Title III, Part A-funded LEAs shall promote parental, family, and community participation in language instruction educational programs as well as enhance instructional opportunities for ELs and immigrant students (ESSA, 2016). Building trust and establishing meaningful, two-way communication with families promotes this participation. A variety of communication processes beginning with entry into the campus, such as the translation of documents and written communications sent home, can be considered to begin establishing trust with families of ELs and immigrant students. 

As partnerships progress between the school, parents, and the community, the shared responsibility of student success is strengthened and communication increases. LEAs must make a conscious effort to collaborate with families of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds to cultivate strong home-school partnerships. LEAs can do this by considering the following:

In order to provide and implement effective outreach programs and services for parental, family, and community participation, it is essential for LEAs and campuses to have a clear understanding of the intent of the activity as well as whether the activity is to involve or engage parents.

Ferlazzo and Hammond (2009) articulated that family engagement can produce better results for parental, family, and community participation.

LEAs must analyze the current status of climate and culture, communication, and academic achievement, which will provide insight into the types of opportunities available for parental outreach. Parental involvement may reflect programmatic activities that support student achievement and parental engagement that is goal-directed to promote the overall success of students and their families. 

Activities complementing programs implemented in support of student achievement may further the goals of these programs. For example, a campuswide reading program with a goal of increasing fluency can provide the school with an opportunity to host fluency nights in which parents and families of ELs are invited to the campus to participate in timed fluency games. Fluency data can be gathered after hosting a number of these fluency nights to determine if the overall program goal has been met.

A successful parental outreach program creates a school climate and culture of respect for ELs and their families. It also empowers school staff to collaborate and communicate with parents and community organizations in support of improving student achievement.

See page 17 of the Guiding and Planning Companion for suggested activities in support of parental outreach. 

LEAs using Title III, Part A funds are required to provide parental outreach programs and services, and they must identify those activities that are supplemental and those that are focused solely on ELs and immigrant students. In carrying out activities with Title III, Part A funds, LEAs must use effective approaches and methodologies for teaching ELs and immigrant children in the following areas, as outlined in Sec 3115 (a):

• Developing and implementing new language instruction educational programs and academic content instructional programs for English learners and immigrant children and youth, including early childhood education programs, elementary school programs, and secondary school programs
• Carrying out highly focused, innovative, locally designed activities to expand or enhance existing language instruction educational programs and academic content instructional programs for English learners and immigrant children and youth
• Implementing, within an individual school, schoolwide programs for restructuring, reforming, and upgrading all relevant programs, activities, and operations relating to language instruction educational programs and academic content instruction for English learners and immigrant children and youth
• Implementing, within the entire jurisdiction of a local educational agency, agencywide programs for restructuring, reforming, and upgrading all relevant programs, activities, and operations relating to language instruction educational programs and academic content instruction for English learners and immigrant children and youth

Title III, Part A-funded programs and activities must be supplemental not only to the state’s bilingual and ESL programs, but also to federally funded programs and activities.

Supplement, Not Supplant

Title III, Part A statute has a supplement, not supplant provision regarding federally funded LEAs. Supplemental activities add, enhance, increase, and extend programs and services offered with federal, state, and local funds. Decreasing or diverting State or local funds for other uses merely because of the availability of Title III, Part A funds is supplanting. 

Thus, Title III, Part A-funded parental outreach activities must be supplemental to activities funded by federal, state, and local funds.

Appropriate Use of Title III, Part A Funds

When organizing parental outreach programs and services, LEAs must take into consideration whether the activity is supplemental—enhancing, increasing, and extending the programs and services offered to ELs, immigrant students, and their families. The following two scenarios depict examples of supplanting and supplementing.

Read the following scenario regarding the use of Title III funds.

A campus has decided to purchase licenses for online software that focuses on targeting reading skills. After a professional learning community (PLC) meeting with third-grade teachers, the campus administrator decided to use Title III funds for the purchase of the licenses to best support all students, including ELs and immigrant students. During the PLC meeting, the reviewed data demonstrated that additional intervention was needed to increase reading benchmark scores and to prepare students for the state assessment.

The campus administrator suggested the software would be accessed during biweekly family nights, when students and their families would be invited to use the software together. By implementing these nights, the campus administrator feels the Title III, Part A expectations for family outreach would be met. Local or state funds have not been used to purchase this online software in the past and is not required by the state. Is this an allowable use of Title III funds?