Title I Engagement Policy
Title I School-Level Parent and Family Engagement Policy Iron Horse Middle School
Title I School-Level Parent and Family Engagement Policy Iron Horse Middle School![]()
Title I School-Level Parent and Family Engagement Policy Iron Horse Middle School
Iron Horse Middle School has developed a written Title I parent and family engagement policy with input from parents and caregivers of students who qualify as Title I. The school site annually involves parents in the joint development and agreement of the policy, which is reviewed through site advisory groups, e.g., the School Site Council (SSC) and English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC). The policy has been distributed to parents via our family handbook. The policy describes the means for carrying out the following Title I parent and family engagement requirements [20 USC 6318 Section 1118(c),-(g) inclusive].
Involvement of Parents in the Title I Program
To involve parents and family members in the Title I program at IHMS, the following practices have been established:
a) Iron Horse Middle School school convenes an annual meeting to which all parents and caregivers of participating children shall be invited to and encouraged to attend, to inform parents and family members of their school’s participation in the Title I program and to explain the requirements, and the rights of the parents to be involved. (20 USC 6318 (c)(1))
This includes an invitation to become involved in School Site Council (SSC), English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC), District Language Advisory Committee (DLAC) Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Education Fund (Ed Fund)
b) The school involves parents in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of the school’s Title I program, and the Title 1 family engagement policy by participation in regularly scheduled meetings and events. (20 USC 6318 (c)(3)
c) The Iron Horse Middle School Parental Engagement Policy and the School-Parent Compact are reviewed annually by the School Site Council, English Language Advisory Committee, and Site Leadership.
d) The school provides parents of Title I students with timely information about the Title I program (20 USC 6318 (c)(4)) through the annual meeting, direct parent communication, School Site Council, and English Language Advisory Committee.
e) Iron Horse Middle School provides parents with an explanation of the curriculum, assessments, and proficiency levels students are expected to meet in the following ways: Parent/Teacher Conferences, ELAC/SSC, at Back to School Night, PTA meetings, IEP Meetings, SST Meetings, ELPAC Testing Results, CAASPP Testing Results, Report Cards, Classroom assessments, learning management system, and support of academic counselors
f) If requested by parents, the school provides opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children, and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible. (20 USC 6318 (c)(4)) through formal parent-teacher conferences, informal requests by parents, and specific meetings such as IEPs, 504s, and SSTs.
e) If the schoolwide program is not satisfactory to the parents of participating students, submit any parent comments on the plan when the school makes the plan available to the local educational agency. (20 USC 6318 (c)(6))
Building Capacity for Involvement
a) The school provides parents with assistance in understanding such topics as the challenging State academic standards, State and local assessments, the requirements of Title I, Part A, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children. (20 USC 6318 (e)(1)) We provide parent support through parent caregiver education/training, parent teacher conferences, and ongoing communication with teachers.
Iron Horse Middle School has jointly developed with and distributed to parents of Title I students a school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement. It also describes how the school and parents will develop a partnership to help children reach proficiency on the California content standards. The school-parent compact describes the following items in addition to items added by parents of Title I students:
The school’s responsibility is to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction.
The parents’ responsibility is to support their children’s learning.
The importance of ongoing communication between parents and teachers through, at least, annual conferences, reports on student progress, access to staff, and opportunities to volunteer and participate in and observe the educational program.
The policy was developed with input from parents from the School Site Council. The policy is distributed to parents annually in the fall during Parent Teacher Conferences.
b) The school provides parents with materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children's achievement. (20 USC 6318 (e)(2)) - Training to enhance parents’ abilities to support and assist their children’s education. This may include activities such as Caregiver Chats on Supporting Reading, Math, and Social Emotional Well Being.
c) The school shall educate teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals, and other school leaders, and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school; (20 USC 6318 (e)(3))
This will take place at staff meetings during professional development days and at collaboration meetings. Strategies to enhance parent involvement are discussed in committee meetings and integrated into our educational program.
d) The school shall, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate the Title I parent involvement programs with other Federal, State, and local programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, to encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children. (20 USC 6318 (e)(4))
e) The school distributes information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities to parents is sent in a format and, to the extent practicable with tools that support a language the parents can understand. (20 USC 6318 (e)(5))
f) The school provides such other reasonable support for parental involvement activities as parents may request. (20 USC 6318 (e)(4))
Parent involvement strategies from the PTA, ELAC/SSC and Principal Caregiver meetings are integrated based on parent input.
g) If the school site plan 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 school district. (20 USC 6318(g))
Parents can submit comments through the Principal or SSC if they are not satisfied with the program. Those comments will be shared with the District.
Accessibility
Iron Horse Middle School provides opportunities for all Title I parents( including parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory students) including providing information and school reports with tools to support a language that parents understand.
