Parent Notifications Required by NCLB: Action Guide for Parents and Communities

Meaningful communications with parents and community members by the state education agencies, school district and individual schools is imperative to school support and improvement. Continual and constant communications between educators, and parents and the community should already be an integral component of the school program, but NCLB requires that there are certain times during the year that parents and the community be informed about such information as: state, school district, and school report card information; the identification of schools or the district being identified as needing improvement or corrective action; the placement of students in ELL programs; the availability of public school choice and/or supplemental educational services; information about the district's Title I parent involvement policies; and information to parents about their school being identified as "persistently dangerous." In addition, the law specifically states that parents receive information "to the extent practicable.... in a language and format that parents can understand." This Action Brief provides a review of these NCLB notification requirements.