Mesquite Independent School District
District Title I Parent Involvement Policy
2007-2008

Statement of Purpose:
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requires schools to work extensively in cooperation with parents and school personnel in the decision making process.  A percentage of the district’s Title I entitlement dollars are allocated and monitored by the federal government based upon Parental Involvement.  MISD is committed to the goal of maintaining close communication with its parents to promote positive partnerships with the school.  The staff and faculty will listen to the parents and will seek their input on decisions related to their child’s educational needs.  Together the school, parents and community can enhance the children’s lives by working as a cooperative team, sharing ideas and visions for the future.

Development of Policy:
MISD shall involve parents in the development and revision of the written parent involvement policy.  The district’s policy will be maintained at the district level and presented to campus committees for approval. The policy will include a description of how the district will implement required district wide parental involvement components. [P.L. 107-110, Section 1118(a)(2)(A-F)]

Annual Meeting:
Each Title I campus will hold an annual meeting during the first semester of the new school year for all parents.  At that meeting the Title I program will be described, the Parental Involvement Policy will be discussed, and opportunities for parental participation will be explained. The  annual meeting will be held at a convenient time and location; notice of the meeting will be provided through written invitations to parents/caregivers and through public notices.  Translators will be present at the meeting if needed.  [P.L.107-110, Section 1118(c)(1)]

Parent-School Compacts:
In accordance with Title I regulations, each Title I campus is required to develop and annually updated a Parent-School compact jointly with school administrators, teachers and parents.  The compacts will provide an outline to enable the school and parent to share responsibility for student performance and success.   The compacts should be signed to show they are in agreement by the teacher, parent and student and are encouraged to discuss the contents.   [P.L. 107-110, Section 1118(d)] 

Programs and the School Community:
Title I Parent Education Liaison in MISD will assess the needs of the parents and children in the school community.  The findings will be used to plan workshops or other training and will be made available to educators and parents to address these needs.  Parents will be notified about the training opportunities. [P.L. 107-110, Section 1118(e)(1-2)] 

Staff and Parent Communication:
Title I campuses will communicate with parents on a regular basis.  The Student Handbook will be used to communicate rules/procedures with the parents. Newsletters, teacher notes, the school marquee, conferences, personal contacts, phone calls and written notices will be used to establish and maintain open lines of communication with parents as needed.  As much as possible, all communication will be provided in a language and format the parents can understand.  Parents are encouraged to contact the school or the child’s teacher when questions or problems arise. [P.L. 107-110, Section 1118(e)(5) and (f)]
                       
Funding:
MISD is required to set aside at least 1% of its Title I funds for the purposes of parental involvement.   Those funds are divided among the Title I campuses.  Each campus administrator will assign a Parent Education Campus Liaison at their campus.  The Parent Education Campus Liaison is responsible for documentation of all Parent Involvement activities that occur at their campus and to help educate faculty and staff on the importance of parent involvement. They will work with the district Title I Parent Education Liaison to ensure proper planning and spending of the Title I funds.  Title I funds are supplemental and should not be used if it is required of all campuses in the district or state. [P.L. 107-110, Section 1118(a)(3)(A) and (e)(3)]

Conclusion:
MISD Title I campuses are committed to the success of all students.  We will work together with parents to monitor the effectiveness of our parental involvement and Tile I programs and to provide excellence in education.  The policy will be promoted by the administrators, principals and other school staff as we seek active participation by our parents.