North Carolina State Department of Education
PreK-12
Parent, Family, and Community
Involvement in
Partnership with Schools
North Carolina State Board of Education
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
Superintendent’s Advisory Council
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Table of Contents
Overview……………………………………………………………………………...................................................3
Historical Background……………………………………………………………...........................................….….4
Research Findings…………………………………………………………………………………….….......…........8
Essential Elements of Effective Parent Involvement…………………………………………….…………...........9
Comparison of Essential Elements………………………………………………………….…………...…...........10
Indicators of Essential Elements ………………………………………………………….…………………...…..11
Communicating………………………………………………………………………………...……..……11
Parenting………………………………………………………………………………………..….………11
Student Learning………………………………………………..………………………………..…..……12
Advocacy and Decision-making…………………………………………………………………..…...…..13
Training……………………………………………………………………………………………..…..….13
Community Collaboration……………………………………………………………………..……….....14
Student Health…………………………………………………………………………………..……..…..14
Implementation of Framework…………...……………………………………………………………..……..…..14
Framework Integration Model One…………………………………………………………………………….....16
Framework Integration Model Two…………………………………………………………………………........17
Format One for Implementation of Framework………………….………………………………………………18
Format Two for Implementation of Framework…………………………………………………….……………19
Example One for Assessment of Implementation of Framework……………………………………….……….20
Example Two for Assessment of Implementation of Framework……………………………………………….21
Recommendations…………………………………………………………………………………………………..22
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………….………..22
Appendices……………………………………………………………………………………………….………….23
State Board Policy………………………………………………………………………………………….……….24
No Child Left Behind Section 1118……………………………………………………………………….………..26
Chart: Title 1 Part A Parental Requirements…………………………………………………………………….31
Example Three for Assessment of Implementation of Framework……………………………………………..37
Example Four for Assessment of Implementation of Framework………………………………………………45
References…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...53
Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………………………....54
Parent Advisory Council Members………………………………………………………………………………..55
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OVERVIEW
Definition: As a point of clarification, the term, a “parent includes a legal guardian or other persons
standing in loco parentis (such as a grandparent, stepparent, or guardian with whom the child lives, or a
person who is legally responsible for the child’s welfare). Also, the term “family” is used liberally in
this document to acknowledge the role that families, in general, play in the development and education
of our students. Additionally our definition incorporates the understanding of the broad and various
caregiver roles as it relates to parent involvement.
A significant number of people believe that the only way to truly transform schools is to systematically
and comprehensively include parents in the process. In the Reauthorization of NCLB, it not only
requires parent involvement, but it also provides a statutory definition. This definition gives parents
more access and opportunity to meaningful information and involvement - which means that they will
be more informed and empowered to explore their options in making decisions in behalf of their
children. According to No Left Behind, parent involvement is:
• the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving
student academic learning and other school activities,” and to
• ensure that parents are included as full partners in assisting in their children’s learning, in the
education of their students at school, and serving in advisory and decision-making roles on
committees and other areas appropriate in their students’ education.
Additionally, this document reflects our understanding of the broad spectrum of ways that parents are
engages, both directly and indirectly, in their child’s education. Their engagement includes setting
expectations, extending student learning to home environments
Our children are our greatest asset; they are our connection to the future. North Carolina
acknowledges this premise by recognizing that we have no expendable children. We will value and
invest in every student to imbue this sense of worthiness by the measure of how we embrace the
families and communities of all students. Our work remains unfinished until all of our students
graduate with meaningful options. The participation and investment of everyone is needed to sustain
the energy, focus, and commitment to this goal.
One way to support this vision is to empower parents, families, and communities to have insight and
give voice to the educational concerns of their children and educational processes of the school. When
parents enroll their children in school, from preschool through high school graduation, the
responsibility of educating our students is a shared one among schools, families, and communities.
Schools in partnership with communities and their various supportive agencies, organizations, and
social groups lead in this regard. Although schools will lead, it is everybody’s responsibility to support
and expand the vision of a more-abled citizenry by supporting the goals of higher expectations and
achievement for all students..
North Carolina is deeply committed to the goal of school, family and community partnerships. It is,
and must continue to be committed to this goal for every student. The challenge to enable student
success through partnership building and family involvement is nicely supported and framed in the
federal legislation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. This law is a reauthorization of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. Additionally, our General Assembly has
spoken to the necessity of parent and family involvement through many aspects of public school law,
where parents are referenced over two hundred times in general statutes. Also, our State Board of
Education has substantiated this expectation through State Board policies. Lastly, our state educational
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agency, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), seeks to fulfill this vision of the
State Board of Education. Through the disseminations of information, identification of and connection
with resources, and a state-wide comprehensive plan of guidance, we seek to actively engage in the
fulfillment of this mission. Additionally, providing technical assistance and professional development
will help districts, schools, and communities design program and incorporate strategies that are not
only identified through research as effective involvement practices, but will also be tailored to the
specific needs of their students, families and communities.
Research consistently identifies the need for strong partnerships among schools, parents, and
communities, because students are not at school most of the time. The majority of the time they are
with their parents, in their families, and in their communities. If we are to leave no child behind, we
must establish collaborative partnerships with parents, families, and community.
