Compensatory Programs
Contact Us:
208 Bull Street
Savannah, GA 31401
(912) 395-5635
Title I Family Engagement
Family and Community Engagement Strives to...
- Welcome All Families/Community
- Communicate Effectively with Families and the Community
- Support Student Success
- Empower Families
- Share Leadership with Families and the Community
- Collaborate with the Community
If you have questions related to events, activities, or support related to Title I schools or District family engagement, please contact the Compensatory Programs/Title I office at 912-395-5635.
Family Engagement Policy
- Introduction
- Get Involved
- What is Family Engagement?
- Family-School Events
- For Parents/Guardians/Families
- For School Staff
- Jointly Developed with Families
- Technical Assistance to Schools
- Accessibility
- Adoption of Family Engagement Policy
- Reservation of Title I Family Engagement Funds
- Opportunities for Meaningful Parent/Family Consultation
- About the Family Engagement Policy
- Family Engagement Annual Evaluation
- Neglected and Delinquent Children
Introduction
As your partner in education, we have provided this resource to help you and your child get the most out of their educational experience with the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System. To learn more about SCCPSS programs and to access important resources, visit our Family & Students page.
Get Involved
SCCPSS is looking for volunteers to donate their time at our schools. Our VISTA program helps identify volunteers who provide valuable support, resources, and experiences for our students and schools, creating connections that strengthen our schools. Learn more and register to volunteer by visiting the VISTA page
What is Family Engagement?
Family Engagement is the participation of parents/guardians and/or other family members in regular, two-way, meaningful communication involving student learning and other school activities, including making sure:
- That families play a role in assisting their child’s learning.
- That families are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education
- That parents/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.
- The carrying out of other activities, such as those outlined in Section 1116 of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), occur.
Family-School Events
August
- Grade level school-home compacts for your child's school
- Your school's Family Engagement Policy
- SCCPSS Family Engagement Policy
- Notification to parents/guardians of English Language Learnings (ELL)
September
- Annual Title I meeting at your child's school
February - March
- Annual evaluation surveys
- Family Forum (at each site)
Throughout the school year (August-May)
- Parent/family workshops
- Information posted to websites
- Events advertised multiple ways at least two weeks in advance
- Quarterly staff training on building capacity
- Notification to parents of English Language Learners (ELL)
For Parents/Guardians/Families
SCCPSS will work as a district and through its schools to provide assistance to parents in understanding state and district academic information such as how Georgia Milestones and the Georgia Standards of Excellence connect to their student’s learning and progress, as well as information regarding the Title I program. SCCPSS will provide workshops for parents to gain knowledge about the challenging state academic standards, local academic assessments, as well as the required assessments for Georgia students including monitoring student progress and alternative forms of assessment. The dates and delivery method of these workshops will be advertised on websites, press releases, and social media. Examples of events are Back to School Showcase, Student Success Expo, Superintendent’s Kick Off and Family Engagement Day which are held as district-wide events.
Two SCCPSS schools (Brock ES and Low ES) use the Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT) family engagement model. APTT strengthens teacher-family relationships by focusing on student academic growth and achievement. APTT elevates the traditional parent-teacher conference by inviting all families from the same classroom to meet together rather than individually. The meeting includes a team-building activity to build rapport with the teacher and among parents; review of specific grade-level skills that must be mastered; anonymous review of every child’s status on the focus skills; teacher modeling and parent practice of at-home activities to improve the focus skills; and 60-day goal-setting for each child. Families receive take-home materials to support athome practice. After 60 days, families are invited to a second meeting to receive progress updates and learn about another skill. APTT meetings take place three times during the school year. The District’s Family Engagement Leadership Team (FELT) trains, guides, and monitors the implementation of the APTT model in SCCPSS schools.
SCCPSS will also conduct workshops such as literacy training and maintain district and school websites that will contain academic content resources and materials, APTT activities, and ways to help parents work with their children at home to improve academic achievement. Copies of materials will be made available at all schools for those families who may have limited internet access, including copies in the student’s home language. Additionally, workshops and webpages will assist parents with understanding the online student information system and other digital educational resources (including education about the harms of copyright piracy). Dates and times for these workshops will be determined and announced by each individual school. On the district level workshops and information will be shared at events such as the Back to School Showcase, Student Success Expo, and Family Engagement Day.
A districtwide Family Engagement Advisory Council comprised of parent representatives from each school will provide advice on all matters related to family engagement programs. Community leaders and business partners will be invited to serve on this council. This event is open to all parents of all students.
