Henry County School System

2025-2026 School Year

Revised August 1, 2025

District Family Engagement Plan

Purpose

The Henry County School System (HCSS) recognizes that strong partnerships between schools, families, and the community are essential for improving student achievement. This Family Engagement Plan outlines how the district will meet federal requirements under Title I, Part A, and engage families in meaningful ways in the development, implementation, and evaluation of district and school programs.

This plan is developed jointly with parents and family members of participating children, distributed to all families of Title I students, and updated annually to ensure compliance and effectiveness.

Family Engagement in District Policies and Plans

1. District Engagement Policy

   • Families will be invited annually to provide input into the District Family Engagement Policy through surveys, focus groups, and districtwide family forums.

   • The finalized policy will be distributed to parents in multiple formats (printed copies, school websites, and parent portals).

2. District Improvement Plan

   • Families will be included in the development and annual review of the District Improvement Plan (DIP). Parent representatives from each Title I school will serve on the District Leadership Team.

   • Input from families will be solicited through districtwide surveys and meetings prior to the approval of the DIP by the Board of Education.

3. Schoolwide Title I Plans

   • Each Title I school will conduct an annual meeting to review its Schoolwide Title I Plan with parents and seek input for revisions.

   • Families will be engaged through committees and parent advisory councils to ensure plans reflect the needs of students and families.

District Support and Technical Assistance for Title I Schools

The district will provide ongoing guidance and resources to support effective parent and family engagement at the school level. Support includes:

• Training and Technical Assistance for principals, teachers, and family engagement coordinators to strengthen school-level engagement practices.

• Review and Approval of School Plans, including school parent and family engagement policies, school-parent compacts, and Title I family engagement requirements.

• Family Engagement Coordinator Support at the district level to provide coaching, materials, and professional development.

• Monitoring through site visits and progress reviews to ensure fidelity in implementing engagement activities.

Parent and Family Engagement Funding

• The district will allocate at least 1% of Title I, Part A funds for family engagement activities, as required by law.

• Parents and family members will be directly involved in deciding how these funds are spent through:

  • Districtwide family surveys identifying preferred activities/resources

  • Annual parent advisory council meetings to review the budget and proposed activities

  • Input sessions at each Title I school

• The district will share the budget for parent and family engagement activities at Title I Annual Meetings, in school newsletters, and on the district website.

Coordination with Community Partners

HCSS will coordinate with community organizations, local businesses, and other agencies to strengthen family supports. Partnerships include:

• Head Start and Public Pre-K Programs – joint parent workshops and transition activities for children entering kindergarten.

• Community-Based Organizations – partnerships with youth services, libraries, and family resource centers to provide tutoring, mentoring, and literacy support.

• Postsecondary Institutions and Career Agencies – workshops on college readiness, financial aid, and career pathways.

• Local Businesses and Faith-Based Organizations – sponsorship of family engagement events, donation of materials, and provision of mentoring programs.

• Health and Social Services Providers – access to counseling, wellness resources, and family support services.

Family Engagement Activities

The district and schools will provide a variety of opportunities to build family knowledge and skills to support student learning, including:

• Workshops and Training Sessions on literacy, math strategies, test preparation, and navigating digital learning platforms.

• Family Nights focused on reading, STEM, and college/career readiness.

• Conferences and Meetings (student-led conferences, transition meetings, parent advisory councils).

• Online Resources including digital newsletters, instructional videos, and parent resource websites.

• Parent Resource Centers offering books, manipulatives, technology check-outs, and instructional guides for home use.

• Classes and Courses such as GED preparation, English language classes, and technology training for parents.

Building Staff Capacity

To ensure school staff effectively engage families, the district will:

• Provide annual professional development for teachers, principals, and other staff on family engagement strategies, cultural responsiveness, and communication skills.

• Offer training on effective use of school-parent compacts to foster two-way accountability.

• Incorporate family engagement practices into new teacher orientation.

• Recognize and share best practices for family engagement across schools.

Evaluation and Continuous Improvement

• The district will evaluate the effectiveness of its family engagement efforts annually through parent surveys, focus groups, and feedback sessions.

• Data from evaluations will be used to revise this plan, the District Improvement Plan, and school-level family engagement plans.

• Findings will be shared with families and community stakeholders.

✅ This plan ensures compliance with ESSA Title I, Part A requirements while creating a framework for strong family-school-community partnerships in Henry County.