The purpose of this document is to support the goals of high student achievement with every student
graduating with a plan for creating a purposeful life, and being prepared to function successfully in the
21st century. It also represents one aspect of NC DPI’s initiative to connect stakeholders as partners,
in the alignment and support of their efforts. It will serve as an action plan for developing modules
inclusive of training for parents, school staff, and community partners. Additionally it will provide
guidance for building the capacity at the local level to sustain the mission and goals identified in our
State Board policy. It is in the spirit of our continual commitment to the success of all students that
this document is presented.
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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Parent involvement is a key strategy for student achievement. Effective parent involvement is
indicated for raising achievement and closing achievement gaps for all students. North Carolina has
long embraced the significance of the impact that effective parent involvement makes in the academic
success of students, and in the encouragement and support of many other positive student outcomes.
Meaningful parent involvement provides benefits to all students at all grade levels without regard to
socio-economic factors, race, ethnicity or parental educational attainment. When schools support
parents to be more involved in their children’s learning, their children:
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earn higher grades and better test scores;
they are enrolled in higher-level programs;
they are promoted and pass more of their classes;
students earn credits and attend school more regularly;
they have better social skills;
show improved behavior and adapt well to school;
students have a higher graduation rate; and
students go on to postsecondary education in higher percentages.
Engaging parent in children’s early educational experiences, fosters a connectedness to the school and
lays a solid foundation for on-going positive support, advocacy and involvement throughout the
students’ academic career. Additionally, increased opportunities for positive and meaningful
engagement for parent involvement beginning early in education, promotes the building of skills and
confidence of the family, community and school partnerships.
The following General Statues, 115C-105.32 Parent Involvement Programs and Conflict Resolution,
115C-105.27 Development and Approval of School Improvement Plans and 115C-105.33 Safe and
Orderly Schools are just a few examples of the public school laws that specifically reference parents.
Our public school laws provide strong evidence of the importance of parent involvement as part of the
paradigm for successful schools. Additionally, our State Board of Education policy on Parent/Family
Involvement, (approved in 2005) states that it “recognizes that parents/guardians, families, schools,
and the community share the responsibility for the education of our children. Creating positive home,
school, and community partnerships is essential to carrying out this shared responsibility successfully.”
Also, the policy identifies eight essential elements of effective parent involvement.” Beyond that, the
imperative of parent involvement has also been included in the State Board’s strategic plan for high
student achievement. It charges that all levels of educational governance must work as informed
partners in order to accomplish the mission embedded in the comprehensive plan for promoting high
student performance.
A review of our progress reveals that the Public Schools of North Carolina held a conference entitled
“Parent/Community Involvement Best Practices Conference on November 18-19, 1998. The
conference theme was “Promoting Success With Children is Everybody’s Business.” This event was
sponsored in conjunction with our partners from the arenas of our legislators, business, civic and child
advocacy organizations, health and human services, educators and our parents. This was our first
state-wide venture on parent involvement. The goal was to move research from the pages to the hands
of practitioners. 1998 was notable not only because the State held it’s first state-wide parent
involvement conference, but it was also the first year that the National PTA released its standards for
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Parent/Family Involvement Programs. These standards were based on and developed as a result of the
work of leading researchers in the area of parent and family involvement, including the research of Dr.
Joyce Epstein of the National Network of Parent Partnerships (John Hopkins University), upon whose
work much of our policy and practices have been derived.
In 1999, a partnership was started with the North Carolina Press Association to provide information to
parents. This partnership culminated with the release of a series of documents entitled “Making the
Grade”. The former Superintendent Mike Ward said, “…"There is so much that parents can do to
support the work of teachers. Many parents just need more information on what they can do to support
learning.”
An examination of the data collected on the 2002–2004, One of the strategic goals of the State Board
of Education was to Focus on Strong Family, Community and Business Support finds that according to
the report developed by the University of North Carolina School of Journalism at Chapel Hill, “over
half of the schools reported that they should receive a grade of an “A” or “B” for their parent
involvement efforts. This was a significant increase from 1997 when significantly fewer schools
indicate that they would score themselves at that level”. Additionally, according to the Princeton
Review, North Carolina was rated very high for the quality of information it provides to its parents.
After North Carolina’s first State-wide conference on parent involvement, and external observers
taking note of how our schools rated themselves or where we are ranked among other states based on
our parent involvement initiatives, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (ESEA of 1965 reauthorization),
was federally legislated in 2001. The provisions provided through the revisions of this legislation
affected all public schools at the elementary and secondary levels. This federal legislation is far
reaching in that it impacts the quality of education for students across our nation, our state, and our
communities. NCLB was especially generous in requiring greater accountability for parent and family
involvement. Although parent involvement was included in the original codification of this law, in the
reauthorization, the commitment to parent involvement is strengthened and supported with legislated
requirements at each level of school governance.
In this act, the U.S. Department of Education has identified four pillars of support. The pillars of
NCLB are 1) more accountability for results, 2) more flexibility in use of funding, 3) the use of more
research-based programs and strategies, and 4) more parent choice. These major pillars indicate the
level and type of information that is to be exchanged between schools and families. Additionally, this
revised legislation requires states to set high standards for academic achievement, administer tests that
are based on these high standards, and test the extent to which students have achieved based on these
standards. Under this guidance, parents are to be provided with the individual results of how well their
children are doing. Specifically, this law requires States, school districts and schools to make available
certain types of information that parents have a legal right to know.
