Federal Programs

Federal Programs support schools across the district to ensure all resources are utilized effectively so each student receives a high-quality education and is prepared for college and future careers. The purpose of the Federal Programs Department is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.

The purpose of Title I is to provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as amended in Dec. 2015 by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) makes it clear that Congress expects local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools receiving federal funds to ensure that parents are actively involved and knowledgeable about their schools and their children’s education. The law requires schools to give parents many different kinds of information and notices in a uniform and understandable format and, to the extent practicable, in a language that the parents can understand.

Listed below are some of these required notices that must be made to parents by school districts or individual public schools.

• Teacher Qualifications and Highly Effective Teachers
  • At the beginning of each year, an LEA shall notify parents that they may request, and the LEA will provide, information regarding whether professionals are highly effective, including the qualifications of the student’s teachers and paraprofessionals. This includes information about whether the student’s teacher: 1) has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction; 2) is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualification or licensing criteria have been waived;  3) is teaching in the field of discipline not of the certification of the teacher; and 4) is teaching alongside paraprofessionals and, if so, the paraprofessional’s qualifications [ESSA § 1112(e)(1)(A)].
• Student Privacy Districts must give parents annual notice at the beginning of the school year of the specific or approximate dates during the school year when the following activities are scheduled or expected to be scheduled:  ✓ activities involving the collection, disclosure, or use of personal student information for the purpose of marketing or selling that information;  ✓ administration of surveys containing request for certain types of sensitive information; and ✓ any nonemergency, invasive physical examination that is required as a condition of attendance, administered by the school, scheduled in advance, and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of student.  A district must develop and adopt policies regarding the rights of parents to inspect:  ✓ third-party surveys before they are administered or distributed to students;  ✓ measures to protect student privacy when surveys ask for certain sensitive information;  ✓ any instructional materials;  ✓ administration of physical examinations or screening of students;  ✓ collection, disclosure, or use of personal information from students for the purpose of marketing or selling that information; and  ✓ the parental right to inspect any instrument used to collect personal information before it is distributed to students.  6     Districts must give parents annual notice of an adoption or continued use of such policies and within a reasonable period of time after any substantive change in such policies [20 U.S.C. 1232g]. Public Release of
• Student Directory Information Under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), an LEA must provide notice to parents of the types of student information that it releases publicly. This type of student information, commonly referred to as “directory information,” includes such items as names, addresses, and telephone numbers and is information generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. The notice must include an explanation of a parent’s right to request that the information not be disclosed without prior written consent.  Additionally, ESSA requires that parents be notified that the school routinely discloses names, addresses, and telephone numbers to military recruiters upon request, subject to a parent’s request not to disclose such information without written consent [§8025].  A single notice provided through a mailing, student handbook, or other method that is reasonably calculated to inform parents of the above information is sufficient to satisfy the parental notification requirements of both FERPA and ESSA. The notification must advise the parent of how to opt out of the public, nonconsensual disclosure of directory information and the method and timeline within which to do so [20 U.S.C. 1232g] [ESEA §8025].
• Military Recruiter Access to Student Information Districts receiving federal education funds must notify parents of secondary school students that they have a right to request their child’s name, address, and telephone number not be released to a military recruiter without their prior written consent. Districts must comply with any such requests [ESEA §8528(a)(2)(B)].
• Parent and Family Engagement A district receiving Title I funds must develop jointly with, agree on with, and distribute to, parents and family members of participating children a written district-level parent and family engagement policy. Each school served under Title I must also develop jointly with, agree on with, and distribute to, parents and family members of participating children a written school-level parent and family engagement policy. If an individual school or district has a parent and family engagement policy that applies to all, it may amend the policy to meet the requirements under the ESEA [ESEA Title I, Part A, §1116(a)(2)] [20 U.S.C. §6318(b); (c)].  Parents shall be notified of the policy in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language the parents can understand. Such policy shall be made available to the local community and updated periodically to meet the changing needs of parents and the school [ESEA Title I, Part A, §1116(b)(1)]. Schools must: ✓ hold at least one annual meeting for Title I parents;  ✓ offer a flexible number of meetings;  ✓ involve parents and families in an ongoing manner in the planning, review, and improvement of Title I programs;  ✓ provide Title I parents and families with timely information about the programs, a description and explanation of the curriculum, forms of academic assessment and expected levels of student proficiency;  ✓ if requested, provide opportunities for regular meetings to discuss decisions related to the education of their children; and  ✓ develop a school-parent compact that outlines the responsibilities of each party for improved student academic achievement [ESEA Title I, Part A, §1116(c)].
