In October 2003, the New Braunfels ISD Parent Advisory Committee was established with the goal of building a family support system for student success. Principals were asked to appoint one representative to serve on this district-wide group. The 14-member group includes parents from a variety of backgrounds with students in a number of instructional and extra-curricular programs. At least three parents represent children who are served by Title I programs. All meetings are open to the public.

The committee meets at least four times during the school calendar year.

Parent involvement is paramount in the New Braunfels ISD as it partners with parents to enhance the academic and social success of all students. At the district level, parents are represented on the District-wide Education Improvement Council.  All campuses in the NBISD have groups with parent representation including, but not limited to, Campus Improvement Committees (CIC) and Parent Teacher Associations (PTA).  These committees work to build parent-school district partnerships to benefit children in the district. They allow opportunities for parents to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions regarding the education of their children. The schools will respond to any suggestions as soon as practically possible via contact between the school administration and the requesting committee liaison.

The “Parent Involvement Policy” was initially created in 2004 and distributed to all NBISD parents at that time. The Policy is now reviewed annually, with the approved Policy then posted on the District Website and printed copies provided upon request.

The committee originally set four goals and those goals continue to be approved by the committee for the 2017-2018 school year:

1. Increase by 10 percent the number of parents/guardians attending parent/teacher conferences. This shall be monitored by each campus principal and data provided to the committee for review.
2. Increase by 10 percent the number of parents involved with learning activities at school. (Based on teacher and administration responses feedback.)
3. District publications and handouts will be sent home in both English and in Spanish.
4. Each campus will create an open-door statement that informs parents of office procedures to be included in registration packets and/or handbooks. 

In addition, NBISD will continue to support/conduct the following:

An annual Title I, Part A meeting will be conducted at each Title I campus to discuss the Title I school-wide programs. The meeting will be held at a convenient time and location. English to Spanish language translation will available.  Notice of the meeting will be posted.

Each campus should establish a two-way communication process with parents and families regarding the academic progress of all students. This shall include the performance of the child on the State assessments in at least math, language arts, and reading. This process could include: progress reports, report cards, telephone calls, notes, newsletters, campus and teacher websites.

Parents shall be provided with printed information annually as to the campus’ Title I school-wide programs. The printed information shall be provided in English and Spanish. The campus websites shall also contain this information for parent review.

Parents will be provided with information regarding the school’s curriculum, including the types of academic assessment used to measure student progress and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet.

Each campus shall also have information available to parents regarding grade level testing materials and objectives. Parents may request information regarding the qualifications of their child’s teacher. The information requested may include whether the teacher has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction; whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualifications or licensing criteria have been waived; and the baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification or degree.

Each campus shall provide parents with timely notice when their child has been assigned or has been taught for four (4) or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified within the meaning of the term in section 200.56 of the Title I Final Regulations (67 Fed. Reg. 71710, December 2, 2002.) This notice shall be in written and electronic format and shall be provided in both English and Spanish. 

All NBISD Title I campuses will share responsibility with parents for high student performance by developing a school-parent-student compact. Every parent and teacher must complete the compact to outline how parents, staff, and students will share responsibility for promoting high student achievement. Student responsibilities may vary by grade level.

Parents will receive the compact from their child's Title I school with a checklist of responsibilities that teachers, parents, and students will each have for helping students achieve their goals. The compact shall provide information about Title I, Part A, programs and will include a description and explanation of the school’s curriculum, the forms of academic assessment used to measure the children’s progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet. Compacts are to be shared annually and posted on the campus website. Documentation of the receipt of this information shall be gathered by the campus teachers and provided to the school administrator.

The school system will assist schools in building capacity and in planning and implementing effective parent involvement through technical assistance, coordination and funding to:

--help parents of Title I children interpret state and local assessments, including alternative assessments; the state’s academic content standards; the state’s student academic achievement standards; the requirements of Part A; how to work with educators; and how to monitor their student's progress.

--provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement, such as literacy training and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement, by hosting informational/training events on each campus. The District shall also make parents of eligible students aware of continued education through Adult Basic Education courses offered in the Comal County area.

--coordinate, to the extent feasible, with other parent involvement activities in programs such as Head Start. The schools may also conduct other activities, such as adding a parent resource center and volunteer opportunities that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children.

--encourage partnerships between schools and local businesses and provide support, to the greatest extent possible, for other parent involvement activities that parents might request.

--provide staff development on parent involvement, guiding personnel on how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to implement and coordinate parent programs and build ties between parents and schools. This type of training may be included in summer staff development activities hosted within the District or in a faculty meeting conducted on the campus during the school year.

--provide information on training for parents that will increase parenting skills. 

The District supports many varied ways of parental involvement as it strives to develop and maintain an optimum learning environment for all students. Parents may contribute through volunteer programs at school and the community may participate through an array of activities that promote student success. The Parent Advisory Committee will, at each meeting, bring suggestions to the committee as to events that have occurred on their individual campuses.

The District will also conduct an annual parent survey and the results of such, as they relate to parent involvement, will be shared with the Parent Advisory Committee.

Involvement opportunities:

• Making suggestions to campus administration and teaching staff
• Volunteering to help with field trips, and other projects which could include campus reading programs and activities.

Other opportunities include attending school sponsored events, such as Family Night, Literacy Night, Science Night; and participating in campus sponsored parent involvement activities.

New Braunfels ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, or disability in providing education services, activities, and programs, including vocational programs, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

The following district staff members have been designated to coordinate compliance with these requirements:

Title IX coordinator, for concerns regarding sex discrimination:
Kathy Kenney, Director of Human Resources
430 W. Mill St.
New Braunfels, TX 78130
(830) 643-5700

Section 504 coordinator, for concerns regarding disability discrimination:
Clay Gillentine, Director of Student Services
430 W. Mill St.
New Braunfels, TX 78130
(830) 643-5700

Executive Director of Special Education
Martha Moke, 
430 W. Mill St.
New Braunfels, Texas 78130
(830) 643-5700

Liaison for Homeless Children and Youths, who coordinates services for homeless students:
Maria Alcala, Homeless Liaison
430 W. Mill St.
New Braunfels, TX 78130
(830) 643-5700

Parent Involvement Coordinator, who works with parents of students participating in Title I Programs:
Contact the Campus Principal

The NBISD Parental Involvement Policy has been developed jointly with, and agreed on with, parents of children participating in Title I, Part A, programs, as evidenced by their membership on the Parent Advisory Committee for the 2017-2018 school year. This revised policy was adopted by the New Braunfels Independent School District PAC on December 14, 2017.