![References
• Hayes-Tavares, Shawnna (2009). Navigating the public school
system: The key to helping your child. [Power Point
Presentation]. Atlanta, GA.
• Minneapolis Public Schools (2008). Connecting Parents to
Educational Opportunities: How the School System Functions.
[Personal Communication]. Minneapolis, MN.
• Office of the Education Ombudsman. How does the school
system work? Olympia: WA, 2009. Retrieved from:
http://www.governor.wa.gov/oeo/publications/007_english.pd
f](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/9-24-12learningyourchildsschoolsystem-barge-121001152303-phpapp01/85/Navigating-the-Early-County-School-System-2012-2013-32-320.jpg)
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Navigating the Early County School System 2012-2013
- 1. Georgia Department ofEducation and Early County School System Learning Your Child’s School System: The Key to Success Tammy Storey ECSS Parent Involvement Coordinator Located: ECMS room 203 Phone: 229.359.5310 tstorey@early.k12.ga.us
- 2. Objectives • BELIEVE thatparent and family involvement is the first step to helping your child succeed. • BELIEVE that knowledge is power! Ask Questions ● Listen ● Observe ● Understand • KNOW the personnel you need to talk to about pertinent issues. • KNOW that all schools have been developed to educate your child in a way that he/she may flourish.
- 3. What Would YouDo If… • You wanted to learn how to become a parent volunteer? • Your child started displaying academic challenges? • Your child needed to learn about career choices? • You experienced problems with your child’s teacher? • You found out your child has been “cutting” school ? • Your child has a problem with speech? • Your child’s school did not meet AYP? • Your child started having behavioral difficulties? • You had a special needs preschooler? Adapted From: Shawnna Hayes-Tavares, Navigating the Public School System, September 2009
- 4. Organize Me! Where doI begin and end? STANDARD PUBLIC SCHOOL STRUCTURE Principal Governor Local Board of Education Superintendent Teacher State Board of Education State Superintendent
- 5. Correct Order STANDARD PUBLIC SCHOOL STRUCTURE Governor State Superintendent State Board of Education Local Board of Education Superintendent Principal Teacher
- 6. Nathan Deal Governor – responsible for managing the state budget; proposing new programs and state laws, signing or vetoing legislation, and appointing members of various state boards.
- 7. Dr. John D.Barge State Superintendent of Schools - directs the Georgia Department of Education in executing the policies set by the State Board of Education. He’s also the chief spokesperson for public schools, providing education policy and direction to local school districts.
- 8. State Board ofEducation Chair Wanda Barrs The State Board of Education focuses on policy making, planning, monitoring, and evaluation to support Georgia’s local school districts. For more information go to Georgia State Board of Education
- 9. State Board Membersand Districts 1- Linda Zechmann 2- Elizabeth Ragsdale 3- Helen Odom Rice 4- Daniel Israel 5- Kenneth Mason 6- Barbara Hampton 7- Mike Royal 8- Wanda Barrs, Chair District 2 State 9- Larry Winter Board of Education 10- Brian Burdette Representative 11- J. Grant Lewis Elizabeth Ragsdale 12- Allen Rice 13- Mary Sue Murray
- 10. Early County Boardof Education William Davis Denise Williams Alice Hutchins James Cannon Cynthia Levatte District 1, Chairman District 2 District 3, Vice-Chair District 4 District 5, Countywide Local Board of Education- each board member is elected by the people. Meetings are normally held monthly and members of the community are encouraged to attend so they can know what’s going on in their schools and district.
