TSPR Audit Protocols - Community Involvement

Local school districts were established to be responsive to the needs of their community, which includes students, parents, non-parent residents, taxpayers, businesses, other political subdivisions and special interest groups. By the same token, if the community is to respond appropriately to the district's needs and concerns, it must be well informed about issues facing the district. For this reason, districts need mechanisms to disseminate information and to gather feedback from community members. Effective two-way communication enables school districts to win the confidence, support and involvement of their local communities. Similarly, school districts need the support of local organizations and businesses to enhance educational programs. A good partnership and outreach program needs to be in place; one that fosters the district’s relationship with the community and supports school activities.

Community and Business Involvement

Texas school districts use a variety of methods to generate community involvement. Some school districts have large departments dedicated to this function, while smaller districts must rely on a handful of people who perform a variety of community relations functions. Boards of Trustees can also play an important role in community involvement. Boards perceived as accessible and sensitive to citizens' concerns are less likely to be seen as insulated from the community.
Data Needs

Organization and staffing charts for all communications, community and parental involvement functions, and external liaison positions including open records personnel
Departmental mission statement, strategic plan and goals
Department job descriptions
Budget
Copies of internal procedure and policies
Contracts and agreements (as they apply)
Grants, donations and other external funding sources

Possible People to Interview
Superintendent or associate superintendent with assigned responsibility
Board members (as appropriate)
Assistant superintendent with assigned responsibility
Administrative staff with assigned responsibility (directors, coordinators, etc.)
Principals
School counselors
Community and business sector representatives
Chamber of commerce
Civic organizations
Local colleges and universities
I.A. General Organization
Activities to Perform

I.A.1 Compile organization and staffing charts for all community involvement activities, ombudsman or other external liaison positions including open records management functions and interview staff to determine if the organizational structure depicted on the chart(s) reflects the actual organization of the district, and document if it has been changed recently or repeatedly in the recent past or is anticipated to change in the near future and explain why changes are being made.

I.A.2 Obtain copies of job descriptions, and based upon the organizational structure and staffing, including support staff, prepare a written evaluation demonstrating whether the structure ensures:

Clearly defined units and lines of authority that are reflected in both the district’s organizational charts and job descriptions?
Minimal duplication of effort
Direct and accessible support for all campuses and auxiliary programs

I.A.3 Compile a list of the district’s various committees, whose makeup includes external stakeholders, and determine if committee representatives reflect the demographics of the district and the community and if members have appropriate representation.

Questions to Ask
Does the district conduct periodic reviews to ensure that functions are properly aligned to reduce any overlap of duties? Does the organizational structure encourage community involvement? Is there a single point of contact for people to call to get information about the district? What mechanisms are in place to educate the community about who to call if they have a question?
How do central office staff support campus-level community involvement initiations? How are campus-level staff supported in their effort to involve community members? Do staff members involved in community involvement have other responsibilities?
I.B. Planning, Policies and Procedures
Activity to Perform

I.B.1 Compile all planning documents, policies and procedures as they deal with communications, community and parental involvement, and open records management functions. Identify how these documents are linked, if there are conflicts, and whether there are existing gaps?

I.B.2 Diagram the open records process and compile a list of recent open records requests. Examine the documentation to determine whether the system adequately captures all requests, including those made to campuses and individual departments, whether the requests are handled within stipulated time frames, and whether appropriate, but not excessive, fees are collected to recover expenses related to filling the request.

Questions to Ask
Is the communication or community involvement plan tied to the district’s strategic plan or board goals and objectives? How are these planning documents linked to improving education?
Do plans contain strategies for maximizing parent, community, business, alumni and foundation involvement in schools?
Do the department procedures or plans identify the district's stakeholders and customers? How does the department or function measure success?
Who tracks open records requests and insures that the district remains in compliance with the law? How are legal questions addressed and monitored? Does the district’s legal counsel become involved in the open records process? What charges are associated with legal advice on open records issues?
What mechanisms are in place to ensure that campus staff are complying with open records laws? How are alleged complaints regarding open records resolved?
How are procedures for dealing with the media, handling of controversial issues, handling parent complaints, handling of crisis communications and the like communicated to campus staff? What formal training on these issues is available specifically for principals and department heads?
I.C. District/Community/Business Partnerships
Activities to Perform

I.C.1 Interview staff and create a matrix of formal and informal partnerships, interlocal agreements, collaboratives, special committees, foundations, colleges, local military bases, Rotary Club, local affiliates of the Boys and Girls Club, Boy Scouts of America, Optimists Clubs, Endowment Funds and other local foundations, and alumni etc. that work with the board, administration, schools, principals or teachers, and in one or two sentences describe the nature of the partnership.

