It is the policy of the Seattle School Board to encourage and support family involvement in education, at home, in our schools and communities, and in school governance. The Board recognizes the diversity of family structures, circumstances, and cultural backgrounds and respects families as important decision-makers for their children's education. The Board is committed to the creation and implementation of culturally inclusive and effective school-family partnerships throughout the School District and in each school, and believes these partnerships to be critical to the success of every student.

Reference:
Effective Schools Seminar Report, February 1982
Leave No Child Behind Act of 2001 - 1118

Cross Reference:
School-Family Partnership Procedure F 05.01

BOARD ADOPTED PROCEDURE

I. Introduction

The Board recognizes that parent and family involvement in education has a postiive effect on student achievement and is an important strategy in reducing achievement gaps. The intent of this procedure is to create and maintain a District-wide climate conducive to parent and family involvement and develop and sustain partnerships that support student learning and positive child and youth development in all schools.

II. Definitions

The term "parent" or "family" is used to denote parents, extended family, guardians, or other persons with whom a Seattle Public Schools student lives. "Parent" or "family" may include community members or other concerned adults involved in the student's life, pursuant to state and federal laws surrounding confidentiality.

“School-Family Partnership” is defined as the collaborative interaction between educators and families in activities that promote student learning and positive child and youth development at home, in school, and in the community, including but not limited to regular, two-way, and meaningful communication between parents and school personnel; outreach to families; parent education; volunteering; school decision making; and advocacy.

III. School Family Partnership Advisory Committtee

The Superintendent shall oversee the implementation of this policy and procedure. Planning and oversight will take the following forms:

A. The Superintendent shall establish a standing School-Family Partnerships Advisory Committee to advise the Superintendent in the implementation of the School-Family Partnerships Policy at the school building and District levels.

B. The School-Family Partnership Advisory Committee shall comprise parents who reflect the diversity of Seattle Public Schools families. The Committee shall receive District staff support.

IV. Implementation

Effective implementation of the School-Family Partnership Policy requires the active participation of parents, family members, school staff and central administrators.

A. District Level

1. The School-Family Partnership Advisory Committee shall create a District-wide School-Family Partnership Plan to provide support and technical assistance to schools in order to help them integrate and institutionalize family involvement practices.

The plan should include a framework, guidelines, measurable outcomes and learning opportunities for all staff. The plan should pay particular attention to the involvement of all families regardless of race, creed, color, religion, marital status, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability.

The School-Family Partnership Advisory Committee will present their proposed Plan to the Superintendent for review and implementation.

2. The Superintendent shall develop and maintain an efficient and coordinated District-wide communication system.

The communication system shall keep families informed of District news, school programs, academic matters, community partnerships, involvement opportunities, and where to go for additional information.

Information shall be provided in a timely manner; in multiple formats, including the Internet; and, to the extent feasible, in the languages most prevalent in the District.

B. School Building Level

1. All schools shall include parents or family members from diverse groups in school governance and parents in their student’s intervention planning.

2. All schools shall involve parents in developing, implementing, and sustaining inclusive, culturally appropriate school-family partnership practices that support student achievement.
Those practices shall be described in the school transformation plan and shall include goals, strategies, measurable outcomes, and methods of evaluation.

3. All schools shall convene an annual parents meeting and invite and encourage all family members to attend.

The purpose of this meeting shall be to discuss curriculum and instruction, effective learning environments, parents’ rights to be involved in their child’s school, the importance of family support for student learning and positive child and youth development, the most effective methods of communication between teachers and parents, and community resources for families.

4. All schools shall ensure that families have access to a description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, the proficiency levels students are expected to meet, explanations of state-required tests and test scores, and access to materials, training, and community resources available to parents to work with their children to improve student learning and positive child and youth development.

5. All schools shall offer parents opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children. Schools shall respond to these suggestions as soon as practicably possible.

6. All schools shall provide information to parents about programs, events, and their student’s academic progress on a regular basis. Information shall be provided to parents in a timely manner and, to the extent practicable, in multiple formats (including the Internet) and in languages spoken in students’ homes.

7. All schools shall coordinate parent and family involvement plans and strategies with partner community-based organizations serving their students and families.

C. Title I Schools

Schools that receive Title I funds have special obligations to increase parental involvement in the school and in education and are required to develop school-parent compacts that outline how parents, school staff, and students will share responsibility for improved academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the academic standards set by Seattle Public Schools. The compact shall:

1. Describe the school’s responsibility to provide high quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective environment.

2. Describe the ways in which each parent will be responsible for supporting their child’s learning (e.g., monitoring attendance, homework and television watching; volunteering in their child’s school; participating in decisions relating to the education of their child; and making positive use of extracurricular time).

3. Address the importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis by offering, at a minimum:
a. annual parent-teacher conferences at elementary schools.
b. Frequent reports to parents on their children’s progress.
c. Reasonable access to staff.
d. Opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and time to observe classroom activities.

V. Accountability

1. Schools shall report progress toward meeting the goals of the School-Family Partnership Plan each semester and be evaluated annually.

2. On an annual basis, the School-Family Partnership Advisory Committee shall assess the effectiveness of the School-Family Partnership Plan and shall develop recommendations to the Superintendent on modifications to this procedure. This assessment shall include measures of parent and family involvement, barriers to greater involvement, utilization of school and community resources, and effect on student achievement.

3. The Superintendent and the School-Family Partnership Advisory Committee shall present to the Board, at least annually, a report of progress toward meeting the goals of the School-Family Partnership Plan and recommendations for amending the Plan.

Reference: Leave No Child Behind Act of 2001 §1118, §9101(31), (32)

Cross Reference: School-Family Partnership Policy F 05.00