- 11. Public Early County CENTRAL Board of OFFICE Education Superintendent – Thomas D Challender
- 12. FY10 ECSS Budget $21,631,951.00 5% 6% Instruction 6% Student Support Services 6% General Administration 5% School Administration Maintenance Operations 3% 69% Student Transportation Staff Development 10/01/12 12
- 13. Funding Sources • LocalTaxes- $6,058,409.45 • State Funds-$11,657,590.81 • Federal Funds-$4,927,137.12 Total: $22,643,137.38
- 14. Funding School Personnel • Social workers, counselors, school psychologist and assistant principals are determined by enrollment • Speech, interpreters, and other special services are determined by need • Support staff, paraprofessionals, and nurses are determined by budget Shawnna Hayes-Tavares, Navigating the Public School System, September 2009
- 15. Donnie Yarbrough, ECMSPrincipal Matthew Cullifer, ECES Principal David Ferry, ECHS Principal James McCoy, ECLOA Principal Principal – deals mainly with facilities, safety, discipline and the school budget. They are the school’s leader. You should feel very comfortable and confident about talking with you principal.
- 16. Remember… • Every school’sstaff members are in place to assist with the needs of the parents, but you have to know where to go to obtain your requests. Do your research and ask questions! • You must communicate your needs. • Knowing who to report to makes life easier.
- 17. Public School Staff& Responsibilities • School Counselor- assists students with making decisions that affect their personal and academic development; they often meet with students individually or in groups to provide counseling sessions. • Social Worker- serves as a link between students' families and the school, working with parents, guardians, teachers, and other school officials to ensure that students reach their academic and personal potential; they also handle truancy issues.
- 18. Cont’d. Public SchoolStaff & Responsibilities • Parent Mentor (Special Needs) - hired by local school systems to work with special education directors, parents, school teams, teachers, and the community; they also schedule and record IEP meetings and connect you to the services and resources you need. • Academic Coach - oversees the curriculum, observes classrooms to determine instructional strategies, assists in implementing school reforms, professional development, and mentors.
- 19. Cont’d. Public School Staff& Responsibilities • Lead Teacher-an experienced teacher within a school system who is chosen to provide support, guidance and resources for new teachers or those dealing with a challenging population of students. • Assistant Principal- assists the principal; deals with facilities, safety, discipline and the budget. • Paraprofessional-assists, supports, and works closely with teachers, administrators, and other team members in providing educational benefit for students.
- 20. Cont’d. Public School Staff& Responsibilities Teacher- responsible for organizing Teacher Parent Involvement Coordinator - and implementing an instructional parent advocate who offers workshops, program that will result in students links parents to resources, aims to achieving academic success increase parental involvement and helps parents
- 21. Benefits of Having Involved Parents: Fewer behavior problems Better academic performance More likely to complete secondary school Increased teacher support Potential problems are identified early
- 22. How can Ibecome a Very Involved Parent? (V.I.P.) •PTO •Parent Liaison •Booster Clubs •School Website •Parent Portal •Newsletter •Local School Council •Parent/Teacher •Volunteer Conferences
- 23. FACT 1: Teachers ofstudents with highly involved parents tend to give greater attention to those students, and they are more likely to identify problems that might hinder student learning at earlier stages.
- 24. FACT 2: Parents, schools, families, and communities working together can create meaningful partnerships that ultimately lead to significant gains across the board in student achievement.
- 25. FACT 3: Accountability andcommunication are the keys to helping parents help their children. Knowing these entities exist helps you to play an active role in becoming an advocate for your child.
- 26. Commonly Used Acronyms •AYP- Adequate Yearly Progress- an annual report that indicates the progress individual schools are making toward achieving state academic standards • ELL- English Language Learners- students whose native language is not English • SES- Supplemental Education Services- tutoring service available to students from low income families who are attending failing schools • LEA- Local Education Agency- public board of education or other public authority legally constituted within a state for either administrative control or direction of public elementary or secondary schools • GHSGT- Georgia High School Graduation Test-all students seeking a Georgia high school diploma must pass this test in four content areas as well as the writing assessment.
