In response to a GAO report released on December 6, 2023, the US Department of Education (USDE) “will be taking expeditious steps” to update its family engagement guidance. The report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) says current federal family engagement guidance is outdated and confusing.
The GAO, known as “the investigative arm of Congress,” avers that existing USDE guidance, issued in 2004, contains outdated and missing information about Title I, Part A requirements to conduct certain parent and family engagement activities.
The report has also found that although Title I schools must reserve a portion of federal funding specifically for family engagement activities, there is little difference between how parents from Title I and non-Title I schools get school communications and participate in school activities.
The USDE also plans to provide further technical assistance as well.
For more from K-12 Dive, click here.