William Floyd School District Title I Parent/Family Engagement Policy 2023-2024

 Mission Statement: "To teach, to encourage, to challenge ... to learn"

The William Floyd School District is an active partnership of students, parents, families, educators, staff, and community. We are committed to teach, encourage, and challenge all students to fulfill their intellectual, aesthetic, and physical potential, and to apply their knowledge and skills to become contributing, responsible citizens of a rapidly changing, diverse, global society.

Our mission will be achieved in a learner-centered, nurturing and safe environment, designed to empower students with the ability and desire to thrive as life-long learners. 

Policy Statement
The William Floyd School District is committed to the philosophy that parents/families are the first and foremost important teacher, because they are the constant in the child's life and the most influential during the early years. The District recognizes that we must partner and work collaboratively with our parents/families if we want to empower them to become full partners in the education of their children, and assist children to reach their potential as learners.  Consequently, we have developed guiding principles for Parent/Family engagement throughout the District and expect each building to develop and implement a Title I Parent/Family Engagement Policy and Title I Parent/Family Engagement Home-School Compact aligned to ESSA regulations and Title I.

Guiding Principles and Actions

• The William Floyd School district will assist in the coordination of parent/family engagement activities.  We will provide support when necessary in order to enable all Title schools in their planning and implementation of effective parent/family engagement activities in order to improve student academic achievement and school performance.
• It is expected that all schools will take responsibility to provide high quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables the children to meet New York States Next Generation Standards for English Language Arts, History/Social Studies, Science, Computer Science and Digital Fluency, and Technical Subjects and Mathematics.
• The William Floyd School District will be governed by the following statutory definition of parent/family engagement, and expects that Title I schools will carry out programs, activities and procedures in accordance with this definition:
• Parent/family engagement means the participation of parents/families in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:
• That parents/family play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning;
• That parents/families are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school;
• That parents/families are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees in the education of their child.
• The William Floyd School District will involve parents in the annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the Parent Involvement Policy in improving the academic quality of all schools.  We will assure barriers are addressed to ensure maximum parent participation.
• It is expected that parents/families will jointly develop the William Floyd School District’s parent/family engagement plan and in the process of school review and improvement, it is expected that parents will be involved in:

1) The development of the Title I Plan; 2) The development and implementation, and/or revision and updating of the Title I Parent/Family Engagement Policy; 3) The development and implementation, and/or revision and updating of the Home-School Compact; 4) Evaluation of parent/family engagement activities and programs; and 5) Assist in determining the use of Title parent/family engagement funds.

• The William Floyd School District will provide the coordination, technical assistance, and other support necessary to assist Title I, Part A schools in planning and implementing effective parent/family engagement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance.
• The William Floyd School District will build the schools’ and parents’ capacity for strong parental involvement.
• The William Floyd School District will conduct, with the involvement of parents/families, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent/ family engagement policy in the academic quality of schools served with Title I, Part A funding including:

1) Identifying barriers to greater participation by parents/families in planned engagement activities, with particular attention to parents/families with limited English proficiency, parents/families with disabilities, parents/families of migratory children, parents/families who are economically disadvantaged, parents who have limited literacy, or parents/ families of any racial or ethnic minority background. 2) Using the findings of the evaluation to design strategies for more effective parent/family engagement. 3) Revising, if necessary, the William Floyd School District’s parent/family engagement policies.

• The William Floyd School District will engage parents/families in the activities of schools served under Title I, Part A.
• The William Floyd School District will engage parents/families in the activities of Title I schools, ensure effective involvement of parents/families and support a partnership among schools, parents, families and the community in order to improve academic achievement.
• Parents/families will be provided with support in understanding New York State Next Generation Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics, New York State Academic Achievement Standards, State and Local assessments, monitoring of student progress and working with educators to improve their child’s academic achievement.
• The William Floyd School District will provide materials and training to help parents/families work with their children to improve academic achievement.  Training will include literacy training, use of technology and programs to support academic achievement, and use of technology to foster parent/family engagement.
• The William Floyd School District will educate teachers, teaching assistants, principals and support staff with the assistance of parents/families on the value and usefulness of parent/family contributions, as well as how to: reach out to parents/families; communicate with parents/families; work with parents/families as equal partners to plan, implement and coordinate parent/family programs; and build and strengthen school/parent/family relationships.

