Site provides resources on family engagement.

Assessment evaluates quality and effectiveness of family and community engagement.

Assessment evaluates quality and effectiveness of family and community engagement.

Assessment evaluates quality and effectiveness of family and community engagement.

Assessment evaluates quality and effectiveness of family and community engagement.

LEAs which elect to apply for state community schools funds and to develop a local program must:

• (1) appoint a community schools advisory council;
• (2) adopt policies, rules and plans for increased community involvement in public schools and their programs;

The purpose of this Article is to encourage greater community involvement in the public schools and greater community use of public school facilities. To this end it is declared to be the policy of this State: (1) To provide for increased involvement by citizens in their local schools through community schools advisory councils. (2) To assure maximum use of public school facilities by the citizens of each community in this State. It is further declared to be the policy of this State that, to the extent sufficient funds are made available, each local board of education shall comply with the provisions of this Article.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall prepare and present to the State Board of Education recommendations for general guidelines for encouraging increased community involvement in the public schools and use of public school facilities. These recommendations shall include, but shall not be limited to provisions for: (1) The use of public school facilities by governmental, charitable or civic organizations for activities within the community. (2) The utilization of the talents and abilities of volunteers within the community for the enhancement of public school programs including tutoring, counseling and cultural programs and projects. (3) Increased communications between the staff and faculty of the public schools, other community institutions and agencies, and citizens in the community. (4) Local boards of education are to be directed to give priority in the use of school facilities to any youth group listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society, such as the Boy Scouts of America, and its affiliated North Carolina groups and councils, and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, and its affiliated North Carolina groups and councils, in order to encourage schools to facilitate access for students to participate in activities provided by these groups at times other than instructional time during the school day for the purposes of encouraging civic education. Based on the recommendations of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education shall adopt appropriate policies and guidelines for encouraging increased community involvement in the public schools and use of the public school facilities.

Every local board of education that uses State funds to implement programs under this Article shall:

• (1) Develop programs and plans for increased community involvement in the public schools based upon policies and guidelines adopted by the State Board of Education.

Every local board of education that establishes a community schools program under this Article may establish one or more community schools advisory councils which may become involved in matters affecting the educational process in accordance with rules established by the local board of education and approved by the State Board of Education and further may consider ways of increasing community involvement in the public schools and utilization of public school facilities. Community schools advisory councils may assist local boards of education in the development and preparation of the plans and programs to achieve such goals, may assist in the implementation of such plans and programs and may provide such other assistance as may be requested by the local boards of education. Community schools advisory councils may work with local school officials and personnel, parent-teacher organizations, and community groups and agencies in providing maximum opportunities for public schools to serve the communities, and may encourage the maximum use of volunteers in the public schools.

At least one half of the members of each community schools advisory council should be the parents of students in the particular public school system: Provided, that less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the pupils attending a particular school reside outside the immediate community of the school, at least one half of the members should be parents of students in the particular school for which the advisory council is established. Wherever possible the local board of education is encouraged to include at least one high school student. The size of the councils and the terms of membership on the councils shall be determined by the local board of education in accordance with the State guidelines.