Part 1. General Expectations

Spartanburg School District Two agrees to implement the following statutory requirements:

• The school district will put into operation programs, activities and procedures for the involvement of parents in all of its schools with Title I school-wide programs, consistent with Section 1116 of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Those programs, activities and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children.
• Consistent with section 1116, the school district will work with its schools to ensure that the required school-level parent and family engagement policies meet the requirements of Section 1116(b) of the ESSA, and each include, as a component, a school-parent compact consistent with Section 1116(d) of the ESSA.
• The school district will incorporate this Districtwide Parent and Family Engagement Policy into its LEA plan developed under Section 1114 of the ESSA.
• In carrying out the Title I parental and family involvement requirements, to the extent practicable, the school district and its schools will provide full opportunities 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 1112 of the ESSA in an understandable and uniform format and, including alternative formats upon request, and to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand.
• If the LEA plan for Title I, developed under Section 1114 of the ESSA, is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school district will consider any parent comments concerning the plan. Suggestions from the school level will be collected and considered on an on-going basis in development of the LEA plan.
• The school district will be governed by the following statutory definition of parental and family engagement, and expects that its Title I schools will carry out programs, activities and procedures in accordance with this definition.

Parental 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) That parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning;
(B) That parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school;(C) That 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) The carrying out of other activities, such as those described in section 1116 of the ESSA.

Part II. Implementation of Districtwide Parent and Family Engagement Policy

• The school district will involve parents in the joint development of its district wide Parent and Family Engagement policy by convening an annual meeting to explain the Title I program to parents and inform them of their rights to be involved in the program.
• The school district will involve parents in the process of school review and improvement under section 1116 of the ESSA by convening an annual district Title I planning meeting that allows for parental input.
• The school district will provide timely assistance and support to parents in such areas as understanding the SC Ready, SC PASS and student performance standards. Staff members will also provide parents with information as to how they can work with educators to improve the performance of their children and information as to how they can participate in decisions related to the education of their children.
• The school district will offer a flexible number of meetings to meet parent needs and will provide parents of participating children with timely information about the Title I program.
• The school district will coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies in Part A by inviting parents of preschool aged children to fully participate in activities that help children have a smooth transition from pre-school to kindergarten. These activities include, but are not limited to, Parents As Teachers workshops, Mothers Morning Out workshops and Kindergarten University Orientation.
• The school district will conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of this parental involvement policy in improving the quality of Title I, Part A schools. The school district will conduct parent and family engagement surveys throughout the school year in which parents will be able to suggest improvements to the district Title I plan. The district will use the findings of the evaluation of its Parent and Family Engagement policy and activities to design strategies for more effective parental and family involvement.
• The school district will, with the assistance of its schools, provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement by hosting family events that include, but are not limited to, Family Literacy Nights, Family Math Nights, Parent/ Teacher conferences and Rosetta Stone classes.
• The school district will educate all staff members regarding the value of parent involvement and the positive impact it has on student achievement and in understanding how to utilize parents as equal partners.
• The school district will, to the extent possible, provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency or with disabilities, including providing information and school profiles in a language and format that parents can understand.
• The school district will provide reasonable support for parental involvement activities as parents may request. Information regarding the district Title I plan will be available on the district website and at all District Two Title I schools.
• A school-parent compact will be jointly developed with parents and will outline how parents, the entire school staff and students will share in the responsibility for improved student achievement.