Sec. 4109. Parent and family information and resource centers
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Title IV ( 20 U.S.C. 7101 et seq. ) is amended by inserting after part G, as added by section 4108 of this Act, the following: The purpose of this part is to increase and enhance parent and family engagement in education by— providing support and technical assistance to State educational agencies; supporting a community of practice related to effective parent and family engagement strategies and practices; and as appropriate, providing information and training to local educational agencies, schools, parents and families, and community members.
In this part, the term eligible entity means— a nonprofit organization (including a statewide nonprofit organization); or a consortium consisting of a nonprofit organization (including a statewide nonprofit organization) and a State educational agency or local educational agency. The Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable such eligible entities to operate State parent and family information and resource centers that— assist the State educational agency in identifying, implementing, and replicating effective, evidence-based parent, family, and community engagement strategies, including assisting the State educational agency in carrying out parent and family engagement strategies that are funded under section 1118 and other provisions of this Act; provide technical assistance, training, information, and support regarding parent and family engagement, as appropriate (including support in turning around schools), to, at a minimum, high-need schools, schools that are served by high-need local educational agencies, and early care and education providers that primarily serve low-income parents and families; and strengthen partnerships among parents, family members, community-based organizations (including faith-based organizations), early care and education providers, schools, local educational agencies, employers, and other appropriate community members who are committed to improving and enhancing parent, family, and community engagement in order to improve student achievement and support positive child development.
Grants awarded under this part shall be for a period of 5 years. In awarding grants under this part, the Secretary shall ensure that not less than 1 grant is awarded to an eligible entity in each State, except that competitions conducted pursuant to section 4806(b)(2)(B), or for which no eligible entity from a State applies, shall be open to all eligible entities. In awarding grants under this part, the Secretary shall give priority to applications from eligible entities that have a demonstrated record of effectiveness in increasing and enhancing the engagement of parents and families whose children attend a high-need school or a school that is served by a high-need local educational agency.
Each eligible entity that desires a grant under this part shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require. Each application submitted under subsection
(a)shall include, at a minimum, an assurance that the eligible entity will— be governed by a board of directors, of which not less than 50 percent is comprised of members who are— parents or family members of school-aged children in the State that the eligible entity serves, including educationally and economically disadvantaged parents; and community stakeholders who are committed to improving schools and increasing parent and family engagement; or be an organization or consortium that represents the interests of parents and family members of school-aged children; use not less than 60 percent of the funds received under this part for each fiscal year to support parent and family engagement in high-need local educational areas; reserve not less than 30 percent of the funds received under this part for each fiscal year to support parent and family engagement of low-income parents and family members whose children attend early childhood education programs; operate a parent and family information and resource center of sufficient size, scope, and quality to effectively carry out the purpose of this part; ensure that parents and family members, including economically disadvantaged parents and family members with children who attend high-need schools or schools that are served by high-need local educational agencies, have access to leadership development training and other evidence-based strategies that provide the skills and resources parents and family members need to support school improvement, increase student achievement, and promote positive student development; and demonstrate to the Secretary that a portion of the services provided by the eligible entity under the grant is supported through non-Federal contributions, which contributions may be in cash or in-kind. In addition to the requirements described in subsection (b), each application submitted under subsection
(a)shall, at a minimum— describe how the eligible entity will serve both urban and rural areas throughout the State that is served by the eligible entity; demonstrate the eligible entity’s record of effectiveness in carrying out parent and family engagement activities, including the provision of high-quality technical assistance to State educational agencies and local educational agencies; describe the process through which the eligible entity will— leverage relationships with, and collect and exchange information among, partners; and disseminate information about evidence-based best practices to support parent and family engagement strategies; describe the eligible entity’s strategy for serving parents and family members of children in the area served by the eligible entity, including parents and family members of students who are served by high-need local educational agencies; describe how the eligible entity will assist the State educational agency in effectively supporting high-need local educational agencies in— increasing parent and family member understanding of, and opportunities to develop, the knowledge and skills to engage as full partners in supporting academic achievement, child development, and school improvement; and employing evidence-based strategies to— increase the participation of economically disadvantaged and English learner parents and family members, and low-income parents and family members of children with disabilities, in school activities; and improve parent and family engagement strategies in low-performing schools served by high-need local educational agencies; and describe how the eligible entity will coordinate its activities with the parent training and information centers assisted under section 671 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; identify the Federal, State, and local services and programs that prepare children to be ready for institutions of higher education and careers with which the eligible entity will coordinate, including— programs supported under this Act; violence prevention programs; programs that serve at-risk or out-of-school youth; nutrition programs; housing programs; Head Start and other early childhood education programs; adult education and literacy activities (as defined in section 203 of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act); and workforce development programs. Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this part shall use such grant funds to provide services to parents, family members, educators, and community members and to assist State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and, where applicable, districtwide parent advisory committees in supporting parent and family engagement in education by carrying out the following activities: Providing technical assistance to State educational agencies in— reviewing and responding to local parent and family engagement plans described in section 1118(a) (including, at a minimum, such plans submitted by high-need local educational agencies) in order to support evidence-based strategies and best practices in parent and family engagement; the implementation of Federal and State laws, regulations, and guidance relating to parent and family engagement; the implementation or replication of statewide, evidence-based programs and strategies, such as professional development for educators related to parent and family engagement, especially that impact parents and family members who are educationally and economically disadvantaged; ensuring that schools and classrooms are welcoming of family and community members; and applicable evaluation, reporting, and accountability processes. Obtaining and disseminating information about the range of options, programs, services, and resources (including curricula) that are available at the national level, the State level, and the local level to assist school and local educational agency personnel in implementing evidence-based parent and family engagement strategies. Coordinating parent and family engagement strategies with relevant Federal, State, and local services and programs. Working with individuals and organizations with expertise in identifying and implementing evidence-based practices to improve parent and family engagement. Coordinating and integrating early care and education programs with school-age programs, especially those programs focusing on supporting the transition of young children into kindergarten through grade 3, such as by increasing awareness of school readiness expectations among family and community members. Implementing parent institutes or other leadership development strategies to ensure that parents and family members have the skills and resources needed to understand student and school data in order to make decisions, effectively communicate with school officials and educators, support school improvement, and increase student achievement. In addition to the activities required under subsection (a), each eligible entity that receives a grant under this part may use such grant funds to carry out the following activities: Developing and disseminating templates for schools and local educational agencies to use to provide information about curricula, academic expectations, academic assessments, and the results of academic assessments to family members in a manner and a language that such family members can understand. Providing training, information, and support to organizations that support partnerships among schools, parents, family members, and districtwide parent advisory committees, as applicable. Providing professional development to, and supporting a community of practice among, school and local educational agency staff (which may be provided jointly to educators and family members) to assist school and agency staff in developing and implementing strategies to increase and strengthen ongoing communication with parents and family members, including professional development opportunities that prepare teachers to have more focused, goal-oriented, and reciprocal parent-teacher conferences. For each fiscal year after the first fiscal year for which an eligible entity receives assistance under this part, the eligible entity shall demonstrate that a portion of the services provided by the eligible entity is supported through non-Federal contributions, which contributions may be in cash or in-kind. Each eligible entity receiving a grant under this part shall submit to the Secretary an annual report regarding the parent and family information and resource centers assisted under this part. Such report shall be made publicly available, including through electronic means, and shall include, at a minimum, a description of how each parent and family information and resource center has performed with respect to the following indicators: The number of local educational agencies or other entities that received assistance or support in the previous academic year. The number of parents and family members whose children participated in the previous academic year in programs, activities, or strategies supported by the parent and family information and resource center, and— the number of such parents whose children are eligible to be counted under section 1124(c)(1)(A); the number of such parents whose children are English learners; and the number of such parents who are parents of children with disabilities. The outcomes directly attributable to the provision of assistance or support provided by the parent and family information and resource center, such as increased parent and family member participation in school planning activities, parent-teacher conferences, or the local educational agency budgeting process. Other evidence-based indicators that the Secretary may reasonably require. Each eligible entity that is awarded a grant under this part shall establish, in consultation with the Secretary, annual performance goals for each of the indicators described in paragraph (1). Such performance goals shall be made publicly available, including through electronic means. If an eligible entity receiving grant funds under this part does not meet the performance goals established under this paragraph for 2 consecutive years, after the provision of technical assistance in the second consecutive year, the Secretary shall terminate the grant and conduct a new competition for the grant. If an eligible entity has received a grant under this part and such grant has been terminated in accordance with subparagraph (B), the eligible entity shall not be eligible to participate in future grant competitions, or receive grant funds, under this part. The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to each eligible entity receiving a grant under this part that does not meet the performance goals established under paragraph (2). The Secretary shall prepare and submit an annual report to the authorizing committees, which shall— include the information that each eligible entity submits to the Secretary in accordance with subsection (b)(1); summarize and synthesize the best practices collected by the parent and family information and resource centers for increasing and improving parent, family, and community engagement; and be made available to the public (including through electronic means). Nothing in this part shall be construed to prohibit a parent and family information and resource center from— allowing its employees or agents to meet with family members at a site that is not on school grounds; or working with another public or nonprofit agency that serves children. Notwithstanding any other provision of this part— no individual (including a parent who educates a child at home, parent of a public school student, or parent of a private school student) shall be required to participate in any program of parent or family education or developmental screening under this part; and a program or center assisted under this part shall not take any action that infringes in any manner on the right of a parent to direct the education of such parent’s child. .
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Sec. 4109
Parent and family information and resource centers
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