Leadership to Promote Family Leadership to Promote Family Partnerships: Identifying and Partnerships: Identifying and

Reclaiming Lost OpportunitiesReclaiming Lost Opportunities

Gwen P. Beegle, Ph.D.Gwen P. Beegle, Ph.D.

Thomas J. Neuville, Ph.D.Thomas J. Neuville, Ph.D.

Presentation agendaPresentation agenda

►Welcome and introductionsWelcome and introductions►Presentation: Focus group data and Presentation: Focus group data and

literature on parent-educator literature on parent-educator interactionsinteractions

►Facilitated discussion using a template Facilitated discussion using a template to explore opportunities to improve to explore opportunities to improve parent-educator relationshipsparent-educator relationships

►Closing questions and discussionClosing questions and discussion

IdentificationIdentification

►Access to special education is plagued Access to special education is plagued with identification problemswith identification problems 504 plans as a gateway504 plans as a gateway Poor quality evaluationsPoor quality evaluations Failure to consider independent Failure to consider independent

evaluations obtained by parentsevaluations obtained by parents Slow to evaluateSlow to evaluate

►Lead to lack of individualization and Lead to lack of individualization and poor quality educationpoor quality education

InquiryInquiry

► As part of a state’s improvement process, we As part of a state’s improvement process, we interviewed and held focus groups of interviewed and held focus groups of families at open meetings throughout a families at open meetings throughout a Midwestern state.Midwestern state.

► Findings included family concerns with Findings included family concerns with many special education processes many special education processes (identification, enforcement) and the (identification, enforcement) and the relationships between parents and educatorsrelationships between parents and educators

►Qualitative research methods were used in Qualitative research methods were used in the analysis, using QSR 6 softwarethe analysis, using QSR 6 software

EnforcementEnforcement

► State Education AgencyState Education Agency Increased district accountability forIncreased district accountability for

►LRE, IEP implementation, Parent participation, Alternate LRE, IEP implementation, Parent participation, Alternate assessment, Related service provisionassessment, Related service provision

Increased awareness of the lawIncreased awareness of the law

► Parents and enforcementParents and enforcement Compliance organization Compliance organization Organized parents assist each other to advocate Organized parents assist each other to advocate

more successfullymore successfully Watchful waiting, diligent vigilance, cookiesWatchful waiting, diligent vigilance, cookies

Parental participationParental participation

► Experiences with school teamsExperiences with school teams ““They treat our suggestions with disdain”They treat our suggestions with disdain” ““Parents are frequently dealt with in a Parents are frequently dealt with in a

patronizing manner by school personnel rather patronizing manner by school personnel rather than as integral team members and primary than as integral team members and primary decision makers for their child.”decision makers for their child.”

““I think we have all proven that we actively I think we have all proven that we actively participate, but being listened to is another participate, but being listened to is another thing.”thing.”

““I think you know we participate but it is only on I think you know we participate but it is only on the surface.”the surface.”

Parent Professional Parent Professional RelationshipsRelationships

► IntimidationIntimidation Professional powerProfessional power Involving police in their children’s casesInvolving police in their children’s cases Becoming angryBecoming angry Forbidding teachers to speak individually Forbidding teachers to speak individually

to parentsto parents Discounting parents’ voicesDiscounting parents’ voices

►““They intimidate you and try to make it look They intimidate you and try to make it look like you are the bad guy. [It is like] ‘you’re just like you are the bad guy. [It is like] ‘you’re just complaining so we are not going to listen to complaining so we are not going to listen to you.’”you.’”

Parent Professional Parent Professional RelationshipsRelationships

►Adversarial relationshipsAdversarial relationships Parent labelingParent labeling ““Battles, Fights, Face-offs and Battles, Fights, Face-offs and

Bloodbaths”Bloodbaths” Administrators are more adversarial than Administrators are more adversarial than

are teachersare teachers►““It is not illegal till the due process officer says It is not illegal till the due process officer says

it’s illegal.”it’s illegal.”

