Parent Involvement Policies and Parent/School Compacts

Improving Student Achievement Through Strong Parent and Community Involvement

Judy Clark Guida

July 2005

Parent Involvement

Evolution of Parent Involvement Benefits Parent Involvement Policies

District Parent Involvement Policy School Parent Involvement Policy

Parent-School Compact

Evolution of Parent Involvement

Formal role for parents began in early 1970s in response to lobbying by parents, educators and community activists.

Originally, Parent Involvement referred to policy involvement

Reauthorization in 1988 through 1994 (IASA) – schools helping parents help their children to be more successful in school – partners in education

2001 NCLB - preserved the policy overseer and partners in education roles but added: consumers of the education provided by local schools

Consumers of Education for their Children Put pressure on schools and districts to

work on continual school improvement. Provide students an opportunity to leave

schools that are not working for them. Provide students additional services to meet

their academic needs.

Parental Involvement Title I Subpart A Non-Regulatory Guidance April 2004

http://www.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/parentinvguid.doc

What does research tell us about the Influence of Parent Involvement? When schools work together with families to support learning,

children tend to succeed not only in school, but throughout life.

When families and schools cooperate, the results include: Higher grades and test scores Better attendance More homework completed Higher graduation rates/greater enrollment in post-

secondary education

ADD IT UP: Using Research to Improve Education for Low-Income & Minority Students. Poverty & Race Research Action Council (2001)

The most accurate predictor of a student’s achievement in school is not income or social status, but the extent that a student’s family is able to:

1. Create a home environment that encourages learning

2. Express high (but not unrealistic) expectations for their children’s achievement and future careers

3. Become involved in their children’s education at school and in the community.

Notes from Research: Parent Involvement and Student Achievement.San Diego County Office of Education 1997

PTA – Benefits of Parent Involvement

Teachers Greater morale (and self-esteem) Teaching effectiveness (proficiency) increases Job satisfaction increases Communication/relations with students, parents, families, and communities

improves Community support of schools increases

Parents Communication/relations with children and teachers improves Self-esteem increases Education level/skills increase Decision-making skills become stronger Attitude toward school and school personnel improves National PTA 2005

Parents and their Connection to School

Three Main Factors: Belief about what is important, necessary, and

permissible for parents to do at school. Parents’ sense of efficacy. That they can help their

children academically even when their own education level is not high.

How parents perceive the invitation to participate. They are wary of contrived opportunities.

Parent as Consumer

To be a good consumer, parents must be informed and empowered decision makers in their children’s education.

Parent notification provisions of ESEA is the key in the parent role of knowledgeable decision maker and active partner.

Parents as Consumers: Reports and Notices Understandable Format and Language Provide information to parents directly

through the mail or e-mail & through broader means such as the media and the internet.

LEP Students and Opt-Out

If LEA is using Title I and/or Title III funds for English language instruction programs, the parents may “opt out” of the program.

No later than than 30 days after the start of the school year parents of LEP students need to receive specific information regarding the program and their child’s level of English language proficiency.

Parent Involvement –Key Changes If receive $500,000 in Title IA then 1% must be

used for parent involvement. New to law – 95% of the funds set-aside for parent

involvement must be distributed directly back to the Title I funded schools.

LEA must develop and distribute to parents a written parental involvement policy Describes how LEA will support the involvement of

parents, and the policy is developed jointly with parents and agreed upon by them.

District Parent Involvement Policy

Develop jointly with, agree on with, and distributed to parents of participating children a written parent involvement policy

This policy is incorporated into the District’s Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP)

Establishes the LEA’s expectations for parent involvement

Describes how the LEA will conduct parent involvement

LEA PolicyThe LEA will: Involve parents in the joint development of the plan and the

process of school review Provide coordination and support necessary to assist Title I

Schools in planning and implementing effective parent involvement to improve student academic achievement.

Build the schools’ & parents’ capacity for parent involvement

Coordinate and integrate strategies with other programs such as Head Start, Even Start

Conduct with the involvement of parents an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the policy.

District Parent Involvement Policy Template

Development of a template for districts through support of Superintendent’s Advisory Team: UMSAAT

UMSAAT – Underrepresented and Minority Student Achievement Advisory Team

For the Parent and Community Involvement subgroup of UMSAAT creating a useful template was a major goal.

