Accountability Reporting Webinar: Parent/Guardian Communications, NCLB School Choice and SES August 23, :00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Kenneth Klau Erica Adametz

2 Overview AYP and MCAS Reporting Timeline General Parent/Guardian Communication Requirements NCLB School Choice Supplemental Educational Services (SES) Funding for Choice-related Transportation and SES Where to Go for More Information

3 Accountability Reporting Timeline DateEvent 7/28List of schools that may or will be required to offer NCLB School Choice or SES in SY posted to website 8/9Preliminary 2011 accountability data provided electronically to superintendents and principals in the security portal 8/15Notice sent to superintendents and principals whose district and schools ESE expects to identify for improvement based on preliminary 2011 accountability data 8/23Accountability reporting webinar #1 (Choice, SES, Report Cards, Status Letters) 9/13Accountability reporting webinar #2 (State Levels and Commendation Designations) Mid- Sept Official 2011 accountability data provided electronically to superintendents and principals in the security portal Official 2011 accountability data released to the public

4 Parent/Guardian Communications General Requirements When a school is identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring, it must promptly provide parents or guardians of each student enrolled in the school: An explanation of what the identification means; The reason(s) for the identification; What the district and school are doing to address the problem of low achievement; How parents/guardians can become involved in addressing the academic issues that led to identification; and For Title I schools only – information on NCLB School Choice and supplemental educational services (SES). When the district is identified for improvement or corrective action, it must promptly provide the parents or guardians of each student enrolled in the schools served by the district: An explanation of what the identification means; The reason(s) for the identification; What corrective actions the district will take to improve student performance; and How parents/guardians can participate in improving the district.

5 Required Parent Notifications Under NCLB What to SendWhen to SendTo WhomNotes and Combined Notifications NCLB School Choice Notification August. At least 14 days prior to the beginning of the school year Parents/guardians of all students enrolled in Title I schools identified for Improvement, Corrective Action, or Restructuring Can be combined with Accountability Status Notification Supplemental Educational Services (SES) Notification September. At the beginning of the school year and no later than October Parents/guardians of low income students enrolled in Title I schools identified for Improvement Year 2, Corrective Action, or Restructuring Must be distinct from all other notifications NCLB Report Card Notification September. At the beginning of the school year and no later than October Parents/guardians of all students enrolled in all schools in the district Notification letter can serve as a coversheet for the NCLB Report Card and can be modified for schools or districts Can be combined with Accountability Status and Parent Right-To-Know Teacher Qualification Request Notifications District Accountability Notification September. At the beginning of the school year and no later than October Parents/guardians of all students enrolled in a district identified for Improvement or Corrective Action Can be combined with NCLB School Choice Notification or Report Card and Parent Right- To-Know Teacher Qualification Request Notifications School Accountability Notification September. At the beginning of the school year and no later than October Parents/guardians of all students enrolled in all schools identified for Improvement, Corrective Action, or Restructuring Can be combined with NCLB School Choice Notification or Report Card and Parent Right- To-Know Teacher Qualification Request Notifications

6 Required Parent Notifications Under NCLB (Continued) What to SendWhen to SendTo WhomNotes and Combined Notifications Parent Right-To-Know: Teacher Qualification Request Notification September. At the beginning of the school year and no later than October Parents/guardians of all students enrolled in each Title I school in the district Can be combined with Parent Right-To-Know Teacher not meeting Highly Qualified Requirement Notification or Accountability Status and Report Card Notifications Parent Right-To-Know: Teacher not meeting Highly Qualified Requirement Notification As Needed. When any child has been assigned or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified Parents/guardians of any student in a Title I school who has been assigned or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified Can be combined with Parent Right-To-Know Teacher Qualification Request Notification Guidance, timelines, and samples for required parent/guardian notifications under NCLB are available at

7 NCLB School Choice The district must: Notify parents/guardians in writing of the option to exercise choice at least 14 days prior to the start of the school year. Give parents of all students enrolled in Title I schools identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring the choice of two schools in the district that do have an NCLB Accountability Status to which such parents may transfer their children. Choices may include: Non-Title I schools that are not identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring. Choices must include non-Title I schools if less than two Title I schools not identified for improvement, in corrective action, or in restructuring are available as transfer options.