Providing parents with certain types of information will not only allow parents to be clearly informed
of the children’s progress, but parents and communities will know how well their children’s schools
and the school district are doing. Among the things that parents have a right to know and have access
to are:
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Annual Report Card
Curriculum and school schedules
Academic Standards (what students are taught in each grade or course; in our State it is the
North Carolina Standard Course of Study)
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Individual Student Assessments (individual student test results by reading, math, science and
proficiency level)
Adequately Yearly Progress (AYP)): A schools progress in one year made toward meeting the
identified targeted goals for the year
LEA/Schools identified for school improvement, corrective action, and/or restructuring: Level
and type of sanctions for not making adequate yearly progress
Grievance policies
Teacher/paraprofessionals qualifications (may request and review)
Non-highly qualified Teacher (must report to parents if student is being taught by non- HQ)
Unsafe school options: Options made available to students who are victims of serious crime
and violence or for students attending schools that have been identified as persistently
dangerous.
This comprehensive listing of information ensures that all schools and school districts are provided
guidance in the types of information that should be accessible to families and communities. When
schools effectively engage parents, families, and communities, children will be the ultimate
beneficiaries in that their parents will:
• Receive clear and timely information pertaining to their children’s learning;
• Have access to information and the support that empowers them to actively advocate on
behalf of children; and
• Be engaged as partners in a relationship that is nurturing and supportive.
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RESEARCH FINDINGS
The collective body of substantial research in the area of parent involvement reveals compelling
reasons why the effective implementation of parent involvement as a student achievement strategy
should be incorporated into all school improvement plans and evident in the daily operation of the
school. Research indicates that parents will be involved to the extent that they feel invited to
participate, empowered to do so, and to extent the extent that they feel that their efforts will make a
difference. The findings are reduced to parent perceptions and expectations. Also, parent expectations
have a great influence on the achievement of their students. Generally, the higher their expectations of
the parents, the better their children perform; the better their children perform, the better they feel
about their children’s school. It has been demonstrated in the research that the most effective strategy
for parent involvement to increase student achievement is to tie the involvement directly to learning
activities that can be engaged in at home. The earlier that parents get involved and the longer they stay
engaged, the stronger and lasting the effect. Significantly, parent expectation and continuous
involvement in a variety and in meaningful ways is a better indicator of student success than socioeconomic status.
There are numerous benefits for students, families, schools, and communities. Effective parent
involvement is a win-win situation for everyone. When parents are involved in their children’s
education, students have higher grades and test scores, they get promoted and graduate at a higher rate,
they have better attendance and more motivation for learning, and there is a lower incident of engaging
in behaviors that put them at risk for school failure or dropping out of school( Henderson, A. T. &
Berla, N., 1994). Researchers also noted that when parents were involved, it provided greater support
for the school, teachers had higher morale, parents rated teachers higher, and schools reported higher
positive outcomes for the students in their schools.
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Benefits for involved parents include confidence about the school, more self confidence in their ability
to assist their children, and more confidence in making contacts and connections that support their
child’s academic success and well being, (Wherry, J. H., 2003).
Essential Elements of Effective Parent Involvement
North Carolina State Board of Education has identified the following as the eight essential elements of
effective parent involvement. The eight essential elements are:
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Communication. Facilitate regular, two-way, and meaningful communication between home
and school. (Communication should be in a format that parents/guardians understand.)
Parenting. Promote and support responsible parenting.
Student Learning. Inform and involve parents and caregivers in children’s learning activities
so that they may play an integral role in assisting student learning.
Volunteering. Ensure that parents/guardians are welcome in the school and seek their support
and assistance in meaningful and varied ways.
Advocacy and Decision-Making. Include parents/guardians as partners in the decisions that
affect children and families.
Training. Assess the parents’ informational needs and provide parent training based upon
those needs.
Community Collaboration. Collaborate with community agencies and other organizations to
provide resources to strengthen school programs, families, and student learning.
Student Health. Promote health awareness among parents/guardians by addressing the need
for health programs and student health services, which are linked to student learning.
In the following chart is a comparison of the eight essential elements identified by the State Board
of Education as it correlates to noted researcher, Dr. Joyce Epstein’s Framework for Parent
Involvement and the National Standards of Parent Involvement as determined by the PTA. The
NC State Board of Education chose to make explicit the need to include specific information
related to safe and healthy student issues. Additionally, the SBE is explicit in its understanding of
the need to provide training. Therefore, this document demonstrates the need to provide training
for parents, educators, and all who interact with schools to support students’ growth and
development.
The essential elements of the SBE policy on Parent/Family Involvement are examined with more
specificity in order to understand how each contributes to a comprehensive approach based on
current research. Incorporating each of these strands will help to create a more holistic approach to
engagement that is meaningful, two-way, and regular. Also gaining a greater awareness of the role
of each of these essential elements, acknowledgment of this philosophical framework and
clarification of local implementation strategies will greatly strengthen comprehensive school plans
for raising achievement for all students.
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A Chart to Compare Models of Essential Elements of Parent Involvement
State Board of Education Policy
Joyce Epstein Model
National PTA Standards
Communication
Communicating
Communicating
Facilitate regular, two-way, and meaningful
communication between home and school.
(Communication should be in a format that
parents/guardians understand.)
Design effective forms of school-to-home
and home-to-school communications about
school programs and children's progress.
Communication between home and school is
regular, two-way, and meaningful.
Parenting
Parenting
Parenting
Promote and support responsible parenting.
Help
all
families
establish
home
environments to support children as
students.
Parenting skills are promoted and supported.
