5018: Parent Involvement in Educational Practices
For purposes of this policy, "parent" includes a parent, guardian, or educational decision maker (a person designated or ordered by a court to make educational decisions on behalf of a student).
The ESU recognizes the importance of parental involvement in the education of their children. To the extent practicable, the ESU will make a reasonable effort to make any learning materials, including original materials, available for inspection by a parent upon request.
The ESU will take the following steps to ensure that the rights of parents to participate in the education of their children are preserved.
- Parents will be provided access to textbooks, tests, activities information; digital materials; websites or applications used for learning; training materials for teachers, administrators, and staff; procedures for the review and approval of training materials, learning materials, and activities; and other curriculum materials ("curricular materials") as follows:
- A parental request to review specific curricular materials (written, visual, or audio) should be made to the program administrator where the curricular materials are used.
- The program administrator will assess the request to determine the allowable volume and time frame of the review to prevent disruption to the efficient operations of the program and ESU.
- The purpose of this provision is to allow reasonable access to the extent practicable. Individuals who make requests (a) for the purpose of adding a staff burden; (b) at an unreasonable frequency or volume; or (c) for purposes inconsistent with the efficient operations of the district may be denied access to materials.
- 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.
- Parents will be permitted, within ESU and program procedures, to attend and observe courses, assemblies, counseling sessions, and other instructional activities.
- Parents 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 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.
- Parents may contact the program administrator to request permission to attend counseling sessions in which their child is involved.
- Parents may request that their children be excused from testing (except as provided below) classroom instruction, learning materials, activities, guest speaker events, and other program experiences ("program events') that parents find objectionable.
- Parents must submit this request in writing to the program administrator for consideration.
- Program administrators may excuse a student from any program events at the parent's written request if, in the program administrator's professional judgement, excusal from the activity would not result in diminution of the student's educational experience.
- When the program administrator determines it appropriate, alternative experiences will be provided for the student by the ESU.
- Parents will be informed through the student handbook and ESU policies of the manner that the ESU will provide access to records of students.
- Parents will be informed of the standardized and criterion-referenced program testing program. Parents may request additional information from the program administrator.
- Parents will be informed of the circumstances under which they may opt-out of state and federal assessments.
- 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 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.
- State Assessments - The ESU cannot approve requests to opt out of state assessments. Approval of such requests is contrary to state law.
- 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 of eligible students with reasonable notice prior to the exam being administered. Parents 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.
- Parents will be notified of their right to remove their children from surveys prior to ESU/program participation in surveys.
- The program administrator must approve all surveys intended to gather information from students before they are administered to students.
- Students’ participation in surveys is voluntary. Parents may restrict their child from participating in any survey.
- If the ESU administers (1) a survey requesting that students provide sexual information, mental health information, medical information, information on health-risk behaviors, religious information, information of political affiliation, or any other information that the school board deems to be sensitive in nature or (2) a non-anonymous survey requesting students provide information relating to drug, vape, alcohol, or tobacco use, the ESU shall, at least fifteen days prior to the administration of the survey, notify parents, guardians, and educational decision makers of students that are to receive such survey. The notice will be made through the ESU's electronic notification system or by physical mail to the address on file for the student. The notice will describe the nature and types of questions included in the survey, the purposes and age-appropriateness of the survey, how information collected by the survey will be used, who will have access to such information, the steps that will be taken to protect student privacy, and whether and how any findings or results of such survey will be disclosed.
- Parents have the right to: (1) request that a copy of the survey be sent through the ESU's electronic notification system or physical mail to the address on file for the student, (2) review the survey in person at the program, and (3) exempt their child from participating in the survey.
- Unless required by federal or state law or regulation, ESU personnel administering any survey shall not disclose personally identifiable information of a child.
- No survey requesting sexual information of a student shall be administered to any student in kindergarten through grade six.
- The ESU will also comply with any survey requirements found in the ESU’s policy on Protection of Pupil Rights.
- The ESU or program administrator will make this policy accessible by a prominently displayed link on its public website. Any amended policy will be made accessible within a reasonable time of its amendment.
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
Revised on: August 11, 2025