I.C.2 Examine policies and procedures that pertain to or impact community involvement, and determine how each of these policies is encouraging or discouraging community or parental involvement.

Questions to Ask
Does the district use advisory committees as appropriate for input and comment in any area required by law, for example, Gifted and Talented, English as a Second Language or Title I?
How does the district solicit input from the community relating to special programs, bond issues and goals of the district? Does the board support community input by holding public forums, hearing, rotating board meeting locations, and the like? Does the district survey its stakeholders (i.e., community leaders, business leaders, civic leaders, etc.)?
Are there partnerships with local foundations, as well as national foundations that fund educational initiatives?
What policy and procedures address the use of district facilities by the community? Do these policies or procedures allow all taxpayers to benefit from their investment in the district? How does the board ensure that the district reaches a diverse community of business leaders, religious leaders, civic organizations, and community leaders?
Does the district regularly seek innovative ways to:

build relationships within the business community and other community groups in order to gain financial or "in kind" donations?
conduct cooperative projects with other governmental bodies, educational institutions and community or business organizations?
establish partnerships with other school districts to accomplish mutual goals?

When building partnerships, does the district use memoranda of understanding and/or interlocal agreements to ensure clear understanding and agreement among parties involved?
What are examples of community involvement in the schools (Career Day speakers, etc)? Is there a uniform policy for screening volunteers to determine the best role for each volunteer (particular skills and backgrounds)? Is there a system for tracking the contribution of volunteers? Is there a directed focus on obtaining additional resources such as tutors in at-risk schools? Are there ways to involve alumni in school activities?
Does the district have volunteer and partnership recognition programs such as volunteer/partner of the year and service awards? Is there adequate funding for volunteer recognition and awards programs? Does the district provide structured volunteer training? Do the schools have a lounge or designated rooms for volunteers to use and/or work from?
How does this department advertise or solicit business or community partners? How does the district ensure that businesses and community organizations are not approached multiple times by various groups within the district?
Who is responsible for fostering business partnerships and collaborating with nonprofit agencies? Who has the responsibility for the creation and nurturing of collaborative partnerships?
How are local affiliates of nonprofit organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, Young Men's Christian Association, Boy/Girl Scouts of America and Communities in Schools used in the schools?
Is a community outreach plan part of the annual planning process? Are there strategies for providing feedback to citizens who voice concerns and share ideas?
Does the staff provide a regular liaison to school/community organizations? What administrator is assigned to work as liaison with organizations in the district?
Does the district identify and maintain a list of community resources?
Does the district have a memorandum of understanding or interlocal agreement for providing any partnership services?
How are business and community partners involved in fund-raising for scholarships or to supplement the educational or special programs, such as dropout prevention initiatives, mentoring programs and after school programs for parents? Does the district have special initiatives to foster foundations that offer scholarship programs in inner city schools and campuses with high numbers of low income students?
How does the district promote a positive relationship with non-parent community members? Are there programs in place to encourage retired citizen’s to become involved in the schools? Are discount cards or special privileges granted to retired citizen’s to encourage them to attend school events such as sporting activities, theatrical presentations and concerts?

II. Communications/ Public Relations

Honest and timely communication with parents and the community is critical if a district is to maintain the trust and confidence of the community.
Data Needs

District publications (internal and external)
Student/parent handbooks
Newspaper clippings
Examples of media releases
Parent survey instruments
Newsletters and calendars

Possible People to Interview
Superintendent or associate superintendent with assigned responsibility
Staff as assigned
Local media
Parents
Parent organizations (booster clubs, PTAs, PTOs)
II.A. Printed and Electronic Communication
Activities to Perform

II.A.1 Compile a list of all district publications including both external publications and internal newsletters. Prepare a chart showing the frequency of the publication, the target audience, the number of copies distributed and the approximate costs for publishing, printing and mailing each item.

