For NCLB notifications to be meaningful, it is critical that parent leaders and organizations communicate the following to parents:

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 The basic elements of NCLB and AYP;
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 The notifications that parents will or may receive required of NCLB, what those notifications must include, which educational entity is required to send the notification, and when during the year the notifications must be sent. Use the Action Brief as one of your communications tools;
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 The notifications must be in a languages and format parents can understand; and
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 o The names of school district officials or community members that parents can contact if they have questions about the notification, or do not fully understand the content of the notification.

Action Opportunities

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 Inform and explain to parents in advance about the notifications that will or may receive related to information about NCLB and their child.
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 Work with the school district and individual school about the most effective means of reaching parents, and in a format and a language that is understandable.
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 Use the notification provisions to engage parents, and discuss how important it is for them to receive academic progress information about their child and school. Also, use the notification provisions as a means, but not the only means, of encouraging effective communications between parents, teachers, and the principal.
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 Parent leaders should make parents aware of when in the year they can expect to be notified about the state, school district and school report cards. They should work with parents in understanding what information will be on the report cards, and the impact that information has on their child and school.
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 In the case that parents receive notification about their school being identified as needing improvement or corrective action, encourage the school to develop a communications strategy with parents that includes more than a letter to the home. Encourage the school to call a special meeting of the parents to explain the letter, what the next steps for improvement will be, and how parents can assist the school in meeting AYP expectations. In addition, develop a strategy to reach those parents who do not attend the meeting such as parent-teacher conferences, phone calls to the home, or home visitations.
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 Be sensitive to those parents who may require special language assistance, and assure that the school provides translation support as needed.
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 For ELL parents who receive a notification about special language programs for their child, provide assistance as needed in explaining the program options to parents, how to decide which may be best for their children, and assure that the school district provides language assistance with those parents who do not speak and or understand English.
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 Serve as a “bridge” between your school and families to help enhance communications. Remember, notification is only the FIRST step in a communications process. Notification opens the communications door, but communication efforts need to be sustained over a period of time to be effective and lead to meaningful improvements. Work with your school district and school in developing communication strategies that are continuous throughout the year and even through the summer months. Steps to effective communications should include:
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 Use more than a single channel of communication. Letters sent through the mail are often the least effective means of notification and communication.
 
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 Include face-to-face meetings, the Internet, radio talk shows, the media, and town meetings in the communication strategies.
 
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 Avoid education jargon, and use language that the community and parents can understand.
 
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 Notifications and other communications should be positive and let the community know that student academic progress is a priority.
 
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 Make sure that the notifications are sent in a timely manner, after the district or school receives information.
 
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 Be sensitive to parents and community members whose primary language is not English, or who are intimidated by language of standards and testing.
 
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 Avoid resorting to standardized form letters to communicate with parents. Unfortunately, some school districts will minimally comply with NCLB, without seeing the notification process as an opportunity to build positive relationships with parents and the community.
 
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 The community and parents should understand the purpose of the communication, and community organizations can make their services available to citizens who need additional information.
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 Work with your school and parents in discussing the ways that parents use the information from the notification they receive.