Marshall County Schools

A. Describe how the local education agency will involve parents and family members in jointly developing the LEA Consolidated Plan under section 1112, and the development of support and improvement plans for any schools identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI), Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI), and Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) as described in 1111(d)(1) and (2).

Narrative:

Marshall County Schools is committed to involving parents and family members in the development and review of both the LEA Consolidated Plan and the support and improvement plans for schools identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI), Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI), and Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI). To ensure parents are integral to these processes, the LEA will make the LEA Consolidated Plan, including the Parental Involvement Plan, available through multiple accessible channels: at system-wide meetings, local schools, the central office, and online on the district’s website. Parents will be notified during the annual Title I meeting that they can provide feedback on any aspect of the plan. The Needs/Evaluation Survey will be a key avenue for parents to share suggestions for program improvement, and a comment section will be provided for narrative responses. Additionally, principals, counselors, and teachers will work together to address parent concerns and feedback.

For schools identified for CSI, TSI, or ATSI, the LEA will ensure that parents play an active role in the development of school improvement plans. Schools will hold regular meetings, forums, and workshops where parents, teachers, and administrators can discuss student performance data and identify areas for growth. These sessions will provide opportunities for parents to review data, provide feedback, and participate in collaborative planning to set school goals and assist in selecting evidence-based strategies to address academic gaps. Parents are always invited to participate and provide input on the selection of interventions, professional development needs, resources for the school, etc.

Throughout the implementation phase, the LEA will maintain ongoing communication with parents through regular updates on the progress of the improvement plans. These updates will be shared through newsletters, school websites, and meetings. Additionally, at the end of each year, the LEA will facilitate an annual review of the improvement plans with parents to assess their effectiveness and gather further feedback for making necessary adjustments. To ensure that all parents have the opportunity to participate, the district will offer materials in multiple languages, schedule meetings at times that accommodate parents’ work schedules, and offer multiple meetings to maximize attendance.

By fostering inclusive partnerships with families and maintaining open lines of communication, Marshall County Schools will ensure that school improvement efforts are responsive to the needs of students and families. Through these collaborative efforts, parents and family members will have a voice in shaping the direction of both the LEA Consolidated Plan and the improvement plans for identified schools, ultimately improving student outcomes and ensuring the success of every child.

B. Describe how the Local Education Agency will provide the coordination, technical assistance, and other support necessary to assist and build the capacity of all participating schools within the local educational agency in planning and implementing effective parent and family involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance, which may include meaningful consultation with employers, business leaders, and philanthropic organizations, or individuals with expertise in effectively engaging parents and family members in education.

Narrative:

To be successful, a school system must take advantage of all their resources, experiences, knowledge, and skills. These community resources include meaningful consultation with employers, business leaders, and philanthropic organizations, or individuals with expertise in engaging parents and family members in education. These community resources have a vested interested interest in education and the functions of the school system. School systems have the opportunity to profit from community leaders being involved with students. The school system should utilize not only the business perspective of the community, but other resources, such as senior citizen groups, public health institutions, fine art clubs, community groups/clubs, and fitness/wellness centers.

Marshall County School System will:
*Partner between local businesses and groups/clubs to assist families and students;
*Distribute literature and information about community events;
*Promote student parent participation in community events;
*Invite community members to volunteer in the schools. (Ex. Progress Rail partners with Asbury Elementary and Douglas Elementary with Project Literacy by providing mentors to read to students & RSVP reads with younger students at primary);
*Collaborate with various organizations and agencies to ensure all parents are able to be involved with their children's education;
*Utilize Lady Liberty to celebrate diversity, community, and patriotism;
*Encourage employers to support parent involvement;
*Inspire students and parents to "give back" to the community through service learning projects (ex. Master Gardeners work with Brindlee Elementary Students to create gardens).

Parent involvement provides an important opportunity for our schools to enrich and enhance the already existing programs and include parents in the educational process.