II.A.2 Examine the district’s electronic communication network including television or radio broadcasts, any Websites created and maintained by the district or at individual campuses and email correspondence. Prepare a chart showing each mediums purpose and use, target audience, frequency of use or frequency of updates and the approximate cost for each medium.

Questions to Ask
Does the district maintain a district speakers bureau and furnish community organizations a list of speakers and topics? Are staff given training in public speaking?
Does the district have a user-friendly telephone system? Are district staff trained in telephone courtesy? When callers do not know the name of a person or department, how are inquiries handled?
How does communication flow from the central office to the campuses? Has the district established a procedure for regular communication with employees? Who is responsible for providing information regarding action taken by the board to employees in a timely manner? Does the district have an ombudsman, who reports to the superintendent, who helps employees, parents and community members negotiate the communication structure?
How does the district develop and distribute its annual report card on student and district performance? Is an individual and/or office assigned responsibility for developing the formal report on district activities and accomplishments for the year? Is distribution of the report accomplished through board meetings, service clubs, realtors, chambers of commerce or direct mail?
How is information regarding district operations, activities of various district committees, district and/or school honors disseminated to the community? Does the district maintain a hotline or informational website where parents or community members can obtain information regarding school closures or other emergencies?
Does the district periodically review and evaluate the public relations program? Has the district developed an annual plan for a Community/Public Relations program containing goals and objectives for improved community relations and are resources assigned for effective implementation?
Has the communications office assessed the public's knowledge and attitudes about the district through periodic surveys? What does the district do with survey results and other input/suggestions from the community?
Where/how are board meeting notices posted?
II.B. Media Contacts
Activity to Perform

II.B.1 Diagram the process used to communicate with the media showing how inquiries are handled when directed to campus-level staff or to district administrators, and where possible, show the elapsed time between media inquiries and district responses. Also show how media releases are originated from the central office or administrative levels, and show any board involvement in the process.

Questions to Ask
Who reviews, edits, and distributes media releases regarding district operations or activities? Who coordinates campus-level media releases?
Who is the spokesperson for the district? Who handles media contacts if the spokesperson is unavailable? Is there a chain-of-command or a reporting mechanism to alert the communications office when a media inquiry has been received?
Are formal policies or procedures in place regarding employee contacts with the media? What processes or procedures exist for working with the media in the event of crisis, emergencies, school closures and the like?
Are campus-level staff authorized to speak to the media? Who trains staff to work with the media? Who assists in assuring that media-related communication plans and skills exist in each school and department?
What is the district’s relationship with the local media? How are relationships with regularly assigned education reporters nurtured? Does the district have established communication with the local media that includes:

Personal meetings with local editor(s), reporters or media staff?
Press conferences or news releases for major events and/or activities?
Advance copies of all board meeting agendas with backup material provided upon request?

III. Parental Involvement
Teachers and administrators alike agree that involvement of parents in the education of their child is one of the primary keys to the child’s educational success.
Data Needs

Parent handbooks
Lists of parental involvement initiatives
Title I program materials; list of Title I
Parental involvement agreement(s)
Documentation on parent resource centers or family centers
Grants and other external funding sources
Incentive programs (for parents)

Possible People to Interview
Superintendent or associate superintendent with responsibility
Staff assigned to parental involvement activities
PTO/PTA leaders
Teachers, principals and counselors
III.A. Parental Initiatives
Activities to Perform

III.A.1 By campus, prepare a list of major parental involvement programs (including Title I programs) or activities including Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) or Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs), booster clubs, as well as any programs that encourage volunteerism, educate parents or encourage parents to be involved in their child’s education.

III.A.2 Tour parent or family centers; talk to parents to gauge their perceptions about the services provided to families and students, and determine if the district’s outreach efforts are successful, and if parents feel welcome in schools. Does the district sponsor Internet sites that list homework assignment by teacher?

