Parent Involvement and Family Engagement- Board Policy 6020

PREAMBLE

The District recognizes that families are their children's first and most influential teachers and that sustained parent involvement and family engagement in the education of their children contribute greatly to student achievement and a positive school environment.

As such, the District promotes family engagement with an intentional focus on students from the global majority who are marginalized, oppressed, and historically underserved, such as Black and Brown students, Latino students, migrant students, English Language Learners, foster youth, LGBTQIA+ students, McKinney-Vento students, students eligible for free and reduced-price meals, students with physical disabilities, and students with neurodiversity (students with an IEP or 504 Plan). The District provides and collaborates with local agencies and community partners to ensure the availability of necessary support services for these students and their families.

The Title I Parent Involvement goal is to plan and conduct programs, activities, and procedures that increase parental involvement with the meaningful consultation of families. This policy states the opportunities for full participation of all families and community members to ensure a meaningful partnership.

PART I. GENERAL EXPECTATIONS

The Hayward Unified School District’s Title I Program exists to provide high-quality supplemental services for low-income and English Language Learner (ELL) students that enable them to meet and exceed the academic standards set forth by the state. The Title I program goal is to improve academic achievement and implement all statutory requirements. 

The Hayward Unified School District will put into operation programs, activities, and procedures for the involvement of families in all of its schools with Title I, Part A programs, consistent with section 1118 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), currently authorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015. Those programs, activities, and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful inclusion of families with participating children.

In carrying out the Title I, Part A, parental involvement requirements, to the extent practicable, the school district and its schools will provide full opportunities for the participation of families of historically marginalized and underserved groups such as Black and Brown students, Latino students, migrant students, English Language Learners, foster youth, LGBTQIA+ students, McKinney-Vento students, students eligible for free and reduced-price meals, students with physical disabilities, and students with neurodiversity (students with an IEP or 504 Plan); including providing information and school reports required under section 1111 of the ESEA in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language families understand.

The District will conduct parent surveys annually/biannually (depending upon the survey) using various means to design strategies that engage families in ways to improve student performance at school, support student learning at home, and general parent practices.

The District will hold an annual Fall and Spring meeting for families of students in Title I schools to discuss the Title I school plan, review the implementation of the plan, and invite suggestions for improvement.

The Superintendent or designee will serve as the lead in providing coordination, technical assistance, and other necessary support to assist participating schools with parent/community involvement programs and practices, in collaboration with other departments. 

Families will be encouraged to play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning at home and in school. Families will be included in Title I decisions regarding parental involvement programming.

Parent Rights and Responsibilities (cf.5020)

Families/guardians will be notified of their rights to be informed about and to participate in their children's education and of the opportunities available to them to do so.

Local Control and Accountability Plan (cf.0460) 

The district's local control and accountability plan will include goals and strategies for parent/guardian and family involvement, including district efforts to seek parent/guardian and family input in district and school site decision-making and to promote parent/guardian and family participation in programs for English language learners, foster youth, McKinney-Vento students, students eligible for free and reduced-price meals, students with physical disabilities, and neurodiverse students (students with an IEP or 504 Plan) (Education Code 42238.02, 52060)

Accountability (cf. 5020) 

The Superintendent or designee will regularly evaluate and report to the Board on the effectiveness of the district's parent/guardian and family engagement efforts, including, but not limited to, input from families/guardians, family members, and school staff on the adequacy of involvement opportunities and on barriers that may inhibit participation.

The Superintendent or designee will consult with families/guardians and family members in the development of meaningful opportunities for them to be involved in district and school activities at all grade levels in both decision-making and advocacy roles; and activities to support learning at home. (cf. 0420 - School Plans/Site Councils) (cf. 1220 - Citizen Advisory Committees) cf. 1230 - School-Connected Organizations) (cf. 1240 - Volunteer Assistance) 

The Superintendent or designee will regularly evaluate and report to the Board on the effectiveness of the district’s parent involvement policy, including, but not limited to, input from families/guardians, family members, and school staff on the adequacy of the existing policy and on barriers that may inhibit effective implementation, as well as the review and evaluation conducted by representatives from Parent Advisory Groups.

Title I Schools

State law (Education Code 11503) also mandates procedures to ensure that families/guardians and family are consulted and participate in the planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of the Title I parent/guardian and family engagement program.

