The Missouri Department of Education has sample letters for No Child Left Behind and notifying parents about Adequate Yearly Progress. Districts are clearly instructed that: “It is not advisable to list specific subgroup populations in your school that did not make AYP.”
Here are the instructions from the state to the school districts and schools:
School Improvement Parent Notification Letter Template
School districts must make parents aware of the No Child Left Behind requirements and the options available to them. It is important not just to notify parents of the school’s NCLB status, but make sure that they understand what the designation means and how their school’s performance compares to others in the district and state. Districts must provide parents with timely, complete, accurate, and easy to understand information to help them make decisions when considering transfer.
Remember districts must list the options for transfer and include the academic achievement of the transfer options either in the letter or in an accompanying catalog. It is also important to include contact information for someone within the district who can personally explain NCLB options to parents. You may also attach a set of frequently asked questions about AYP for parents and a description of how the school is working to raise test scores and improve its AYP status.
Remember also that if a school is in level 2 of improvement or later, the district is also required to provide supplemental educational services (SES) for students. You must notify parents of their SES provider options.
For more ideas about communicating effectively with parents, please refer to pages 10-12 of the “Public School Choice Non-Regulatory Guidance†drafted February 6, 2004. http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/schoolchoiceguid.pdf
Customize the letter and form below by highlighting the information in brackets and filling in the correct district information. You must mention the school choice option even if schools are not available for transfer. If there are no schools available because there are no schools in the district/LEA with the same grade levels or no schools are making AYP, include that information in the letter. Remember that classroom space and ease of transportation are NOT reasons for making schools unavailable to receive transfer students.
The school may make no substantial changes in the letter template when preparing to send letters to parents. Add the necessary local information, and use the district’s letterhead for the letters. Any additional information the district or school would like to provide must be in a separate document. If you are not sure that the content of your letter meets the guidelines above, contact your Federal Instructional Improvement Supervisor for assistance.
Here is the sample letter:
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Dear Parent or Guardian,
The goal of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 act is to ensure that all children in this country receive a quality education. Under NCLB, each state is required to assess all schools to determine if each school has made adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward meeting the academic testing standards set by the state. If the school has not made AYP for two consecutive years, it is considered “in need of improvement.â€
Based on the results of this year’s academic testing in reading and math, your child’s school > did not make adequate yearly progress for the following reasons:
1. > (It is not advisable to list specific subgroup populations in your school that did not make AYP.)
2. >
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> by >. The district will provide transportation for your child under an NCLB transfer as long as there is funding available. If the demands for transfers exceed available funding, the priority to provide transportation will be for low-achieving, low-income students. However, all students who request a transfer will be granted one.
Please remember that if you do not complete and return the transfer application by >, your child will remain at his/her current school. If you have any questions or need additional information, please call > or feel free to visit us at > and we will work with you to make sure your child finds a school that fits his/her needs.>>
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Because of this designation, the school must develop a plan for improvement. One important component of this plan will be parent involvement in both the development and implementation of the plan. We encourage you to become involved with your child’s school to support school improvement. >
Sincerely,