SCCPSS will provide reasonable support for family engagement activities as requested by parents/families with the support of local school staff and community partners. This will include workshops and information related to community resources, English language learners, SPED, GED, mental health & behavioral workshops sponsored by the district and local schools.
SCCPSS will coordinate and integrate the district’s family engagement programs with the local preschool program and other federally- and state-funded preschool programs in the district by inviting faculty and staff from those programs to attend planning meetings focused on family engagement activities. In the spring, each elementary school will host a Kindergarten Orientation so parents may tour the schools and receive information to help prepare them and their children for kindergarten. Coordination of services will include Student to Work Job Fairs, Business Partner Events, Student Leadership Program, Chatham County Youth Commission, Summer 500 City of Savannah Youth Employment Program, PTA/PTSO, Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV, 21st Century, CTAE, IDEA, and other agencies.
For School Staff
SCCPSS will conduct trainings during the school year for school family engagement personnel, with the assistance of parents, to learn and discuss strategies to increase family engagement, improve school-family communication, in the value and utility of contribution of parents, how to work with parents as equal partners, and build ties with parents and the community. These trainings will be redelivered to staff that includes principals, teachers, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, and other staff of schools. Trainings will also be provided for appropriate school staff and faculty that will focus on creating welcoming environments and improving two-way communication with families.
Jointly Developed with Families
During a series of meetings all parents werinvited to participate and provide suggestions
and ideas to improve this district’s family engagement policy, Comprehensive LEA Improvement Plan ( CLIP), School Improvement Plan/Title I Targeted Assistance Plans and
Title I family engagement fund allocations for the 2022-2023 school year.
The district /schools sent a flier home with each student informing parents of the
meetings and posted the announcement on the district’s website. Additionally, the district’s public relations department did a media release concerning the date, locations and
times of the meetings.
The district’s Family Engagement Advisory Council reviewed the district family engagement policy before the end of the school year and contributed feedback. All feedback received was included with the policy for this school year.
Upon final revision, elements of the district family engagement policy was incorporated
into the CLIP which was submitted to the state. Parents are welcome to submit comments and feedback regarding the policy at any time on the Family Engagement section
of the district’s web site.
The district family engagement policy was posted on the district and school websites, distributed during the Annual Title I school meetings held in September, and made available in the school’s family resource centers.
Technical Assistance to Schools
The district Title I program specialist will provide coordination, technical assistance and other support necessary to all Title I schools to ensure family engagement requirements are being satisfied and that strategies and activities to build effective family capacity which leads to student achievement and school performance are being implemented.
When necessary meaningful consultation will be conducted with local employers, business leaders, institutes of higher education or individuals with expertise in effectively engaging parent and family member in education.
During the year school administrators and school family engagement staff will receive training on developing meaningful two way communication and consultation with families. This will include building capacities for strong staff and family engagement with EL families.
Accessibility
In carrying out the family engagement requirements established by Section
1116 of ESSA, the Title I District program managers will communicate & collaborate with schools to ensure full opportunities for participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children including providing information and school reports in a language parents can understand. District Title I letters,
information and materials will be made available in a format and language that all parents can understand. This includes providing information and school reports required under
Section 1112€(4) in a format and extent practicable, in a language parents understand.
Adoption of Family Engagement Policy
In carrying out the family engagement requirements established by Section
1116 of ESSA, the Title I district program managers will communicate and collaborate with schools to ensure full opportunities for participation of parents
with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children including providing information and school reports in a language
parents can understand. District Title I letters, information and materials will be
made available in a format and language that all parents can understand. This
includes providing information and school reports required under Section
1112€(4) in a format and extent practicable, in a language parents understand.
agreed upon with parents of children participating in all schools to include Title
I Part A programs as evidenced by the collaboration of parents, school and district personnel.
This policy was adopted by the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) on June 1, 2023 and will be in effect for the 2023-2024 academic
school year. The District will make the policy available to all parents of participating Title I, Part A children on or before August 31, 2023.
Reservation of Title I Family Engagement Funds
SCCPSS will reserve one percent from the total amount of the Title I, Part A funds it receives in FY23 to carry out family engagement requirements listed in this policy and as described in Section 1116 of the ESSA. Furthermore, SCCPSS will distribute 90 percent of the amount reserved to all Title I schools to support their local-level family engagement programs and activities with priority being given to high need schools. The district will provide clear guidance and communication to assist each Title I school in developing an adequate family engagement budget that addresses their needs assessment and parent recommendations.
