Home-School Connection

Title I is committed to developing strong partnerships with families. Families and schools working as partners increase student achievement and help develop positive attitudes about self and school.

Each APS Title I school seeks to foster strong collaborative relationships with families that support student learning through Parent Teacher Associations, and often through additional collaborative family groups. Families are informed about the Title I program in their school and have the opportunity to provide input into the planning and design of the program.

Building on the APS Family and Community Engagement (FACE) School Board Policy and Policy Implementation Procedures, Title I schools annually review and revise Family Engagement Guidelines jointly with their students’ parents/guardians. This compact is a written agreement of shared responsibility that defines the goals and expectations of schools and families as partners in the effort to improve student achievement. It serves as a catalyst for collaboration and a guide for ongoing communication, interaction and exchanges between school and home.

Parental Right to Information

The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) guarantees parents/guardians in Title I schools the right to certain information.

SCHOOL QUALITY PROFILES
District and School Quality Profiles for all APS schools and the district as a whole are maintained of the Virginia Department of Education website at https://schoolquality.virginia.gov/divisions/arlington-county-public-schools.

PARENTAL RIGHT TO INFORMATION ABOUT TEACHERS
The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) guarantees parents in Title I schools the right to request certain information about their child’s teachers. The information that you have a right to request about your child’s teacher is:

a. Whether the teacher has met state qualifications and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subjects for which the teacher is responsible.
b. Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualifications for licensing have been waived.
c. The baccalaureate degree major of certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification or degree.
d. Whether the student is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

If you would like to receive additional information about this topic, please contact the principal of your child’s school.

PARENTAL RIGHT TO REQUEST INFORMATION ON ASSESSMENT OPT-OUT
The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) Section 1112(e)(2) guarantees parents of students in Title I schools the right to request information about state or division policies regarding student participation in any assessments mandated by ESSA, including any policy, procedure, or parental right to opt students out of such assessments. All students enrolled in Virginia public schools are expected to take the applicable state tests. Virginia regulations do not provide for what is sometimes referred to as an “opt-out policy” for students regarding the Virginia assessments. If parents refuse to have their student participate in one or more of the required Virginia assessments, they should be aware that their student’s state assessment score report will reflect a score of “0” for any test that is refused. If you would like to receive additional information about this topic, please contact the principal of your child’s school.

Resources for Students and Families

• Strategies that support academic development
• Strategies that support reading development
• Book Corner
• Links for Parents: Resources related to supporting your child’s academic achievement, with a focus on
  literacy and numeracy.
• Links for Students: Fun resources students may enjoy at home.