Title I Programs (cf. 6171) 

The Superintendent or designee will involve families/guardians and family members in establishing district expectations and objectives for meaningful parent/guardian and family engagement in schools supported by Title I funding, developing strategies that describe how the district will carry out each activity listed in 20 USC 6318, as contained in the accompanying administrative regulation, and implementing and evaluating such programs, activities, and procedures. As appropriate, the Superintendent or designee will conduct outreach to all families/guardians and family members. (Education Code 11503; 20 USC 6318)

Budget (cf. 3100) 

Expenditures of Title I funds will be consistent with the activities specified in this policy and will include at least one of the following: 

• Support for schools and nonprofit organizations in providing professional development for district and school staff regarding parent/guardian and family engagement strategies, which may be provided jointly to teachers, principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, paraprofessionals, early childhood educators, and families/guardians and family members.

• Support for programs that reach families/guardians and family members at home, in the community, and at school.

• Dissemination of information on best practices focused on increasing the engagement and participation of the families of economically disadvantaged students, neurodiverse students (students with an IEP or 504 Plan), English Language Learners, foster youth, students with physical disabilities, LGBTQIA+ students, McKinney-Vento students and students eligible for free and reduced-price meals.

• Collaboration with community-based or other organizations or employers with a record of success in improving and increasing parent and family engagement.

• Any other activities and strategies that the district determines are appropriate and consistent with this policy. (20 USC 6318)

The Superintendent or designee will ensure that each school receiving Title I funds develops a school-level parent/guardian and family engagement policy in accordance with 20 USC 6318.

When the district's Title I, Part A allocation exceeds the amount specified in 20 USC 6318, the Board will reserve at least one percent of the funding to implement parent/guardian and family engagement activities. The Superintendent or designee will involve families/guardians and family members of participating students in decisions regarding how the district's Title I funds will be allotted for parent/guardian and family engagement activities and will ensure that priority is given to schools in high-poverty areas in accordance with law. (20 USC 6318, 6631)

The school district will involve the families of children served in Title I, Part A schools in decisions about how the one (1) percent of Title I, Part A funds reserved for parental involvement is spent, and will ensure that not less than 95 percent of the one percent reserved goes directly to the schools.

The school district will be governed by the following statutory definition of parental involvement, and expects that its Title I schools will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition:

Parental involvement means the participation of families in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:

A. that families are valued for their integral role in assisting their child’s learning;

B. that families are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school;

C. that families 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. the carrying out of other activities, such as those described in Section 1118 of the ESEA.

Non-Title I Schools

The Superintendent or designee will develop and implement strategies applicable to each school that does not receive federal Title I funds to encourage the involvement and support of parents/guardians and families in the education of their children, including, but not limited to, strategies describing how the district and schools will address the purposes and goals described in Education Code 11502. (Education Code 11504) [BP 6020]

Family Classroom Visits:  Families/Legal Guardians and community members are encouraged to visit the school sites.  All campus visitors must report immediately to the school office.  In order to register as a visitor, each visitor will provide:  Name, Address, Occupation, Age (if less than 21), Purpose for Entering School Grounds, Proof of Identity, Other information consistent with provisions of law.  When a visit involves a conference with a teacher or the principal, an appointment should be scheduled during non-instructional time. To arrange for a classroom visit or campus tour, please contact the school principal. [EC §51512; BP 1250]

Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP): The District is required to adopt a three-year Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and to update the LCAP on or before July 1 of each subsequent year. The LCAP is required to identify annual goals, specific actions geared toward implementing those goals, and must measure progress for student subgroups across multiple performance indicators based on eight priorities set by the State. (EC §52060-52077)

The priorities must be aligned to the District’s spending plan. The LCAP must be approved before the annual District budget can be adopted. Once the budget and LCAP are adopted at the local level, the plan will be reviewed by the County Superintendent to ensure alignment of projected spending toward goals and services. The following are the State priorities:

a) Providing all students access to fully credentialed teachers, instructional materials that align with state standards, and safe facilities;

b) Implementation of and student access to state academic content and performance standards;

c) Parent involvement and participation and family engagement;

d) Improving student achievement and outcomes along multiple measures

e) Supporting student engagement;

f) Highlighting school climate and connectedness;

g) Ensuring all students have access to classes that prepare them for college and careers;

h) Measuring other important student outcomes related to required areas of study;

i) Coordinating instruction for expelled students; and

j) Coordinating services for foster children.

The Board of Education is required to establish a District-wide Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) and an English Learner parent advisory committee to provide advice to the Board of Education and the superintendent regarding the LCAP. Districts are not required to establish a new  English learner advisory committee if an English language learner parent committee has already been established. In HUSD, the District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) serves as the LCAP English learner parent advisory committee. PACs will include families or legal guardians of low-income students, English language learner students, and foster youth.