Examples of community/parent/student/school partnerships include:

*Project Literacy (Progress Rail and AES & DES)
*Master Gardeners (Brindlee Elem)
*Daughters of American Revolution (Kate Duncan Smith Campus PreK-12)

*RSVP (Elementary)

*Various Military Recruiters (provide lunch/meals for parent involvement activities with MCBOE staff) *Senior Centers
*Rotary and Civitan Clubs (provide scholarships/internship opportunities)
*CDL Employees/Parents - drive for free for our students the various field trips

*YMCA - Huntsville - coordination with YMCA for various services including tutoring and meals

*Health Agencies - provide medical information for our parents/staff/students (bilingual staff available)
*Sarrell Dental & Vision - free screenings and results. This information is used to involve parents in discussions of children's health.

*Many more partnerships with community members to increase parental involvement and community involvement with our students.

C. Describe how the Local Education Agency will coordinate and integrate parent and family engagement strategies under this part with parent and family engagement strategies, to the extent feasible and appropriate, with other relevant Federal, State, and local laws and programs.

Narrative:

The school district will put into operation programs, activities, strategies, and procedures for the involvement of parents in all of its schools with Title I, Part A programs, consistent with section 1118 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Those programs, activities, strategies, and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children. Consistent with section 1118, the school district will work with its schools to ensure that the required school-level parental involvement policies meet the requirements of section 1118(b) of the ESEA, and each include, as a component, a school-parent compact consistent with section 1118(d) of the ESEA.

If the LEA plan for Title I, Part A, developed under section 1112 of the ESEA, is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school district will submit any parent comments with the plan when the school district submits the plan to the State Department of Education.
The school district will involve the parents of children served in Title I, Part A Schools in decisions about how the one percent of Title I, Part A funds reserved for parental involvement is spent and will ensure that not less than 90% of the one percent reserved goes directly to the school.

The district will hold an annual Title I Parent Advisory Committee in September to overview with the parents how Federal and state money is being spent to support school programs and initiatives. Parents will be given the opportunity to provide feedback at this meeting. The Marshall County System Parental Involvement Plan will be distributed to parents and feedback will be requested. Additionally, a Title I survey will be provided to parents in English and Spanish requesting feedback.

Each school will hold an annual Title I Parent Night. Translators will be utilized. Each school will explain to parents what it means to be a Title I school and how the Title I money is utilized within their school to benefit their child. Parents will be asked to complete a survey and will be offered an opportunity to provide parental feedback. Parents will be encouraged to participate within the school.

D. Describe how the local education agency will conduct, with the meaningful involvement of parents and family members, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of all schools served under Title I, Part A, that includes identifying barriers to greater participation by parents in activities authorized by this section (with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background).

Narrative:

In carrying out the Title I, Part A parent involvement requirements, to the extent, the school district and its schools will provide full opportunities for participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, parents with limited literacy, parents of ethnic minority background, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and schools reports required under ESSA in an understandable and uniform format and, including alternative formats upon requests, and to the extent practical, in a language parents understand.

If the LEA plan for Title I, Part A, developed under section 1112 of the ESEA, is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school district will submit any parent comments with the plan when the school district submits the plan to the State Department of Education.
With limited English speaking parents, translators will be utilized to translate the documents or to translate in the parents' native language at the Title I meeting. The parent plan and survey will be provided to parents through the Marshall County website or at the Title I meeting. The survey will be available in the parents' native language online or with a paper copy.

The LEA will administer a Parent Needs/Evaluation Survey in the fall and spring of each year seeking input about the effectiveness of the overall programs and parental involvement plans.
Information compiled is used along with other data in the comprehensive needs assessment to determine the overall effectiveness of system programs and the parental involvement plan. A comment section is provided for narrative response.

A Needs Assessment will be conducted. At a minimum, the Federal Programs Supervisor, EL Staff Representative, Migrant Liaison, Professional Development Supervisor, and Principal will conduct a Needs Assessment/Evaluation of the LEA Parental Involvement Plan.
*All data will be compiled into a system report. Barriers to participation will be identified. A plan of action to overcome barriers, if necessary, for the upcoming school year will be developed.
*Methods used may include revision of the LEA plan, professional development for staff and parents, purchasing new materials and supplies, employing additional staff, and research on specific areas which need to be addressed.