Questions to Ask
Are there forums where principals and PTO/PTA leaders can share ideas? What opportunities exist for PTO/PTA leaders from various campuses to exchange information and ideas? Are district or campus staff assigned to work with parent organizations, booster clubs and other organizations?
Is there a plan to aid in identifying parent concerns and issues? Does the parent handbook contain information on how parents should approach complaint resolution? What board-approved recourse does a parent have when concerns or issues cannot be resolved at the campus level? At the central office level? How do board members handle parental complaints that have not been heard at the campus or central office level?
How do teachers encourage parental involvement? Have teachers identified specific tasks and opportunities for parental volunteers? Have campus-level administrators identified specific tasks and opportunities for parental volunteers? How are parents notified of needs for volunteers at the campuses? Are teachers properly trained to know how to manage activities of parent volunteers in the classroom?
Are some campuses more successful at recruiting parent and community volunteers than others? What techniques do these successful campuses use to encourage participation? Are these techniques replicable? What opportunities exist for campus administrators and teachers to share ideas and experiences for increasing parental involvement?
What obstacles exist to parental involvement? Is there a central point (parent and/or family center or room) at each campus where parents can come to volunteer?
How are minority groups, religious organizations and other citizen groups asked for input regarding ways to involve parents? What strategies are used to encourage minority and economically disadvantaged parents to become involved in the education of their children? Are interpreters provided at parent meetings to encourage participation by non-English speaking or hearing-impaired parents?
Are there opportunities for parents to meet and build rapport in order to stay connected to one another and to the schools? Does the district offer parenting classes or any other parent education/training programs?
What are the district’s efforts in fulfilling parents’ rights according to state law? For example, is there access to student records; state assessments tools; teaching materials, including textbooks and tests; board meetings; full information about their child(ren); school districts’ public records; and a grievance process for any violation of their rights?
How do parents access specific information about their children and the district?

IV. Review and Evaluation of Contracting Process

Community and parental involvement and public relations services such as printing and copying could all or in part be purchased or contracted for through private companies or interlocal agreements with neighboring districts or other governmental entities. It is important to regularly evaluate whether there are goods or services that can be obtained from the private sector at a lower cost, higher quality or both. It is equally important to continually evaluate existing contracts to determine if the district is getting the best value possible through the contracting arrangement. This evaluation process is discussed in great detail in the Purchasing Module, Section IV. Contract Processes and Section V. Yellow Pages Test.

I.A.1	Compile organization and staffing charts for all community involvement activities, ombudsman or other external liaison positions including open records management functions and interview staff to determine if the organizational structure depicted on the chart(s) reflects the actual organization of the district, and document if it has been changed recently or repeatedly in the recent past or is anticipated to change in the near future and explain why changes are being made.
I.A.2	Obtain copies of job descriptions, and based upon the organizational structure and staffing, including support staff, prepare a written evaluation demonstrating whether the structure ensures: Clearly defined units and lines of authority that are reflected in both the district’s organizational charts and job descriptions? Minimal duplication of effort Direct and accessible support for all campuses and auxiliary programs
I.A.3	Compile a list of the district’s various committees, whose makeup includes external stakeholders, and determine if committee representatives reflect the demographics of the district and the community and if members have appropriate representation.

II.A.1	Compile a list of all district publications including both external publications and internal newsletters. Prepare a chart showing the frequency of the publication, the target audience, the number of copies distributed and the approximate costs for publishing, printing and mailing each item.
II.A.2	Examine the district’s electronic communication network including television or radio broadcasts, any Websites created and maintained by the district or at individual campuses and email correspondence. Prepare a chart showing each mediums purpose and use, target audience, frequency of use or frequency of updates and the approximate cost for each medium.

III.A.1	By campus, prepare a list of major parental involvement programs (including Title I programs) or activities including Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) or Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs), booster clubs, as well as any programs that encourage volunteerism, educate parents or encourage parents to be involved in their child’s education.
III.A.2	Tour parent or family centers; talk to parents to gauge their perceptions about the services provided to families and students, and determine if the district’s outreach efforts are successful, and if parents feel welcome in schools. Does the district sponsor Internet sites that list homework assignment by teacher?