PARENT RIGHTS

The Board encourages parent involvement and wants to keep them informed of their rights.
Parents should read other valuable notices and information found in their school handbooks rules, policies,
health related information, attendance, etc.
* Warren County School System does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, or handicap in the provision
of educational opportunities, activities, or other administered programs.
* Parents have the right to request information about the professional and/or paraprofessional qualifications of their child’s teacher ( s).
Teaching certifications can be found by accessing the Tennessee Department of Education, Teacher Licensing Web Site
(www.state.tn.us/lic_home.htm) or contacting the system’s Human Resources Director.
* Parents must receive notification if their child’s teacher in a core curriculum subject is being taught for 4 or more consecutive weeks by a
teacher who is not highly qualified.
* Parents will have access to system/school report cards when released by the State Department of Education and available (usually in late Fall of
each year) through their web-site (www.state.tn.us/education) or at the school and/or district office.
* Parents will be informed if their child is enrolled in a school identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring. The Warren
County School System will furnish and explanation of what this means, academic comparisons with district and state, steps being taken to
improve achievement, parent involvement, etc.
* Parents will be informed annually about the availability of supplemental educational services if a school fails to meet adequate yearly progress.
*Parents must receive annual academic results [mid-term reporting periods, end of reporting periods, TCAP Achievement results (grades 3-8),
Writing Assessment (grades 5, 8. 11), End-of-Course and Gateway Exams] in a timely manner as required by local Board policy and the
Tennessee Department of Education.
*Parents of a student identified as limited English proficient (ELL---English Language Learner) must be notified in a timely manner of their
child’s participation in an ESL Program, details of the program, rights to waive participation, and specific information on the child’s level of
English proficiency.
*A parental involvement policy is available in the school’s handbook or in individual school’s offices.
Title I Schools: A written parental involvement policy will be developed jointly with and distributed to parents of children participating in Title I
Programs. This includes an annual meeting for parents to inform them of their school’s participation in programs (ex. Title I) funded under the
No Child Left Behind Act.
*Schools and parents must be notified of school wide program authority under which school can consolidate funds from federal, state, and local
sources to upgrade the educational program of the entire-school (qualification: 40% of students must be from verified low income families).
*Parents can visit the state’s web site (www.state.tn.us) or system’s website (www.warrenschools.com) to access a description of the
curriculum (Tennessee Curriculum Standards), assessment, and proficiency levels students are expected to meet.
*Parents have access to district and school information and reports through the media (local newspaper and radio), and the System/School Report
Cards available on the State website or at the system’s administrative offices.
*The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ensures education rights and protections for children and youth experiencing homeless. For
more information, contact the school system’s homeless liaison at 668-4022, ext. 230/244 or the State Coordinator for the Education of Homeless
Children, Brenda K. Jones @615-532-6309.
*Section 9532 of the NCLB Act shall provide any student who attends a persistently dangerous school, or any student who has been the victim of
violent crime while at school the opportunity to attend a safe school. The appropriate paper work and procedure is on file in your principal’s
office.
*PPRA (Protection of Pupil Rights) Amendment affords parents and students who are 18 or emancipated minors certain rights concerning our
conduct of surveys, collection, and use of information for marketing purposes, and certain physical exams. More information is available in the
school or central office.
*The School Board Policy relating to student privacy and parental access to information is available in the School Board Policy Manual located at
each school and the Central Office. Notification of Rights and Release or Directory information under FERPA, Family Education Rights and
Policy Act, are also available through media announcements. This Federal law affords parents and students; (over 18 years of age) certain rights
with respect to educational records. Parents will be notified of any change in Board policy. (More informati0on on FERPA is available in school
handbooks or at the Central Administrative Office.)
*Students and parents; are encouraged to participate in safe and drug-free school programs to prevent student violence and drug use. Parents,
however,, may request in writing that their children not participate in such activities.
*School health requirements, policies, and procedures (ex. Immunizations, medication at school, etc.) are available from the WCSS Health
Services Office (668-5111), principal, or school nurse.
*Parent/Student Rights in Identification, Evaluation, and Placement—A complete description of the rights granted by federal law to students with
disabilities is available by contacting the Special Education Department of the Warren County School System. The intent of this law is to keep
parents fully informed concerning decisions about their child and to inform them of rights if they disagree with any of those decisions.
*LEAs receiving assistance under the NCLB Act of 2001 can provide to military recruiters, upon request, with 3 directory information
categories-names, addresses, and telephone listings- unless parents have advised the LEA that they do not want their student’s information
disclosed without their prior written consent.
*CHILD FIND REQUIREMENT UNDER IDEA –Warren County Schools has the responsibility to locate, identify, and evaluate all children
ages 3 to 22 years suspected of having a disability. Any questions or concerns may be directed to the Special Education Director at 668-1728.
Tennessee Department of Education Contact Information
*Answers to many questions and much helpful information may be obtained from the State Department of Education by calling 1-888-212-3162
or visiting http://www..state.tn.us/education/speced/index.htm
*Legal Services Division, Division of Special Education, Tennessee Department of Education, 710 James Robertson Parkway, Andrew Johnson
Tower, 5th Floor, Nashville, TN 37243-0380, Phone:615-741-2851,Fax: 615-253-5567 or 615-532-9412.
The ARC of Tennessee is on the Internet at http://www.thearctn.org/
*Support and Training for Exceptional Parents (STEP) is on the Internet at http:www.tnstep.org. Middle Tennessee: (615) 463-2310,
information@tnstep.org
*Tennessee Protection and Advocacy (TP&A) is on the Internet at http://www.painc.org
*Tennessee Voices for Children is on the Internet at http://www.invoices.org/main.