Each district is required to include its educational partners (teachers, principals, administrators, other school personnel, local bargaining units, families, and students) in developing the LCAP.

School Site Council (SSC):  Each school has a School Site Council (SSC) composed of educational partners elected to the council who meet at least once a month to develop and review the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA). The council shares responsibility for planning programs for students, allocating resources, and reviewing the efficacy of programs and practices.

Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA):  Education Code Section 64000 requires schools and districts that receive state and federal or other applicable funding to prepare a SPSA. The SPSA is the guiding document for improving the academic performance of all students. The (SSC) is responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring, and revisions of the SPSA at each site. Each year the SSC must recommend the finalized plan to the Board of Education for review and approval.

Current SPSA documents are located on the district website under the link for “Schools.” SSC members are elected annually. All members of the school community are invited to the SSC meetings. [BP 0420]

School Accountability Report Card (SARC): Districts are required to annually issue a SARC for each school in the district.  Districts are to make a concerted effort to notify families of the purpose of the school accountability report cards and ensure that all families have access to a copy. SARCs are posted on the district website and hard copies are available upon request by February 1 of each year. (EC §35256, §35258)

Parent Teacher Association (PTA): Communication and participation are the two primary goals of the PTA. The PTA is highly successful in having “family participation” which serves the students and staff at the school site. Families/Legal Guardians interested in becoming a member of the PTA should contact their student’s school.

The main role of a PTA is to build strong working relationships among parents, teachers and schools, in support of students. This can include recruiting and coordinating volunteers, providing special recognition in awards ceremonies or through other activities, organizing parent education events in partnership with school staff, planning teacher appreciation activities and much more. Each school’s PTA will determine goals and structure with a focus on supporting the education of students by fostering a cooperative relationship between parents, teachers, support staff, school administrators, and the surrounding community.

School Site Volunteers: Hayward Unified School District welcomes volunteer community members who wish to contribute their skills, interest, and talents to enrich the educational opportunities to the students of Hayward. Volunteers are welcome as partners in education. Families/Legal guardians and community member’s willingness to provide a needed service is deeply valued. 

Investing for Future Education (EC §48980(d)): Families are advised of the importance of investing for higher education for their children and of considering appropriate investment options, including, but not limited to, United States savings bonds.

PART II. DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE DISTRICT WILL IMPLEMENT REQUIRED DISTRICT-WIDE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT POLICY COMPONENTS

1. The district will take the following actions to involve families in the joint development of its district-wide parental involvement plan under section 1112 of the ESEA: 

• Following the process outlined in General Expectation, section #1, engage with families on the District LCAP Parent Student Advisory Committee (PSAC) in the evaluation of the district-wide parent involvement plan and in any necessary revisions or additions to the plan.

• Engage with families on each site’s English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) in the evaluation of the district-wide parental involvement, family engagement plan and in any necessary revisions or additions to the plan.

• Engage with families at schools during two district-wide family feedback sessions to provide recommendations to the PSAC for adoption.The district will take the following actions to involve families in the process of   school review and improvement under section 1116 of the ESEA:

• Actively recruit and support families to authentically participate on School Site Councils (SSCs) and site English Language Advisory Committees (ELACs).

• Support PTAs and other parent groups to engage families in promoting increased academic achievement.

• Provide opportunities for parent learning that builds understanding and capacity of families to be involved in the process of school review and improvement.

• Conduct two SSC Summits (Fall and Spring) to provide additional support to SSCs of program improvement schools with the involvement of families in school review and improvement.

• Share information on each school’s progress in meeting all accountability measures.

• Provide leadership development opportunities for families, including annual training on budgets and budget development. The annual training may be provided at the school site, the District or County level or parent engagement conferences.

• Use district communication tools (e.g. HUSD website) to publicize information about ESEA, required notifications, and LEA addendum.

1. The district will provide the following necessary coordination, technical assistance, and other support to assist Title I, Part A schools in planning and effective parental involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance:

• The California School Parent Survey (CSPS) will be used to help identify the specific needs for support in planning and implementing effective parental involvement activities to improve student achievement.

• SSCs and ELACs will provide additional feedback on parent involvement needs at the sites. The SSCs and ELACs are encouraged to track in meeting minutes recommendations for additional parent involvement and engagement.

