Title I Services

TITLE I – FAMILY AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN

Parental involvement in the Emanuel County Schools is an important component in a student’s success in school.  The board encourages parents to become involved in their child’s education to ensure the child’s academic success.

The Emanuel County School District will put into operation programs, activities, and procedures for the involvement of parents in all of its schools with Title I, Part A programs, consistent with section 1010 of the Every Student Succeeds ACT (ESEA).  Those programs, activities, and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children.

Parental involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities.

The Emanuel County School District will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development of its district wide parental involvement plan under section 1010 of the ESSA:

Conduct an annual fall meeting to inform parents of school’s Title I participation and to discuss the Title I program (PTA):

1. Provide parents with an “Open Letter” informing them of the benefits of their school’s participation in Title I and encourage them to become involved in the ongoing planning, review, and improvement of the parental involvement program;
2. Involve parents in the planning, review, and improvement of the school’s Title I program and Parent Involvement Policy through the annual evaluation of the Title I program conducted each year during programs such as “Parent University,” participation on the Title I Advisory Council, use of parent surveys, memberships on committees, school wide planning teams, school councils, and involvement in developing the school’s improvement plan;
3. Create a District Parent Advisory Council to provide advice on all matters related to parent involvement in programs supported by Title I funds;
4. Develop district protocols for appropriate roles for community based organizations and businesses in parent involvement activities;
5. Adopt district model approaches to improving parent involvement at the school level;
6. Allocate district resources to parent involvement activities;
7. Provide a Parent Involvement liaison for Title I schools;
8. Develop and maintain a parent involvement website;
9. Meet with parenting personnel from Head Start, Pre-K and the English Language Assistance Programs to collaborate while planning for parent workshops when feasible;
10. Conduct other activities such as parent resource centers in all Title I schools that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their students;
11. Communicate with parents in a format and language that they can understand;
12. Invite families and preschool children into the schools to visit, have lunch, and participate in planned activities;
13. Provide to parents, as appropriate, information to help them understand the State’s academic content standards, the State’s student academic achievement standards, and the State and local academic assessments including alternate assessments;
14. Provide parents with timely information about the Title I program through parent meetings, the school website and newsletters throughout the school year.

 

TITLE I – EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA)

Purpose and Use of Title I, ESSA Funds

The purpose of the ESSA Title I, Part A funds is to ensure that all students have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on the State Board adopted content and achievement standards, as specified in the statute and regulations.  Districts and schools receiving funds are to ensure that they are meeting the educational needs of low-achieving students in low income schools funded by Title I or in schools receiving the funding and are closing the achievement gap between high and low performing students, especially the achievement gaps between minority and non-minority students and between socioeconomically disadvantaged students and their more advantaged peers.

School-Wide Program

A school-wide program school may now use its Title I, Part A funds coupled with other Federal education funds to upgrade the school’s entire educational program, rather than to target services only on identified children.  By affecting the entire program of instruction, the overall education of children in the most impoverished schools can be improved.

Professional Qualifications of Teachers and Paraprofessionals

All of Emanuel County’s Title I schools will use their title funds to support instructional strategies which are effective with students who are at risk of not meeting state standards.  Programs of high quality are in place and offer strategies to ensure success in the core academic program.  Teachers meeting professional qualifications are placed in all our schools to provide instruction on a regular basis to all of our students.

Paraprofessionals hired after January 8, 2002 must have:

• Completed two years of study at any institution of higher learning;
• Obtained an associate’s degree (or higher);
• Demonstrate through an academic assessment the knowledge and the ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and math.

COMPLAINTS AND GRIEVANCES POLICY

Complaint Procedures 

A. Grounds for a Complaint 

Any individual, organization or agency (“complainant”) may file a complaint with the Emanuel County Board of Education (“Department”) if that individual, organization or agency believes and alleges that a violation of a Federal statute or regulation that applies to a program under the No Child Left Behind Act. The complaint must allege a violation that occurred not more than one (1) year prior to the date that the complaint is received, unless a longer period is reasonable because the violation is considered systemic or ongoing. 

B. Federal Programs for Which Complaints Can Be Filed 

1. Title I, Part A: Improving Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged 

2. Title I, Part C: Education of Migrant Children 

3. Title II, Part A: Supporting Effective Instruction 

4. Title III, Part A: Language Instruction for English Learners and Immigrant Students 

5. Title IV, Part A:  Student Support and Academic Enrichment

6. Title IV, Part B: 21st Century Community Learning Centers 

7. Title V, Part B:  Rural Education Initiative 

8. Title X, Part C: McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

C. Filing a Complaint 

A complaint must be made in writing to the Emanuel County School Director of Federal Programs and signed by the complainant. The complaint must include the following: 

1. A statement that the Emanuel County School System has violated a requirement of a Federal statute or regulation that applies to an applicable program; 
2. The date on which the violation occurred; 
3. The facts on which the statement is based and the specific requirement allegedly violated (include citation to the Federal statute or regulation); 
4. A list of the names and telephone numbers of individuals who can provide additional information; 
5. Copies of all applicable documents supporting the complainant’s position; and 
6. The address of the complainant. 

D. Investigation of Complaint 

Within ten (10) days of receipt of the complaint, the Director of Federal Programs will issue a Letter of Acknowledgement to the complainant that contains the following information: 

1. The date the Department received the complaint; 
2. How the complainant may provide additional information; 
3. A statement of the ways in which the Department may investigate or address the complaint; and 
4. Any other pertinent information. 

If additional information or an investigation is necessary, the Superintendent will have sixty (60) days from receipt of the information or completion of the investigation to issue a Letter of Findings. If the Letter of Findings indicates that a violation has been found, corrective action will be required and timelines for completion will be included. The sixty (60) day timeline outlined above may be extended if exceptional circumstances exist. The Letter of Findings will be sent directly to the complainant. 

E. Right of Appeal 

If the complaint cannot be resolved at the local level, the complainant has the right to request review of the decision by the Georgia Department of Education. The appeal must be accompanied by a copy of the Superintendent's decision and include a complete statement of the reasons supporting the appeal. 

The complaint must be addressed to: 

Georgia Department of Education 
Office of Legal Services 
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE 
2052 Twin Tower East 
Atlanta, GA 30334

 

It is the policy of the Emanuel County Board of Education that grievances and complaints relating to school matters are to be recognized and addressed in an orderly manner.  Grievances and complaints shall be addressed from parents, students, staff, private schools and other concerned organizations or individuals in the general public.

Grievances and complaints shall be handled and resolved, whenever possible, as close to their origin as possible.  For the purposes of this policy, a grievance is defined as any claim by a member of the public that the action or operation of the school district or the Board of Education is in violation of the law or Board policy.  Any claim that does not meet the definition of grievance will be considered a complaint and it will be handled through routine administrative procedures.

The Federal Programs Director is responsible for dissemination of complaint procedure. The complaint procedure and form will be available on district website, employee handbook, and paper copies will be available at each school and the district office.