Woodlands School, Inc. receives funds through the Federal Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) programs. At the beginning of each school year, the organization shall notify parents of their right to inquire information regarding the following.
- The professional qualifications of their student' classroom teachers and paraprofessionals include the following:
- Whether the student's teacher:
- has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction;
- is teaching under an emergency or provisional license; and
- is teaching in the field of discipline of the certification of the teacher
- Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.
- The state or LEA's policy regarding student participation in any assessments required by the federal law or LEA. The documentation shall include a policy, procedures, or parental right to opt the child out of such assessment, where applicable. Sections 1112(e)(1)(A) and (2)(A)
Professional Qualifications of Teachers
Parents of children, who attend schools that receive ESEA funding, have the right to request and receive information about the qualifications of the educators who teach their children core subjects—reading, English language arts and mathematics. The same applies to paraprofessionals who instruct. At a minimum, the information you receive must explain these 3 essential components of an educator’s qualifications.
1. Whether or not the teacher met state qualifications and certification requirements for the grade level and subject(s) he or she is teaching,
2. Whether or not the teacher has an emergency or conditional certificate by which state qualifications were waived.
3. What undergraduate and graduate degree(s) the teacher holds, including graduate certificates and additional degrees, and major(s) or area(s) of concentration.
Qualifications of Paraprofessionals Who Instruct
Schools employ paraprofessionals to provide instructional support— consistent with the instruction provided by the classroom teacher or teachers. In schools that operate a schoolwide program, all paraprofessionals who instruct must have special qualifications. In schools that operate a targeted assistance program, the paraprofessionals who instruct students served by the ESEA program must also have earned these same qualifications.
1. Completed at least two years of study at an institution of higher education, or
2. Obtained an associate’s or higher degree, or
3. Meet a high standard of quality either through a) the ETS ParaPro Assessment, or b) an paraeducator apprenticeship program approved by Wisconsin.
Notification If Your Child’s Teacher Is Not Highly Qualified
ESEA directs schools to send timely notice to parents and guardians IF their child has been assigned to, or taught for more than four consecutive weeks by—a teacher of a core academic subject—who is not highly qualified.
Report Card for Every Student
You have a right to know how well your child is progressing. Schools that operate using ESEA funded programs must generate a report card for every student that explains how well that student scored on the state assessment in, at least, reading, English language arts and mathematics.
State Report Card
The Office of Public Instruction—Wisconsin’s education agency—publishes a State Report Card online, https://apps2.dpi.wi.gov/reportcards/home . Use this website to find important information about your school and Woodlands, School Inc., such as the results of state testing, enrollment numbers, facts and figures about the teachers in your school and much more.
Notification—Mandatory Throughout School Improvement
Federal law—ESEA—sets a standard for state, district and school accountability, and directs public schools that receive funds to reach 100% proficiency: all students reach state academic standards in math and reading. Under ESEA, schools whose students have taken the state assessments and have not met these standards—two years in a row—begin a process of improvement in the next school year. There are five Steps to school improvement. At each Step, schools and districts must make sure parents and guardians receive a detailed explanation of the causes and consequences of the school’s performance and how to get involved in their student’s education.
These notifications must be clear and concise. You should be able to distinguish notifications related to school improvement from other information the school or district sends home. Here are the basics you should expect from your school district.
• What it means to enter a program of school improvement
• Reason this school was identified for improvement
• How the school compares—academically—to other schools in the district and state
• What the school is doing to address the problem.
• What the school district or state is doing to help this school
• How you can get involved, and how you can help to address the academic issues that led to the need for
school improvement
• Public School Choice—the option to transfer your student to another public school not in a Step of improvement
• Supplemental Educational Services—the option to access remedial instruction for your student