• The SSC and ELAC, with the site administrators, will develop strategies to encourage families/guardians to sign and return the School Parent Compact required by the Site Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA). The School Parent Compact will be available for signing at all school events and activities, including Back to School night. The signed compacts will be maintained by the school for the current school year.

• Provide training for SSC, ELAC, PSAC, and DELAC members

• Provide opportunities for learning and professional development for school-based family engagement staff on planning and implementing effective parental involvement activities to improve student achievement led by appropriate District staff. The learning and professional development opportunities would be determined & codesigned with family engagement and Student & Parent Support Programs staff. 

  • Develop a learning community for school-based family engagement staff that promotes collaboration and coordination

  • Provide training for site-based administrators

  • Develop materials and resources to support schools

  • Provide support to schools in developing parent centers by developing a centralized comprehensive family center, and by incubating a network of satellite family centers

1. The district will coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies and  activities in Title I, Part A with parental involvement strategies with the following district literacy assessments: 

   • Universal Screener (Fastbridge) TK-6

   • Fountas and Pinnell (Site Determined)

2. The district will build the schools’ and parent’s capacity for strong parental involvement to ensure effective involvement of families and to support a partnership among the school involved, families, and the community to improve student academic achievement through the following activities:

A. The school district will, with the assistance of its Title I, Part A schools, provide assistance to families of children served by the school district or school, as appropriate, in understanding topics such as the State’s academic content standards, the State’s student academic achievement standards, the State and local academic assessments including alternate assessments, the requirements of Part A, how to monitor their child’s progress, and how to work with educators by undertaking these activities:

• District-wide Parent Leadership Conference, including information pertaining to Title I. This conference will be designed with the input of education partners and led by Superintendent or designee.

• Workshops for families such as Understanding School Performance Framework Reports, Understanding the Annual Cycle of Inquiry and development of the SPSA, Understanding the Standards Based Report Card, Reading your Student’s Transcript, Reading a student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP).

• To help families understand the State content standards, develop and offer Parent Friendly Standards (K-12) workshops, curriculum, and materials, including workshops on the Common Core curriculum and the Local Control Funding Formula. (LCFF).

B. The school district will, with the assistance of its school sites, provide materials and training to help families work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement, such as literacy training, and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement, by:

• Developing and offering programs such as Family Math Nights, Reading Nights, Family Literacy Programs, etc.

• Providing families with information and materials about how to work with their children to improve academic performance at events such as Back to School Nights, Open Houses, and Academic Parent Teacher Team meetings (ie parent conferences, Progress Report Night)

• Provide materials and training to help families and teachers work together on student goal setting.

C. The school district will, with the assistance of its schools and families, educate its teachers, pupil services personnel, principals and other staff, in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with families as equal partners, in the value and utility of contributions of families, and in how to implement and coordinate parent programs and build ties between families and schools, by:

• Developing a curriculum and offering training for district and school site staff about how to engage families to increase academic achievement

• Producing and disseminating learning materials on family engagement to staff

• Normalizing family engagement as part of the discourse on improving academic achievement at schools

• Recognizing and publicizing HUSD family engagement successes and its impact on student achievement

• Assisting families in supporting literacy activities at home, e.g. understanding district programs and reading assessments.

• Training for teachers and principals on Title One parent rights and responsibilities.

D. The school district will take action to ensure that information related to the school and parent- programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the families of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language the families can understand.

PART III. DISCRETIONARY DISTRICT-WIDE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT POLICY COMPONENTS

The district recognizes that in the context of the rich diversity of our city, families from all racial, ethnic, cultural, economic, and educational backgrounds share common ground in being involved in their children’s learning, and in wanting their children to succeed in school and in life. 

Families can and do have a positive influence on their children’s learning. Families can and do influence achievement by holding schools and school districts accountable for high performance. To achieve academic success for all students, we must tap the power of the family.

1. The district and the schools within the district will provide families across the grade levels, from preschool through grade 12, with a broad range of opportunities for involvement, including in advocacy roles, leadership roles, and in learning.

• Advocacy: families participate in sharing responsibility to advance learning and solve problems concerning

  • An individual child’s education

  • Academic success for all children in the school

• Leadership: families and caregivers motivate and support other people to work collectively to bring about school improvement and raise achievement, including in school governance, grassroots leadership and shared decision-making.

• Learning: learning for the whole family that empowers families and caregivers to boost student achievement

  • Action-oriented adult learning: families and caregivers are actively learning to become effective advocates and leaders

  • Student learning: Parent and caregivers engage with students in activities and practices at home that promote student learning throughout the school-aged years

• Participants in the School Community: Families attend school-wide events and lend a helping hand.