Student Learning
Learning at Home
Student Learning
Inform and involve parents and caregivers in
children’s learning activities so that they may play
an integral role in assisting student learning.
Provide information and ideas to families
about how to help students at home with
homework and other curriculum-related
activities, decisions, and planning.
Parents play an integral role in assisting student
learning.
Volunteering
Volunteering
Volunteering
Ensure that parents/guardians are welcome in the
school and seek their support and assistance in a
variety of ways.
Recruit and organize parent help and
support.
Parents are welcome in the school, and their
support and assistance are sought.
Advocacy and Decision-Making
Decision Making
School Decision Making and Advocacy
Include parents/guardians as partners in the
decisions that affect children and families.
Include parents in school decisions,
developing
parent
leaders
and
representatives.
Parents are full partners in the decisions that
affect children and families.
Community Collaboration
Collaborating with Community
Collaborating with Community
Collaborate with community agencies and other
organizations to provide resources to strengthen
school programs, families, and student learning.
Identify and integrate resources and services
from the community to strengthen school
programs, family practices, and student
learning and development.
Community resources are used to strengthen
schools, families, and student learning.
Training
Assess the parents’ informational needs and
provide parent training based upon those needs.
Student Health.
Promote
health
awareness
among
parents/guardians by addressing the need for health
programs and student health services, which are
linked to student learning
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INDICATORS OF ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
Communication: Facilitate regular, two-way, and meaningful communication between home and
school. (Communication should be in a format that parents/guardians understand.)
• Information presented in a format that parents can understand
• Formal conferences for parents at least once a year
• Language translators as needed
• Clear information about report cards and how grades are earned
• Parents pick-up report cards
• School newsletter includes:
o Calendar of school events
o Student activity information
o Curriculum and program information
o School Volunteer information
o School policy information
o Samples of student writing and artwork
o Q and A for parents
o Recognition section
o Life long learning and skill building information
o Community/school resource information
• Provide clear information about selecting courses, programs, and/or activities in school
• Send home folders of school work weekly or monthly for parent to review and comment
• Notify families about student awards and recognition
• Contact families of students having academic or behavior problems
• Teachers have easy access to phone and email services before and after school to communicate
with parents
• Parents have telephone numbers and/or email of the school, teacher, counselors, and principal
• Homework hotline for parents and students to hear homework assignments and other messages
• Conduct annual survey for families to provide reactions to school programs and share
information and concerns about students
• School staff implements systemic efforts to inform parents about academic goals, class work,
grades, and homework (home learning activities) for their children in their home language.
(classroom contracts, students assignment books and activity sheets, homework websites, and
online grade books)
• School staff offers varied ways that parents can share information with teachers about their
children’s learning needs. (phone and email contacts, offering parent conferences, making
home visits, community-based group meetings, or other methods)
• School staff partners with community leaders and organizations to build parent understanding
academic expectations, school strategies, and student achievement results
• School staff offers parents opportunities to discuss school-wide achievement issues, including
assessment data, at least once a semester
• School staff implements systematic efforts to maximize parent–teacher conference participation
(offering multiple locations, convenient times, follow- with parent who do not reply to first
notices, and opportunities for student-lead conferences
• At least 50 percent of parents respond to annual school and /or district stakeholders survey
(Stakeholder survey data is consistently used to plan school improvement efforts and to evaluate
their effectiveness)
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•
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•
•
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Conferences with every parent at least once a year, with follow-ups as needed.
Language translators assist families as needed.
Weekly or monthly folders of student work are sent home and reviewed, parental comments
returned to teacher.
Parent and student pick-up of report card, with conferences on improving academic/behavior
performance if warranted.
Regular schedule of useful notices, memos, phone calls, newsletters, and other communications.
Clear information on choosing schools, or courses, programs, and activities within schools.
Clear information on all school policies, programmatic reforms, and transitions.
Staff is provided with instruction on customer service and adult learning principles to support
welcoming climate of the school.
Other (specify)
Parenting. Promote and support responsible parenting.
• Sponsor parent education workshops and other courses or training for parents
• Provide families with information on child or adolescent development
• Conduct family support programs with parent to parent discussion groups
• Provide families with information on developing home conditions that support learning
• Lend families books or tapes on parenting or videotapes of parent workshops
• Ask families about children’s goals, strengths, learning styles, and talents. Use information
gained to optimize learning outcomes.
• Sponsor home visiting programs or neighborhood meetings to help families understand schools
and to help schools understand families.
• School provides suggestions for home conditions that support learning at each grade level.
• School provides workshops, videotapes, and/or computerized phone messages on parenting and
child-rearing at each grade level.
• School provides means for “live” interaction and feedback to parent/community concerns.
• Parent education and other courses or training for parents (e.g., GED, college credit; family
literacy) are available.
• Family support programs are provided to assist families with health, nutrition, economic, and
other services.
•
• Home visits at transition points preschool to elementary to middle and to high school;
• and neighborhood meetings to help families understand schools and to help schools understand
families.
• Other (specify)
Student Learning. Inform and involve parents and caregivers in children’s learning activities so that
they may play an integral role in assisting student learning.
• Provide information to families on required skills in all subjects
• Provide information to families on how to monitor and discuss schoolwork at home
• Provide information on how to assist students with skills that they need to improve
• Provide regular schedule of interactive homework/home learning that require students to
demonstrate and discuss what they are learning with a family member (e.g., TIPS).
