Use of School’s Title I
Parent Involvement
and Parent
Session Overview
This presentation was developed to provide additional
guidance to Title I schools regarding the use of the
set-aside allocation (a minimum of 1%) to support parent
involvement activities.
Guidance has also been added to provide support to
Priority and Focus Schools who received an additional
1% set-aside for parent engagement.
Inquiries regarding the use of these funds should be
directed to your CFN Budget Liaison or Senior Grants
Officer.
Title I Parent Involvement Funds: Activity Guidelines
Title I schools must set aside a minimum of 1% of their total allocation to
fund parent involvement activities.
These activities must:
be included in the school’s Title I Parent Involvement Policy (PIP) which is
jointly developed and agreed upon by the school (through the School Leadership Team) and Title I Parent Committee members
align with student achievement goals as outlined in the Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP).
Activities must also meet the basic programmatic requirements outlined under Title I (e.g., standards, curriculum, literacy, technology, monitoring student progress and how t work with educators).
provide the framework for the school’s parent involvement program.
focus on building the capacity of Title I parents/guardians to join in an effective partnership with schools to support student achievement.
Use of Parent Engagement Set-Aside
Allocation (1%)
Priority and Focus schools have been allotted an additional set-aside of 1% to support parent engagement. Click here to access School Allocation Memorandum #70, Priority and Focus Schools Allocations.
These funds should be used to provide activities that will build and enhance meaningful partnerships between the school and families that support student achievement.
These activities should align closely with the Partnership Standards for Schools and Families recently adopted by the Department of Education.
These standards are consistent with the sixth tenet on parent engagement and are included in the Parent Coordinator Resource Guide and Toolkit.
Partnership Standards for Schools and
Families
Fostering Communication: School and families engage in an open exchange of Information regarding student progress, school wide goals and support activities.
Encouraging Parent Involvement: Parents have diverse and meaningful roles in the school community and their children’s achievement.
Creating Welcoming Schools: Creating a welcoming, positive school climate with the commitment of the entire school community.
Partnering for School Success: School engages families in setting high
expectations for students and actively partners with parents to prepare students for their next level.
Collaborating Effectively: School community works together to make decisions about the academic and personal growth of students through school wide goals. School fosters collaborations with community-based organizations to create a vibrant, fulfilling environment for students and families.
Examples of Parent Engagement Activities
Establishment of a parent resource area/center to welcome parents and families and provide public access to resources to help support student achievement.
Establish communication protocols to describe how parents and families will gain access to staff and information about the school’s programs (e.g., classroom visitation and observation, volunteer program, class parents, school/classroom websites).
Provide reasonable support (where feasible) to encourage parent and family
participation such as; translation and interpretation during meetings, activities and events, flexible scheduling of activities and events to accommodate parents and families (e.g., Saturdays, day and evening), onsite child care, light refreshments and use of barrier-free space.
Make the most of scheduled school wide events for parents and families, such as; Fall and Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences and Open School Week (week of 11/12).
Provide training (workshops) on topics that impact student learning (e.g.,
curriculum-based content, Common Core Learning standards and assessments for measuring student performance and progress, technology, health, nutrition, safety).
Examples of Parent Engagement Activities
Provide access to materials and resources for parents and families, such as;
professional lending library, laptop computers, curriculum and instructional guides, games, puzzles, flash cards, stickers, art supplies, online tools, work sheets or workbooks containing activities students and families can do together.
Host informational sessions for parents and families on how to navigate the NYC public school system (e.g., Bill of Parents’ and Students’ Rights, Chancellor’s
Regulations, promotional policy, high school graduation requirements) and gain access to other resources/services (e.g., housing, financial assistance, health care) available through city agencies and community based organizations (community mapping).
Coordinate school events to bring parents, families and school staff together (e.g., Student of the Month assemblies, open house, Family Day/Night, Math Night, Family Reading Night, Parent Orientations, Meet the Teacher, Meet the Principal, Curriculum conferences, open houses, Annual Title I Parent Meeting - required for Title I schools only).
Encourage Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and other vendors that partner with the school/district to get more involved and help enhance existing programs to solicit participation from parents and families.
Title I Parent Involvement Funds:
Additional Conditions
All expenditures should be reasonable and made in accordance with New
York City Department of Education policies and procedures as detailed in
the
Department’s Standard Operating Procedures
.
Title I parents cannot vote or agree to forfeit the use of the school’s
set-aside allocation for parent involvement activities.
Title I Parent Involvement Funds: Guiding Questions
Have Title I Parent Committee members been consulted regarding the
use of these funds?
Has the Title I Parent Committee consulted with other members of the
Title I parent community regarding the use of these funds?
How will the proposed expenditures enable or empower the school’s Title
I parents to participate in their child’s education and lead to improved
student achievement?
Do the proposed expenditures support a need identified by the Title I
parent community?