E. Describe how the local education agency will conduct, with the meaningful involvement of parents and family members, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of all schools served under Title I, Part A, that includes identifying the needs of parents and family members to assist with the learning of their children, including engaging with school personnel and teachers.

Narrative:

*Provide assistance/in-service to parents to develop tutoring skills for monitoring homework and other assignments.

*Assist parents in interpreting assessment results prior to and after testing.
*Provide parents/teachers with information that render conferences that are more meaningful.
*Encourage parents to schedule periodic parent-teacher conferences.

*The district has scheduled 4 parent and family engagement days into the school calendar to provide quarterly access to the staff and schools.

F. Describe how the local education agency will conduct, with the meaningful involvement of parents and family members, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of all schools served under Title I, Part A, that includes identifying strategies to support successful school and family interactions.

Marshall County Schools will, with the assistance of its schools, provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children's academic achievement, such as literacy training, and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement, through:

*Employing a contract Parent Engagement Specialist who will coordinate parent engagement activities and events with all schools.
*A System-Wide Advisory Council which includes the Parent Advisory Council who meets twice yearly to discuss the effective use of the parental involvement funds.
*Parent education opportunities provided in collaboration with federal programs, local schools, 21st Century Community Learning Centers and Marshall County Home Visitation Program. Parents are notified about these opportunities through advertisements in the local newspapers, website, radio, and flyers.

Marshall County accomplishes this through:
*The System has early release Friday to allow parents to come in from 2:00-3:00pm. The system has also scheduled 4 parent and family engagement calendar days as opportunities for parent involvement.
*All Schools hold orientation (some in Spanish) to explain to parents expectations, test scores, and what the upcoming year will hold and how parents can help their child/children succeed.
*All Schools hold a Title I night and explain what it means to be a Title I school. Parents are given a copy of the Parent Involvement Plan and are asked to provide feedback and suggestions.
*Schools hold an Open House in the Fall and in the Spring. This is an opportunity for parents to visit classrooms and talk with teachers and staff about the academic achievement of their child/children. It's also a time to ask questions about ways to become involved with the school.
*High Schools utilize extracurricular activities to facilitate parent interaction and successful school and family interaction. Booster Meetings, Musical Theater, Sporting events, and music events are opportunities to have parents discuss the needs of their child/children. These opportunities are taken to encourage school and family interaction.
*Marshall County has 12 Department of Early Childhood (DECE) preschools. Parents are required to have 18 hours in parental involvement. Teachers work with parents so that parents are given strategies to support successful school and family interactions. Many of the DECE preschool parents volunteer in the preschool classroom and see firsthand how to connect school to home to support learning.

G. Describe how the local education agency will use the findings of such evaluation described in the section above (Sec. 1116(2)(D)) to design evidence-based strategies for more effective parental involvement, and to revise, if necessary, the parent and family engagement policies described in this section.

Narrative:

The LEA will administer a Parent Needs/Evaluation Survey in the fall and spring of each year seeking input about the effectiveness of the overall programs and parental involvement plans.
Information compiled is used along with other data in the comprehensive needs assessment to determine the overall effectiveness of system programs and the parental involvement plan. A comment section is provided for narrative response.

A Needs Assessment will be conducted. At a minimum, the Federal Programs Supervisor, EL Staff Representative, Migrant Liaison, Professional Development Supervisor, and Principal will conduct a Needs Assessment/Evaluation of the LEA Parental Involvement Plan.
*All data will be compiled into a system report. Barriers to participation will be identified. A plan of action to overcome barriers, if necessary, for the upcoming school year will be developed.
*Methods used may include revision of the LEA plan, professional development for staff and parents, purchasing new materials and supplies, employing additional staff, and research on specific areas which need to be addressed.

