NEPN/NSBA Code: KBF-E1  

LEWISTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS 

TITLE I PARENT INVOLVEMENT POLICY 

This district-level policy has been developed in cooperation with the parents/guardians of students participating in Lewiston Public Schools’ Title I programs. It provides an understanding of the shared responsibility if the school system and parents/guardians in improving students’ academic achievement and school performance. The Superintendent/designee will be responsible for distributing this policy to parents/guardians of students participating in Lewiston Public Schools’ Title I programs. 

Because parent involvement is so important to a student’s success in school, the Lewiston School Committee encourages regular participation by parents/guardians in all aspects of the school unit’s Title I programs. 

Lewiston Public Schools provide opportunities for parent/guardian involvement that are aligned with the requirements of Title I programs set forth in law as follows. 

1. Lewiston Public Schools involve parents/guardians in the joint development of the school system’s plan to help disadvantaged students meet challenging achievement and academic standards and in the process of school review and improvement by: 

•  Establishing a district Parent Advisory Committee with parent/guardian representatives from each building; 

•  Establishing effective and ongoing two-way communications between the district, school, staff and parents/guardians; 

• Developing a district-wide newsletter to communicate with parents/guardians about the district’s Title I plan and seek their input and participation; and 

• Training staff to work more effectively with families with diverse cultural backgrounds and/or barriers such as illiteracy or limited English proficiency. 

2.  Lewiston Public Schools provide the coordination, technical assistance, and other support necessary to assist participating schools in planning and implementing effective parent/guardian involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance by: 

• Providing information to parents/guardians about the district and various instruments that will be developed or used to monitor student progress; 

• Providing district-level workshops to assist individual schools in planning and implementing various improvement activities

• Holding training sessions for parent Advisory Committee members so that there may be more effective liaisons between parents and schools, and 

• Seeking input from parents/guardians in developing workshops that will help them become more effective partners with the schools in encouraging academic achievement. 

3.  Lewiston Public Schools builds the capacity of schools and parents/guardians for strong parental involvement by:

• Engaging school Parent-Teacher-Community Organizations to seek out and involve parents/guardians through their communications and informational meetings; 

• Promoting cooperation between the district and other agencies or school/community groups to furnish learning opportunities, increase awareness of support services, and disseminate information regarding parenting skills and child/adolescent development; and 

• Provide ongoing communication about opportunities to serve on the Parental Advisory Committee, volunteer in the schools, and lean how to work more effectively with their children to extend and reinforce learning and foster achievement. 

4.   Lewiston Public Schools coordinate and integrate parent/guardian involvement strategies for Title I programs with those of the other programs by:

• Involving the district and school representatives from other programs to assist in identifying specific population needs; and • Sharing data between programs to assist in developing new initiatives to improve student academic achievement and school improvement. 

5.  Lewiston Public Schools conduct, with the involvement of parents/guardians, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parental involvement policy in improving the academic quality of the schools served under Title One, including identifying barriers to greater participation by parents/guardians in activities supported by Title One (with particular attention to parents/guardians who are economically disadvantaged, disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background), using the findings of such evaluation to design strategies for more effective parent/guardian involvement, and revising, if necessary the  parent/guardian involvement policies described in this section by: 

• Evaluating the content and effectiveness of the parent/guardian involvement policy through a variety of means such as surveys, 

workshops, focus groups, and informal meetings involving district and school administrators, teachers, and parents/guardians; 

• Identifying and overcoming barriers to effective evaluation and input, e.g., language support for parents/guardians who do not speak English or have limited English proficiency, scheduling multiple meetings at various times of day or night, providing a means of transportation; and 

• Identifying potential policy changes and program improvements. 

6.  Lewiston Public Schools involve parents/guardians in the activities of the schools served under Title One by: 

• Keeping parents/guardians informed of the objectives of the district’s Title One program; 

• Providing communication and calendar information to alert parents/guardians of meetings or events and encouraging their 

participation; 

• Providing central coordination for district, school, and parent-teacher community organization meeting and other events to create a master calendar to facilitate parent/guardian participation; and 

• Promoting opportunities for parents as volunteers in the classroom and in school programs. 

Legal Reference: [20 U.S.C. § 6318] 

Reviewed: July 23, 2013 

Reviewed: July 20, 2015 

Revised: September 11, 2023