Parent Advisory Council

The Annual Title I Parent Meeting is required under federal law (Title I, Part A, Section 1116 of the Every Student Succeeds Act, ESSA) to inform Title I parents about the school’s participation in the Title I program and to provide information about how parents can be involved in support of their children’s education. 

The Annual Title I Parent Meeting must be facilitated by the Principal (or a designated staff member who has knowledge of the school’s educational program and the use of Title I funds to support the program).

The Annual Title I Parent Meeting must be scheduled at a date and time that will ensure maximum participation by the school’s Title I parent community.

Written notice of the meeting date, time, location (whether virtual or in person), and purpose must be sent by the Principal to all Title I parents at least ten (10) calendar days in advance of the scheduled meeting. Additional methods of outreach and engagement should also be employed (e.g., automated calling, bulletin board postings, website, flyers, etc.).

During the meeting (virtual or in person), the Principal (or designated staff member) should make available (or share) sections of the Comprehensive Education Plan (CEP) that describe the school’s Title I educational program, Parent and Family Engagement Policy, and School-Parent Compact.

All written materials that are distributed or shared during the meeting should be accessible to all participants, translated for English language learner parents, and interpretation support should be provided, as needed.

The school must retain copies of the meeting notice, agenda, attendance sign-in sheets, minutes, handouts, and presentation.

All NYCDOE Title I schools are required to have a Title I Parent Advisory Council (PAC) that will serve as the consultative and representative body to involve and engage all parents of students who are included in the Title I program. Note: In a Schoolwide Program (SWP) school, all parents are considered Title I parents since all students are included in the Title I program. In a Targeted Assistance (TA) school, only the parents of students included in the targeted Title I program are 1 considered Title I parents.

The Title I PAC will participate with the School Leadership Team (SLT) in the joint review, planning, and improvement of the school’s Title I program, and the development, revision and review of the parent and family engagement policy.

The Title I PAC should include adequate representation of parents of participating students in the school’s Title I SWP or TA program, including parents of students in various grades as well as parents of English language learners and students with IEPs.

The Principal is responsible for scheduling and sending notice to all Title I parents of the meeting to be held for the purpose of enlisting parents to serve on the school’s Title I PAC and to hold elections of the PAC officers.

The Principal must send written notice to all Title I parents at least ten (10) calendar days in advance of the meeting that has been scheduled at a date and time convenient for parents. The notice must include the meeting date, time, location (whether virtual or in-person), purpose, and procedures for parents interested in serving on the Title I PAC. Title I parents interested in serving on the PAC can submit their names in advance and may also submit their names at the beginning of the scheduled meeting. Attachment 1 includes a description of the roles and responsibilities of the Title I PAC members and officers and Attachment 2 includes a sample Title I PAC Willingness to Serve Form, which can be included with the meeting notice. (Special thanks to Staten Island’s Curtis High School Title I PAC for sharing their best practice documents reflected in the attachments.) Additional methods of outreach and notification of the meeting should also be employed (e.g., automated calling, bulletin board postings, website, flyers, etc.). 

Any staff working in a school building that are parents of Title I students attending the school where they work are members of the Title I parent body but are not eligible to serve on the school’s PAC as a member or officer, or to vote in PAC elections.

A quorum of at least eight (8) of the school’s Title I parents must be present at the meeting in order to establish the Title I PAC.

The PA/PTA President or his/her designee facilitates the Title I parent meeting and explains the role of the Title I PAC and its membership.

The PA/PTA President reads the list of Title I parents who submitted a PAC Willingness to Serve Form in advance of the meeting, then invites other Title I parents present at the meeting who are interested in serving on the PAC to submit their names.

The Title I parents who submitted their names in advance of or during the meeting AND are present at the meeting will form the school’s Title I Parent Advisory Council (PAC).

The PA/PTA President may request support for this process from the Chairperson of the Title I District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) in conjunction with the Family Leadership Coordinator or Family Support Coordinator from the Superintendent’s Team.

The Principal or his/her designee must attend the meeting to observe the process and document that the established procedures have been followed.