In support of strengthening student academic achievement, Greenwood Leadership Academy receives Title I, Part A funds and therefore must jointly develop with, agree on with, and distribute to parents and family members of participating children a written parent and family engagement policy that contains information required by section 1116(b) and (c) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The policy establishes the school’s expectations for parent and family engagement and describes how the school will implement a number of specific parent and family engagement activities, and it is incorporated into the school’s plan submitted to the local educational agency (LEA).
The Greenwood Leadership Academy agrees to implement the following requirements as outlined by Section 1116:
- Involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of programs under Title I, Part A, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school parent and family engagement policy and the joint development of the schoolwide program plan under Section 1114(b) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
- Update the school parent and family engagement policy periodically to meet the changing needs of parents and the school, distribute it to the parents of participating children, and make the parent and family engagement policy available to the local community.
- Provide full opportunities, to the extent practicable, for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under Section 1111 of the ESSA in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand.
- If the schoolwide program plan under Section 1114(b) of the ESSA is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, submit any parent comments on the plan when the school makes the plan available to the local educational agency.
- Be governed by the following statutory definition of parent and family engagement and will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition:
Parent and Family Engagement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:
(A) Parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning
(B) Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school
(C) Parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child
(D) Other activities are carried out, such as those described in Section 1116 of the ESSA
DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE SCHOOL WILL IMPLEMENT REQUIRED SCHOOL PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY COMPONENTS
JOINTLY DEVELOPED
Greenwood Leadership Academy will take the following actions to involve parents in an organized, ongoing, and timely manner in the planning, review, and improvement of Title I programs, including opportunities for regular meetings, if requested by parents, to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their child and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible. Parents will play an integral role in both the development of the school’s elementary parent and family engagement policy and in the ongoing planning, review, and improvement of parent and family engagement programs. Their involvement will be ensured through the following approaches:
- Policy Development Involvement:
Parent Advisory Committees: The school will establish or utilize an existing Parent Advisory Committee comprised of diverse parent representatives. This committee will provide direct input and feedback during the drafting and revising of the engagement policy.
Surveys and Questionnaires: Parents will be surveyed to gather their insights, needs, and suggestions regarding family engagement. The results will inform policy priorities and actions.
Open Forums and Meetings: Regularly scheduled meetings (both in-person and virtual) will be held where parents can review drafts of the policy, offer recommendations, and discuss their perspectives with school staff and administrators.
Draft Review Opportunities: The school will provide parents with access to policy drafts (via email, website, or hard copies) and invite their written comments and suggestions before final adoption.
- Planning, Review, and Improvement of Programs:
Parent Participation in Planning Teams: Parents will be invited to serve on school planning teams that develop annual parent and family engagement programs and activities.
Annual Program Review: At least once each year, parents will be invited to participate in a review of the effectiveness of current engagement programs, providing feedback on what works and what could be improved.
Workshops and Focus Groups: The school will host workshops and focus groups where parents can discuss barriers to engagement, share ideas, and help shape future initiatives.
Continuous Feedback Mechanisms: Suggestion boxes, digital feedback forms, and regular check-ins will be used to gather parent feedback throughout the year.
Communication and Transparency: The school will provide regular updates to parents about engagement activities and seek their ongoing input to ensure programs remain responsive to family needs.
Action Plans Based on Parent Input: Feedback collected from parents will be systematically reviewed and used to make meaningful improvements to both the engagement policy and related programs.
Through these methods, parents will have multiple, meaningful opportunities to contribute to the development, implementation, and ongoing improvement of the school’s parent and family engagement efforts.