GCS Family-School Parnerships

The Guilford County Board of Education encourages parents to be involved in their children’s education. 

• Parental Involvement Plans: Schools will develop plans to enhance parental involvement. These plans will promote communication, responsible parenting, parent participation in learning and decision-making, and collaboration with community resources. 

• Communication and Participation: Regular contact with parents is encouraged for information sharing, commendation of students, and notification of concerns. Parents are welcome to visit schools and participate in school volunteer programs. 

• Parental Notification: Parents will be notified of their rights and other required information regarding school programs. They can opt out of certain programs or activities. 

• Parental Permission: Written parental permission is required for certain activities, such as administration of medications, off-campus trips, and participation in high-risk sports or activities. 

• Parental Involvement in Student Health: Parents will be notified of each health care service offered at their children’s schools and the means for parents to provide consent for any specific services. 

• Parental Requests for Information: Parents can request information they have the right to access. The principal must respond within 10 business days or provide an extension notice. 

YOU play a critical role in the education of their children and in the schools. Your involvement is highly encouraged and appreciated. 

For more details, see Board Policy 1310/4002 Parental Involvement & Empowerment. 

Schools with high numbers of students from low-income families get extra resources through a federal program called “Title I” to support family engagement. A portion of the Title I federal funds the district receives is spent on family engagement each year. 

The Guilford County Board of Education's Title I Parent and Family Engagement policy encourages parents and family members to be involved in their children's education. Here is what you can expect: 

• Parent and Family Engagement: Parents and family members are encouraged to participate in regular, two-way communication involving student learning and other school activities. This includes assisting their child’s learning, being actively involved in their child’s education at school, and participating in decision making and advisory committees. 

• Title I Program: This federally supported program offers assistance to educationally and economically disadvantaged children. It provides instructional activities and supportive services to eligible students beyond those provided by the regular school program. 

• Annual Meeting and Program Evaluation: Each year, parents of students participating in Title I programs are invited to a meeting to discuss the programs and activities, and to evaluate the content and effectiveness of the Title I programs and the parent and family engagement policies and plans. 

• Parent and Family Engagement Efforts: The Board believes that the involvement of parents and family members in the design and implementation of the Title I program will increase its effectiveness. The Title I staff and all District personnel will conduct outreach to parents and family members and involve them in activities throughout the school year. 

• Notice Requirements: District officials and Title I school personnel provide effective notice of various information as required by law. This includes information about the Program for English Learners, District Report Card, Teacher Qualifications, Student’s Academic Growth and Achievement, and Parental Rights and Opportunities for Involvement. 

• Website Distribution of Information: Each year, District officials publicize on the District website and, where practicable, on the website of each school, the report card and information on each assessment required by the state and, where feasible, by the District. 

For more details, see Board Policy 1320/3560 Title I Parent and Family Engagement and Administrative Regulation 1320/3560-R. 

For over a decade, Guilford Parent Academy, the GCS Department charged with supporting effective family engagement across the district, has offered free year-round programming to support families. 

Click here to access free online resources and the schedule of upcoming events. 

Click here for more information about parents' rights and responsibilities in Special Education. 

Click here to view the 2024-25 Guilford County Schools Parents' Guide to Student Achievement.

Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 115C-76.25, the district is required to display on the GCS website the following parental legal rights with regard to their child’s education: 

1. The right to consent or withhold consent for participation in reproductive health and safety education programs, consistent with the requirements of N.C.G.S. § 115C-81.30 and Board Policy 3540. 

2. The right to seek a medical or religious exemption from immunization requirements, consistent with the requirements of N.C.G.S. §§ G.S. 130A-156 and 130A-157. 

3. The right to review statewide standardized assessment results as part of the State report card. 

4. The right to request an evaluation of their child for an academically or intellectually gifted program, or for identification as a child with a disability, as provided in Article 9 of Chapter 115C of the North Carolina General Statutes. 

5. The right to inspect and purchase public school unit textbooks and other supplementary instructional materials, as provided in Part 3 of Article 8 of Chapter 115C of the North Carolina General Statutes. 

6. The right to access information relating to the Board’s policies for promotion or retention, including high school graduation requirements. 

7. The right to receive student report cards on a regular basis that clearly depict and grade the student's academic performance in each class or course, the student's conduct, and the student's attendance. 

8. The right to access information relating to the State public education system, State standards, report card requirements, attendance requirements, and textbook requirements. 

9. The right to participate in parent-teacher organizations. 

10. The right to opt-in to certain data collection for their child, as provided in N.C.G.S. § 115C-76.65 and Board Policy 1311/4003. 

11. The right for students to participate in protected student information surveys only with parental consent, as provided in N.C.G.S. § 115C-76.65 and Board policy Board Policy 1311/4003. 

12. The right to review all available records of materials their child has borrowed from a school library. 

Click here to report a concern about a specific procedure or practice that you believe violates Part 4 of Article 7B of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes. 

All students may participate in the following activities unless their parent/caregiver notifies the school of their desire to opt out of a particular activity. If you do not want your child to participate in one or more of the following activities, you must notify the school in writing. 

1. Release of student directory information about your child for school purposes or to outside organizations (see policy 4700, Student Records); 

2. Release of your child’s name, address, and telephone listing to military recruiters or institutions of higher education (see policy 4700, Student Records); 

3. Your child’s participation in curricula related to (a) prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS; (b) avoidance of out-of-wedlock pregnancy; or (c) reproductive health and safety education, as provided in policy 3540, Comprehensive Health Education Program.  A copy of the materials that will be used in these curricula will be available in the school media center during the school year and at other times that the media center is available to the public.  To meet any review periods required by law, materials also may be made available for review in the central office; 

4. Your child’s participation in academic or career guidance or personal or social counseling services of a generic nature offered to groups of students (e.g., peer relations strategies offered to all sixth graders); 

5. Your child’s participation in any protected information survey given as part of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System or National Youth Tobacco Survey; 

6. The collection, disclosure, or use of your child’s personal information for marketing purposes; and 

7. Release of your child’s free and reduced-price meal information to State Medicaid or State children’s health insurance program (SCHIP) unless authorized or required by law. 

Written parental permission is REQUIRED prior to the following activities. If you would like your child to participate, you must provide consent. 

1. The administration of medications to your student by employees of the school system (see policy 6125, Administration of Medications to Students); 

2. The release of student records that are not considered directory information, unless the release is allowed or required by law (see policy 4700, Student Records); 

3. Off-campus trips; 

4. Students’ participation in high-impact or high-risk sports or extracurricular activities, such as football, wrestling or mountain climbing (see policy 4220, Student Insurance Program); 

5. All decisions or actions as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) with regard to providing special education or related services to students with disabilities; 

6. Certain health services, as required by law; 

7. Participation in a mental health assessment or mental health services as required by law, including but not limited to recurring individualized counseling sessions with a school counselor or other licensed school mental health provider; 

8. Your students’ participation in programs or services that provide information about where to obtain contraceptives or abortion referral services; 

9. Your students’ participation in surveys that are conducted concerning protected topics other than those given as part of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System or National Youth Tobacco Survey; and 

10. Disclosure of your students’ free and reduced-price lunch eligibility information or eligibility status. 

For more details, see Board Policy 1311-4003 Parental Notification – Withholding Consent. See below for details about opting out of sharing information with military recruiters and opting out of allowing photos or videos of your child to be shared by the school.