Annual Evaluation of the Content and Effectiveness of the LEA Parent and Family Engagement Policy (Required for LEAs with Title I Schools)
School System
Tuscaloosa County Schools
Date Completed
September 3, 2024
What the law requires:
The LEA must (1) conduct with parents an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of Title I schools, including identifying barriers to greater participation by parents in authorized activities; and (2) use the findings to design more effective strategies and revise the policy.
Evaluating your plan should be done with LEA and school staff as well as parents. All Title I parents should be aware that the policy is being evaluated and understand the procedure that is in place allowing them the opportunity for input. Input may be from serving as a member of the committee conducting the evaluation; completing a parent and family engagement survey; participating in parent focus groups; etc. The input, including the results of the parent involvement survey, should be used to assist in addressing the following evaluation components. The completed evaluation should be posted to the LEA’s e-GAP Document Library each year when the Consolidated Application is submitted to the SDE.
What were our student achievement goals this year?
Following the COVID-19 Pandemic influence, loss of face to face learning in school and the learning gap loss due to remote learning resources, the achievement data of the LEA student population is reflecting much lower achievement than in previous non-COVID school years. The goal for FY23 is to address identified learning gap losses and successfully provide intervention through a coordination of resources.
How did we work as partners with parents in meeting those goals?
The TCSS partnered with West Alabama United Way to incorporate JUMP START, West Alabama
Works (Work Force District 3) to improve CCR, University of Alabama with TLA(Parent/Teacher
Leadership Academy), Tuscaloosa’s’ One Place – 21st Century Grants, Tuscaloosa Sherriff’s Department– Student Services/Safe School initiatives, Regional Parent Focus groups and input meetings, Title I local School Parent and Advisory yearly meetings, TCSS District Title I Advisory meetings. ESSER & ARP funding resources.
How can we improve with actively involving parents in the activities of our schools?
Continually seek to improve parental involvement in school presentations, programs, meetings, advisories, surveys and school-to-Community communications. The LEA created a parent professional development event of once per month evening informational meetings called TCSS U. The event is a compilation of each LEA District department teaching the parent group (parents applied for the class) about the structure, work and scope of today’s education and how students are instructed.
Do we have any barriers to parent and family engagement that need to be addressed?
The TCSS will continue to monitor and address any rising barriers of parental involvement.
How are we ensuring the distribution of our LEA and school parent and family engagement policy to all Title I parents?
By annual certification of required annual meetings, school compacts, local school and district media. For the 2021-22 school year, the TCSS Board of Education sustained the position (with local funds) of Director of Public Relations to promote community and parental Involvement of the school system.
How can we improve on training that is offered to parents: To help them work with their child at home? To help them to be active partners in LEA and school decision-making?
By striving to promote and acquire the most efficient and practical uses of communication to the public. The TCSS uses multiple supplemental venues of outreach to parents of all students in the TCSS. Promoting no barriers to attendance or enrollment, multiple resources such as the ESL Welcome Center, the TCSS and Local Schools’ web services, efficient use of phone messaging and social media services, parental involvement/education is of great importance. TCSS schools are conducting parent focus groups outside of the Title I requirements, District engagement and parental education offerings such as TCSS U (parent education platform –year long course) and the University of Alabama Sponsored PTLA(parent – Teacher Leadership Academy) and Regional community forum meetings.
How can we improve on training that we offer school staff/teachers to help them to work more effectively with parents?
The TCSS has dedicated efforts to implementing Professional Learning Communities as a foundational element in instructional format for all schools. By guided Professional Development of SOLUTION TREE, District Leaders, Administration and Teachers are actively participating in yearlong training and then daily PLC meetings/training at the local school for the planning of common formative assessing.
Based on these evaluation findings, what changes do we want to make to our parent and family engagement policy for next year?
Evaluate current parent activities funded by all resources, not supplemental alone. Convey all programs at every level by Implementing well-rounded education activities of parental interests, safe schools’ activities, and utilize available social media and technology with parent communication to potential.
