August 2020

Dear Family:

We would like to welcome you and your child to the Title I Schoolwide Program.  Title I is the largest federal program in the United States, which offers assistance to education.  Alachua County Public Schools uses its funds to provide supplemental instructional support for students who attend schools that qualify for Title I funding.

The School Board of Alachua County recognizes that a child’s education is a responsibility shared by the school and family. To support the goal to educate all students effectively, the school and family must work in close collaboration with one another.  We look forward to seeing you at meetings, workshops, conferences, and activities planned for this year.

Families may request information by contacting the principal of the school or the Title I District Office regarding the professional qualifications of the student’s classroom teachers including:
(a) whether a teacher has met State qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction;
(b) whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which State qualification of licensing criteria have been waived;
(c) the baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and other graduate degree major or certification held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification or degree; and
(d) Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

In addition to the information that families may request as outlined above, a school that receives Title I funds shall provide to each individual family:
  (a)  Information on the level of achievement of the child in each of the State academic
        Assessments; and
  (b)  Timely notice that the child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more
                 Consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified.

A “Title I Complaint” is an allegation that the administration has violated a federal or state regulation or guideline pertaining to the Title I program.  Administrative procedures for handling complaints are designed to resolve the complaint at the lowest level possible.

Procedure:  All Title I complaints will be processed as follows:
     *Title I Complaints should first be addressed to the local school principal.  A parent who has a complaint may        have a conference with the principal and appropriate school personnel.  The principal is expected to make a good faith effort to resolve any differences.  Within fifteen (15) calendar days after becoming aware of the complaint, the principal will notify the Director of Title I of the issues under dispute and the action(s) that the school has taken.
     *If the complaint has not been resolved, the parent may meet with the district’s Director of Title I or the designated representative to discuss his or her concerns.  The Director will explain to the parent any federal regulation or state guidelines that apply.
     *Within fifteen (15) calendar days after the conference, the Director will send a written report to the parent that sets forth any agreement or decision reached during the conference.  The report will be sent to appropriate persons.
     *The parent has the right to appeal to the state education agency (SEA) a decision of the local education agency (LEA) within thirty (30) calendar days from the receipt of the written report.
     *All survey comments of “unsatisfactory” from parents of participating children will be submitted with the district’s LEA plan to the SEA.

I understand that by entering my email address and child's information, I have received and reviewed the Title I Parent’s Rights and Complaint Procedure.  I am aware that the District Parent and Family Engagement Plan, School Parent and Family Engagement Plan, and Home-School Compact are available for review on the school's website.