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Parent Involvement

2024-2025 Family Engagement Policy

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

Parent Involvement Policy Terrell County ISD 2022-2023

*For any parent or community member a translator can and will be used

Statement of Purpose

Terrell County ISD is committed to the goal of providing quality education for every child. To that end, Terrell County ISD will develop and maintain partnerships with parents and community members so that the best learning environment will be created for every child.

Grade level goals for the students are the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and these are available for parents to examine in the school office. Some children may need extra assistance available through the Title 1 program, as well as other programs, to reach these goals. Parents, teachers, and students all have a part in working toward the goals.

Terrell County ISD intends to include parents in all aspects of the Title 1 program. We want to create a school/home partnership that will help all students succeed. Public Law 107-110, No Child Left Behind, requires that parents of children who receive Title 1 services must be involved in the decisions regarding how these funds are allotted for parental involvement activities.

Title 1 Law

The purpose of Title 1 is to improve the basic programs of Terrell County ISD and to provide opportunities for students to acquire the knowledge and skills contained in the state content standards (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills-TEKS) and to meet the state performance standards (State of Texas Academic Assessment of Readiness Standards-STARR/Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills-TAKS). Districts receiving Title 1, Part A funds must implement programs, activities, and procedures for the involvement of parents in the Title 1 program. A written parental involvement policy must be developed and agreed upon jointly with parents and distributed to parents. Parental involvement is required as one of the ten components of the school-wide Title 1 program.

Parent Involvement in Developing the Policy

A site-based decision-making team, consisting of parents, elected and appointed teachers, business members, and community members meet regularly to develop the campus Parental Involvement Policy. Parent members are chosen from school volunteers who are willing to give this time and service to the campus.

Parent Involvement Opportunities

  • A meeting will be held each fall and each spring to share mutual expectations for students, so all parents are an integral part of facilitating achievement.
  • Parents are invited to attend special programs or activities presented by students.
  • Information is sought from parents of students receiving special programs services regarding campus planning and decision making.
  • Opportunities are available to participate as a parent and community representatives on campus and district improvement committees.
  • A School-Parent Compact meeting affords the opportunity for input into school policies and practices.
  • Parents are sent a survey to have input into the future of the school and its vision.
  • The web page information site is http://www.terrell.esc18.net
  • Parents are invited to be sponsors of extracurricular activities
     

Meetings for Title 1 Parents

Each fall and spring Terrell County ISD has meetings to inform parents of the school’s participation in the Title 1 program and the requirements, as well as the parents’ right to be involved.

The meetings will be held at times that are convenient for families. Information about the school’s performance, new Title 1 guidelines, the school curriculum, and other important information is provided. Language translation, childcare, and transportation will be provided to ensure parent participation and attendance. Written notices, telephone calls, and media attention will all be directed at attracting as many parents as possible.

Terrell County ISD Title 1 Parent Compact

A school/parent compact will be developed by the site-based leadership team. The compact will describe the responsibilities of the school, the students, and the parents to improve student performance and the means by which to do so. The importance of good communication between school and the home is emphasized and procedures for such communication are included.

All parents will be given a copy of the compact detailing the responsibilities of all parties to help students accomplish their goals.

Needs Assessment Surveys

Each year the Terrell County ISD will assess the needs of the parents and children through a variety of measures including surveys, questionnaires, and parent interviews so that the Title 1 program can meet the needs of the community. Parents may call the admin office from 8 - 3 at 345-2515 to express interest or to make suggestions.

Staff/Parent Communications

Parent/teacher conferences are an important feature in communications at Glasscock County ISD. All teachers have a conference time, and that information will be made available to parents.

  • Parents are encouraged to call or email their Childs’s teacher when they are concerned about a problem and teachers are also encouraged to call or email a parent when they are concerned about a problem. Important information regarding academics, special announcements, and discipline reports are also sent to the parents.
  • Parents are invited to a conference with teachers during their normal conference hours.
  • Parents are invited to pick up progress reports from 7:45-8:20 a.m. every three weeks and report cards at the end of each six weeks. They are invited to a conference with the teachers during this time.
  • Parents of students that are failing at the end of any 3 weeks are invited to a conference with the students’ teachers.

Assessment

FORMAL ASSESSMENTS – Norm-referenced tests tell parents how their child compares with other students, often in terms of percentile rank. Criterion-referenced assessments, such as the TAKS, State of Texas Assessment of Readiness Standards/Texas Assessment of Knowledge, and Skills, tell parents whether their child has mastered a body of knowledge and skills that the state has established as important.

INFORMAL ASSESSMENTS –This type of assessment is closest to actual learning and to children, and is, therefore, most likely to influence daily instructional decisions and to engage children in evaluation of their own work. When assessment and instruction are melded, both teachers and students become learners. From the information obtained, the teacher can determine the child’s strengths and weaknesses.

Three-week progress reports are sent home for students who are failing in any subject. Six-week report cards indicate the degree of mastery of a student’s performance in the content standards, or curriculum frameworks, of Terrell County ISD.

Curriculum Framework and Content Standards

The state of Texas has developed a required curriculum that must be taught in Texas schools. This curriculum is the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). It is foundational in nature, and textbook companies strive to develop a curriculum that meets those standards within the covers of their books. Mastery of the curriculum, apart from informal assessments within the classroom, is to be evidenced in the STARR test our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders take each spring.

Reading is the essential skill and the foundation for all other subjects-60-70% of math, 70-80% of science, and 80-90% of social studies, writing and language arts achievement are attributable to reading. Reading is also a foundational skill for critical thinking, problem-solving, and other higher-order skills. Improve reading and everything improves. However, knowing how to read is just the beginning. Students must know how to read well and be well-read to achieve true literacy. Building vocabulary can only be accomplished through abundant reading practice with real books, some of which require parental involvement at home.

Evaluation

The SBDM committee will review and evaluate all aspects of the parent involvement program. Parents will be surveyed about the effectiveness of the program and offer suggestions for improvement. The evaluation procedure will include an assessment of successes in the Parent Involvement Policy as well as recommendations for improvement in emergent areas.