Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District Title I - District Parent and Family Engagement Policy
Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District is committed to engaging with families in productive ways to positively impact students. We believe that parent and family engagement promotes and supports the social, physical, academic, and occupational growth of students. This Parent and Family Engagement Policy outlines the methods for fulfilling the designated Title I, Part A parent and family engagement requirements under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Section 1116(a).
The Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District has developed a written Title I parent and family engagement policy with input from the parents and family members of participating children (ESSA Sections 1116[a][2][A] and 1116[a][2][F]).
Input is gathered through parent/guardian surveys, LCAP Community Forums, and is reviewed by the Title I District Advisory Committee, District English Learner Advisory Committee, and Title I school site councils.
The District distributes the policy to parents and family members of children served under Title I, Part A through the annual Aeries data confirmation process and website postings.
To involve parents and family members in the Title I program, Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District has established the following practices:
1. The LEA will incorporate the parent and family engagement policy into the District's plan (ESSA Section 1116[a][2][A]).
DCJESD maintains LCAP Goal 3 in ensuring vital engagement with stakeholders. Actions and strategies are also included in the LCAP Federal Addendum.
2. The LEA will involve parents and family members in the joint development of local educational agency planning efforts and in the process of school review and improvement (ESSA Sections 1116[a][2][D] and 1116[a][2][E]).
DCJESD conducts annual presentations at all school site council and ELAC meetings. Annually, the District surveys parents and family members to gather feedback on what is working and areas for improvement regarding the LCAP, as well as school goals and actions. Feedback from engagement partners is also collected at District and school advisory committee meetings. The information gathered is used to revise the District's LCAP and site School Plans for Student Achievement (SPSA).
3. The LEA will provide coordination, technical assistance, and other support necessary to assist and build the capacity of all participating schools within the District in planning and implementing effective parent and family involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance (ESSA Section1116 [a][2][B]).
DCJESD staff work collaboratively with site administrators to plan and implement parent and family engagement activities to enhance and improve student achievement. Site Principals collaborate to plan and coordinate activities and best practices. Activities include Coffee with the Principal, Literacy/Math nights, parent information nights, workshops and family events. Activities for each site are included in the School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) and discussed at School Site Council meetings and the annual Title I meeting. All families are encouraged to attend.
4. The LEA will coordinate and integrate Title I, Part A parent and family engagement strategies, to the extent feasible and appropriate, with other relevant Federal, State, and local laws and programs (ESSA sections 1116[a][2][C], and 1116[e][4])
Parent and family engagement activities for programs, including English Learners and Special Education are coordinated with those offered through Title 1, Part A.
5. The LEA will conduct, with the meaningful involvement of parents and family members, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of the schools served, including identifying the following (ESSA sections 1116[a][2][D], and 1116[a][2][E]:
a. Barriers to greater participation by parents in activities authorized by this section, with particular attention to economically disadvantaged parents, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background (ESSA Section 1116[a][2][D][i]).
DCJESD annually gathers input and feedback from engagement partners through the LCAP school site council presentations, LCAP parent surveys, local indicator rubrics, as well as site and District advisory committees to evaluate the effectiveness of the parent and family engagement policy. Barriers are identified through this process, and actions are put into place to address the needs of families.
b. The needs of parents and family members so that they may assist with the learning of their children, including engaging with school personnel and teachers (ESSA Section 1116[a][2][D][ii]).
Workshops and information are offered to families in order to support them with strategies to meaningfully engage with the school. Strategies include, but are not limited to, questions to ask during parent conferences, how to contact their child's teacher, and assistance with completing school forms.
c. Strategies to support successful school and family interactions (ESSA Section 1116[a][2][D][iii]).
Each school develops a site-specific parent and family engagement policy and school-parent compact designed to meet the needs of their families. The compact outlines how families and school staff share responsibility for improving student achievement and how the school and families will collaborate to help students meet state academic standards. Schools host family information nights, such as Math or Literacy Nights, informal meetings with the principal, and other opportunities for families to engage with staff. Additionally, the District has developed a Parent Academy webpage, which provides videos to help parents understand important processes and information regarding their child's education.
6. DCJESD uses the findings of such evaluation in subparagraph five (5) to design evidence-based strategies for more effective parental involvement, and to revise, if necessary, the parent and family engagement policy (ESSA Section1116[a][2][D][ii]).
The results of the evaluation from the sites are used to design evidenced-based strategies to improve family engagement, and revise the parent and family engagement policy.
Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District has established the following practices In the allocation of Title I, Part A Funds:
1. Districts receiving more than $500,000 in Title I, Part A funds reserves at least one percent of its allocation to carry out parent and family engagement activities (ESSA Section 1116[a][3][A]).