• Ask parents to listen to their child read or to read aloud with their child
• Provide calendars with daily or weekly activities for families to do at home and in the
community
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•
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•
•
•
•
•
•
Help parents to participate in decisions about their students’ learning
Help families help student set academic goals, select courses and programs, and plan for college
or work. Information is available for families on skills required for students in all subjects at
each grade.
Information on homework policies and how to monitor, and discuss schoolwork at home.
Information on how to assist/support students to improve skills on various class and school
assignments.
Calendars with suggested at home activities for parents and students.
Family math, science, and reading activities are provided by the school.
Goal-setting sessions for students with families each year, and for future plans for college or
work.
Other (specify)
Volunteering. Ensure that parents/guardians are welcome in the school and seek their support and
assistance in a variety of ways.
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Establish a school and classroom volunteer program to help teachers and administrators students
and other parents. Parent room or center for volunteer work, meetings, resources for families.
Coordinate and identify a class parent, telephone tree, or other structures to provide all families
with needed information.
Recruit parent patrols or other activities to assist in the safety and operation of school and its
programs.
Conduct annual surveys to identify interests, talents, availability of volunteers among parents
and community volunteers.
Create parent room, family center, or volunteer zone for volunteering, meetings, and housing
family resources.
Encourage families to volunteer by:
• Assisting in the classroom, library, cafeteria
• Helping with field trips and parties
• Giving talks, presentations, Q and A, oral histories
• Checking Attendance
• Monitoring in cafeteria, on play ground, bus duty
• Leading clubs or before-after school activities
• Student job shadowing opportunities
• Student internship opportunities
• Membership and active participation in parent/school organizations (i.e. PTA/PTSA)
• Tutorial services
• Testing proctors
• Serve on planning team in development of School Improvement Plan
Provide opportunities to volunteer at home or in the community to support class or school
Sponsor volunteer recognition programs
Organize class parents, school mascots, to connect with all parents in neighborhood, per grade
level, etc.
Schedule plays, concerts, events, at different times of day so that families may attend and /or
volunteer as audience participants
Other (specify)
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Advocacy and Decision-Making. Include parents/guardians as partners in the decisions that affect
children and families.
• Active PTA/PTO or other parent organizations, school advisory councils, or committees (e.g.,
curriculum, safety, personnel, and other committees) for parent leadership and participation (Go
to http://www.projectappleseed.org to start a parent group).
• Independent advocacy groups to lobby and work for school reform and improvements.
• District level councils and committees for family and community involvement.
• Information on school or local elections for school representatives.
• Networks to link all families with parent representatives.
• Offer professional workshops and training opportunities in various formats and locations
• Include parents in the active recruitment of other parents for involvement and participation
• Create a mechanism of identifying and encouraging parents to serve as mentors and coaches to
other parents
• Seek input, feedback, and support from parents by a variety of methods
• Have active parent organizations that set goals for the outcomes of their programs
• Have active parents on various committees of school governance
• Have active parent participation on school and district level councils and committees
• Have formal networks to connect all families with their parent representatives
• Involve all parents to get input and ideas about school policies
• Involve parents in selecting school staff
• Involve parents in revising school and district curricula
• Other (specify)
Training. Assess the parents’ informational needs and provide parent training based upon those needs.
• Provide capacity and skill building training for school personnel on the importance of parent
involvements, including cost effective implementation strategies and practices).
• Provide training on the meaning and use of information identified in NCLB
• Provide training on the meaning and use of information local board and school policies
• Provide training on the meaning and use of information based on needs identified through
assessment or needs survey
• Provide training on the meaning and use of information based on parent involvement policy
• Provide training on the meaning and use of elements of the curricular
• Provide training on the meaning and use of information pertaining to pathways to promotion,
graduation, and use of grades
• Provide training on the meaning and use of information pertaining to pathways that lead to
discipline and suspension issues
• Provide training to parents, families, and school communities to that they are sharing a common
set of knowledge, standards, and expectation.
• Provide training for school staff on the intent of NCLB and parent involvement.
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Provide training for school staff on family, community and school partnership development.
Provide training for school staff on community development, adult education principles, and
meaningful engagement activities.
Support (financially and with consultation) implementation practices of parent involvement
activities.
Assist local districts in the development, adoption and implementation of identified goals
(within the annual school improvement plan) targeting parent involvement.
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Identify and provide opportunities for parent leadership development.
Identify and provide opportunities for life long learning.
Identify and provide opportunities for professional development.
Other (specify)
Community Collaboration. Collaborate with community agencies and other organizations to provide
resources to strengthen school programs, families, and student learning.
• Provide information for students and families on community health, cultural, recreational, social
support, and other programs or services.
• Provide information on community activities that link to learning skills and talents, including
summer programs for students.
• Plan/coordinate service integration of school in partnership with businesses, civic, counseling,
cultural, health, recreation, and other agencies and organizations.
• Support/provide services in the community by students, families, and schools (e.g., recycling,
art, music, drama, and other activities for seniors or others, etc.) Alumni to link to school
programs for students.
• Provide resource directories for parents and students with information on community agencies,
programs, and services
• Provide information on community activities that link to learning skills and talents, including
summer programs for students
• Work with local businesses, industries, and community organizations on programs to enhance
students skills
• Offer after-school programs for students with support from community businesses, agencies,
volunteers
• Sponsor intergenerational programs including local senior citizens groups and child care
programs.
