Title I School Parent Engagement Policy Van Ness Avenue Elementary School 2022-2023

Each Title I school in LAUSD is required to develop a written parent involvement policy. This policy describes how the school will support and increase parent involvement. It must be developed with parents, include participation from all appropriate advisory committees, be reviewed and updated annually and be agreed upon by the School Site Council. The written parent involvement policy must include how parents will be informed of the school’s Title I program requirements.

Van Ness Avenue Elementary School has developed a written Title I parental involvement policy with input from parents. The Parent Involvement Policy was developed, through a series of discussions with parents. This policy was updated this year, in the same manner; beginning at the Title I meeting that took place on August 17th to reflect our current goals and priorities. This policy was voted upon and formally adopted on Thursday, October 13, 2022 by the SSC. The policy has been distributed to parents of Title I students. This Parent Involvement Policy was then distributed to all parents via the school website in English and Spanish. Our Parent Compact and Involvement Policy were originally created as part of our Single School Plan for Student Achievement. The policy describes the means for carrying out the following Title I parental involvement requirements [20 USC 6318 Section 1118(c)-(f) inclusive].

Section I: Involvement of Parents in the Title I Program

To involve parents in the Title I program at Van Ness Avenue Elementary School, the following practices have been established:

• The school convenes an annual meeting to inform parents of Title I students about Title I requirements and about the right of parents to be involved in the Title I program.
• Language continues to be a barrier for some parents. We have bilingual certificated staff and paraprofessionals to support communication with parents via flyers, emails, Social Media, Connect-Ed phone calls and postings on the school’s website.
• The school offers monthly morning ELAC and SSC meetings for parents and keeping them involved in the decision-making process to improve student academic achievement.
• The school involves parents of Title I students in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of the school’s Title I programs and the Title I parental involvement policy.
• Giving parents an opportunity to learn about the Title I requirements through the district’s website video as well as detailed documents about the Title I Policy.

• The school provides parents of Title I students with timely information about Title I programs during the annual Title I meeting, parent workshops, ELAC, SSC, and Principal’s meetings.
• The school provides parents of Title I students with an explanation of the curriculum used at the school, the assessments used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet.
• English Language Development (ELD) guidelines are shared
• Data from ELA and Math Interim Assessments, SBAC, ELPAC, and DIBELS are shared and explained to parents.
• Providing parents information on report cards, student achievement and expectations during parent-teacher conferences.
• Engaging parents in Literacy and Math activities (STEAM Festival, ReadAcross America, Visual Arts Contest)
• If requested by parents of Title I students, the school provides opportunities for regular meetings that allow the parents to participate in decisions relating to the education of their children at every SSC and ELAC meeting.

Section II: Building Capacity for Involvement

Van Ness Avenue Elementary School engages parents in meaningful interactions with the school. It supports a partnership among staff, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement. To help reach these goals, the school has established the following practices.

The school provides parents with assistance in understanding the State’s academic content standards, assessments, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children.

Updating parents through conferences about student’s academic progress in regards to reaching grade level standards.Parent Workshops to help educate parents on the following:

1. All academic areas of curriculum
2. Common Core State Standards
3. Reclassification Criteria for English Learner Students
4. State and local assessments (SBAC, IAB, ELPAC, math and ELA)
5. Master Plan Programs and Options
6. Requirements of Title I program
7. A-G Graduation Requirements and the School Experience Survey

• The school provides parents with materials and training to help them work with their children to improve their children’s achievement by delivering parent workshops that focus on specifically on academic needs in ELA, math, and ELD.
• With the assistance of parents, the school educates staff members about the value of parent contributions, and in how to reach out to, communicate with and work with parents as equal partners.

1. Encouraging open communication between staff and parents
2. Addressing parent relations during staff meetings
3. Providing translation to parents when needed to make sure there is clear communication
4. Providing orientation to parents of new students in Kindergarten

• The school coordinates and integrates the Title I parental involvement program with other programs, and conducts other activities, such as parent resource centers, to encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children by:

  o Having an active Parent Group through In Person and Zoom Meetings (or Hybrid)

• The school distributes Information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities to parents in a format and language that the parents understand by:

  o Sending weekly email updates in English and Spanish o Sending a Connect-Ed call in English and Spanish

• The school provides support for parental involvement activities requested by parents through the support of the volunteer program.

Section III: Accessibility

Van Ness Avenue Elementary School provides opportunities for the participation of all parents, including parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory students. Information and school reports are provided in a format and language that parents understand by:

• Sending home flyers or letters in English and Spanish
• Making telephone calls in English and Spanish
• Holding monthly ELAC and SSC Meetings with translation available

Section IV: Shared Responsibilities for High Student Academic Achievement

Van Ness Avenue Elementary School distributes a School-Parent Compact to parents annually. The compact, which has been jointly developed with parents, outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement. Van Ness had various meetings at the beginning of the school year such as Title I, ELAC, SSC, and parent workshops to discuss the School- Parent Compact for Achievement. It will be sent home electronically/digitally via weekly bulletin and posted on the school website.

The school-parent compact describes specific ways the school and families will partner to help children achieve the State’s high academic standards. It addresses the following legally required items, as well as other items suggested by parents of Title I students.

• The school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables children to meet the state’s academic achievement standards.
• The ways parents will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning.
• The importance of ongoing communication between parents and teachers through, at a minimum, annual parent-teacher conferences; frequent reports on student progress; access to staff; opportunities for parents to volunteer and participate in their child’s class; and opportunities to observe classroom activities.

  This policy and compact was adopted by Van Ness Avenue Elementary School on Thursday, October 13, 2022 and will be in effect for the entire school year. It has been distributed to all parents on Thursday, November 10, 2022 and is made available to the local community via the Van Ness Avenue website.