Policy Template Development

Meet NCLB Requirements Understandable to parents and community

members Provide support and ideas for district and parents UMSAAT Parent/Community Involvement

subgroup included a variety of perspectives– Eduardo Angulo, Annalivia Angulo (Salem Keizer Coalition for

Equality) Anita Olsen (Oregon PTA President Elect) Janet Rash (Intel) And many other group members

TIP SHEET for Parent Involvement Policy

Though the law requires this policy apply to only Title IA funded schools, parents, community members and educators usually desire the policy to apply to all schools within the district, therefore many districts find it beneficial to make this policy district wide.

Strive to make this policy easily understandable and readable to a wide range of parents and community members.

District Wide Parental Involvement Policy*This sample template of a District Wide Parental Involvement Policy is provided as an example.

Part I Statutory Requirements: The name of school district agrees to implement the

following statutory requirements: The school district will conduct programs, activities and

procedures for the involvement of parents and guardians in all of its Title IA funded schools. These programs, activities and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents and guardians of participating children with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial, cultural or ethnic minority background

PART II. HOW THE DISTRICT WIL IMPLEMENT REQUIRED DISTRICT WIDE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT POLICY COMPONENTS

1. The name of school district will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development of its district wide parental involvement policy

(List actions.)Suggested Actions: Include parent representation from the onset of the development Hold a series of accessible meetings with parents and guardians to develop

and review the parental involvement policy. Conduct parent meetings to review and update the policy yearly (a minimum

of one annual meeting is required). Take parent involvement policy draft to various parent/community groups that

reflect the diversity of the community for feedback, with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial, cultural or ethnic minority background.

Part III HOW THE DISTRICT WILL BUILD CAPACITY FOR PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

The name of school district will build the schools’ and parent’s capacity for strong parental involvement. This will ensure effective involvement of parents and support a partnership among the school involved, parents, and the community including businesses to improve student academic achievement, through the following activities described below:

1. The school district will, with the assistance of its Title I, Part A schools, provide assistance to parents in understanding topics such as,

Oregon’s academic content standards, Oregon’s student academic achievement standards, Oregon and local academic assessments including alternate assessments, the requirements of Title I Part A, how to monitor their child’s progress, and how to work with educators: The activities to assist parents are described below: (List actions) Suggested Actions –

Key Changes at the School Level-School Parent Involvement Policy

Each Title I funded school must develop and distribute its own written parental involvement policy that includes:

Annual meeting Offer a flexible number of meetings Involve parents in planning, review and

improvement of Title I programs Provide timely information regarding the programs Provide opportunity to submit dissenting views to

LEA

School-Parent Compacts

Each Title I funded school must have a compact Developed jointly with parents of the school Describes school and parents’ responsibilities. The compact must also address the importance of

ongoing communication between teachers and parents. At a minimum: Parent-teacher conferences (at least annually) in

elementary school, Frequent reports to parents on their child’ progress Reasonable access to staff and school

REQUIRED SCHOOL-PARENT COMPACT PROVISIONSSchool Responsibilities Provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive

and effective learning environment that enables the participating children to meet the State’s student academic achievement standards as follows:

Hold parent-teacher conferences (at least annually in elementary schools) during which this compact will be discussed as it relates to the individual child’s achievement. Specifically, those conferences will be held:

Provide parents with frequent reports on their children’s progress. Specifically, the school will provide reports as follows:

Provide parents reasonable access to staff. Specifically, staff will be available for consultation with parents as follows:

Provide parents opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and to observe classroom activities,

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS

Student Responsibilities School responsibilities that

are required but do not have

to be stated in compact. Optional school responsibilities Signatures are not required

Note: All parents in Schoolwide Title I programs receive a compact. In Target Assistance programs the parents of targeted students receive a compact.

Parent Involvement

Parent Involvement is a complex activity. “Ultimately schools that include the legal

requirements as part of a larger effort for establishing effective parental partnerships are more likely to improve school-community relationships, the school environment, and the academic achievement of their students.” NREL 2002