• Other (specify)
Student Health. Promote health awareness among parents/guardians by addressing the need for health
programs and student health services, which are linked to student learning.
• Inform and raise awareness among parents by providing information/training to parents on
health and safety issues, programs, services, policies, and practices
• Educate and raise awareness among parents by providing information/training on specific health
and safety skills and child development expectations through adolescents
• Involve parents in health and safety issues pertaining to health education, prevention and
invention programs and services, and heath and safety promotion programs and campaigns
• Support families by identifying and connecting parents with resources, services, family health
screenings, evening or after-school activities, or resource centers
• Empower parents to influence policies and practices that may have an impact on the health and
safety of students.
• Other (specify)
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GUIDANCE FOR IMPLEMENTATION:
The efforts of many researchers have contributed to our understanding of the challenges in developing
effective involvement programs. Although there are several challenges associated with implementing
effective parent involvement programs, research offers some insightful recommendations about how to
remedy some of barriers that programs often encounter. The over-arching challenge is how to reframe
parent involvement so that it is embraced as a systemic strategy in raising achievement, closing academic
gaps, and increasing the graduation rates for students. Secondly, there is the challenge of convincing all
districts and schools that all parents on some level want to be involved and want the best for their children.
The third challenge is to help schools envision how to utilize involvement strategies as a core belief and
practice in their mission as oppose to another add-on program without add-on value. Lastly, is how to deal
effectively with the barriers created by the climate and culture of the school, the parents’ own expectations
and perceptions, or the barriers created within the context of living their lives. Effective involvement
strategies that are embedded in the purpose of the school are a hallmark of effective schools. An effective
response to all of these challenges is to assess the constructs that are already in place that may be retooled or
enhanced to include the addition of new expectations and practices for parent involvement. Based upon
these parameters an obvious place to start is in the examination of how involvement strategies can be
included in the school improvement plan in such a manner that it is an inherent part of the strategy to
increase student achievement and other positive student outcomes. Even as part of the school improvement
plan, involvement strategies need to be monitored, tracked, and assess for their impact on enabling all
families to participate as partners in increasing positive outcomes for their students.
In order for this approach to be manageable and the involvement goals accomplished, the school
improvement team should have a member that is designated to chair the sub-committee of Parent and
Family Involvement. Although, this sub-committee should retain a workable and manageable size, it should
include individuals who are representatives of other staff members, parents who are natural or have been
trained to serve as parent leaders and advocates, parent/family organizations and agencies, and communitybased partnerships. Of course including members that reflect the community and under-represented groups
will add much to the effectiveness of this committee. It is critical to have this level of diversity among its
members to highlights the compelling view that this is a team of equals who bring different levels and types
of insight and experiences which will be useful in building respect for the propose, process, and mission of
this sub-committee. This structure for parent involvement will provide several important benefits. First, it
makes a powerful statement about the importance of parent, family, and community involvement. Next, it
helps the school remain connected and invested in the outcome of these strategies and ensures its relevance
and connectedness with student achievement. Then it enhances continuity and quality of these strategies
because the burden of implementation, follow-up and follow-through is shouldered by a group and not lone
individuals. Lastly, this approach allows effective programs to continue even as change occurs. Pages 16
and 17 have charts that demonstrate possible ways on integrating involvement strategies into the core beliefs
of the school and daily practice. Pages 18 and 19 provide possible ways to consider implementing the
framework for involvement . These charts of ways of ensuring that regular involvement happens. Pages 20
and 21 as well as pages 37 and 45 offer ways to assess the extent to which involvement is occurring. These
charts offer the possibility of considering the type and degree of involvement and where it is occurring.
Integration, implementation , and assessment of involvement initiatives must be done. All of these charts
offer possibilities of how it may be done. Please note that the goal is not necessarily to have a strategy for
each goal from all eight of the Essential Elements, but to have a comprehensive plan that ensures that your
district or school is evidencing the use of an array of strategies from all of the eight Essential Elements
through out your school or district improvement plan.
A current theme of concern is how to integrate the State Board of Education Policy with the requirements of
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) which requires usage of research-based programs. The State Board Policy is
constructed on research based information pertaining to parent and family involvement as is the information
contained in Section 1118 of NCLB. Although some schools will be required to execute the deliverables in
15
Section 1118, it may be considered effective practice for all schools; also in NCLB there are elements in
some provisions for which all parents have a right to know; and lastly, the State Board of Education Policy
on Parent and Family Involvement provides guidance and expectations for all school. On page 24 is a copy
of the SBE policy, page 26 has Section 1118, and page 31 has a chart that illustrates how the SBE policy
and NCLB may be integrated. Please note that this chart may be expanded to include other aspects of
NCLB that have specific requirements for parent involvement.
With an effective framework in place for assessing the current status of parent involvement and developing
a plan for moving forward, the group will be ready to lead in shaping and sustaining the vision and mission
for effective involvement in partnership-building. Further it will lead in helping to identify and address
needs such as types of training or resources, to spread the word or publicize the wonderful things that are
happening, and monitor and assess how well things are going, such as what is working or not working.
Continuous monitoring and growth offers a sustained focus and continuous review of the impact of these
strategies.
When parent and family involvement strategies are well implemented, their transformative powers become
evident in the success of students, and in the satisfaction of parents, families, communities, and schools.
Additionally, the following suggestions can be used to assist in implementation.
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Develop a comprehensive parent, family and community involvement plan with parents and
community members, based on parent and school needs (can be included with annual school
improvement plan).