H. Describe how the local education agency will involve parents in the activities of the schools served under this part, which may include establishing a parent advisory board comprised of a sufficient number and representative group of parents or family members served by the local educational agency to adequately represent the needs of the population served by such agency for the purposes of developing, revising, and reviewing the parent and family engagement policy.

Narrative:

The Marshall County School System will take the following actions to conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parental involvement plan in improving the quality of its Title I schools. The evaluation will include identifying barriers to greater participation by parents in parental involvement activities (with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background). The school district will use the findings of the evaluation about its parental involvement plan and activities to design strategies for more effective parental involvement and to revise, if necessary (and with the involvement of parents) its parental involvement plan.

*Administer a parent Needs/Evaluation Survey in the fall and spring of each year seeking input about the effectiveness of the overall programs and parental involvement plans.

*Conduct a Needs Assessment
*Invite all parent to an annual meeting during the fall semester to explain the school-wide Title I Plan

*Hold an orientation specifically designed for the unique needs of ESL families; provide translation as needed.
*Parents at the Title I meeting will be encouraged to become part of the district-wide process of planning, reviewing, and improving the district parental involvement plan.
*Copies of the plan will be made available at the Parent Advisory Meeting and comments will be encouraged during the meeting and afterwards. Parents will be encouraged to contact the Federal Programs Supervisor with any suggestions or comments.

- In order to build capacity for parent and family engagement, the local education agency will ensure effective involvement of parents and will support a partnership among the school involved, the parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement, the local education agency shall:

I. Describe how it will provide assistance to parents of children served by the school or local educational agency, as appropriate, in understanding such topics as the challenging State academic standards, State and local academic assessments, the requirements of this part, and how to monitor a child's progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children.

Narrative:

The most critical component regarding student achievement remains the connection between the parent and the teacher. Clear and concise expectations must always exist. It is a proven fact that not all learning can take place in the school and that children will need additional help from their parents. Most parents are willing to assist their children in learning, but many are not sure what assistance is most helpful and appropriate.

Methods used to connect parents with their children's learning so that parents will support the value of education, and the achievements of their children include methods such as:

*Utilize a contract parent engagement specialist to help plan and coordinate activities and events for parents based on the Title I Survey and school’s needs assessments.
*Provide professional development sessions for teachers and staff about techniques to engage parents in learning.

*Offer training opportunities or "parenting nights" for parents to acquire learning strategies to assist their children at home. At the elementary level, parenting nights offer opportunities for parents to see and participate in a "day" in the life of their child.
*At the middle and high school, parents are offered opportunities to visit schools and speak with classroom teachers. Additionally, At the middle and high school level, opportunities are taken at extracurricular events to offer opportunities to speak with parents about the child's progress.

*The Marshall County School System issues a password in PowerSchool to all parents so that parents can monitor a child's progress in coursework and test, now available in an application through their phones.

*Progress reports are sent home mid-nine weeks. Parent conferences (with a translator if necessary) will be held with parents who are considered at risk of failing. These students will be monitored, parents will be conferenced with, and strategies for parents to use for working with their children.

*All Marshall County Schools provide parents with timely information about programs under Title I during the Annual Title I Parent Meeting. Principals, Assistant Principals, teachers, ESL teachers, and literacy coaches explain the curriculum in use at the school and how it is aligned to the Alabama State Course of Study for each grade. Parents are given information about the state's adopted assessment plan including the PreACT, ACT, ACT Work Keys, ACCESS 2.0, and ACAP. Assessment tools such as DIBELS, STAR Math, STAR Reading, and IEXCEL, etc. will also be discussed. It is communicated during this meeting that parents are given the opportunity to request regular meetings to formulate suggestions and participate as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children.

*Regular Parent/Teacher Conferences are held at each school and preschool.
*Administrators and teachers are always available to assist with parents' needs and concerns.

*School climates are welcoming and non-threatening to all parents.

J. Describe how it will provide materials and training to help parents to work with their children to improve their children's achievement, such as literacy training and using technology (including education about the harms of copyright piracy), as appropriate, to foster parental involvement.

