Family Involvement Policies

School-Parent Compact for Student Achievement

What Is a School-Parent Compact?

A School-Parent Compact for Achievement is an agreement that parents, students, and teachers develop together. It explains how parents and teachers will work together to ensure that all students reach grade-level standards.

Effective compacts:

  • Link to goals of the school improvement plan.
  • Focus on student learning skills.
  • Describe how teachers will help students develop those skills using high-quality instruction.
  • Share strategies parents can use at home.
  • Explain how teachers and parents will communicate about student progress.
  • Describe opportunities for parents to volunteer, observe, and participate in the classroom.

Jointly Developed

The parents and staff of Downey High School developed this School-Parent Compact for Achievement. Meetings are held each year to review the compact and make changes based on student needs. Parents are welcome to contribute at any time. If you would like to volunteer or observe, please contact the school.

Building Partnerships

When teachers, students, and families work together, we can achieve success.

Family Engagement Opportunities

Your support and input are valued and instrumental in helping our students succeed. We’d love for you to join us at the following events:

  • Back-to-School Night
  • PTA Meetings
  • ELAC Meetings
  • Parent Workshops
  • Open House (Viking Showcase)
  • School Site Council Meetings
  • Awards Assemblies
  • District-Sponsored Events
  • Student Sports, Productions, and Competitions

Communication

Downey High School is committed to frequent two-way communication with families regarding student learning. Families can expect communication through:

DUSD logo

District Goal

By June 2027, 90-100% of all students will perform at grade level or higher and, upon graduation, meet the requirements for entrance into the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems.

School Goals

By June 2027, we will continue to increase the number of students reaching proficiency in reading, mathematics, and science.

Our focus in English will be:

  • Develop lifelong reading comprehension and analysis strategies to increase proficiency on state assessments.
  • Build writing habits that prioritize thoughtful justification and the use of strong evidence, empowering students to communicate ideas clearly in school and beyond.

Our focus in Mathematics will be:

  • Deliver first-best instruction in the classroom.
  • Help students explain the mathematical reasoning that supports their problem solving.

Our focus in Science will be:

  • Incorporate more written responses and laboratory experiences aligned to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
  • Incorporate more inquiry-based experiments and investigations.

At School

Downey High School staff will work with students and families to support success in English, mathematics, and science. Staff will:

  • Communicate regularly with parents regarding academic programs and student progress.
  • Be available to discuss questions and concerns.
  • Provide materials and information to support student learning at home.
  • Offer parent workshops.

Parent Workshops:

  • English Language Arts (ELA) – Parents will receive strategies and resources to support reading and literacy development.
  • Mathematics – Parents will receive strategies and resources to help their children solve real-world math problems in a variety of ways.
  • Science – Parents will receive strategies and resources to support scientific thinking and problem solving.

At Home

Downey High School parents and guardians identified the following ways to support student success. Parents and guardians will:

  • Review schoolwork nightly and contact teachers with questions or concerns.
  • Schedule conferences as needed, especially after the first progress report.
  • Use classroom materials and information to support learning at home.
  • Read with or listen to your child read every day.
  • Attend family literacy workshops and use learned strategies at home.
  • Engage your child in solving real-world math problems.
  • Attend family mathematics workshops and apply learned strategies.
  • Ask about homework, reading requirements, and iReady reports.

Student Responsibilities

Downey High School believes it is important for students to attend school every day, arrive on time, and be prepared and ready to learn.

To strengthen the connection between learning at home and learning at school, students are expected to demonstrate positive values and behaviors by having the Vike Vibe: Vocational Development, Involved Citizenship, Knowledge, Emotional Well-Being, Virtuosity, Inclusivity, Bravery, and Empathy.

As teachers, parents/guardians, and students, Vikings will exemplify and model the six pillars of character, everywhere and all the time.

Engagement Policy

Downey High School recognizes that parents/guardians are their children’s first and most influential teachers, and that continued parental involvement in the education of children contributes greatly to student achievement and conduct. A parent and family engagement policy and program shall be an integral component of the school plan that promotes a meaningful partnership between the school and home.

Part 1: General Expectations

Downey High School agrees to implement the following requirements to ensure strong parental engagement:

  • The school will jointly develop with parents, and distribute to parents, the Parent and Family Engagement Policy that the school and parents of participating children agree to uphold.
  • The school will notify parents about the Parent and Family Engagement Policy in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, will distribute this policy to parents in English and Spanish.
  • The school will revisit the Parent and Family Engagement Policy yearly to meet the changing needs of parents and the school.
  • The school will make the Parent and Family Engagement Policy available to the local community through a website link.
  • The school will adopt the School-Parent Compact as a component of its Parent and Family Engagement Policy.
  • The school will provide accessibility and opportunities for parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory students.

Defining Parental Engagement

The school agrees to be governed by the following definition of parental engagement, and will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition:

Parental engagement means the participation of parents, including those with disabilities and/or with limited English proficiency, in regular and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:

  • That parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning.
  • That parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education, including the Home-School Compact.
  • That parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child.
  • The carrying out of other activities, such as those described in section 1118 of the ESEA.

