04.01.03 Parent Education Committee

Policy Number and Last Update (04.01.03/02/2025)

OBJECTIVE: The Parent Education Committee provides input on the program's curriculum, teaching strategies, educational services' policies and procedures, and offers suggestions and recommendations for adaptations and/or improvement.

PROCESS: The committee has two levels. Level one: consists of all parents at the delegate or partnership site. Level two: consists of the Policy Council parent members.

  • First Level: The Education Coordinator or Head Start Coordinator will obtain parents' input on the program's educational services and curriculum implementation. Parents will discuss the information and give recommendations as needed to improve services at the local level.
  • Second Level: The grantee's Education Manager will aggregate the delegates' and partnerships' findings and recommendations to present to Policy Council members. Policy Council provides input on the statewide provision of educational services and curriculum.

PROCEDURE:

  1. The Education Coordinator enlists the participation of at least one parent per classroom.
  2. The Education Coordinator schedules at least two meetings with the parents, according to parents' availability, including evenings or weekends, if necessary. The Director adapts the work schedule, or pay overtime, for staff participating in evening meetings.
  3. Education Coordinator holds the 1st meeting before the 4th week of operation-
    1. Discuss the purpose of the committee and the classroom observations;
    2. Give an overview of the curriculum, and review the education & transition plans, assessment & screening procedures, and teacher planning procedures, discuss center's goals for school readiness;
    3. Provide a brief summary of any follow-up pending from last season's meetings, and share prior year's educational outcome data; and,
    4. Request that parents observe within two weeks, at their convenience, a classroom, including their own child's classroom if they so choose, to note areas needing improvement, and/or exemplary practices.
  4. Education Coordinator holds the 2nd meeting by the 8th week of operation-
    1. Discuss the classroom observation results;
    2. Evaluate the progress of the transition plan and provide recommendations for improvement;
    3. Give suggestions for improving the educational services, teaching strategies, implementation of the curriculum, or screening & assessment tools;
    4. Ask for a parent to share findings and/or recommendations at the next policy committee meeting; and,
    5. Encourage parents on the education committee to participate in the program's annual self-assessment.
  5. The Education Coordinator discusses the committee's findings and recommendations with the Director after the meeting and they act immediately on any local issues. (E.g. Parents observe children put in time-out and recommend that it not be used. In this case, IMSHSP policy prohibits use of time-out so it should be handled locally. However, if the committee recommends a revision on a current education/classroom policy or procedure and/or the development of one, the Education Coordinator would report this recommendation to the Education Manager.) The, Education Manager will hold a conference call with the delegate coordinators to obtain the parents' input.
  6. The Education Manager shares the information from the delegates with the Policy Council.
    • ONE:  Education Manager reviews Education Service Area Plan with Policy Council;
    • TWO:  Policy Council members discuss findings and/or recommendations affecting grantee's policies and procedures; and,
    • THREE:  Education Manager and Policy group decide on revisions to the Education Service Area Plan.
  7. The Education Manager discusses the revisions recommended by Policy Council at the annual coordinators' or grantee planning meeting.