34 CFR § 200.61 - Parents' right to know.

§ 200.61 Parents' right to know.

(a) Information for parents.

(1) At the beginning of each school year, an LEA that receives funds under this subpart must notify the parents of each student attending a title I school that the parents may request, and the LEA will provide the parents on request and in a timely manner, information regarding the professional qualifications of the student's classroom teachers, including, at a minimum, the following:

(i) Whether the teacher has met State qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.

(ii) Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which State qualification or licensing criteria have been waived.

(iii) Whether the teacher is teaching in the field of discipline of the certification of the teacher.

(iv) Whether the parent's child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

(2) A school that participates under this subpart must provide to each parent—

(i) Information on the level of achievement and academic growth, if applicable and available, of the parent's child on each of the State academic assessments required under section 1111(b)(2) of the ESEA; and

(ii) Timely notice that the parent's child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by, a teacher who does not meet applicable State certification or licensure requirements at the grade level and subject area in which the teacher has been assigned.

(b) Testing transparency.

(1) At the beginning of each school year, an LEA that receives funds under this subpart must notify the parents of each student attending a title I school that the parents may request, and the LEA will provide the parents on request in a timely manner, information regarding any State or LEA policy regarding student participation in any assessments mandated by section 1111(b)(2) of the ESEA and by the State or LEA, which must include a policy, procedure, or parental right to opt the child out of such assessment, where applicable.

(2) Each LEA that receives funds under this subpart must make widely available through public means (including by posting in a clear and easily accessible manner on the LEA's website and, where practicable, on the website of each school served by the LEA) for each grade served by the LEA, information on each assessment required by the State to comply with section 1111 of the ESEA, other assessments required by the State, and, where such information is available and feasible to report, assessments required districtwide by the LEA, consistent with section 1112(e)(2)(B)–(C) of the ESEA.

(c) Language Instruction for English learners—(1) Notice.

(i) An LEA using funds under this subpart or title III of the ESEA to provide a language instruction educational program as determined under title III must, not later than 30 days after the beginning of the school year unless paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of this section applies, inform parents of an English learner identified for participation or participating in such a program of the information in section 1112(e)(3)(A) of the ESEA.

(ii) For a child who has not been identified as an English learner prior to the beginning of the school year but is identified as an English learner during such school year, an LEA must notify the child's parents during the first two weeks of the child being placed in a language instruction educational program consistent with paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section.

(2) Parental participation. An LEA receiving funds under this subpart must implement an effective means of outreach, consistent with paragraph (c)(3) of this section, to parents of English learners to inform parents how the parents can—

(i) Be involved in the education of their children; and

(ii) Be active participants in assisting their children to—

(A) Attain English proficiency;

(B) Achieve at high levels within a well-rounded education; and

(C) Meet the challenging State academic standards expected of all students.

(3) Parent meetings. Implementing an effective means of outreach under paragraph (c)(2) of this section must include holding, and sending notice of opportunities for, regular meetings for the purpose of formulating and responding to recommendations from parents of English learners assisted under this subpart or title III.

(4) Basis for admission or exclusion. A student may not be admitted to, or excluded from, any federally assisted education program on the basis of a surname or language-minority status.

(d) Notice and format. The notice and information provided to parents under this section must meet the requirements in § 200.2(e).

[84 FR 31673, July 2, 2019]