Narrative:

The Marshall County School System will accomplish this by:
*Coordinating necessary literacy training to help parents to work with their children in order to improve academic achievement;
*Providing parent resource centers to make parenting videos, books, magazines, and literature available to parents;
*Educating parents about community - based agencies and organizations where additional assistance may be obtained;
*Supplying materials and training to help parents interact with their children at home;
*Providing parents various opportunities to learn about child development and child rearing through the provision of in-service programs and the distribution of various materials. These programs will assist parents in understanding the physical, intellectual, and emotional needs of their child, beginning at birth;
*Various agencies and resources in the community will be utilized to assist the child's success in school;
*Promote family literacy and parenting skills through parent resources provided at individual schools;
*Promote family literacy through the coordination of community businesses and schools (Project Literacy with Progress Rail);
*Promote family training classes to help parents become full partners in the education of their child;
*The ESL/Migrant/Homeless Liaison, Twenty First Century Team Leaders, Professional Development Supervisor, and Federal Programs Supervisor, work collaboratively to coordinate all parent involvement activities;

*Twenty-first Century Team Leaders provide parent training on technology and the harms of copyright piracy to foster parental involvement;
*Local schools have a parent involvement committee responsible for planning additional activities at their schools;
*Coordinating necessary literacy training and using technology from other sources to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s achievement;
*Training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s achievement.

K. Describe how it will educate teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals, and other school leaders, and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school.

Narrative:

Marshall County Schools will, with the assistance of its schools and parents, educate its teachers, pupil services personnel, principals and other staff, in how to reach out to communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners. The value and utility of contributions of parents and how to implement and coordinate parent programs and build ties between parent and schools will be developed and:

*Will provide teachers with professional learning activities on how to conduct a parent-teacher conference;
*Will conduct professional learning activities with teachers on ways to communicate with parents in order to embrace them as a partner in educating their children and help create a resource inventory to identify strengths, skills, and cultural and contextual knowledge of both parents and faculty members;

*Will conduct professional learning activities on how to establish and maintain respectful and productive relationships with families;
*Will utilize newsletters, websites, and forms of social media to communicate with families;
*Bilingual personnel will be hired to help facilitate parental involvement. (Preschool, Secretarial, Learning Resource Center, Classroom Teachers, Special Education Staff, and Translators).

L. Describe how it will to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with other Federal, State, and local programs, including public preschool programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children.

Narrative:

The Marshall County School System:

*Will utilize a contract parent engagement specialist to coordinate and develop activities and events for parents to participate at various times throughout the day and year.
*Will provide parents various opportunities to learn about child development and child rearing through the provisions of in-service programs and the distribution of various materials. These programs will assist parents in understanding the physical, intellectual, and emotional needs of their child, beginning at birth. These programs will also explain strategies, which parents can utilize to assist the healthy, physical, intellectual, and emotional development of their child. Various agencies and resources in the community will be utilized to assist the child's success in school.

*Promote family literacy through parent resources and “reading nights” hosted at individual schools.
*Title I Night will be provided at each school. Translators will be used to share important information about each school and system, including test scores, expectations, and special announcements pertinent to the school. Parents will be given an opportunity to provide feedback through a Parent Survey and Open Forum.

*Marshall County Home Visitation Preschool (Birth-5 years), Collaborative Preschools, and Office of School Readiness Preschools, provide a minimum of 18 hours of family enrichment workshops through parenting classes, special presentations, and parent-teacher sessions. These workshops/programs will be offered monthly with special presentations planned as to the needs identified in the group.

*Provides through our Migrant Program, home-based activities which include parental involvement strategies planned according to the needs of each family.
*Works collaboratively with the EL Staff, Twenty-first Century Staff, After School Staff, Special Education Supervisor, Professional Development Supervisor, and Federal Programs Supervisor to coordinate all parent involvement activities.

*Utilize our Homeless Liaisons to make home visits and conduct parent meetings with families who need support. The Liaisons coordinate with other community service agencies and shares this information with parents so that they can help themselves and their children.
*Utilizes translators with our Spanish Speaking Population to actively engage parents in the learning process for their child/children.

