2015 National PTA Legislative Conference #PTALegCon

Family Engagement and Student Success Jacki BallElizabeth Rorick Director of Government AffairsDep. Exec. Director of Gov’t National PTAAfffairs & Communications National PTA

Family Engagement Family Engagement in Education Act ESEA overview Family Engagement in ESEA Discussion Agenda

Family Engagement Definition First, family engagement is a shared responsibility in which schools and other community agencies and organizations are committed to reaching out to engage families in meaningful ways and in which families are committed to actively supporting their children's learning and development. Second, family engagement is continuous across a child's life and entails enduring commitment but changing parent roles as children mature into young adulthood. Third, effective family engagement cuts across and reinforces learning in the multiple settings where children learn- at home, in pre- kindergarten programs, in school, in after school programs, in faith- based institutions, and in the community.

Family Engagement: Reframing the Work From the National Family, School, and Community Engagement Working Group

Research | Positive Student Outcomes Studies show that family engagement leads to: Higher grades and test scores Enrollment in higher-level programs/classes Grade promotion and advanced credit accumulation Adaptation to school and improved attendance Better social skills and behavior On-time graduation and post-secondary matriculation Henderson, A., & Mapp, K. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on student achievement. Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.

Research from Anthony Byrk  His research and practice interests focus on the organizational redesign of schools and school systems and the integration of technology into schooling to enhance teaching and learning The following were essential in improving Chicago’s Urban Schools 1.A coherent instructional guidance system 2.The school’s professional capacity 3.Strong parent-community-school ties 4.A student-centered learning climate 5.Leadership that drives change

Need for Teacher Preparation in Family Engagement  30% of current teachers surveyed have a satisfactory relationship with families  Gen Y teachers fear that their lack of preparation to engage families will lead to failure and burnout

National PTA Standards for Family School Partnerships 1)Welcoming all Families 2)Communicating Effectively 3)Supporting Student Success 4)Speaking up for Every Child 5)Sharing Power 6)Collaborating with Community

Title I Section 1118, Title I: mandates that school districts reserve at least 1% of their Title I funds for family engagement Written policy for family engagement Title V Parental Information and Resource Centers (PIRCs) Competitive grant administered by ED, 62 statewide centers building capacity of states and school districts to engage families Family Engagement in existing ESEA law

ESEA Reauthorization Family Engagement in Education PTA views reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as an opportunity to: 1.Define what systemic, integrated, and sustainable family engagement in education is (and what it is not); 2.Set forth framework for investment in family engagement at local, state, and federal levels; and 3.Incentivize local and state innovation in family engagement as a driver of education reform efforts via research-based strategies, practices, and policies.

ESEA Reauthorization Family Engagement in Education Act H.R and S.622 in 114 th Congress House: Thompson (R-PA)/DeSaulnier (D-CA) Senate: Reed (D-RI)/Coons (D-DE)/Whitehouse (D-RI) Provision Title I, Local Education Agencies Embeds standards in local plans Increases set-aside from 1 to 2%

Family Engagement in Education Act | 114 th Congress Provision Family Engagement and Responsibility Fund Repeals PIRC and moves authorized activities within Family Engagement and Responsibility Fund (Title I) Mandatory use of Family Engagement and Responsibility Fund (.3% reservation from administrative funds) Competitive grant process judged/awarded by state educational agency (SEA) Reports outcomes to SEA and ED via Title I reporting mechanisms

Provision Statewide Family Engagement Centers Mandatory state-level reservation of no less than.3% Title I-A allocation (from administrative funds) to fund: 1) Statewide Family Engagement Center 2)Local Family Engagement Center(s) 3)SEA Capacity-building activities (optional) Special rule: states with $60 m allocation or less do not need to establish both statewide and local centers Family Engagement in Education Act | 114 th Congress

Provision Local Family Engagement Centers Mandatory use of funds (at least one) for Family Engagement and Responsibility Fund with priority on high-need/hard to serve areas. To be accompanied by small state exemption, where statewide center can serve both purposes. In states receiving < $60 million annual Title I-A Allocation Family Engagement in Education Act | 114 th Congress

Provision Capacity-building for State Educational Agency Optional use of funds from Family Engagement and Responsibility Fund remainder after grants to establish State and Local centers Family Engagement in Education Act | 114 th Congress Small State: AK; DC; DE; HI; ID; ME; MT; ND; NH; RI; SD; VT; WY

Provision Research and Evaluation for Family Engagement in Education Amend Title I, Part E (National Assessment) to require biennial report, dissemination of best practices by ED. No additional funds. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on implementation Family Engagement in Education Act | 114 th Congress

ESEA-NCLB (Elementary and Secondary Education Act – No Child Left Behind)

Elementary and Secondary Education Act Governs Federal investment & policy in K-12 education Enacted in 1965 Reauthorized as NCLB in 2001/2002 “No Child Left Behind” is the name given to the 7 th reauthorization of the ESEA Expired in 2007 Automatically extended upon expiration, but needs to be reauthorized Reauthorization of ESEA House and Senate Committees passed bills in 2013 ESEA flexibility What is ESEA-NCLB?

ESEA-NCLB comprised of 10 Titles I. Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged II. Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High Quality Teachers and Principals III. Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students IV.21 st Century Schools V.Promoting Informed Parental Choice and Innovative Programs VI.Flexibility and Accountability VII.Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native Education VIII.Impact Aid Program IX.General Provisions X.Repeals, Redesignations, and Amendments to Other Statutes What is ESEA-NCLB? Family Engagement in Education

Title I Largest Funding Stream in ESEA-NCLB $14.4 billion in FY15 Formula grants to states Combination of 4 formulas, complicated Targeted to schools and districts with high concentration of “disadvantaged” students Title I School/District = approx 40% + low-income students May be used for preschool – high school 12% to preschool/K 65% to % to 7-12

Title I

ESEA Reauthorization│ 114 th Congress HOUSE (R-majority) Committee: Education and the Workforce Bill: H.R. 5, Student Success Act SENATE (R-majority) Committee: Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee leadership are in negotiations to produce a bipartisan bill

ESEA Reauthorization│ House H.R. 5 Student Success Act Committee Composition: 22 Republicans (8 new); 16 Democrats (4 new) Passed Committee: Bill passed Committee on February 11, – 16 party line vote; all Republicans voted in favor, all Democrats opposed House floor vote was expected on Friday, February 27, 2015 but bill was pulled from consideration

House Bill│ PTA Response Concerns: No state and local maintenance of effort; No cap on alternate assessment on alternate achievement standards for special needs; and No increase in 1% to 2% family engagement Includes Title I public school portability provisions Authorizations are below FY 2012 pre-sequester levels Freezes education funding at sequester levels until school year

ESEA Reauthorization│Where are we going this year?