Under No Child Left Behind (NCLB)Act of 2001, parents of students attending Title I schools are required to be notified of certain provisions and standings of schools, teachers, and opportunities to participate. The following descriptions are intended to meet these requirements.

Highly Qualified Teachers

Under NCLB all teachers must be "highly qualified" for the subjects they teach by the June 30, 2006. This requirement specifies that teachers must be certified by the State of Michigan for the subjects they teach, and must have the equivalent of 30 semester hours of college coursework in the subjects. Parents have the right to check on the certification status of any of their child's teachers. This can be done by logging into the State web site at http://meis.mde.state.mi.us/teachercert/sr_teaCerts.asp, and entering the teacher's last and first name. Clicking on their certificate number provides all relevant information. Parents may also contact the building principal to request the information.

Teachers of students in Title I schools, (all Coldwater elementary schools and Legg Middle School), are required to identify teachers of core academic subjects who are not highly qualified and notify parents of the fact beginning in the 2002 school year.

As of November, 2003, the following teaching positions are filled with teachers that do not fully meet the requirements to be "highly qualified" in all subjects taught:

Elementary schools: Art teacher, two English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers.

Legg Middle School: One mathematics teacher, two CI special education teachers, and one Alternative Education teacher.

If a student in a Title I school is taught by a teacher who is not highly qualified for more than four consecutive weeks, the parents of the students of the teacher are to be notified in writing of the situation.

Each year, principals will verify the status of each of their teachers and provide notice to parents when necessary.

Schools Needing Improvement

If a school does not meet the requirements of making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two years in a row, they are identified as "Schools Needing Improvement". AYP requires improvement in reading and mathematics test scores yearly, of the total student body tested, as well as each sub-group of students having 30 or more students in the group. The sub-groups include, economically disadvantaged, special needs, ESL, homeless, and migrant. In addition, the total group, as well as each sub-group must have 90% participation in the testing. If any of these factors are not meet for two years in a row the school is identified as "needing improvement" and having certain requirements placed on it's staff and the opportunity for students to receive supplemental services or apply to another school for attendance.

In the spring of 2003, the State of Michigan identified Lincoln and Edison elementary schools as needing improvement. The 2003 testing of students satisfied the requirements, and the schools are tentatively scheduled to be removed from the listing.

Access to Student Information by Military and College Recruiters

Under NCLB schools must provide directory information, upon request, to military and college recruiters.

Parent Involvement

Policy 1221 PARENT PARTICIPATION

The Board of Education looks upon parent involvement as an integral component of the education of its students. The Board of Education encourages active support and participation of parents to foster the decision-making process. Parent representation will consist of participation on various school improvement committees. Parents will assist in the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of the school programs including, but not limited to, Title I, Gifted and Talented, Special Education and Core Curriculum. In recognizing the value of parent support and participation, the Board of Education wishes to emphasize the role of parents as active contributors in the learning process. Parents are encouraged and expected to visit schools, attend meetings and conferences, and actively engage in the learning experience of students in the Coldwater school system.

ADOPTED: AUGUST 7, 1995

Educational Services to Homeless and Migrant Children and Youth

Homeless students—Students who qualify as homeless by state guidelines are eligible for immediate enrollment and educational services, with or without required entry documents.

Migrant students—Students whose families have moved within the past 36 months to obtain temporary employment in agriculture or fishing are eligible for regular school year and summer programs designed to provide basic instruction in the core curriculum. Priority will be given to those who have moved during the academic year and are in jeopardy of not meeting the academic standards of the core curriculum.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Parents may inspect and review educational records of their students within 45 days of making a written request to the building principal.

Parents may request that records be amended by the school where there is a belief that inaccuracies exist. Such requests shall be made in writing and directed to the building principal.

The school may disclose the contents of a student's educational records to school officials having a legitimate educational interest without parental consent. School officials include administrators, supervisors, counselors, teachers, support staff members, a school board member, or a person or company contracted by the district to perform a special task.

The school may release directory information without parental consent, unless the parent has filed a written objection to releases with the superintendent of the Coldwater Community Schools, 401 Sauk River Drive, Coldwater, Michigan 49036. Directory information about a student includes: Name, address, telephone number, date of birth, photograph, major field of study or grade, participation in school activities, dates of school attendance, honors and awards, and other general information generally found in yearbooks.

Parents have a right to file a complaint with the Family Policy Compliance Office in the U.S. Department of Education.

The above parental rights transfer to the student when he or she turns 18 years of age or enters a postsecondary educational institution at any age.

Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)

PPRA governs the administration to students of a survey, analysis, or evaluation that concerns one or more of the following eight protected areas:

1. Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student's parent;
2. mental or psychological problems of the student or the student's family;
3. sex behavior or attitudes;
4. illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
5. critical appraisals of other individuals with who respondent have close family relationships;
6. legally recognize privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers;
7. religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or student's parent; or
8. income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program).

If such surveys are funded by the U.S. Department of Education, prior written parent approval must be received before the survey is administered. Non-department funded surveys may be conducted without written parental permission provided there is prior notification to the parent indicating the purpose, approximate dates of administration and an opportunity for the parent to opt their student out of participation.