*All local schools have a parent involvement committee responsible for planning additional activities.

M. Describe how it will ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to the parents of participating children in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand.

Narrative:

One of the most important tools in any partnership is communication. It is the foundation of a solid partnership. When parents and educators communicate effectively, positive relationships develop, problems are solved, and the students make greater progress. Effective home-school communication is the two-way sharing of information vital to student success. Therefore, Marshall County School System will promote regular, two-way, meaningful communication between home and school in the parent's primary language (if possible).

Every effort will be made to communicate with parents in their primary language.
We recognize the unique challenges of our EL families and hold an orientation specifically designed for their needs at each campus with translators. Because we recognize the need for Spanish speaking translators with a population of over 1600 parents who speak Spanish as a first language, the Marshall County School System has employed 10 Spanish Speaking Personnel to directly work with parents/students. We have employed 5 additional bilingual personnel within our special-needs preschool DECE preschool, Special Education Department, and Primary Schools to assist with our bilingual personnel within our special needs preschool, DECE preschool, Special Education Department, and Primary Schools to assist with our parents/students.

The Marshall County School System recognizes the need for bilingual personnel and highly recruits qualified bilingual personnel.

Marshall County School System utilizes the following pieces to communicate with parents. (Translators will either translate the documents or be available at the event):

*Language Line

*MasterWord (ALSDE provides)

*One-Call System
*Talking Points App
*Marshall County Website
*E-Mail
*REMIND

*Smore – digital, translatable flyers

*Flyers/Brochures
*Parent/Student Handbook

*Newsletters
*Announcement in the local newspaper

*Bilingual Radio Station

*Annual Title I Parent Night at each campus

*District Advisory Council
*System Level Parent Advisory Council Meetings

N. Describe how the local education agency will ensure it provides such other reasonable support for parental involvement activities under this section as parents may request.

Narrative:

Methods used may include revision of the LEA plan, professional development for staff and parents, purchasing new materials and supplies, employing additional staff, and research on specific areas which need to be addressed.

O. Describe how the local education agency may involve parents in the development of training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness of such training.

Narrative:

*Educate teachers, pupil services personnel, principals and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between home and school.
*Coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs, activities and strategies with DECE Preschools through the Department of Early Childhood Education, Special Needs Preschool, 21st Century Learning Communities, Head Start, Migrant, Homeless, English as a Second Language, Career Technical Education, Parents as Teachers Program, and other programs, to the extent feasible and appropriate.

P. Describe how the local education agency may provide necessary literacy training from funds received under this part if the local educational agency has exhausted all other reasonably available sources of funding for such training.

Narrative:

*Many schools offer classes to parents/guardians, which ties to reading, math, science, curriculum, assessment, graduation requirements, parent leadership training, and ways of helping their students be successful in school. Building relations between families and schools is key to getting more families to attend information meetings that will benefit the whole school community.

*Marshall County School System partners with a local business, Progress Rail, to train parents and employees in literacy activities to utilize in schools as a mentoring/volunteering activity with our youth.

*If parents have identified literacy training as a concern for the academic success of their children, Marshall County Schools will utilize trained EL staff and literacy coaches to help provide literacy training and materials needed to conduct training.

Q. Describe how the local education agency may pay reasonable and necessary expenses associated with local parental involvement activities, including transportation and childcare costs, to enable parents to participate in school-related meetings and training sessions.

Narrative:

*The Marshall County School System is aware that poverty does create a hardship for attending parental involvement activities. The Marshall County School System may use funds to help pay for childcare so that parents can attend the meeting. This can be accomplished through the after-school program youth employees and staff. A partnership with several of our high school civic organizations may be established so that free childcare can be provided by students who are earning volunteer hours for their civic organization such as Jr. Civitan, Rotary, Interact, National Honor Society, or Mu Alpha Theta. After school staff employed by the Marshall County School System will oversee the childcare activities while parents attend meetings.