- 27. Cont’d. Commonly Used Acronyms • CRCT- Criterion Reference Competency Test- a standardized test that measures student performance related to academic objectives • IEP – Individualized Education Program- an intervention strategy used mostly for special needs children • ESEA- Elementary and Secondary Education Act-(formerly known as NCLB) federal law that provides guidance and money to assist schools in an effort to help all children succeed • PAC- Parent Advisory Council-a group of parents from across the state that meets to discuss education in Georgia and focus on how to increase parent and family engagement to ensure student success • GPS- Georgia Performance Standards- performance standards that provide clear expectations for instruction, assessment, and student work
- 28. Cont’d. Commonly Used Acronyms • CCGPS – Common Core Georgia Performance Standards – Georgia joined with 46 other states, The District of Columbia (D.C.) and territories to develop a set of core standards for kindergarten through high school in English language arts and mathematics and in grades 6-12 in literacy in science, history/social studies, and technical subjects. • CCRPI- College and Career Readiness Performance Index – Georgia has been approved for the NCLB Flexibility Waiver. Instead of using AYP to determine progress that schools are making, Georgia will use CCRPI that will evaluate schools using multiple indicators to determine a school’s performance, rather than using a single test score given at one point in time.
- 29. Commonly Used SchoolTerms • Learning Disability- a condition that makes it hard for a student to learn • Academic Performance Standards- benchmarks that measure a student’s academic success • Learning Styles- a way of learning how individuals learn • Gifted & Talented Program- a program designed for identified high achieving students
- 30. POP QUIZ!!! (True of False) • Accountability and principles are the keys to helping parents help their children. • Only select school staff, such as the principal, can help me obtain the things I need for my child. • Teachers of students with involved parents tend to give greater attention to those students. • If you complain enough to the teacher, it’s okay to assume it will be taken care of. • Parent and family involvement is the second step to helping your child succeed.
- 31. POP QUIZ!!! (True of False) • Accountability and principles are the keys to helping parents help their children. (F) • Only select school staff, such as the principal, can help me obtain the things I need for my child. (F) • Teachers of students with involved parents tend to give greater attention to those students. (T) • If you complain enough to the teacher, it’s okay to assume it will be taken care of. (F) • Parent and family involvement is the second step to helping your child succeed. (F)
- 32. References • Hayes-Tavares, Shawnna(2009). Navigating the public school system: The key to helping your child. [Power Point Presentation]. Atlanta, GA. • Minneapolis Public Schools (2008). Connecting Parents to Educational Opportunities: How the School System Functions. [Personal Communication]. Minneapolis, MN. • Office of the Education Ombudsman. How does the school system work? Olympia: WA, 2009. Retrieved from: http://www.governor.wa.gov/oeo/publications/007_english.pd f
- 33. QUESTIONS? If you haveany questions about school or if you need help locating resources, please contact Tammy Storey, ECSS Parent Involvement Coordinator, Email: tstorey@early.k12.ga.us Cell Phone: (229)359-5310.
- 34. Georgia Department ofEducation Learning Your Child’s School System: The Key to Success Tammy Storey ECSS Parent Involvement Coordinator 229.359.5310 tstorey@ k12.ga.us
Editor's Notes
- #2 Please remember that you can adapt all aspects of this workshop to fit your individual school(s) and community Add your name, title and contact information to the slide as the presenter (first and last slide) Introduce the workshop, yourself and welcome all in attendance Ask parents if they had a smooth transition getting to your room and document/address challenges if there are any. Ask parents how many of them feel they are aware of how the school system functions and where to go for specific needs? “Show of hands” For elementary parents- inform them of the fact that this will really benefit them since they are relatively new to the school system and it can be confusing to navigate For middle and high school parents- inform them that this is an excellent tool for students and families new to the school system This workshop is also important because the needs of your children can change from year to year and it is important you know who to contact and where to find information
- #3 FIRMLY stress the objectives and the fact that you get results when you do the things highlighted in red
- #4 Start by asking these questions to get a feel for how much parents know already… This should be done as a large group so parents can answer aloud
- #5 This is a game for parents. Put these in the correct order from starting point to finish. Allow 30 seconds for this. Parents can be grouped in pairs if your audience is large enough.
- #6 State that this is the correct order and we are now going to focus on the governance of school starting from the top.
