4.9 Pupil promotion and remediation; policies and procedures
N.J.S.A. 18A:59 1
through 3 Apportionment and distribution of federal funds; exceptions

42 U.S.C.A. 2000d 2000d4 – Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Hawkins Stafford Elementary and Secondary School Improvement Amendments of 1988 (P.L. 100 297)

Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, Pub. L. 114-95, 20 U.S.C.A. 6301 et seq.

Resources: New Jersey Department of Education Every Student Succeeds (ESSA) Guidance Document located at: http://www.state.nj.us/education/ESSA/guidance/njdoe/DistrictGuide.pdf (Last accessed 1/2/2018.)

New Jersey Department Of Education Webinar: An Introduction To Title I Targeted Assistance Programs. Located at: http://www.state.nj.us/education/title1/grants/ (Last accessed 1/2/2018.)

New Jersey Department Of Education Webinar: Transition from a Targeted Assistance Title I Program of Schoolwide Program. Located at: http://www.state.nj.us/education/title1/grants/ (Last accessed 1/2/2018.)

Possible
Cross References: *3220/3230 State funds; federal funds
*3514 Equipment
*5120 Assessment of individual needs
*5200 Nonpublic school pupils
*6122 Articulation
*6141 Curriculum design/development
*6142.2 English as a second language; bilingual/bicultural
*6142.6 Basic skills
*6171.1 Remedial instruction
*6171.4 Special education

*Indicates policy is included in the Critical Policy Reference Manual.