• Report Cards on Statewide Academic Assessment Each school district that receives Title I, Part A funds must prepare and disseminate an annual report card. Generally, the state or district must include on its report card information about public schools related to student achievement, accountability, teacher qualifications and other required information, as well as any other information that the state or district deems relevant.  These report cards must be concise and presented in an understandable and uniform format accessible to persons with disabilities and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language that parents can understand. In Tennessee, these requirements are met through the state’s report card [ESEA Title I, Part A, §1111(h)(1) and (h)(2)].
• Achievement on State Assessment All schools must provide to parents, teachers, and principals the individual student interpretive, descriptive, and diagnostic reports, which allow specific academic needs to be understood and addressed, and include information on the student’s achievement on academic assessments aligned with state academic achievement standards [ESEA §1111(b)(2)(B)(x)].
• National Assessment of Education Progress Districts, schools, and students may voluntarily participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Parents of children selected to participate in any NAEP assessment must be informed before the assessment is administered that their child may be excused from participation for any reason, is not required to finish any assessment, and is not required to answer any test question. A district must make reasonable efforts to inform parents and the public about their right to access all assessment data (except personally identifiable information), questions, and current assessment instruments [ESEA Title VI, Part C, §411(c)(1); (d)(1)–(2))].
• Schoolwide Programs An eligible school operating a schoolwide program shall make the comprehensive plan available to the LEA, parents, and the public. The information contained in such plan shall be in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language that the parents can understand [20 U.S.C. §6314][ESEA Title I, Part A, §1114].
• English Learner Programs A school district that uses federal funds to provide a language instruction education program for English learners must no later than 30 days after the beginning of the school year inform the parents of each child identified for participation or participating in such a program:  ✓ the reasons for the identification of the child as an English learner;  ✓ the child’s level of English proficiency;  ✓ how that level was determined and the status of the child’s academic achievement;  ✓ methods of instruction used in the program in which their child is participating and methods of instruction used in other available programs;  ✓ how the program will meet the educational strengths and needs of their child;  ✓ how the program will specifically help their child learn English and meet age-appropriate academic achievement standards for grade promotion and graduation;  ✓ the specific exit requirements for the program; ✓ in the case of a child with a disability, how the program meets the child’s IEP objectives; and  ✓ information about parental rights detailing the right of parents to have their child immediately removed from such program upon their request and the options that parents have to decline to 8 enroll their child in such program or to choose another available program or method of instruction.  For a child not identified as an English learner prior to the beginning of the school year, the district must notify parents within the first two weeks of the child being placed in such a program [ESEA Title I, Part A, §1112].
• Homeless Children  To be eligible for McKinney-Vento funds, the school must provide written notice at the time any child seeks enrollment in the school, and at least twice annually while the child is enrolled in the school, to the parent or guardian or unaccompanied youth that, shall be signed by the parent or guardian or unaccompanied youth; that sets forth the general rights provided; and specifically states: ✓ the choice of schools homeless children are eligible to attend;  ✓ that no homeless child is required to attend a separate school for homeless children;  ✓ that homeless children shall be provided comparable services, including transportation services, educational services, and meals; and ✓ that homeless children should not be stigmatized by school personnel. If the district sends a homeless child to a school other than the school of origin or the school requested by the parent or guardian, the district must provide the parents a written explanation for, including notice of the right to appeal, the decision. The information must also be provided whenever a dispute arises over school selection [ESSA Title IX, Part C, §722(g)(3)(B)]. Each LEA liaison for homeless children and youth shall ensure the parents or guardians of homeless children and youth are informed of the educational and related opportunities available to their children and are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children [ESSA Title IX, Part C, §722(g)(6)(A)(iv)]. Public notice of the educational rights of homeless children and youths is disseminated where such children and youths receive services under the McKinney-Vento Act, such as schools, family shelters, and soup kitchens [ESSA Title X, Part C, §722(g)(6)(A)(v)].
• 21st Century Community Learning Centers A program or activity funded as part of a 21st Century Community Learning Center providing before and after school activities to advance student academic achievement must undergo periodic evaluation to assess its progress toward achieving its goal of providing high-quality opportunities for academic enrichment. The results of evaluations shall be made available to the public upon request, with public notice of such availability provided [ESEA §4205(b)(2)].
• Waiver Request If a school district requests the U.S. Secretary of Education to waive any provision or regulation of the ESEA, it must provide notice and information about the waiver to the public in the manner in which is customarily provides public notice [20 U.S.C. §7861(b)(3)(B)] [ESEA Title IX, Part D, §8401(b)(3)(B)(ii)]. 