Summary of key concernsSummary of key concerns

►Poor quality special education Poor quality special education programsprograms Identification and access to special Identification and access to special

educationeducation Inclusive practicesInclusive practices Legal requirementsLegal requirements

►Poor quality collaborationPoor quality collaboration Interpersonal relationshipsInterpersonal relationships CommunicationCommunication

Solution proposed by Solution proposed by participantsparticipants

►Families, administrators, and teachers Families, administrators, and teachers agreed that personnel preparation is agreed that personnel preparation is the keythe key

►Both interpersonal and educational Both interpersonal and educational skills are mentionedskills are mentioned

Needed skills and outcomesNeeded skills and outcomes

► Collaborative teaming skillsCollaborative teaming skills Accepting parental inputAccepting parental input Acknowledging parental contributionsAcknowledging parental contributions Communicating with parentsCommunicating with parents Accepting helpAccepting help

► Skilled paraprofessionalsSkilled paraprofessionals Increased training (child specific, on the Increased training (child specific, on the

job)job) SupervisionSupervision Involvement in IEPInvolvement in IEP

General education context and General education context and cultureculture

►Educational policy and popular model Educational policy and popular model supportsupport

►Parental involvement is seen as Parental involvement is seen as supportive of achievement outcomes supportive of achievement outcomes and proximal achievement indicators. and proximal achievement indicators. Moreover it is Moreover it is believed to be believed to be important.important. (Fan & Chen, 2001)(Fan & Chen, 2001)

From their perspective, parents From their perspective, parents choose to be involved becausechoose to be involved because

► Parents believe it is their roleParents believe it is their role► Parents believe that they can helpParents believe that they can help► Teachers invite them to be involvedTeachers invite them to be involved

► (Hoover Dempsey & Sandler, 1995; 1997; Hoover-(Hoover Dempsey & Sandler, 1995; 1997; Hoover-Dempsey, Battiato, Walker, Reed, DeJong & Jones, Dempsey, Battiato, Walker, Reed, DeJong & Jones, 2001)2001)

► Involvement makes a greater difference for Involvement makes a greater difference for some childrensome children

► (Dearing, McCartney, Weiss, Kreider & Simkins, 2004)(Dearing, McCartney, Weiss, Kreider & Simkins, 2004)

Teacher’s beliefs about parental Teacher’s beliefs about parental involvement relates to parentalinvolvement relates to parental►Supervision and support of homework, Supervision and support of homework,

responsive, communication with responsive, communication with teacher, proper socialization of the teacher, proper socialization of the child, and providing for basic needschild, and providing for basic needs

(Shumow & Harris, 2000)(Shumow & Harris, 2000)

The nature of parent-educator The nature of parent-educator interactionsinteractions

► Patterns of communications are highly Patterns of communications are highly prescriptive and set according to social prescriptive and set according to social norms and order norms and order Context-Thinking-ActionContext-Thinking-Action

►(Smerker & Cohen-Vogel, 2001)(Smerker & Cohen-Vogel, 2001)

► Parental advocacy is hindered when Parental advocacy is hindered when educators lack cultural responsiveness educators lack cultural responsiveness

►(Lareau and Horvat, 1999)(Lareau and Horvat, 1999)

The interaction dynamicThe interaction dynamic

► Assumptions made about parents and Assumptions made about parents and involvement are often in error involvement are often in error

► (Harry, Klingner, & Hart, 2005; Smerker & Cohen-Vogel, 2001)(Harry, Klingner, & Hart, 2005; Smerker & Cohen-Vogel, 2001)

► Disparity in defining parental involvement Disparity in defining parental involvement between educators and familiesbetween educators and families

► (Lawson, 2003 ; Smerker & Cohen-Vogel, 2001)(Lawson, 2003 ; Smerker & Cohen-Vogel, 2001)

► ““. . . [N]arrow, single dimensions of school- based . . . [N]arrow, single dimensions of school- based involvement can perpetuate inaccurate involvement can perpetuate inaccurate impressions of underinvolvement in their impressions of underinvolvement in their children’s education.” children’s education.”