In the fall, each school will send out a One Percent Family Engagement Budget survey to families and each spring, schools will conduct a Family Forum during which the one percent family engagement budget is discussed. Parent/Guardian/Family feedback
forms and minutes will be collected from this meeting. The survey and meeting feedback will be used to determine areas of family engagement need for the upcoming school year.
Funds reserved by the district will be used to provide books, pamphlets and various materials for families related to increasing family engagement especially among economically disadvantaged families. Workshops and supporting programs will also be provided to reach families at school and in the community . These activities & strategies will be provided primarily through District events listed on the included calendar.
Additionally, professional development is provided to family engagement school personnel during the school year by community organizations such as Healthy Kids, Early Learning College, Salvation Army, the housing authority and other agencies. Tours are conducted of community agencies to include family shelters, health care facilities, and neglected and delinquent children support properties. The information from these trainings is then provided to school staff.
Opportunities for Meaningful Parent/Family Consultation
Input and suggestions from parents/family members are an essential component of the district and school improvement plans that are developed each year. All parents of students eligible to receive Title I services are invited to attend two meetings (described below) to share their ideas and suggestions to help the district, schools, and students to reach our student academic achievement goals.
District Title I Meetings ~ Student Success Expo, January 2024 and Family Engagement Day, April 2024
All parents are welcome to hear the latest updates from SCCPSS as well as review and provide input into the district family engagement policy and the Comprehensive LEA Improvement Plan for the 2022-23 school year. Notices regarding these meetings will be advertised in multiple ways by the district and Title I schools. The district will also communicate information regarding these meetings on the school district website.
Family Forums ~ February/ March 2024
Each spring, Title I schools will host a forum for parents/family members to participate in roundtable discussions to review the schoolwide plan, the school-home compacts, building school staff capacity, the school’s family engagement policies, and to provide input on the family engagement budget and programs. Each Title I school will advertise in multiple ways to notify about dates and times of the forums. Information regarding the Family Forums will also be made available on the school websites. Parent input on the use of Title I funds to support family engagement programs may also be provided through the annual school and district evaluation survey. The survey will contain questions related to the family engagement budget as well as a place for parents/families to provide comments.
All school, district Title I meetings and forums documents , handouts, agendas and presentations will be posted on websites for parents/families to view and provide input if they are unable to attend events.
About the Family Engagement Policy
In support of strengthening student academic achievement, the Savannah-Chatham Public School System ( SCCPSS) has developed this family engagement policy. This policy establishes the district’s expectations for meaningful family engagement and guides the strategies and resources that strengthen school and parent partnerships in the district’s schools. This policy will describe SCCPSS’s commitment to engage families in the education of their children and to build capacity in its schools to implement family engagement strategies and activities designed to achieve the district and student academic achievement goals.
When schools, families, and communities work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer and enjoy school more. Title I, Part A provided for family engagement at every level of the program, such as in the development and implementation of the district and school plan, and in carrying out the district and school improvement provisions. Section 1116 of the Every Student Succeeds Act ( ESSA) contains the primary requirements for schools and school systems to involve parents in their children’s education. SCCPSS will work with its all schools to ensure that the required school-level family engagement policies meet the requirements of Section 1116(d) and each include, as a component, a school-parent compact.
Family Engagement Annual Evaluation
Each year SCCPSS will conduct an evaluation of the content and effectiveness of this family engagement policy and family engagement activities at the district and school levels. This review will be conducted by each school through an annual evaluation survey and Family Forums held at Title I schools in the spring of each year.
In addition to conducting surveys, each Title I school will hold a Family Forum to collect parent feedback on family engagement and to facilitate a discussion on the needs of families of children eligible to receive Title I services related to designing strategies for increased student achievement and effective family engagement.
Additionally, parents and family members will be asked how they can assist with the learning of their children including engaging with school personnel. This will include strategies on how to support school and family interaction.
SCCPSS will use these findings to design evidence-based strategies to improve effective family engagement to remove possible barriers to parent/guardian/family participation which include economic disadvantages, disabilities, limited English proficiency, limited literacy or other background issues. This information will be used to revise its family engagement policies, family engagement budget, and school-parent compacts.
Neglected and Delinquent Children
Parents, parent proxies, or legal guardians of students in neglected facilities will be informed of all family engagement activities provided by the LEA (Savannah-Chatham County Public School System). To the extent practicable, school-based Family Resource Centers shall be available to these parents, with educational resources available for check-out.