8 NCLB School Choice (Continued) The notification must: Be in a comprehensive, easy-to-understand format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand; Inform parents that their child is eligible to attend another public school due to the identification of the current school as in need of improvement; Describe the districts policy for funding choice- related transportation costs. Name each public school that the parent can select; Include information on the academic achievement of the schools that the parent may select; and Include an explanation of why the choices made available to parents may have been limited. This includes information as to why no choice options may be available, both in and out of the district.

9 NCLB School Choice (Continued) Additional Information NCLB School Choice notices may be incorporated into other back-to-school communications if appropriate. If necessary, districts may prioritize students with low student performance from low-income families who wish to transfer. To the extent practicable, districts must inform parents/guardians of arrangements with neighboring districts to accept students who wish to transfer under NCLB if the district cannot offer choice options within the district at the appropriate grade level(s). Districts are required to maintain documentation of attempts to enter into arrangements with neighboring districts and make that documentation available for review by parents/guardians or the Department. NCLB Choice does not apply to charter schools or regional vocational technical schools; however, parents must still be notified in writing that because their childs school is a school of choice, they have the option of sending their child to another school.

10 Supplemental Educational Services (SES) Districts must make supplemental educational services (free tutoring in the areas of math, reading, language arts, and science) available to low-income students in Title I schools identified for improvement (year 2), corrective action, or restructuring from a provider approved by the Department. Parents of eligible students must be informed in writing at the beginning of the school year of the accountability status of the school and of the availability of services for their child. This notification must: Be in a comprehensive, easy-to-understand format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand; Identify each approved service provider in or near the district able to serve; Describe the services, qualifications and evidence of effectiveness for each provider; Describe the procedures and timelines parents must follow in selecting a provider, including contact information; and Prioritize eligible students with low student performance if needed.

11 Supplemental Educational Services (SES) Arranging for Services At the beginning of the year, parents/guardians of eligible students are notified by the district of the availability of SES, along with a list of providers approved by the Department to serve the district and information about the enrollment process. Parents/guardians may select any approved provider that they feel will best meet their childs academic needs. If requested by the parent/guardian, the district should provide assistance in selecting the appropriate provider for a student. With parental input, the district will then develop an SES Student Learning Plan with the provider, and the provider will provide services to the child and report on the childs progress to the parents and to the district. A list of approved providers and a search tool for finding providers by district, subject area, grade, or keyword may be accessed from

12 Supplemental Educational Services (SES)

13 Funding for Choice-related Transportation and SES Each school district must reserve up to an amount equal to 20 percent of its Title I, Part A allocation. Depending on demand, the district should expect to spend: An amount equal to 5 percent for choice-related transportation; An amount equal to 5 percent to provide SES; and An amount equal to the remaining 10 percent for choice-related transportation, SES, or both, as the district determines. An amount equal to means that the funds required to pay the costs of choice-related transportation and SES need not come from Title I, Part A allocations, but may be provided from other Federal, State, local, and private sources. A district may spend an amount exceeding 20 percent of its Title I, Part A allocation if additional funds are needed to meet all demands for choice-related transportation and SES. The district may spend up to 1 percent of its 20 percent obligation on parent outreach and assistance.

14 Choice-related Transportation and SES Unspent Funds

15 Where to Go for More Information | | School and District NCLB Accountability Status and Required Actions: School Leaders Guide to the 2011 Accountability Reports: Required Parent/Guardian Notifications Under NCLB: Technical Assistance Handbook for District Administrators & SES Providers: For a list of all accountability-related federal guidance, type guidance into the ESE search box at