Parents and family members of children receiving Title I services shall be involved in the decision regarding how Title I funds reserved for parent and family engagement are allotted for parental involvement activities.  These funds shall be used to carry out activities and strategies consistent with KCS’ parent and family engagement policy, including not less than one of the following:

• A. Supporting schools and nonprofit organizations in providing professional development for district and school personnel regarding parent and family engagement strategies, which may be provided jointly to teachers, principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, paraprofessionals, early childhood educators, and parents and family members.
• B. Supporting programs that reach parents and family members at home, in the community, and at school.
• C. Disseminiating information on best practices focused on parent and family engagement, especially best practices for increasing the engagement of economically disadvantaged parents and family members.
• D. Collaborating, or providing sub-grants to schools to enable such schools to collaborate, with community based or other organizations or employers with a record of success in improving and increasing parents and family engagement.
• E. Engaging in any other activities and strategies that CCBOE determines are approporiate and consistent with its parent and family engagement policy. Each Title I school shall jointly develop with, and distribute to, parents and family members of participating children a written parent and family engagement policy, agreed on by such parents, that shall describe the means for carrying out the requirements of subsections C-G listed above.  Parents shall be notified of the policy in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language the parents can understand.  Such policy shall by made available to the local community and updated periodically to meet the changing needs of parents and the school.

Each Title I school shall:

• A. Convene an annual meeting, at a convenient time, to which all parents of participating children shall be invited and encouraged to attend, to inform parents of their school’s participation under this part and to explain the requirements of this part, and the right of the parents to be involved;
• B. Offer a flexible number of meetings in the morning or evening, and may provide, with funds provided under this part, transportation, child care, or home visits, as such services relate to parental involvement;  
• C. Involve parents, in an organized, ongoing and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of Title I programs, including the school parent and family engagement policy and the joint development of the school-wide program plan;
• D. Provide parents of participating children: • Timely information about programs, • A description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the achievement levels of the challenging State academic standards, and • If requested by parents, opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children, and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible.
• E. Jointly develop with parents a school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve Tennessee’s high standards.  
  • The compact shall: 
    • Describe the school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables the children served to meet the challenging State academic standards, and the ways in which each parent will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning, volunteering in their child’s classroom, and participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children and positive use of extracurricular time, and
    • Address the importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis through, at a minimum – parent-teacher conferences, children’s progress reports, reasonable access to staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in child’s class and observation of classroom activities, and ensuring regular two-way, meaningful communication between family members and school staff, and to the extent practicable, in a language that family members can understand.