SERIES 5000: STUDENTS, CURRICULUM, AND ACADEMIC MATTERS

5400 Curriculum, Instruction, and Parent/Guardian Involvement

5401 Parent/Guardian Involvement in Education

A. Parent/Guardian Involvement

The District will take the following steps to encourage parent/guardian involvement in their student’s education:

1.Parents/guardians will be provided the opportunity to review District-approved curriculum, textbooks, and instructional materials, including any material that will be used in connection with a survey, analysis, or evaluation, upon request.

a. Requests to review curriculum, textbooks, and instructional materials must be made to the building principal.

b. Parents/guardians may review textbooks based on availability and may review instructional materials within a time frame determined by the building principal or designee.

2. Parents/guardians will be permitted to attend and observe instructional activities in a class or course in which their student is enrolled and present.

Parents/guardians must make an appointment with the building principal to observe instructional activities in a class or course in which the student is enrolled and present. The building principal will permit a parent/guardian observation unless the building principal determines that the observation would disrupt the class or course. Frequent observations are likely disruptive. Absent unusual circumstances, as determined by the building principal, observations that last more than 30 minutes or occur on consecutive days will not be permitted. Parents/guardians who want to observe instructional activities also must adhere to Policy 3105.

Parents/guardians are not permitted to observe testing.

3. Parents/guardians may inspect and review their student’s education records, upon written request, consistent with Policy 5309 and state and federal law.

4. At the beginning of the school year, the District will notify parents/guardians of students attending Title I schools of the right to request a copy of this Policy. The District will provide a copy of this Policy to a requesting parent/guardian in a timely manner

5. The Superintendent is directed to develop and implement parental involvement contracts with parents/guardians. These contracts must be voluntary and must include the following:

a. he parent/guardian will:

i. review homework and offer assistance when needed;

ii. ensure the student arrives at school each day on time and ready to learn;

 iii. attend school functions and support the student's school activities; and,

iv. make every effort to attend parent-/guardian-teacher conferences.

b. The student will:

i. participate in class discussions;

ii. complete assignments in an accurate, neat, and timely manner;

iii. come to school each day on time;

iv. pay attention in class and complete assigned lessons;

v. obey applicable rules and codes of conduct; and vi. respect teachers, school administrators, and other students

c. The teacher will:

i. set high standards for quality instruction that promote grade appropriate academic skills;

ii. keep accurate attendance records;

iii. teach students how to study;

iv. review basic concepts taught in class;

v. maintain a welcoming atmosphere; and

vi. provide flexible scheduling for parent/guardian visits and participation.

d. Ways for the parent/guardian to explain any obstacles that prevent compliance with the contract.

If a parental involvement contract identifies obstacles to participation, the Superintendent will consider accessing possible resources to help overcome those obstacles.] 

B. Assessments and Surveys

1.State assessments

Pursuant to state law, the District will not approve parent/guardian requests to opt students out of state assessments.

2. National Assessment of Educational Progress

As a condition of receiving federal funds and as required by state law, the District may be selected to participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). To help ensure that the District has a representative sample of students taking the NAEP, which will allow the District to assess the quality and effectiveness of its programming on a national level, the District strongly encourages all eligible students to participate. Student participation in NAEP is voluntary.

The District will notify parents/guardians of students eligible to take the NAEP before the assessment is administered. Parents/guardians wishing to opt their students out of the NAEP assessment must notify the District in writing at least 3 school days before the assessment date to ensure that the District can coordinate supervision and alternative activities for students who have opted out.

3. Surveys

Parents/guardians will be notified before their student participates in surveys on certain topics in accordance with Policy 5308.

Legal authority: MCL 380.1137, 380.1280b, 380.1295, 380.1507(3)

Date adopted: 08/09/2021

Date revised: