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Meeting Date:
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7/30/2021 - 7:00 PM
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Category:
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School and Community Relations
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Type:
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Info
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Subject:
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PowerSchool Access and Electronic Back to School Forms - Fall 2021
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ACPS 2025 Strategic Plan Goal:
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Goal 2: Instructional Excellence ACPS will ensure that all students have access to and engagement with high-quality instruction. Goal 4: Strategic Resource Allocation ACPS will strategically provide differentiated resources and supports to schools and departments. Goal 5: Family and Community Engagement ACPS will ensure that all families and community members feel welcomed, respected, and valued.
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Funding Source or Fiscal Impact (where applicable)
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File Attachment:
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Agenda Item Summary:
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To empower families to use PowerSchool Parent Access, and ensure that 90 percent of students across all demographics have their back to school forms (which includes contact information) updated or verified by Sept. 30, 2021 while supporting sustainability, being good stewards of funds and reallocating time dedicated to registrar data entry.
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Background:
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Planning was initially underway in February 2020 to drastically cut the number of printed packets, then COVID-19 hit and disrupted these plans. Due to 100 percent virtual learning, packets were then printed and mailed in August 2020 to all student homes in the student’s family preferred language. Families were directed to complete the forms online via PowerSchool or complete them in print and return to the school.
Each year, these packets contain:
• Directions to complete the forms online via PowerSchool Parent Access
• Access codes for PowerSchool Parent Access (“Virtual PLUS+ Access” in 2020) and how to create a PowerSchool Parent account
• Forms from previous years (Student Info Update Form, Health Info Form, Signature Form, free and reduced meals (FARM) application, etc.)
• Flier with info about online Family Handbook and Code of Conduct
• Printing cost in 2020: $21,612 (mailing cost separate)
Plans for Back to School Fall 2021
Back to school forms packets for the 2021-22 school year will be completely online via PowerSchool Parent Access, as a continuation of the original plan started in Feb. 2020. Our goal is to empower all families to learn how to use PowerSchool Parent Access. Printed packets will be provided in Amharic and Arabic for students whose families have those preferred languages, in addition to a small amount of printed blank forms that are being provided to schools for families who request them. Virtual students will also be included in the outreach for back to school forms packets. The School and Community Relations Team will host webinars and conduct engagement efforts in September 2021 to help families register for PowerSchool Parent accounts and complete the forms. This allows registrars to reallocate their time to other critical work instead of data input. This is considered a short-term investment cost for engagement with the long-term benefits of empowering families. The return rate for printed packets from Fall 2019 was 70 percent.
Delivery Dates for Printed Packets and Parent Access Letters
• Aug 4: Print packets delivered to Tucker
• Aug 16: Print packets delivered to all remaining schools
• Aug 4: Tucker Parent Access letters mailed out
• Aug 16: Traditional calendar schools Parent Access mailed out
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Recommendation:
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The Superintendent recommends that the School Board review the plan for PowerSchool Parent Access and electronic Back to School Forms for fall 2021.
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Approvals:
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Recommended By:
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Signed By:
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Julia Burgos - Chief of School and Community Relations
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Signed By:
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Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr. - Superintendent
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