► (Mantz, Fanuzzo & Power, 2004)(Mantz, Fanuzzo & Power, 2004)

Special education occurs within Special education occurs within this cultural and organizational this cultural and organizational

contextcontext►Legalistic aspects of special education Legalistic aspects of special education

exacerbate the prescriptive rolesexacerbate the prescriptive roles At critical points in time for the familyAt critical points in time for the family

►Identification and evaluationIdentification and evaluation►IEPIEP►PlacementPlacement►Disciplinary interventionsDisciplinary interventions

In these situations, families are receivers In these situations, families are receivers of information, expertise, and guidanceof information, expertise, and guidance

Families of children with Families of children with disabilities may also experiencedisabilities may also experience►Systemic sociopolitical bias related to Systemic sociopolitical bias related to

cultural, ethnic, economic, and racial cultural, ethnic, economic, and racial differences differences

(see Educational Researcher, Aug/Sept 2006) (see Educational Researcher, Aug/Sept 2006)

►Disadvantaged status in bargaining Disadvantaged status in bargaining (Caruso, 2005)(Caruso, 2005)

►DisabilitiesDisabilities (Turnbull, Turnbull, Irwin & Soodak, 2005)(Turnbull, Turnbull, Irwin & Soodak, 2005)

In special education, In special education, disagreements and disputes disagreements and disputes

are costlyare costly►To schools: $8000-12000 for a To schools: $8000-12000 for a

mediation, $95,000 in litigationmediation, $95,000 in litigation About 27% resolved in a hearingAbout 27% resolved in a hearing Families successful in 43% of cases (at Families successful in 43% of cases (at

least in part)least in part) (Daggett, 2004)(Daggett, 2004)

►To children and familiesTo children and families►Loss of the achievement and proximal Loss of the achievement and proximal

benefits of collaborationbenefits of collaboration

Special education disputesSpecial education disputes

►Causes noted by mediatorsCauses noted by mediators Program designProgram design Delivery of the IEPDelivery of the IEP RelationshipsRelationships

(Feinberg, Beyer & Moses, 2002)(Feinberg, Beyer & Moses, 2002)

►Extent of disagreementExtent of disagreement As many as 1 parent in 6 have considered As many as 1 parent in 6 have considered

taking action against the school district taking action against the school district because of an issue with their children’s because of an issue with their children’s education education

(Johnson & Duffet, 2002) (Johnson & Duffet, 2002)

Solutions?Solutions?

►When families threaten to sue, schools When families threaten to sue, schools should look at the quality of their should look at the quality of their special education services to children special education services to children and outreach to families (Curtis, 2005)and outreach to families (Curtis, 2005)

►Key leadership stepsKey leadership steps Administrative actionsAdministrative actions Professional developmentProfessional development Organizational change and developmentOrganizational change and development

Consider the system Consider the system

►Decision 1: what are the Decision 1: what are the opportunities?opportunities? Identification (pre-referral, informed Identification (pre-referral, informed

consent, evaluation and reporting)consent, evaluation and reporting) IEP (invitations, placement decisions, IEP (invitations, placement decisions,

meetings)meetings) Traditional and ceremonial interactionsTraditional and ceremonial interactions

►Conferences, performances, routinesConferences, performances, routines

Others?Others?

System. . . System. . .

►Decision 2: How are parents notified? By Decision 2: How are parents notified? By whom?whom? Context: relationships, cultural responsiveness, Context: relationships, cultural responsiveness,

organizational climateorganizational climate

►Decision 3: What are the key interactions?Decision 3: What are the key interactions? Who are the people?Who are the people? How are the tasks being accomplished?How are the tasks being accomplished?

►Decision 4: What is the follow through?Decision 4: What is the follow through? Is ongoing interaction required?Is ongoing interaction required? How often? Among whom? Action plan?How often? Among whom? Action plan?

Guiding principles for responsive Guiding principles for responsive and invitational strategiesand invitational strategies

►Are we keeping the child or youth at Are we keeping the child or youth at the center of our process?the center of our process?

►Are we paying attention to partnership Are we paying attention to partnership building and collaborative skills? building and collaborative skills? Listening, trust building, respectful Listening, trust building, respectful

communication, clarity, accountabilitycommunication, clarity, accountability►Are we offering the highest quality Are we offering the highest quality

program possible?program possible?►Others?Others?

Context?

Contact?Follow

through?Opportunity?Key

interaction?

Relationships

Cultural responsiveness

Organizational climate

Consider: People, skills, task, purpose,Guiding principles

Leadership Action: Administrative action,organizational change, professional development

ClosingClosing