When it comes to creating a state or school district communication strategy, it is equally as important to balance federal compliance with the ability to authentically reach out to parents of diverse home languages about their students. While many districts struggle to keep pace with legal requirements and the ability to sit down and provide clear school-to-home communications in plain language, TransACT® provides relief by providing states and districts with district-wide solutions that encompass unique strategies, specialized systems, and helpful customization depending on what the district needs most.
The following article outlines our 3 signature steps for optimizing parent notification within a state or school district.
1. Understand a district’s unique dynamics
The human connection between students, parents, teachers and administrators forms a valuable part of a successful educational experience. These positive interactions create a cornerstone of classroom dynamics, but establishing a relationship extends beyond the classroom. TransACT® makes the effort to connect with its customers on a personal level, and to understand the specific challenges of parents and administrators in a district.
Many prospects contact the support team at TransACT® for help achieving legal compliance. Yet, others simply want a partner who provides a sustainable, consistent solution to their school system’s communications. These leaders want to understand compliance requirements and provide reliable solutions that will last well beyond their own tenure.
Establishing a personal relationship helps reveal what district leaders really care about, and what’s most important to them. Educators’ core missions focus on supporting successful student outcomes — not just the legacy of the person who implemented necessary changes. At its heart, TransACT meets educators’ altruistic needs of serving the district and supporting students and families in the process.
2. Update parent notifications to remain relevant
Parent Notice collections are updated due to changes in the law, by adding translations into additional languages, and as a result of customer feedback.
As a rule, Parent Notices are constantly reviewed and updated whenever necessary. TransACT® employs its own Executive Director of Federal Programs who keeps a finger on the pulse of what’s happening in education policy. This ensures that district communications remain compliant with the latest guidance and legislation, in the context of Parent Notices and other products.
Each time guidance or legislation is released, TransACT® begins the update in-house, then moves on to an advisory board, comprised of state and district-level program directors, for feedback. The correct updates are made in the documents, then reviewed by real customers and field experts. From there, the documents are legally reviewed and translated.
3. Create customized and authentic communications
TransACT has implemented solutions that support diverse state and district needs in-line with ESSA’s shift of standards and enforcement to local control: Specifically, the RoadMaps® and District Masters® or State Masters® solutions that enable districts and states to utilize customized products to suit their specific needs.
Customized TransACT state/district-specific diagnostic “roadmaps” provide guidance that aligns with state or district processes. Users receive access to around-the-clock support and guidance regarding required forms and communications in special circumstances. This becomes an essential tool that enables states and districts to distribute consistent communications even with low human resources capacity.
TransACT® Parent Notices ensures that the quality of the documents remains high over time and that parent notices remain consistent for the students and parents that receive them. For states and districts seeking a sustainable solution, that’s a big deal, and one that can promote better communications far into the future.
TransACT® offers several parent notice collections to serve special populations across the school district. The General Education Translation e-Library (GenEd) covers everyday communications that satisfy Department of Justice (DOJ) and Office for Civil Rights (OCR) requirements, while a more comprehensive purchasing option covers everything from No Child Left Behind (NCLB) compliance with ESSA to Section 504 and IDEA, as well as everyday Gen Ed communications.
Learn more about our customized Parent Notices tools by requesting a demo.
