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ESC Staff Serving as
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Parents and Families

What is a Parent Advisory Council (PAC)?

 

LEAs with a MEP must establish a PAC and consult with it in the planning , operation, and evaluation of the MEP. A migrant PAC is comprised of a majority of migratory parents and/or guardians who are empowered to be advocates and supporters of the MEP because they have a personal stake in the program’s success. Other members of the PAC may include MEP staff, representatives from community agencies that support migratory parents (stakeholders), and school district staff.

Contact your ESC MEP staff for information on migrant PAC training available in your region.

  • Take part in the decision-making process
  • Have the opportunity to function as advocates

Planning

  • Help identify goals and steps involved in meeting goals.
  • Discuss use of MEP funds and other resources.
  • Discuss timelines logistics and strategies.

Operation

  • Help establish, implement or support programs.
  • Support ongoing efforts.
  • Help conduct parent events and activities.

Evaluation

  • Help evaluate the program.
  • Provide suggestions to improve the program.
  • Identify barriers and best practices.

PAC meetings should:

  • Have an agenda written in a language understood by parents.
  • Be convenient at a time and location for parents to attend.
  • Contain a quorum of members when held.
  • Follow PAC bylaws established.
  • Be conducted in a language understood by parents.
  • Have elected officers run the meetings.
  • Follow Basic Parliamentary Procedures and Robert’s Rules of Order.
  • Keep meeting minutes to document meaningful consultation.
  • Build capacity of parents as advocates and stakeholders. List of suggested programmatic and academic performance topics.
  • Educate and update parents on any changes to the MEP implementation for the current year.
  • Discuss the parent’s role in supporting the MEP.
  • Provide an opportunity for parents to give feedback on future topics/trainings to address.

PAC meeting documentation:

  • Invitations in a language understood by parents
  • Agenda in a language understood by parents; meaningful consultation should be evident
  • Sign-in sheets (Include the TX-NGS number of one of the children next to the parent’s name to document migrant eligibility.)
  • Minutes in a language understood by parents; meaningful consultation should be evident.
  • Checklist of PAC meeting requirement
  • If PAC meetings are held with another district meeting, be sure to conduct the Migrant PAC meeting at a separate time (i.e. before or after the other district meeting), create a separate agenda, have a separate sign in sheet, and keep separate minutes to document that only Migrant PAC members were involved in the meeting.

Resources for PAC Training

Training slides Videos Activities for PAC Members
Documents

Best Practices

Suggested Timeline for Quarterly District PAC Meetings (submitted by Brownsville ISD) Suggested Format for Monthly PAC Meetings (submitted by La Joya ISD)