*Evidenced-based materials necessary for the parental involvement activities will be purchased for parental involvement activities.
*Parental Involvement Activities will be offered on a flexible schedule to accommodate parents on different work schedules. Ex. Orientation at several schools was offered in a multitude of ways: over several days, over an extended period of time 12:00-8:00, virtually, and over two different
time periods such as morning session and night session. The Marshall County School System will continue to explore different strategies to increase parental involvement at schools.

*Marshall County built in 4 calendar days for parent and family engagement activities so that parents could have a flexible and quarterly opportunity to come in and discuss their child/children. This will also provide the schools the opportunity to provide helpful information about upcoming events in the school.

R. Describe how the local education agency may train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents.

Narrative:

*Marshall County Schools will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parental involvement programs and activities with Parents as Teachers, preschool, and other programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating the education of their children.
*Parents will be encouraged to be trained as parent volunteer in the schools so that other parents will participate.
*Parenting activities and literacy training will be available for parents to encourage school involvement and modeling for other parents.

S. Describe how the local education agency may arrange school meetings at a variety of times, or conduct in-home conferences between teachers or other educators, who work directly with participating children, with parents who are unable to attend such conferences at school, in order to maximize parental involvement and participation.

Narrative:

The LEA values the involvement of teachers, educators, and parents. The Marshall County School System will work towards maximizing parental involvement and participation through the following methods:
*School Meetings will be arranged at various times (Several Back to School Orientations are held all day to allow parent flexibility in work schedule. Several Schools offer orientation over several days. Make up orientation and meetings are also held);

*Meetings may be scheduled in the morning/some in the afternoon to allow opportunities for more parents to participate.

*Parents may schedule conferences at different times in the day to accommodate work schedule. *Conferences may be held at the home through a home visit with parent permission.
*Phone and video conferences may be held so that parents may participate.

*Live streaming of several events including public meetings, athletic events, and musical programs are offered at several schools so that parents can watch from work or home if necessary.

*Translators are utilized with parents who have a first language other than English.
*Translators work with faculty and parents to schedule home visits and conferences in the home if necessary.

T. Describe how the local education agency may adopt and implement model approaches to improving parental involvement.

Narrative:

The LEA employs a Parent and Family Engagement Specialist who works with the schools to coordinate activities for parental involvement. The LEA will seek to provide additional training and professional development for principals, staff, counselors and other key people in implementing parental involvement. The Professional Development Supervisor implemented a Peer Helper for identified staff & students before school started to encourage mentorship and guidance for students. The Supervisor met with Principals of Schools to discuss strategies to involve second language learners and parents in Spanish speaking data nights by utilizing bilingual personnel.

The LEA will conduct a parent Title I survey and will offer an opportunity at Title I nights and PAC meetings to discuss and offer ways to improve parental involvement. The survey results will be used to help the LEA improve parental involvement. This may include finding ways to offer childcare, offering parent meetings at various times or online, etc.
Each school is responsible for establishing a student-parent-teacher-compact. This compact contains input from the parents.

U. Describe how the local education agency may establish a districtwide parent advisory council to provide advice on all matters related to parental involvement in programs supported under this section.

Narrative:

The LEA will establish a district-wide Parent Advisory Council to provide advice on all matters related to parental involvement. The parents will be invited to participate at the Local Schools. Principals will identify parents who are willing to work with the LEA so that parental involvement may be improved.

The district-wide Parent Advisory Council will utilize survey results and suggestions from the parents in making determinations in parental involvement activities. The LEA realizes that a successful school system does utilize their resources which include the parents. Parents on the district-wide committee will help with the process of planning, reviewing, and improving the Title I programs including planning, reviewing, and improving the district parental involvement plan. Copies of the plan will be made available at the Parent Advisory Meeting and comments will be encouraged during the meeting and afterwards. Parents will be encouraged to contact the Federal Programs Supervisor with any suggestions or comments.

V. Describe how the local education agency may develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in parent involvement activities.

