Parents have the right to know about the teaching qualifications of your child's classroom teacher in a school receiving Title I funds. We are pleased to report that all teachers in the Highland Local School District have met the Ohio teacher licensing criteria for their respective grade level and subject area. Regardless, the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act requires that any local school district receiving Title I funds must notify parents that that they may ask about the professional qualifications of their child's classroom teacher. These qualifications include: Whether the teacher has met the Ohio teacher licensing criteria for the grade level and subject area in which the teacher provides your child instruction. Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or temporary status that waives state licensing requirements. The undergraduate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate degree or certification (such as National Board Certification) held by the teacher and the field of discipline of certification or degree. Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications. Parents may ask for this information by sending a letter of request to the Office of the Superintendent, Walnut Township Local Schools,11850 Lancaster St., Millersport, OH 43046. Be sure to include the following information with your request: child's full name, parent/guardian's full name, address, and teacher's name.
Federal Regulations for Right to Know
Federal Court Instructs Ohio Districts to Post Information for Parents Concerning Data Release
A U.S. District Court has ordered that 2013-2014 school year records from the Ohio Department of Education's Educational Management Information System be turned over to Disability Rights Ohio as part of an ongoing lawsuit.
Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, families of students whose data will be released must be notified and given the opportunity to object. The court is instructing all local education agencies to post notice about this opportunity to object on their district websites and in a central location, accessible to the public, in each building that is open to the public.
A copy of the notice - which includes instructions on how parents may object to the data release - can be found here The court must receive objections no later than Sept. 12.
Students' names, addresses and social security numbers are not part of the information to be released. Ohio is one of only three states that do not allow their departments of education to collect this data, to protect student privacy.
Data to be released for each student include student ID number, school name, grade, gender, race, age and disability category. The records also reveal student performance on the state's Ohio Achievement Assessments and Ohio Graduation Tests, as well as tests related to Ohio's Third Grade Reading Guarantee. Student suspensions and expulsions also are listed.
The data is subject to a protective order, which means Disability Rights Ohio cannot publicize it.
McKinney-Vento Act
If your family lives in any of the following situations:
- In a shelter
- In a motel or campground due to the lack of an alternative adequate accommodation
- In a car, park, abandoned building, or bus or train station
- Doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship
Your school-age children may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Act.
Your children have the right to:
- Receive a free, appropriate public education.
- Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment.
- Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents.
- Enroll in the local school; or continue attending their school of origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled), if that is your preference and is feasible.
- If the school district believes that the school you select is not in the best interest of your children, then the district must provide you with a written explanation of its position and inform you of your right to appeal its decision.
- Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if you request this.
- Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to your children's needs.
If you need further assistance with your children's educational needs, contact the National Center for Homeless Education:
1-800-308-2145 * [email protected] * www.serve.org/nche
Homeless Education Act PowerPoint
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