September 2, 2005

INFORMATIONAL

TO:

Division Superintendents

FROM:

Jo Lynne DeMary

Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT:

Supplemental Educational Service Outreach to Parents and Families

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 [Section 1116(b) (2)(5)(B)] requires schools that do not meet adequate yearly progress targets for academic achievement for three consecutive years to offer supplemental educational services (SES) to parents of eligible children. Supplemental educational services are tutoring or academic enrichment services provided to children outside of the regular school day. Students may receive supplemental educational services from approved providers. The list of supplemental educational service providers approved by the Virginia Board of Education can be found at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/nclb/boe/supsrvcs-list.pdf on the Virginia Department of Educations website.

A free resource designed to increase parental and community awareness regarding supplemental educational services is available to assist schools and school divisions with this responsibility. The resource, designed by the Supplemental Educational Services Quality Center and funded through a grant from the United States Department of Education, is a SES toolkit for schools, school divisions, parents, community members, colleges and universities, nonprofit and for-profit entities, and national organizations. This supplemental educational services toolkit provides a variety of strategies and tips for helping parents understand the fundamental components of SES including how to select a provider for their children. The kit is available online at

http://www.tutorsforkids.org/ToolkitDownload2.asp.

Schools and school divisions are responsible for providing outreach to parents and families interested in receiving SES for their children. School divisions and schools, including principals, teachers, and school staff members, are encouraged to promote maximum participation in these additional tutoring services.

For further guidance and support, school divisions and schools should review the United States Department of Educations non-regulatory SES guidance, revised June 13, 2005. This document is located at the Virginia Department of Educations Title I website, and can be found at

http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/suppsvcsguid.doc.

For questions regarding supplemental educational services, please contact Ms. Rita Ghazal, Title I specialist, at Rita.Ghazal@doe.virginia.gov or (804) 225-2904.

JLD/BAS/RG/ht