Parental and Family Engagement (N.J.A.C. 6A:15-1.14)
Each LEA shall notify a parent their child has been identified as a multilingual learner. The notification shall:
- Be in written communication and dated.
- Within 30 calendar days: For a student who enrolls at the start of the school year.
- Within 14 calendar days: For a student who enrolls after the beginning of the school year.
- Within 30 calendar days: For a student who enrolls at the start of the school year.
- In a language comprehensible to the parent.
- Include all the required elements in the letter.
Parental and family engagement is a key component to all students’ academic success. Culture and language should not be a barrier for parents to connect with their children’s teachers, get to know the administrators, and advocate at the LEA level.
An LEA must keep all parents informed of school and LEA-level information in a language that is most comprehensible to the parent.
Every LEA which implements an LIEP other than English language services and ESL only, must have a parent advisory committee. A parent advisory committee benefits from families telling schools how best to engage their children in the classroom. Below is a chart of what a parent advisory committee is and what it is not.
| A parent advisory committee is: | A parent advisory committee is not: |
|---|---|
| A partnership between parents and school. | Schools giving parents information as receivers only and not co-designers in their child’s education. |
| An opportunity for parents to co-develop and review program objectives. | A back-to-school night, meeting, workshop, training imparting one-way information. |
| A chance for capacity-building skills for parents related to academics. | Homework, tutoring, or other task specific activities. |
| A change for capacity-building skills for school staff related to culture and language. | A cultural event with food from different countries hosted by the school. |
| A platform for parents and families to advocate and exercise agency for their children. | A platform to ignore or discourage parent voice and concerns. |
All parent notification letters must be dated and, in the language comprehensible to the parent/guardian. A copy of the completed letter must be kept in the student’s record. A sample parent notification for initial placement in an LIEP, continuation in an LIEP, and exit from an LIEP is available on the NJDOE website in 20 of the top languages spoken by multilingual learners. For additional information, see Parent Notification.
Translation and interpretation are a civil right and a requirement for all New Jersey LEAs (). Title III federal funds cannot be used for translation and interpretation purposes unless they are supplemental to state and federal requirements.
N.J.A.C. 6A:15-1.14, parental and family engagement require each LEA provide parents of multilingual learners with school-related information in a language which is comprehensible to them. A non-exhaustive list of some of the information which must be available in multiple languages include:
- LEA- and school-level policies.
- Invitational letters regarding school or LEA programs.
- Information regarding student discipline policies and procedures.
- Registration and enrollment forms.
- Report cards.
- Requests for parent permission for student participation in LEA or school activities.
- Parent-teacher conferences.
- Parent handbooks.
- Gifted and talented programs.
Resource: .