A Parents' Guide to Choosing Supplemental Education Service Providers (continued)

What can I expect from my child’s supplemental education service provider?

Once you have chosen a provider, the school district will negotiate a contract with that provider. This contract should include the number of sessions of instruction your child will receive, the length of each session, learning goals for your child, and a timetable for reaching those goals. You should get a copy of this information. It is important that you understand how long your child will receive services, the goals for your child, and how the provider plans to meet those goals.

The provider should regularly communicate with you to let you know whether your child is meeting his or her learning goals. If your child is running into problems, the school, the provider, and you should discuss what changes should be made.

What if I'm not satisfied with my child's provider?

You may not feel that your child is making sufficient progress. If that should happen, first try to talk to the provider.

If that doesn’t fix the problem, request a conference with your child’s teacher and the principal of theschool to evaluate the effectiveness of the services your child is receiving. If you conclude the services aren't helping your child reach her goals, talk with the principal about what your next steps should be. You have the right to change providers.

If your child is uncomfortable because of a religious or cultural point of view in the provider's instruction or environment, talk to the principal of your child’s school or to the school district office.

Your school district is responsible for helping your state department of education monitor the effectiveness of supplemental service providers, so the district will want to know if there are problems.

Resources

Public Education Network NCLB Action Brief

www.publiceducation.org/portals/nclb/Supplemental_Ed_Services/dyk.asp