Narrative:

Marshall County will develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in parent involvement activities, including providing information about opportunities for organizations and businesses to work with parents and schools, and encouraging the formation of partnerships between elementary, middle, and secondary schools and local businesses that include a role for parents. For example, Progress Rail works with 3 schools to provide literacy training for parents and turns around in schools with students. United Way works with schools to provide necessary and needed supplies for students. Christmas Coalition works with counselors and ESL staff to identify families who may need help with Christmas for students. Rotary is partnering with schools to provide 8th grade community reading. Libby Liberty organization provides character education to grades 2 & 5. The YMCA provides resources. Salvation Army works to help provide necessary food & resources for families. The Room at An Inn helps provide shelter for our homeless students and families and assists parents in getting back on their feet.

W. Describe how the local education agency will provide opportunities for the informed participation of parents and family members (including parents and family members who have limited English proficiency, parents and family members with disabilities, and parents and family members of migratory children), including providing information and school reports required under section 1111 in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language such parents understand.

Narrative:

The Marshall County Schools will take the following actions to conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of this parental involvement plan in improving the quality of its Title I schools. The evaluation will include identifying barriers to greater participation by parents in parental involvement activities. The school district will use the findings of the evaluation about its parental involvement plan and activities to design evidence-based strategies for more effective parental involvement, and to revise, if necessary, with the involvement of parents, its parental involvement plan. The system will:

*Administer a Parent Needs/Evaluation Survey in the fall and spring of each year seeking input about the effectiveness of the overall programs and parental involvement plans.
*Information will be compiled and used with other data in the comprehensive needs assessment to determine the overall effectiveness of the systems programs and parental involvement plan.

*A comment section is provided for narrative response.
*A Needs Assessment will be conducted. At a minimum, the Federal Programs Supervisor, EL staff, Principal, Professional Development Supervisor, and parent will conduct a Needs Assessment/Evaluation of the LEA Parental Involvement Plan.

*All data will be compiled into a system report. Barriers to participation will be identified. A plan of action to overcome barriers, if necessary for the upcoming school year will be developed.
*Methods may include revision of the LEA plan, professional development for staff and parents, purchasing new materials and supplies, employing additional staff, and research on specific areas that need to be addressed.

*As specific areas are identified from the Needs Assessment, evidence-based strategies for more effective parental involvement will be identified. These may include additional parenting skills, how to tutor their child, additional strategies to utilize when working with their child/children in literacy and math. Modeling activities to demonstrate how to read to and with students. Explanations of how to use technology to help their child/children to complete assignments for school. Developing a resource center for parents to utilize when seeking information for parental involvement.

A district-wide Parent Advisory Council meeting was held to discuss the Consolidated Plan and overview what a Title I program includes. District Allocations were discussed. A power point was used to demonstrate how the Title I allocations were used by the district down to the school level. Various personnel discussed programs included within Title I. A handout was provided at the PAC to reflect the mandated requirements of the Consolidated Plan. The Marshall County Board of Education provided hard copies to parents and committee members to discuss and review. The LEA Parent and Family Engagement Policy was agreed on as evidenced by the sign in sheet from the PAC meeting. Opportunities for input are given. Parents had no changes.

This LEA Parent and Family Engagement Policy has been developed jointly with, and agreed on with, parents of children participating in Title I, Part A programs as evidenced by:

Narrative:

A district-wide Parent Advisory Council meeting was held in person to discuss the Consolidated Plan and overview what a Title I program includes. District Allocations were discussed. A power-point was used to demonstrate how the Title I allocations were used by the district down to the school level. Various personnel discussed programs included within Title I. A handout was provided at the PAC to reflect the mandated requirements of the Consolidated Plan. The Marshall County Board of Education provided hard copies to parents and committee members to discuss and review. The LEA Parent and Family Engagement Policy was agreed on as evidenced by the sign in sheet from the PAC meeting. Opportunities for input are given.

12380 US Hwy 431 South

Guntersville, Alabama 35976

(256) 582-3171