Build strong partnerships and assist parents in connecting with entities such as communitybased programs, higher education institutions, libraries and business resources to enhance
students’ in-school and out of school learning opportunities, including field-based education,
internships, mentoring programs, arts, sports programs, health and wellness, and community
services programs.
Offer on-going and systematic professional development for administrators, teachers and
pupil services staff on the utility of building strong partnerships with families, the
importance of reaching out to families through multiple communication pathways; designing
meaningful parent conferences; and implementing and coordinating family involvement
programs schoolwide.
Collaborate with health and human services agencies to provide access to needed support
services for families.
Evaluate and modify comprehensive parent involvement plan annually using outcome data
and input from parents, students, community members, and school staff.
Identify and dedicate fiscal, personnel, and other resources to support the on-going
implementation of parent involvement strategies.
Designate a district position to a parent coordinator, community advocate, and/or
ombudsman to coordinate parent involvement initiatives, and serve as primary contact with
the state consultant. The designated person(s) should be knowledgeable in (or receive
training in), school program planning, evaluation, group facilitation, cultural diversity,
community collaboration/development, and family dynamics/ecology.
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Recommendations
The North Carolina State Board of Education recognizes parents and families as children’s first and
most important teachers. Starting with the enrollment process, from preschool through high school
graduation, the responsibility of education and care is shared with the school and the community.
Guiding and motivating students to be productive, competitive citizens in a global society requires a
child-centered, family-strengthening partnership of support among families, schools, and communities.
Local Districts, schools, and programs are strongly encouraged to incorporate these recommendations
into local policies and practices. Incorporation of these recommendations into the annual School
Improvement Plan is highly encouraged. Each district, school, program should adopt a policy on
parental involvement in the schools and provide written guidance on implementation and evaluation.
1. The policy shall be designed to build consistent and effective communication between parents
and school staff of students enrolled in public school programs.
2. The policy shall provide the opportunity for parents to be actively involved in their student’s
education and to be informed of the following:
a) The important role parents play in positively affecting the success of their child’s
educational successes;
b) When and how to assist their child’s learning;
c) Strategies, skills, and techniques to use to improve their child’s academic success and to
support their child’s development.
To support the adoption and implementation of researched based parent involvement principles and
practices recommended, the NC Department of Public Instruction has been directed to build its capacity
and the capacity of local districts and schools by providing consultative services, effective family and
community engagement models, products and professional development opportunities to support
systematic integration of parent involvement North Carolina’s educational system from preschool
through high school graduation. These recommendations are embedded within the existing
policies/mandates including, but not limited to NCLB, Title I Section 1118, IDEA 2004, National PTA
Standards, and National Network Partnership recommendations.
Parent Involvement in Education:
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Respect and value parents and families as children’s first teachers and primary decision
makers in children’s education.
provided timely and meaningful communication for parents in an understandable language
of the home on North Carolina’s academic standards, state and local assessments, and legal
requirements and recourse.
Assist parents and families in acquiring techniques, strategies, and skills, by offering
trainings and materials they can use to support children’s at-home learning and academic
success in school.
Collaborate with community-based programs, including health and human service providers
to ensure that the parents have the resources they need to be involved in their children’s
education, growth, and development.
Coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities into early learning and
education initiatives in North Carolina including Head Start, Smart Start, Even Start, More
17
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at Four, Parents As Teachers, Public Pre School, Special Education, Parent/Family Resource
Centers, and other community activities.
Help parents create supportive conditions at home that emphasize the importance of
education and learning.
Parent Involvement in Schools:
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Respect, value and involve parents as partners and decision-makers in the process of
continuous school improvement planning.
Include parents in the development of policies regarding school involvement and distribute
the policy in language they can understand.
Create school based and support community activities that engage parents and respect the
various cultures, languages, practices, and customs of the student population served.
Build relationships among parents, families and schools through bridging economic and
cultural barriers.
Promote consistent and effective two-way communication between all students’ parents, and
school personnel.
Prepare parents to be involved in meaningful meetings including parent/teacher conferences,
parent advisory councils, meetings with school personnel, etc.
Prepare school personnel on supportive practices for parent involvement including customer
service, adult learning principles, and cultural sensitivity.
Provide meaningful opportunities for parents to be involved in schools that reflect their
specific needs and characteristics.
Create welcoming and supportive school environments that are family-strengthening and
child-centered.
Provide logistical support (transportation, child care, alternate meeting sites, home visits) so
parents can participate in school-sponsored events.
Encourage business/industry/health and human services programs to adopt/enhance parent –
friendly policies (child involvement/community service leave).
