District Parent Involvement Policy
2008

The administration of Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) recognizes the value and importance of parental involvement at the school and district level. Parents are key stakeholders in Metro Nashville Public Schools and have many opportunities to help all students acquire the knowledge and skills to become productive, responsible citizens. This policy was developed jointly with and distributed to stakeholders in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. The periodic review and/or revision to this policy should include this same process.

The MNPS parental involvement policy includes input from parents, community members, and school and district personnel in compliance with all pertinent mandates of state and federal regulatory standards as the following:

• All parents have access to many types and levels of involvement, with no person excluded based on race, religion, creed, gender, socio-economic status, physical impairment or age.

• All parents acknowledge the importance of the protection of their child’s or children’s privacy and all stakeholders involved in the working with MNPS students should work to ensure every student’s confidentiality.

• All parents acknowledge the importance of Federal and State funds received by MNPS and this policy statement should conform to the requirements of sections 1118(a)(s) of the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) as well as any other Federal and State programs or policies.

• For the purpose of this document, the words Parents/Family represent individuals within the extended family of the student or persons with a legitimate interest in the student who are the student’s legal guardians.

Parental involvement is essential at many levels. Parent and community groups work with teachers, school administration and district administration to support and advance the education process. All should advocate widespread community support of public schools in an effort to build a district that offers students the opportunity to be successful and become contributing members of the community and workforce. Parents can be involved on an individual level and through organized parent groups.

Parent Involvement at the Individual Level

Parents’ involvement on an individual level can be done in many ways. Some of the possible areas of involvement include, but are not limited to the following:

Access

• All stakeholders acknowledge the importance of school security and classroom instructional time, but all parent/guardians should have access to their children’s school for the purpose of observation and volunteer activities in accordance with MNPS policy.

• All parents will have access to information regarding their rights and responsibilities under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), including staff qualifications, school choice, supplemental services and opportunities to provide involvement. This information may be provided by school or district staff at group meetings, the Customer Service Center or through the MNPS website (www.mnps.org).

• All parents/guardians will have access to their children’s school file and other information regarding their child in accordance with MNPS policy.

• Parents may contact the MNPS Customer Service Center when they believe the school is not exerting sufficient effort to ensure parental involvement.

• Parents will receive notification of their children’s academic and discipline problems.

• Parents shall have access to their child’s individual schools’ strategic plan.

• If a parent does not have access to the MNPS website, he/she may request a print copy of the information desired for a nominal fee. Translation services are available upon request.

Communication

• Parents will receive Report Cards on their child’s or children’s progress per established timelines. Parents will also receive additional information pieces containing news, alerts and other material.

• Parent-Teacher conferences should be conducted by the school at least once a year. Parents/guardians may schedule conferences on an individual basis as needed at a time convenient to both. In situations where a student is in jeopardy of failing or having discipline problems, the teacher will contact the parent/guardians and schedule a conference as soon as possible in an effort to remedy the situation.

• Websites with current information shall be maintained and updated. MNPS will be responsible for the entire district and each school will be responsible for its own website in accordance with District policy.

• All MNPS District Standard Operating Policies (DSOPs) are posted to the MNPS website for parental review.

Involvement

• Parents shall be invited to participate in Customer Service Center satisfaction surveys.

• Parents are welcome to provide input in the development, implementation and evaluation of goals and strategies of an individual MNPS School Improvement Plan and/or the MNPS District Strategic Plan. At the school level, this process is arranged through the principal. At the district level, this process is coordinated by the Assistant Superintendent of Information Technology and Strategic Planning.

• Parents may be provided opportunities to improve their parenting skills and to support the learning process.

• The District will provide technical assistance, training, and other support opportunities to assist school and principals in planning and implementing effective parental involvement activities.

• Parents who are also employees of MNPS or the Metropolitan Nashville Board of Public Education are encouraged to be involved with the school or school their children attend.

Parent Involvement through Organized Groups

All parents are encouraged to join parent and community groups at the school or schools where their child or children attend. These groups include many types of groups such as parent booster groups. If a school does not have a school-wide group, parents may request a meeting with the principal to discuss developing one. If no request is made by the parents then the principal should start the process to invite parents to a school-wide parent group.

Cluster Level

All parents are encouraged to join parent and community groups organized at the cluster level to promote education. The Cluster Parent Group (CPG) includes two representatives from each school in the cluster. Communication is the critical role of the CPG. The representatives meet, usually monthly, to share ideas, identify cluster-wide concerns, and develop ideas for improving the schools both within the cluster and the city as a whole. The CPG also works within the cluster to encourage the schools to work together to assist and enhance the student’s transition from elementary to middle to high school and on other cluster-wide issues.

The cluster consists of two representatives and two alternates selected by the individual school-wide group. These school representatives shall report information from the cluster parent group to the school-wide group and take the school’s concerns to the cluster meetings. The representatives’ role is to communicate to the school by attending PTA and other parent meetings at the school, write cluster news reports and by any other means available at their school.

District Level

All parents are encouraged to join parent and community groups organized at the district level. The Parents Advisory Council (PAC) is comprised of three representatives from each of the 12 Cluster Parent Groups. The role of the parents on the PAC is to share ideas and concerns from their Cluster Parent Groups with the administration and then communicate the responses and other information back to their cluster parent groups. The PAC will organize regular meetings, usually monthly, to ensure accurate information and efficient communication between the administration and the council and develop ideas for improving schools.

Three representatives, and three alternates, representing each tier level are selected from each Cluster Parent Group to serve on the Parents’ Advisory Council. The Cluster representatives’ role is to take the cluster’s concerns to the Parents’ Advisory Council meetings and to report information learned at the Parents’ Advisory Council to the CPG. The purpose is to encourage the flow of information from the school administration to the parents and the concerns and ideas of parents back to the school administration.

References/Authority

Volunteer Policy – DSOP 1016

Visitor to Schools Policy – DSOP 1240

Student Records – DSOP 5125

Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) §1118(a)(s)