- #7 State who the Governor is and read the summarized job description listed on the slide. After reading the job description on the slide, tell parents about the Governor’s role in education listed below. The Governor’s Role in Education The governor has the ability to: increase the number of teachers employed increase salaries distribute monetary bonuses to teachers and principals create new education funding sources (ex. state’s lottery) create new statewide learning programs raise standards for candidates who wish to serve on school boards controls state budget funding for K-12 schools Transition: Emphasize the key point parents would want to remember is that most of the Governor’s responsibilities in education center around the state budget and the fact that he oversees all educational programs in the State; however, it is unlikely that you will have to contact him because most of your needs can be taken care of at the local level. Next we are going to take a look at the role of our State Superintendent…
- #8 State who the State Superintendent is and read the summarized job description listed on the slide. After reading the job description on the slide, tell parents about the State Superintendent’s additional roles in education listed below. State Superintendent of School Additional Role: implements and enforces board policy plans and sets Georgia’s educational goals establishes graduation requirements visits schools and school systems to inspect school operations and meet with educational professionals recommends budget priorities based on discussions with the Board of Education administers, coordinates, supervises, evaluates and improves Georgia’s educational programs develops and implements Performance Learning Standards known in Georgia as GPS (Georgia Performance Standards) Transition: It is important that you know who has a powerful hand in your child’s education; however, it is unlikely that you will have to contact him because most of your needs can be taken care of at the local level. Next we are going to take a look at the role of our State Board of Education…
- #9 State the main goals and responsibilities of the State Board of Education listed on slide. After reading their general purpose on the slide, tell parents about the State Board of Education’s additional responsibilities listed below. Additional Responsibilities: Operate as community representatives and make decisions in the best interest of the school districts they represent. There are currently 12 members on the State Board of Education because there is one vacant seat. Included in the 12 is the State Superintendent, who is also the CEO. The State Board has very little control over your Local Board of Education. Explain “checks and balances” to parents. The intent of checks and balances is to distribute power, ensuring that a government does not become domineering. This is great in the case of the state board because there are 12 representatives (democrats and republicans) from districts with various needs; therefore, they can collaborate and make decisions on education policies that will suit the needs of the students in their district. Transition: Remember, the state board is working in your favor and is striving to make the best educational decisions for your child so it is important to know who your representative is and stay afloat with what they’re doing. We are now going to take a glance at all of these representatives and the districts they serve for information purposes.
- #10 This is a visual of Georgia’s Congressional Districts and Board Members. Please inform parents of which one represents your district. Transition: Next we are going to take a look at the role of our Local Board of Education…
- #11 State the main goals and responsibilities of the Local Board of Education listed on slide. Parent Involvement Coordinator should inform parents of who the Local Board of Education members are and include them on this slide. After reading their general purpose on the slide, tell parents about the Local Board of Education’s additional responsibilities listed below. Additional Responsibilities: hires and evaluates the Superintendent adopts and controls the budget makes policies approves construction projects including site acquisitions formulates goals and establish high quality standards keeps the public informed of the status of education programs accountable for student performance defines outcomes sets the course for public schools Transition: You are highly encouraged to be involved with your Local School Board and the decisions they make because they can directly impact the success of your child.