Part 2: Policy Implementation

Developing and Distributing the Policy

Downey High School will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development and joint agreement of its Engagement Policy and schoolwide plan, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way under section 1118(b) of the ESEA:

  • Title I Parent Team Meetings will be held yearly to create, review, and improve the Engagement Policy and the Home-School Compact.
  • Parents will have the opportunity to discuss and share ways to improve the Title I Program.
  • Parents will have the opportunity to complete a survey about the Title I Program each year.
  • Parents will be provided an appointment for regular meetings upon request.

Distribution and Accessibility

  • A hard copy of the school’s Parent and Family Engagement Policy will be available to any parent upon request.
  • The Engagement Policy will be posted on the school’s official website for the community to view.

Annual Review

Downey High School will review yearly and update periodically its Engagement Policy to meet the changing needs of parents and the school:

  • A team meeting will be held yearly to review and/or update the Engagement Policy.
  • The Fall Information Meeting will review the Williams Uniform Complaint Procedure.
  • A Fall meeting will include a survey regarding meeting dates, times, and topics.

Annual Title I Meeting

Downey High School will convene an annual meeting to inform parents:

  • That their child’s school participates in Title I, and about the requirements of Title I.
  • Of their rights to be involved in the Parent and Family Engagement Policy, the Home-School Compact, and the Williams Uniform Complaint Procedure.
  • About the school’s participation in Title I, with invitations emailed home in English and Spanish and posted on social media.
  • Using automated dialer calls in English and Spanish at convenient times for parents.

Parents are encouraged to attend parent functions through various incentives, and to take the LCAP survey yearly to voice their opinions.

Flexible Scheduling and Support Services

Downey High School will hold a flexible number of meetings at varying times, including child care:

  • Invitations will be sent home in English and Spanish, with plenty of notice, along with automatic dialer calls.
  • Childcare will be provided by trained volunteers.
  • Spanish translation will be provided at parent functions.
  • Parent surveys will be given to determine parent interest and needs.
  • Information about Title I programs will be provided to parents of participating children in a timely manner.
  • A Fall meeting will be held.

Curriculum and Assessment

Downey High School will provide parents a description and explanation of the curriculum being used, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet:

  • Please contact your child’s teacher or counselor for assistance with curriculum, grades, or any other concerns regarding your child’s academic progress.
  • This will also be discussed at the Title I Informational Meeting.

Opportunities for Decision-Making

Downey High School will provide parents opportunities to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children:

  • Informational Meetings
  • SSC – School Site Council
  • PTA Meetings
  • Annual Title I Meeting
  • District LCAP Survey

Part 3: Shared Responsibilities for High Achievement

Building Capacity for Involvement

Downey High School will build the school’s and parents’ capacity for strong parental engagement, in order to ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement, through the following activities:

  • Needs Assessment Survey taken by parents (conducted by Title I).
  • Parent input through team meetings (conducted by Title I).
  • Parental requests (conducted by Title I).
  • Varied/multiple meeting times (conducted by Title I).
  • PTA Meetings (conducted by the PTA board members).
  • Encouragement to attend “Back To School” night and Open House (conducted by staff and the principal).
  • Principal’s newsletter, distributed in English and Spanish.

Home-School Compact

Downey High School will incorporate the Home-School Compact as a component of its Parent and Family Engagement Policy:

  • Both policies will be reviewed at the meetings held for Title I parents.
  • Both policies will be displayed on the school website.
  • Both policies will be available in the school office.

Supporting Student Progress

With the assistance of the district, Downey High School provides assistance to parents in understanding topics such as:

  • The State’s academic content standards.
  • The State’s CAASPP proficiency levels.
  • State and local academic assessments, including alternate assessments.
  • The requirements of Title I.
  • How to monitor their child’s progress.
  • How to work with educators.
  • Results of the annual Title I review.

These topics will be addressed at the Title I Informational Meetings and through Parent Education throughout the year.

With the assistance of the district, Downey High School provides materials to help parents work with their children to improve academic achievement, through:

  • Parent brochures and newsletters.
  • Parent education.
  • Parent meetings and school functions.
  • Gathering parental input on desired parent education trainings.

Staff Education

With the assistance of the district and parents, Downey High School educates its staff on how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, through:

  • Staff Meetings
  • Professional Development
  • Professional Literature
  • The ‘Q’ Parent Connect Online System, through the DUSD App and Canvas
  • ParentSquare

Downey High School will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to parents in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents can understand:

  • All parent invitations and information will be translated into Spanish.
  • All parent invitations will be emailed home and posted on social media.
  • Auto dialer and email.

Part 4: Adoption

This Parent and Family Engagement Policy has been developed jointly with, and agreed upon with, parents of children participating in Title I, as evidenced by Sybil Matas, Title I Coordinator.

Adoption: Approved and adopted by the Downey High School Site Council in February 2026.

Effective Dates: 2026-2027 school year.

This policy is available school-wide to all parents of students through the school website and will be made available to the local community. Notification to parents of this policy will be in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided to parents in a language they can understand.

students working together on a project