Meeting Minutes for June 14, 2005
In attendance:
Carolea Reigel, Alderwood FIC; Steve Morse, Roosevelt Principal; Eric Paige, Larrabee Principal; Pat Buhl, Reading Recovery Teacher Leader; Vicky Marshall, Parent Educator;
Kathy Morris, Alderwood FIC; Steve Stanage, Shuksan Title I Teacher; Pam Behee, Roosevelt Parent; Ingrid Gale-Olson, Parkview Parent; Marie Little, ELL Program Facilitator, Penny Will, Paraeducator, Betty Tull, Birchwood Title I Teacher; Kristi Fealko, Assumption Title I Teacher; Denise Bowen, Paraeducator; Holly McLeod, Birchwood Title I Teacher; Donna Ringwald, Sunnyland Title I teacher; Sue Lunsford, Program Secretary; Susan Peterson, Title I Director.
The meeting started with introductions and information about the purpose of the meeting and the role of the participants.
Program Review
The Title I and LAP budgets were reviewed with the advisory members. LAP funds were increased by the legislature this year. In the law it says that the increase is designated for services at the high school. LAP funds did not increase to cover salary and benefit increases. Adjustments in the program were made to compensate for this decrease in funding for the existing services. LAP funds can be used along with Title I. Title I will now pay for the KIDS program at Alderwood and part of Birchwood.
Title I funds have to be given to schools following certain rules. Schools with the highest percent of students who qualify for free and reduced lunches have to get the most money. To avoid moving teachers every year to make sure schools have the right amount of money allocated to them, LAP funds can pay for portions of Title I teacher salaries. That pay doesn't have to be included as part of the Title I allocation. This year, Parkview is being allocated some LAP funds so it can have a full time reading teacher.
Non-employee related costs (NERCs) are the funds used for other program activities such as materials, supplies, professional development, interpreters and travel. School representatives communicated a strong desire to allocate approximately $35,000 to support teacher collaboration. This money will pay for substitutes to release teachers at the individual schools so they can work together in planning for students who need extra reading support. To support activities designed for specific site needs, $38,000 will be divided up among the schools. Each school will write a plan for how the money will be spent. Parents need to be involved in deciding what is in the plan.
Title I Parent Involvement Policy
Parent involvement has always been an important part of the Title I program. The Title I program has always had a policy that stated how parents would be included in the program. New regulations require that school districts adopt a policy that includes the Title I parent involvement activities. Several samples of policy statements were shared with advisory members and input was collected about the format, wording, and content of a policy. Members recommended that the wording and format of the policy for the district should be different than what is sent to parents. It is important that the information be presented to parents in a way they will want to look at it and in language that makes sense to them.
Parent Involvement Evaluation
An evaluation of parent involvement was discussed and several samples of surveys were reviewed. The content of the parent evaluation can give both schools and the program information so the same survey can be used for all the schools and be coded so individual schools can get the information they need for planning. After a discussion about the timing of the survey, the group shared two ideas about when it would be best to send the survey out. One idea was to do the survey in March so the information could be given to schools in April or May. The other idea was to do the survey electronically during conference time when almost all the parents come to school. Either way, it will be important for the schools to get the information so they can use it when they review and revise their schoolwide plan for the following year.
It was brought forward that parents may not know that Title I funds are allocated to the school because the program is seamless, and that it is important for students who receive services not to be singled out. Discussion was held about how to inform parents about Title I and to keep the information under the umbrella of the whole school. One idea was to create a brochure about Title I in general and leave places where schools could drop in information about their specific school. The focus would be on the school, with information about Title I at that school.
The meeting ended with an opportunity for general questions related to the program and activities supported by program funds.
A big “Thank You” to all the members who took time to come and share their thoughts and ideas.