- #12 Start by stating that the public elects the members of the Local Board of Education. Then the Local Board of Education hires the Superintendent. Some larger districts have an Area Superintendent who serves as overseer of the curriculum, acts as an instructional leader of the district and assists the Superintendent in all matters as delegated State that several core programs, administrators, directors and operations stem from the central office but are not directly related to the Superintendent’s area of expertise. Some of these include your Financial Administrators, Public Relations Director and Title I Directors, to name a few. State the main goals and responsibilities of the Superintendent listed below. Superintendent: handles the school’s budget implements the board policies makes recommendations to the board as to construction and renovations administers, coordinates, supervises, evaluates, and improves the educational programs in the school system Transition: We are now going to focus on school’s budget because many of you may be wondering why are there so many changes from year to year…
- #14 State the following: In some districts local taxes are derived by a number of resources: property taxes cigarette taxes, etc. Other local funds can come from a variety of areas such as: fees rental of facilities donations State funding for most school districts is based on a formula called QBE (Quality Basic Education) which is a formula used to earn funds through a partnership involving state and local revenues. 90% of these funds go to paying salaries. The dollar amount is determined by: the number students enrolled in each class grade levels the number of student with different needs (special education) Federal funds come from the federal government, of course, which includes your Title I programs. Transition: Some schools received stimulus money which helped save jobs…
- #15 Speaking of jobs, many parents wonder how and why certain positions are removed from the school. Here is how the funding for certain school personnel is determined. Review the information presented on the slide. Transition: Now that we have an understanding of how certain school personnel are funded, let’s get into the meat of this workshop and learn how they can help YOU.
- #16 State the main goals and responsibilities of the Principal listed on the slide. State the additional duties of the principal described below. Additional key duties of the principal: monitors instruction help teachers improve their teaching facilitate school’s interaction with parents management of school safety development and enforcement of discipline policies at the elementary level, there’s constant supervision of the young children at the higher grade level, supervision remains high to prevent injury in labs, athletic facilities and on field trips. Transition: The principal is very important to you because they are normally able to address any concerns or needs parents may have. They also have many staff members who provide support in other areas that are especially important to parents…
- #17 Stress these points to parents… Handout the blank “Very Involved Parent Contact Form” (This should be customized for your school and district) Explain to parents that this form serves as a guide on how they can navigate the school system. Transition: Remember at the beginning I asked you a series of “What would you do if…” questions? Now we are going to find the answers by learning more about the role each individual in our school has…
- #18 Explain the roles of each individual as listed on the slide…
- #19 Explain the roles of each individual as listed on the slide…
- #20 Explain the roles of each individual as listed on the slide…
- #21 Explain the roles of each individual as listed on the slide… The teacher is the last person on the governance chain, but is so important to you because they serve as the first point of contact if you have any issues you need to be resolved. The Parent Involvement Coordinator is also essential because they serve as the primary link between you and the teacher.
- #22 Read the benefits of having involved parents listed on the slide Encourage your parents to keep up the good work Transition: Let’s see what opportunities we have to do this on a broader scale…
- #23 State the ways parents can be involved listed on the slide Also tell parents they can be very involved by assisting with homework and engaging in other activities with their child within the home Transition: There are three facts I want you to leave here remembering…
- #24 State the fact and read it with emphasis!
- #25 State the fact and read it with emphasis!
- #26 Read the statement and stress accountability and communication . Emphasize that it is so important for parents to know where they need to go to get specific issues addressed. Learning how to navigate the school is essential. There are barriers to this such as acronyms that you may not understand, but remember “knowledge is power”… Distribute “Acronym Game” Transition: So now we are going to take a look at the right answers and some commonly used acronyms…
- #27 Explain that these are acronyms parents will commonly see and hear used at school Handout the “Acronym Sheet” State that many parents have complained about the constant use of acronyms within the schools and they don’t know what they mean. This should assist with that barrier.
- #28 Continue explaining what these acronyms stand for… With P.A.C. explain to parents that this can be any group of parents serving in an advisory role, not just at the state level Transition: Now we’ll look at some commonly used school terms…
- #29 Continue explaining what these acronyms stand for… With P.A.C. explain to parents that this can be any group of parents serving in an advisory role, not just at the state level Transition: Now we’ll look at some commonly used school terms…
- #30 Name the commonly used school terms and definition… Transition: Time for a Pop Quiz!
- #31 Ask questions aloud. Tell parents they cannot look back at their notes Answers… F,F,T,F,F. Distribute “Test Your Knowledge”
- #32 Ask questions aloud. Tell parents they cannot look back at their notes Answers… F,F,T,F,F. Distribute “Test Your Knowledge”
- #34 Open it up for questions and discussion.
- #35 Thank everyone in attendance and dismiss the workshop.