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Hamblen County Department of Education

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Family and Community Engagement Plan

District Parent and Family Engagement Policy
Hamblen County Schools
2025-2026


In support of strengthening student academic achievement, Hamblen County Schools receives Title I, Part A funds and therefore must jointly develop with, agree on with, and distribute to parents and family members of participating children a written parent and family engagement policy that contains information required by Section 1116(a)(2) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The policy establishes the district’s expectations and objectives for meaningful parent and family engagement and describes how the district will implement a number of specific parent and family engagement activities.

Hamblen County Schools agrees to implement the following requirements as outlined by Section 1116:

  • The school district will put into operation programs, activities, and procedures for the engagement of parents and family members in all of its schools with Title I, Part A programs. These programs, activities, and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents and family members of participating children.
  • Consistent with Section 1116, the school district will work with its schools to ensure that the required school-level parent and family engagement policies meet the requirements of Section 1116(b) of the ESSA, and each include as a component a school-parent compact consistent with Section 1116(d) of the ESEA.
  • In carrying out the Title I, Part A parent and family engagement requirements to the extent practicable, the school district and its schools will provide full opportunities for the participation of families with limited English proficiency, limited literacy, disabilities, of migratory children, who are economically disadvantaged, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background, including providing information and school reports required under Section 1111 of the ESSA in an understandable and uniform format including alternative formats upon request and, to the extent practicable, in a language families understand.
  • If the district plan for Title I, Part A, developed under Section 1112 of the ESEA, is not satisfactory to the families of participating children, the school district will submit any parent comments with the plan when Hamblen County Schools submits the plan to the state department of education.
  • Hamblen County Schools will be governed by the following definition of family engagement and expects that its Title I schools will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition in Section 8101 of the ESSA:
    • Family engagement means the participation of families in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:
      • families play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning;
      • families are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school;
      • families are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child; and
      • other activities are carried out, such as those described in Section 1116 of the ESEA.

Description of how the district will implement required district parent and family engagement policy components:

JOINTLY DEVELOPED

Hamblen County Schools will take the following actions to involve parents and family members in jointly developing its LEA plan under Section 1112, and the development of support and improvement plans under paragraphs (1) and (2) of Section 1111(d) of the ESEA:

  • Hamblen County Schools will meet with the District Parent Advisory Committee each semester.
  • Hamblen County Schools will annually distribute a survey for parents to provide input. The data received will be incorporated in the district and individual plans.
  • Hamblen County Schools encourages all families to be active in their child’s education.
  • Hamblen County Title I schools each hold an annual planning meeting open to all parents. Each school is available to receive suggestions, discuss barriers and goals for the School Improvement Plans.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Hamblen County Schools will provide the following coordination, technical assistance, and other support necessary to assist and build capacity of all Title I, Part A schools in planning and implementing effective parent and family engagement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance, which may include meaningful consultation with employers, business leaders, and philanthropic organizations, or individuals with expertise in effectively engaging parents and family members in education:

  • Hamblen County Schools Federal Programs Supervisor will meet annually with Title I Principals and school coordinators to review family engagement requirements, and provide assistance with family engagement plans, school/parent compacts and school plans.
  • The district will provide support as needed to plan and implement their family engagement activities and events.
  • Hamblen County Schools will make a good faith effort to hold annual meetings at a convenient time. All parents/guardians of participating children shall be invited and encouraged to attend, to inform them of their school’s participation in and requirements for Title I programs and their right to be involved.
  • The LEA’s 2nd Language Family Liaison or other school staff will provide, whenever feasible, translations for notices, required forms, and other communications sent home to parents in a language they understand.
  • The LEA’s 2nd Language Family Liaison or other school staff will provide, translation services whenever feasible, for parent meetings, IEP meetings, parent-teacher conferences, disciplinary hearings, testing, and registration.

ANNUAL EVALUATION

Hamblen County Schools will take the following actions to conduct, with the meaningful involvement of parents and family members, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of this parent and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of its Title I, Part A schools. The evaluation will include identifying barriers to greater participation by families in activities (with particular attention to families who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background). The evaluation will also include identifying the needs of parents and family members to assist with the learning of their children, including engaging with school personnel and teachers and strategies to support successful school and family interactions. The school district will use the findings of the evaluation about its parent and family engagement policy to design evidence- based strategies for more effective family engagement, and to revise, if necessary, its parent and family engagement policies.

The annual evaluation of the Hamblen County Schools Parent and Family engagement plan will be conducted by the Federal Programs Supervisor. Each Title I school will have a representative to review and provide input on the plan. The findings provided by the annual survey will be utilized in the revisions of this parent and family engagement plan.
 

RESERVATION OF FUNDS

Hamblen County Schools will involve the parents and family members of children served in Title I, Part A schools in decisions about how the 1 percent of Title I, Part A funds reserved for parent and family engagement is spent and will ensure that not less than 90 percent of the 1 percent reserved goes directly to Title I schools. Title I schools will inform families at their annual Title I meetings about parent and family engagement funds. Families will provide input into the use of these funds. Input will be received during in person meetings and surveys.

COORDINATION OF SERVICES

Hamblen County Schools will coordinate and integrate parent and family engagement strategies with parent and family engagement strategies, to the extent feasible and appropriate, with other relevant federal, state, and local laws and programs: Examples of other agencies might include but are limited to Head Start, Douglas Cherokee, Department of Children Services, HOLA Lakeway, Hamblen County Health Department, and HC Excell, Ready by 6, and others that are
appropriate and necessary.

BUILDING CAPACITY OF PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS

Hamblen County Schools will, with the assistance of its Title I schools, build families’ capacity for strong family engagement by providing materials and training on such topics as literacy training and using technology (including education about the harms of copyright piracy) to help families work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement. Assistance will also be provided to parents and families in understanding the following topics:

  • The challenging state academic standards;
  • The state and local academic assessments including alternate assessments;
  • The requirements of Title I, Part A;
  • How to monitor their child’s progress; and
  • How to work with educators.

The district will provide assistance by:

  • Title I schools will provide an annual meeting each fall to ensure parents understand the school’s participation in the Title I program.
  • Parents will receive information regarding attendance, grades, discipline, and school policy/expectations during Open House. Information will also be made available in school handbooks.
  • Parents will be provided with a username/password to Parent Portal to access student grades and attendance information.
  • Individual schools will host parent engagement activities throughout the school year. Events will focus on literacy, math, STEM, etc.
  • Parent-Teacher conferences will be held two times a year. Translation services will be provided as needed.
  • Grade cards and progress reports will go home quarterly. Families will receive communication through School Messenger, newsletters, Remind, Class Dojo, social media, etc.
  • The Director of Schools will meet with the Parent Advisory Council each semester.

BUILDING CAPACITY OF SCHOOL STAFF

Hamblen County Schools will, with the assistance of its schools and families, educate its teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals, and other school leaders, and other staff in the value and utility of contributions of families, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with families as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between families and schools by:

  • The Director of Schools will meet with the Teacher Advisory Council each semester.
  • Develop partnerships with community-based organizations and businesses to enrich school/teacher/parent relationships.
  • Maximize family engagement and participation in the student’s education, arranging school meetings at a variety of times or conducting phone/virtual meetings with families as necessary.
  • Paying reasonable and necessary expenses associated with family engagement activities to enable families to participate in school related meetings and training sessions.

ADOPTION

This policy was adopted by the Hamblen County School District and will be in effect for the period of the 2025-2026 school year. The school district will distribute this policy to all families of participating Title I, Part A children.