Are the proposed expenditures specifically referred to in the CEP? (and
included in the school’s current PIP)?
Please note that the CEP and PIP are living documents that should be revised as the school’s needs change.
Title I Parent Involvement Funds: Guiding Questions
Do the proposed activities benefit all or the majority of the Title I parent
community eligible and willing to participate in the Title I parent
involvement program?
Remember that in Title I SWP schools all parents/guardians are eligible and in Title I Targeted Assistance Schools only parents of participating Title I students are eligible.
When will Title I program activities begin and end for the current school
year?
Schools should plan to begin Title I program activities as early in the school year as possible (e.g., November or December) to ensure timely access to information relating to the school’s Title I program.
Has the school documented this required consultation with the Title I
Parent Committee (e.g., SLT and parent meeting notices, agendas,
attendance sheets, minutes and parent feedback forms or surveys)?
Parent Involvement Funds: Examples of Appropriate
Expenditures and Activities
Schools must provide reasonable support to allow parents to actively participate in the Title I program. Such support may include:
Reimbursement to parents for reasonable expenses (e.g., Metro Cards, child care
support) associated with attendance and participation during Title I workshops, activities and meetings
Translation of information into any language spoken by a significant population of the Title I parent community (only after the school’s translation and interpretation allocation has
been exhausted)
Creation of a parent resource room or area
Creation of a professional lending library for the Title I parent community
Incentives or giveaways for parents/guardians that support instruction and relate directly to the school’s educational program (e.g., instructional guides or materials, workbooks, supplies, professional books, magazines, toolkits, math manipulatives, instructional computer programs, and/or other home-based educational resources)
Reasonable expenditures for light refreshments or food, particularly when parent involvement activities extend through mealtimes*
*Note: This does not mean that Title I funds can be used to pay for light refreshments or food at regularly
scheduled PA or PTA meetings.
Parent Involvement Funds: Examples of Appropriate
Expenditures and Activities
School must provide activities that support strong school-family partnerships. Such activities may include:
Teacher-parent mentoring programs
Creating a school newsletter, calendar or website
Creating a parent handbook
Parent-staff book clubs
Joint parent-staff professional development (e.g., cost of materials and presenters)
Workshops about cultural diversity
Partnerships with NYC cultural institutions
Parenting skills workshops (e.g., cost of CBO presenter)
Parent Involvement Funds: Examples of Appropriate
Expenditures and Activities
Schools must provide activities that support student achievement. Such activities may include workshops on the following topics:
City and State Standards (e.g., Common Core)
Curriculum
Family Literacy
Promotion or Graduation Requirements
Using ARIS to Monitor Your Child’s Progress
Title I, Part A Requirements
School and District Accountability
How to Work with Your Child’s Teacher
Using Technology
Safety and Gang Awareness
Internet Safety or Bullying
Middle and High School Selection Processes
Nutrition or Health
College and Career Readiness (e.g., Guided College Tours, Career Day)
Parent Involvement Funds: Costs Associated with
Workshops and Other Activities
14
•Budget Lines for Associated Costs
•Teacher per session – object code 091/Line Code 3002- parent workshops taught by teachers •Guidance Counselor Per Session – object code 091/Line Code 2494 – parent workshops taught by guidance staff
•Professional Services other – object code 686 –DOE approved consultants working with parents •Transportation for Title I parent activities – object code 489
Parent Involvement Funds: Non Allowable
Expenditures and Activities
Activities that do not relate directly to the Title I educational program cannot be funded using parent involvement funds. Such prohibited activities include:
Activities that do not have an intrinsic educational or cultural value
trips to amusement parks
visits to shopping centers or toy stores/workshops
sporting events
Theatrical performances (e.g., plays) that do not have an intrinsic educational or cultural value
Payments (or stipends) to non-DOE approved consultants or providers
Athletic equipment
Cruises (e.g., dinner cruises, Spirit of New York, Circle Line)
Incentives that do not relate to the educational program (e.g. tee shirts or mugs)
School dances (e.g., Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day)
Recreational trips for students or parents
Staff salaries
SLT member remuneration payments
Light refreshments for regularly scheduled meetings of the PA, PTA or SLT
Parent Involvement Funds: Guided College Tours
Some Title I schools, particularly at the middle and high school levels, have funded guided college tours using parent involvement funds. In such cases, the following provisions apply:
The guided college tour must be included as an activity in the school’s PIP.
Students must be permitted to accompany their parents/guardians on the guided tour, however the cost of student participation cannot be covered by Title I parent involvement funds.
All members of the Title I parent community must be afforded an opportunity to participate in the guided college tour.
Note: In a Title I SWP school this provision applies to all parents.
The total cost of the guided tour may not exceed 25% of the school’s total Title I parent involvement set-aside allocation.
Parents who attend the guided college tour must share and turnkey the information with the Title I parent community with reasonable support from the school.