The District reserves at least one percent of the Title I, Part A allocation to support District-wide family engagement activities. Family engagement activities are included in the District's LCAP and LCAP Federal Addendum and site plans.
2. Parents and family members of children receiving Title I, Part A services are involved in the decisions regarding how funds reserved are allotted for parental involvement activities (ESSA Section 1116[a][3][B]).
Each school has a School Site Council and also designates aparent to serve on the District Title I Advisory Committee. The committees review input gathered from stakeholders about family engagement activities. This information is used to annually update School Plans for Student Achievement and the LCAP, which include actions and services for family engagement.
3. Not less than 90 percent of the Parent Involvement funds reserved are distributed to schools served to high-need schools (ESSA Section 1116[a][3][C]).
DCJESD distributes at least 90 percent of the Title I, Part A Parent Involvement funds to schools based on a funding formula. Schools are ranked based on poverty level percentage.
4. Funds reserved by an LEA are used to carry out activities and strategies consistent with the LEA's parent and family engagement policy, including not less than one of the following: (ESSA Section 1116[a][3][D])
a. Supporting schools and nonprofit organizations in providing professional
b. development for LEA and school personnel regarding parent and family engagement strategies. (ESSA Section 1116[a][3][D][i]) Supporting programs that reach parents and family members at home, in the community, and at school. (ESSA Section 1116[a][3][D][ii])
c. Disseminating information on best practices focused on parent and family engagement, particularly strategies for increasing the engagement of economically disadvantaged parents and family members (ESSA Section 1116[a][3][D][iii]).
d. Collaborating, or providing subgrants to schools to enable such schools to collaborate, with community-based or other organizations or employers with a record of success in improving and increasing parent and family engagement. (ESSA Section 1116[a][3][D][iv]) e. Engaging in any other activities and strategies that the LEA determines are appropriate and consistent with the parent and family engagement policy. (ESSA Section 1116[a][3](D][V])
e. Engaging in any other activities and strategies that the LEA determines are appropriate and consistent with the parent and family engagement policy. (ESSA Section 1116[a][3](D][V])
DCJESD addresses 4(e) by using District-reserved funds for family engagement activities that support the activities and strategies outlined in this policy. Funds are also allocated to provide information about students' education and parent resources in the students' home languages.
To ensure effective involvement of parents and support a strong partnership among schools, parents, and the community, Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District's parent and family engagement policy aims to meet the following goals and purposes:
1. Provide assistance to parents and families in understanding the state academic standards, state and local academic assessments, Title I, Part A requirements, how to monitor their child's progress, and how to work with educators to help all students succeed (ESSA Section 1116[e][1]).
All schools develop site parent and family involvement policies to address the specific needs of their sites. Each school site offers parent and family engagement activities, such as math or literacy nights, information workshops, parent-teacher conferences in order to assist families with understanding their child's academics and progress monitoring. Information about instructional materials, state standards per grade level and how to access their child's online progress reports and report cards are provided on our website. In addition, information and resources about the same are provided through parent conferences, Student Study Team meetings, 504 and Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings.
2. Provide materials and training to help parents and families support their children's achievement, such as literacy training and technology use (ESSA Section 1116[e][2]).
Information and resources are provided to parents on strategies to support their children's learning at home through parent meetings and family nights. Parent and family education is communicated through social media and shared on our District website.
3. Educate teachers, instructional support staff, principals, and other school leaders and staff, with the assistance of parents and families, in the value and utility of contributions of parents and families, and reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents and families as equal partners, implementing and coordinating parent and family programs to build ties between parents and families, and the school (ESSA Section 1116[e][3]).
District leadership provides resources and information to teachers and administrators for effectively communicating with families. Each school communicates to families on a regular basis to share information and resources on ways to support their students' education. Information about the effectiveness of communication at each site is contained in the annual LCAP survey and site event surveys.
4. Coordinate and integrate parent and family involvement programs with other federal, state, and local programs, and conduct other activities that encourage and support parents and families in more fully participating in the education of their children (ESSA Section 1116[e][4]).
Each site annually develops a School Plan for Student Achievement, which includes goals, actions, strategies, and expenditures for family engagement and goals to improve academic achievement and the learning environment.
5. Ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities are sent to the parents of participating children in a format, and to the extent practicable, in a language the parents and families can understand (ESSA Section 1116[e][5]).
Each school regularly communicates with families to share information and resources on ways to support their students' education. Information in students' home languages are also provided. In addition, translation services, technology tools and translated website increase support for communication with all families.
This Policy was adopted by the Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District District Title I Advisory Committee on November 12, 2025 and will be annually reviewed. The changes were made during the current school year. Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District will distribute this Policy to all parents and families of students participating in the Title I, Part A program annually as part of the Aeries Data Confirmation process.