1. Every school will address Family Engagement and name particular strategic practices in its Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), outlining programs that are comprehensive, well-planned, and long-lasting.

• Comprehensive

  • Have explicit connections to learning plan goals

  • Contain a variety of engagement activities and practices

  • Intentional and focused outreach to traditionally marginalized and underserved families; provide translation of materials, meetings, and other communication into home languages    

• Well-planned

  • Identify specific measurable goals that are monitored in a consistent, ongoing manner

  • Informed and guided by cycles of inquiry

  • Be grounded in research and relevant school data

• Long-lasting

  • Create permanent structures to support engagement

  • Align with a long-term commitment and vision for family engagement

  • Sustain existing parent leadership and build new parent leadership

1. The Board of Education recognizes the importance of administrative leadership in setting expectations and creating a climate conducive to family engagement. The district and the schools within the district will strive to create, grow, and sustain a relational culture focused on learning with a common vision about academic success for every student, and a commitment among families and caregivers, school staff, and community members to share responsibility and hold one another accountable for achieving that vision.

• We will strive to create trusting collaborative relationships in the school. With respect to families and caregivers, the school will:

  • Be inviting and welcoming of them

  • Respect their concerns

  • Honor their contributions

• We will recognize, respect and address:

  • Needs of the families and community

  • Differences in socioeconomic class, and the social dynamics and power imbalances these differences create

  • Differences in race/ethnicity/nationality/culture/language and the social dynamics and power imbalances these differences create

• We will share power and responsibility with families

1. The district will provide professional development opportunities for staff and technical assistance to schools to enhance understanding and effectiveness of family engagement practices.

2. The district and the schools within the district will be guided by the US Department of Education Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family Engagement, HUSD Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), and the HUSD Family Engagement Standards and Policies in planning, implementing, and assessing Family Engagement programs and activities.

In the end, our vision is that every parent and caregiver in the Hayward Unified School District has a voice and decision-making power in their child’s education; that families and teachers work together towards their child’s achievement; that families understand what their child is being held accountable for, and by when; and that we are holding families accountable for their role as they hold us to ours. Ultimately, we want families and caregivers to truly have a shared partnership and shared ownership of our schools so that together they can help our students become successful and healthy adults in their communities and the global society. 

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Educational partners- Refers to all governing board members, district leadership, administrators, teachers, staff, students, families, and community members.

ESEA- Refers to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, currently authorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015. It is federal legislation that promotes student achievement through school and district reform. ESSA requires each state to develop and implement a system for holding all districts and schools accountable for the education of students.

Historically marginalized and underserved groups- Refers to students from the global majority who are marginalized, oppressed, and historically underserved. Such as Black and Brown students, Latino students, migrant students, English Language Learners, foster youth, LGBTQIA+ students, McKinney-Vento students, students eligible for free and reduced-price meals, students with physical disabilities, and students with neurodiversity (students with an IEP or 504 Plan).

Home/School Parent Compact- Refers to the specific component of the school-level parent and family engagement policy developed under ESSA Section 1116(b), each school served under Title I, Part A shall jointly develop with parents for all children served under Title I, Part A, 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 (ESSA Section 1116[d]).

Such compact shall:

1. Describe the school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables the children served under Title I, Part A to meet the challenging State academic standards, and the ways in which each parent will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning; volunteering in their child’s classroom; and participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children and positive use of extra-curricular time; and

2. Address the importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis through:

1. Parent-teacher conferences in elementary schools, at least annually, where the individual child’s achievement and progress can be shared;

2. Communication to parents on their children’s progress;

3. Promote opportunities to volunteer, participate, and observe their child while engaged in classroom activities; and

4. Ensuring opportunities for regular two-way, meaningful communication between family members and school staff, and to the extent practicable, in a language that family members can understand (ESSA Section 1116[d][1-2]).

McKinney-Vento: The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children and youth as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This definition also includes:

• Children and youth who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason

• Children and youth who may be living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, shelters

• Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings

• Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings, or

• Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are children who are living in similar circumstances listed above (Definition of Homeless from the California Department of Education: Click Here)

Neurodivergent- Refers to people who process information and behave in a way that differs from the actual or perceived norms of a particular culture. It is a way to discuss diagnoses, such as autism, in a way that does not frame it as a problem or an illness. Neurodivergence comes in many forms. Students commonly referred to as “Special Ed” students may also be referred to as neurodivergent.