5018: Parent and Guardian Involvement in Educational Practices

The ESU recognizes the importance of parental and guardian involvement in the education of their children. The ESU will take the following steps to ensure that the rights of parents and guardians to participate in the education of their children are preserved.

  1. Parents/Guardians will be provided access, as described in program procedures, to ESU-approved textbooks and other curricular materials and tests used in the district upon request.
    1. A parental request to review specific approved textbooks and other program-approved curricular materials (written, visual, and audio) should be made to the program administrator where the textbooks and curriculum materials are used. 
    2. Parents may check out textbooks and may review curricular materials such as video and audio recordings within a time frame determined by the program administrator to prevent disruption of the instructional process. 
    3. A parental request to review specific standardized and criterion- referenced tests used in the program should be made in writing to the program administrator. Copies of the most recent tests used in the program will be available for parent review. Parents wishing to review statewide NeSA assessments will be provided with sample questions and a copy of a practice test, but will not be provided with copies of the actual assessment due to testing security. In the case of other secure tests such as the ACT, parents must contact the publisher to obtain copies of the test.
  2. Parents/Guardians will be permitted, within ESU and program procedures, to attend and observe courses, assemblies, counseling sessions, and other instructional activities.
    1. Parents/guardians are invited to make appointments with the program administrator to visit classes, assemblies and other instructional activities. The program administrator shall give permission after determining that parental/guardian observation would not disrupt the activity. Observations that last more than 60 minutes or occur on consecutive days are typically disruptive and will not be permitted absent unusual circumstances, in the sole discretion of the program administrator.
    2. Parents/guardians may contact the program administrator to request permission to attend counseling sessions in which their child is involved.
  3. Parents/guardians will be permitted, within ESU and program procedures, to ask that their children be excused from program experiences that parents find objectionable.
    1. Program administrators may excuse a student from any single program experience at the parent's written request.
    2. When appropriate, alternative experiences will be provided for the student by the ESU.
  4. Parents/guardians will be informed through the student handbook and ESU policies of the manner that the ESU will provide access to records of students.
  5. Parents/guardians will be informed of the standardized and criterion-referenced program testing program. Parents may request additional information from the program administrator.
  6. Parents/guardians will be informed of the circumstances under which they may opt-out of state and federal assessments.
    1. In accordance with federal law, at the beginning of the school year, the ESU shall provide notice of the right to request a copy of this policy to parents/guardians of students attending programs receiving Title I funds. The ESU will provide a copy of this policy to a requesting parent in a timely manner.
    2. State Assessments - State and federal law simultaneously require students to take state assessments, with few exceptions, but also permit parents or guardians to request to opt their students out of these assessments. Approval of opt out requests is contrary to the mandatory testing laws, so the ESU cannot “approve” the request. Parents who do not present their child for testing will result in the child receiving the lowest score possible on the assessment.
    3. National Assessment of Educational Progress - As a condition of receiving federal funds, the ESU participates in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). To help ensure that the ESU and its programs has a representative sample of students taking the NAEP, which will allow the ESU to assess the quality and effectiveness of its programming on a national level, the ESU strongly encourages all eligible students to participate. However, student participation in NAEP is voluntary. The ESU shall provide parents/guardians of eligible students with reasonable notice prior to the exam being administered. Parents/guardians wishing to opt their students out of the NAEP assessment must notify the ESU in writing at least three days prior to the exam date to ensure that the ESU can coordinate supervision and alternative activities for students who have opted out.
  7. Parents/guardians will be notified of their right to remove their children from surveys prior to ESU/program participation in surveys.
    1. The program administrator must approve all surveys intended to gather information from students before they are administered to students.
    2. Students’ participation in surveys is voluntary. Parents/guardians may restrict their child from participating in any survey.

Adopted on: June 8, 2009
Revised on: May 13, 2019
Revised on: November 9, 2020
Reviewed on: November 14, 2011
Reviewed on: May 8, 2023