Pre K Family Engagement Policy and Plan

Family Engagement is the mutual responsibility of families, schools, and communities; which builds relationships to support student learning and achievement to support family well-being, family-student relationships and ongoing learning and development of children, families, and educators. -Texas Education Agency

Family Engagement Plan

To help achieve and maintain high levels of family engagement, involvement, and positive family attitudes toward education. -Texas Education Agency

Definition of Family

Family includes adults and children significant in the child’s life who support the early learning and development of the child. -Texas Education Agency

Goals

The following are the Family Engagement Plan Goals to assist with achieving and maintaining high levels of family engagement, involvement, and creating positive family attitudes toward education in the Priddy Independent School District Elementary Schools:

I. Facilitate School-to-Family and Family-to-Family Support

  • Priddy ISD will reach out to all parents and family members and implement programs, activities, and procedures for the involvement of parents and family members in programs consistent with the requirements of ESSA Section 1116. Such programs, activities, and procedures shall be planned and implemented with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children.

  • Priddy ISD will host a back-to-school activity prior to school opening, at which families can meet their children's teachers, tour the school building, and receive information on clubs and activities at each school.

II. Increase Family Participation in Decision Making

  • Priddy ISD will conduct, with the meaningful involvement of parents and family members, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of all schools served under this part, Section 1116 (a)(2)(D).

  • Identify and address any barriers to greater participation by parents of PreK students that might prevent them from participating in shared decision making or school events (with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background);

  • PISD will utilize family meetings, electronic communication, and parent conferences to increase family participation in decision making for PreK.

  • At least once each year, face-to-face parent-teacher conferences will be scheduled for parents of elementary students (PK-5). If the face-to-face format is not possible for the parent, the parent may choose to communicate by phone or email.

III. Establish a Network of Community Resources

  • Provide a list of community resources to families

  • Include community resources providers at Fall Fest and other school events to facilitate positive interactions

  • Priddy ISD will coordinate and integrate PreK parent and family engagement strategies under Title I, Part A, to the extent feasible and appropriate, with other relevant Federal, State, and local laws and programs, including public preschool programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children.

IV. Specific Professional Development Opportunities for Educators

  • Utilize curriculum-based professional development opportunities for PreK instructional staff to ensure aligned professional learning.

  • Educate teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals, other school leaders, and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school.

  • To ensure that parents have support for home learning, provide assistance to parents of PreK children, as appropriate, in understanding such topics as the challenging State academic standards, State and local academic assessments, the requirements of the parent and family engagement program, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children; Section 1116 (e)(1)

V. Evaluate Family Engagement Efforts for Continuous Improvement

  • Priddy ISD shall provide other reasonable support for parental involvement activities. Parents can make such requests by contacting the campus principal's office by email, in person, or by phone. Support can be translation services, physical access, printed materials, etc.

    VI. Families work together with caregivers & teachers to create an atmosphere that strengthens learning both at the program & in the home. It includes the many ways that family members can influence children's education.

  • PreK staff will engage in and document positive parent communication on a regular basis.

  • PreK staff will provide newsletters and personalized suggestions and will provide two-way communication tools to ensure families, caregivers, and teachers partner together in shared educational activities.

  • Priddy ISD receives Title I, Part A funds. Our goal is to plan and implement effective parent and family involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance. Therefore, Priddy ISD will develop jointly with, agree on with, and distribute to, parents and family members of participating children a written parent and family engagement policy.

  • Priddy ISD will use the findings of such evaluation to design evidence-based strategies for more effective parental involvement, and to revise, if necessary, the parent and family engagement policies.

Benefits of Parental Involvement

  • Improved School Attendance

  • Improved Student Sense of Well-being

  • Improved Student Behavior

  • Better Parent & Student Perceptions of Classroom & School Climate

  • Readiness to Complete Homework

  • Higher Educational Aspirations Among Students & Parents

  • Better Student Grades

  • Increased Educational Productivity & Time That Parents & Students Spend Together

  • Greater Parent Satisfaction with Teachers

Communication

  • Effective Forms of Communication:

    • School-home & home-school communication for school programs, child's progress, registration, etc.

    • Improved Student Behavior

    • Better Parent & Student Perceptions of Classroom & School Climate

    • Readiness to Complete Homework

Parenting