Office of Federal Programs/EIA

Title I Newsletter Brunson-Dargan Elementary Office of Federal Programs/EIA Ada O. Sindab, School Administrator 2016-2017

*A copy of the Title Plan can be reviewed in the main office upon request.

Purpos e of Title I Title I (of the federal No Child Left Behind Parental Involvement legislation) is a federal program that provides Parental involvement is an integral part of the Title I opportunities for the children served to acquire the program. Parents are encouraged to become partners in knowledge and skills necessary to meet challenging state helping their children achieve and become actively content standards. involved in all aspects of the process of the Title I Title I resources are distributed to schools where program, from the writing of the plan to its needs are the greatest, in amounts sufficient to make a implementation and evaluation. difference in the improvement of instruction. A strong connection between the home and the Title I coordinates services with other educational school is a key element in student success. Materials, services and, to the degree possible, with health and strategies, and help from teachers are available to all social services programs. parents within a Title I school. Opportunities for active Title I provides greater decision-making authority parent participation should include, but not be limited to and flexibility within the schools and for teachers. open house, parent workshops, school-parent compacts, However, greater responsibility for student performance home visitation, parent-teacher organizations, is the exchange made for this flexibility. conferences, monthly newsletters, and more. The No Child Left Behind legislation requires schools to utilize a portion of their Title I funds to Components of a Title I School-wide Program support parent involvement. Parents should contact the  A comprehensive needs assessment of the entire school principal with any comments or suggestions school is conducted. regarding the school’s parent involvement expenditures.  School-wide reform strategies provide opportunities for all children to meet the State’s performance Parent Involvement Policy and School-Parent Compact standards. As a Title I school, Brunson-Dargan is required to ask for input from parents regarding the development of  Instruction is conducted by a highly qualified staff. a parent involvement policy and a school-parent  Professional development is conducted on a continual compact. basis throughout the year. The parent involvement policy explains how the  Activities are conducted to increase parent school plans to work with parents to review and improve involvement. parent programs and describes how parents can  Plans are included to provide transitional assistance participate in planning these programs. from pre-school to elementary, from elementary to The school-parent compact outlines how parents, the middle school, and from middle school to high school. entire school staff, and students will share the  Measures are taken to include teachers in decisions responsibility for improved student academic about assessment. achievement and the way in which the school and  Activities are conducted to ensure that students with parents will build and develop a partnership to help learning difficulties receive assistance. children achieve the State’s high standards.

Title I Participation The Brunson-Dargan Elementary administrative staff continually monitors the implementation of the Title I school- wide plans and welcomes input from parents, school staff, and community members regarding its current and future Title I plans. If you would like to participate on the District Title I Parent Advisory Committee or make comments on the Title I plan, please contact Gwen McElveen at 843-398-5080. Copies of the District and school Parent Involvement Policy is provided to all Title I parents upon review by the School Improvement Council. Thank you! Description & Explanation of Curriculum, Forms of  Organizations or individuals may file a complaint that Academic Assessment, and Proficiency Levels applies to Title I within thirty days of receiving the Students Are Expected to Meet decision by the school district or group of districts. Brunson-Dargan Elementary provides a high-quality  Complaints and appeals must be made in writing and curriculum based upon the South Carolina Curriculum they must contain a statement indicating the violation, Standards. This curriculum has been approved by the the facts on which the statement is based, and the South Carolina Board of Education and adopted by the specific requirement of law or regulation allegedly Darlington County Board of Education. Textbooks used violated. Complaints and appeals must be filed with in the classrooms have been reviewed by a committee of the State Superintendent of Education at the S.C. teachers and adopted and endorsed by the State Department of Education, 1429 Senate Street, Department of Education. Specific educational Columbia, South Carolina 29201. programs in each school are targeted to meet the  The SDE will confirm receipt of the complaint within identified needs of the children in the school. ten business days and will conduct an investigation to Brunson-Dargan Elementary administers a variety of determine the merits of the complaint. The Deputy standardized assessments to its students. South Carolina Superintendent will issue a final decision regarding READY and PASS are a part of the state assessment the complaint within 60 days, except under program. The assessments are given to students in exceptional circumstances that warrant an extension. grades three through eight and measure student  The final decision of the SDE may be appealed to the performance on state standards. All students are given Secretary of the U. S. Department of Education. teacher-prepared and textbook-provided assessments to monitor student progress throughout the year. Title I Expenditures for 2016-2017 Based upon requirements of No Child Left Behind, The No Child Left Behind legislation includes all students are expected to “Meet” or “Exceed “ grade provisions for all children to score “Meet” or “Exceed “ level expectations on SC READY and score “Met” or grade level expectations on SC READY and score “Met” “Exemplary” on SCPASS by the end of the 2016-2017 or “Exemplary” on SCPASS by the end of the 2016- school year. 2017 school year. Brunson Dargan is provided additional funds to Parent’s Right to Know supplement the regular school budget to aid in reaching As a parent of a student enrolled at a Title I this goal. These funds provide additional teachers, school-wide, you have the right to know the professional materials, technology, staff development and other qualifications of the classroom teachers and instructional resources to enhance classroom instruction. assistants who instruct your child. Federal law allows you to ask for the following information about your Parent Involvement child’s classroom teachers and requires the District to Title I Parents are involved on the school level give you this information in a timely manner: through a Title I School Improvement Committee, which  whether the teacher is certified to teach the subjects meets during the school year. This committee is made up and/or grade levels the teacher is teaching, of representatives from the school, community and  whether the teacher’s certificate is a waiver or parent body. All parents with a child being served at a substandard certificate, Brunson-Dargan are periodically consulted for input into  the teacher’s academic major, graduate degrees, if the Title I programs and activities during the school any, and year. The School Improvement Council reviews the  the teacher’s certification area. school Parent Involvement Policy and instructional If you would like to receive this information, please programs and provides input into the school’s Title I call the school 843-398-5080. plan.

South Carolina Department of Education Complaint Parent Resource Center Resolution Procedures Please stop by the office and visit our Parent Resource The State Department of Education (SDE) has the station. Materials include informational pamphlets on authority to hear complaints and appeals regarding homework, behavior support and strategies for helping certain federal programs and requires school districts to your child experience success in reading and math. distribute the following information concerning the South Carolina Department of Education’s complaint The TITLE I PLAN IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR resolution procedures: VIEWING IN THE MAIN OFFICE.