1) It is expected that communication between teachers and parents/families will occur on an ongoing basis throughout the school year. 2) It is expected that parents/families will have the opportunity to take part in meaningful activities that promote student learning and engage parents/families in becoming partners in their child's education. 3) It is expected that all parent/family engagement activities will be coordinated with other activities throughout the district in order to improve student academic achievement and school performance. 4) It is expected that parents/families will be empowered to support their child's learning, (i.e., monitoring attendance, homework completion, volunteering in the classroom, and in decisions relating to the education of their children.) 5) It is expected that collaboration with outside resources and early education programs will be coordinated with activities throughout the district to foster understanding of NYS Next Generation Standards and provide resources and support that encourage and support families in their participation of their children’s education.

• The William Floyd School District will coordinate and integrate parent/family engagement strategies under Title I, Part A with parent/family engagement strategies under other programs, such as Head Start, Home Instruction Program for Preschool children, Universal Prekindergarten, and Title III Language Instruction programs.
• The William Floyd School District will collaborate with outside resources and early education programs will be coordinated with activities throughout the district to foster understanding of NYS Next Generation Standards and provide resources and support that encourage and support families in more fully participating in their children’s education.
• The William Floyd School District will ensure that information related to school and parent programs, workshops, meetings, and other activities will be provided to parents/families in a format and language that parents/families can understand.

5) The William Floyd School District will provide programs, activities and procedures for the involvement of parents/families in all of its schools.  Programs, activities and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents/families of participating children.

Activities
Each school is expected to develop a Title Parent/Family Engagement Policy and Title I Home/School Compact which includes the following components/activities:

• Annual Meetings for participating parents/families to: notify parents/families of their child's participation in Title I/AIS programs; explain Title I planning, programs and review of programs; including joint development of the school plan and school parent/family engagement policy.
• Provision of a flexible number of meetings (AM and PM);
• Provision of transportation, car fare, and home visits to enable parents/families opportunity to attend meetings, events, and activities;
• Involve parents/families in an organized way, in planning, review, and improvement of Title I programs.

Each school will provide parents/families with:

• Timely information about Title I programs.
• Provide school performance profiles and report cards that show progress toward meeting the State’s challenging performance standards and provide individual students results and interpretation of the results to parents/families.
• Provide a description and explanation of curriculum, assessments, and expected proficiency levels.
• Provide timely information and opportunities for regular meetings, if parents/families request them.
• Provide timely responses to parent/family recommendations.

Each school will build the school’s and parents’/Families’ capacity for strong parent/family engagement through implementing and encouraging participation in appropriate parent/family engagement activities. We are committed to involving our Title I parents/families in the education of their children, and with that goal in mind have successfully implemented a number of activities throughout the district. Some of the activities include:

• Parent/Family workshops which cover a variety of topics developed and based on parent surveys. Topics include Next Generation Learning Standards, ELA and Math Assessments, NYS Assessments and Social and Emotional Development.
• English Language Arts and Mathematics Programs in which parents/families have the opportunity to work with their children in developing literacy and mathematics skills while simultaneously having the opportunity to model what the teachers are doing
• Reading Programs designed to empower parents/families with the skills necessary to assist their children in learning how to read.
• Parent/Family Workshops which cover a variety of topics and issues designed to stimulate and empower parents/families with the tools necessary to assist their children.
• Workshops presented may include: Reading workshops designed to help support reading during the summer; ENL parent meetings; parent meetings to increase mathematical skills and understanding related to the New York State Next Generation Standards.
• Child/Parent/Family School Program for Homeless Families to help facilitate long term changes in parenting behavior in order to bring self-awareness and positive change.
• Annual Title I Parent/Family Meeting which is held at each building in order to inform parents/families about Tile I programs, supply them with community resources, introduce them to the staff, and provided them with the opportunity to have input in developing programs.
• Each school is expected to review their Title Parent/Family Engagement Policy and Title I Home/School Compact each year, with a representative group of parents/families and make any necessary modifications

Each School will coordinate and integrate parent/family engagement strategies under Title I with those of other programs including, but not limited to, the Head Start Program, Universal Pre-Kindergarten, and the Family Services League. The District has developed partnerships with these programs in order to provide children and their families with dynamic family strengthening programs. Some of the partnerships include:

• Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program (UPK): UPK students visit the elementary school that they will be attending - families are welcome to attend also. The children spend time in a kindergarten class and also are taken on a tour of the building. In order to provide for a smooth and effective transition, eliminated uplication and reduce fragmentation of the instructional program, the District meets with the Universal Pre-Kindergarten providers, to review students' records to determine the best possible placement for the children. Parents/families are also consulted with.