Additionally, other recommendations include:
Monitor the climate and culture of the school. Create and maintain a climate that is engaging and
inviting to all including parents, students, staff, and visitors. Regularly and randomly check for the
current overall perception of school climate. Get to know more about the students and the
communities serve by the school in order to acknowledge more specifically the strengths of various
communities in terms of things celebrated and recognized.
o Create awareness about the overall vision and mission for the success of all students and help
families and communities understand how they can support goals. Communicate regularly about
the guiding principles of high expectations for staff, students, and families. Create buy-in around
the notion that educating all students well is everybody’s business.
o Help families, students, and staff understand how policies and procedures should inform the
practices and expectations for all stakeholders. Additionally, create an openness that allows
discussion and change around policies and procedures that support the goal of high student
achievement for all students and those that are counter to this goal.
o Provide continuous opportunities to encourage, support, and monitor the learning and development
of various programs or services designed to strengthen partnerships and bring all stakeholders to a
common understanding and language around high student achievement.
o
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Develop various avenues of keeping all stakeholders connected to the vision, working on the
mission, using a share language, and having a common expectation that not only can students
achieve, but all students will achieve at a high level of student achievement.
o Recognize and acknowledge that various efforts that parents, families, communities, students and
staff contribute to in order to reach that targeted goals. Keep stakeholders aware of the benchmarks
and celebrate the milestones.
o Establish a system of on-going assessment of the strengths of various initiatives, programs, and
services, and identify ways each entity may be strengthen or determine what other decisions should
be may pertaining to each strategy.
o
CONCLUSION
This document is shaped by the agreed upon tenets of effective parent and family involvement. It
represents an initial attempt to bring a common vision, expectation and language to the area of parent,
family, community, and school partnerships for a shared understanding among all of our stakeholders.
This document is not designed to be an exhaustive work, but rather to serve as a guide in helping
schools, families and communities move forward in supporting the shared responsibilities of education
all students in a manner that helps to maximize position outcomes and life options. Future versions
will no doubt continue to reflect that which has a preponderance of support as identified through
research, and will further the goal of high student achievement for all students. (Training modules will
be developed to support this framework for parent, family, and community involvement for high
student achievement.)
* page references may change with reformatting and edits.
APPENDICES
19
NORTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Policy Manual
Policy Identification
Priority: Strong Family, Community, and Business Support
Category: Parent and Family Involvement
Policy ID Number: FCB-A-000
Policy Title: Parent/Family Involvement
Current Policy Date: 06/30/2005
Other Historical Information:
Statutory Reference:
Administrative Procedures Act (APA) Reference Number and Category:
Parent/Family Involvement Policy
The North Carolina State Board of Education recognizes that parents/guardians, families, schools, and
the community share the responsibility for the education of our children. Creating positive home,
school, and community partnerships is essential to carrying out this shared responsibility successfully.
To support the State Board’s strategic priority and the North Carolina Department of Public
Instruction’s (NCDPI) efforts promoting high student performance, school administrators, teachers and
parents/guardians must work as knowledgeable partners.
The State Board believes that schools must create an environment that is conducive to learning and
supports strong family partnerships. Collaboration between all school personnel and parents/guardians
is essential to support student learning. School personnel will encourage and involve parents/guardians
of children at all ages and grade levels by providing and respecting a variety of opportunities for
involvement, while recognizing and respecting the diverse needs of families in their community. The
NCDPI, local school districts and school personnel, in collaboration with parents/guardians, shall
establish programs and practices that enhance parent/guardian involvement and reflect the specific
needs of students and their families.
Local school districts, in collaboration with parents/guardians, teachers, students, and administrators
must establish and develop efforts that enhance parental involvement and reflect the needs of students,
parents/guardians and families in the communities they serve. In order to enhance parental
involvement, schools should promote the following essential elements:
•
•
•
•
Communication. Facilitate regular, two-way, and meaningful communication between home
and school. (Communication should be in a format that parents/guardians understand.)
Parenting. Promote and support responsible parenting.
Student Learning. Inform and involve parents and caregivers in children’s learning activities
so that they may play an integral role in assisting student learning.
Volunteering. Ensure that parents/guardians are welcome in the school and seek their support
and assistance in a variety of ways.
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•
•
•
•
Advocacy and Decision-Making. Include parents/guardians as partners in the decisions that
affect children and families.
Training. Assess the parents’ informational needs and provide parent training based upon those
needs.
Community Collaboration. Collaborate with community agencies and other organizations to
provide resources to strengthen school programs, families, and student learning.
Student Health. Promote health awareness among parents/guardians by addressing the need
for health programs and student health services, which are linked to student learning.
The State Board supports the NCDPI in its role to foster wider and substantive family and community
involvement by:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identifying and sharing information with parents/guardians and families about effective
educational programs;
Collecting and disseminating information about current research, model programs, and best
practices for family/school/community involvement programs;
Providing information on effective funding sources for the development, implementation, and
evaluation of programs;
Coordinating state-level efforts to work with the private sector, foundations, and other public
agencies regarding funding educational initiatives; and
Working in partnership with higher education to address strategies for parent/family
involvement in the coursework for teacher training programs.
Working with parents/guardians to identify and access health services and programs for parents
and family.
The State Board recognizes the importance of administrative leadership in setting expectations and
creating a climate conducive to parental participation. The NCDPI shall develop and implement
guidelines that support professional development opportunities for school personnel to enhance
understanding of effective parent involvement strategies and to develop and implement practices that
involve parents/guardians in a meaningful way in the education of their children.
In addition to programs at the school level, the State Board endorses each school district’s development,
implementation, and regular evaluation of a program(s) to involve parents/guardians using, to the
degree possible, the components listed above. These partnerships are mutually beneficial. Developing
cooperative efforts and linking access to resources will ensure improved academic achievement for all
students, as well as quality schools.
Engaging parents is essential to improved student achievement and to realize our mission: North
Carolina's public schools will create a system that will be customer driven with local flexibility to
achieve mastery of core skills with high levels of accountability in areas of student achievement.
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT OF 2003
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Public Law107-110
‘‘SEC. 1118. PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT.
‘‘(a) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY POLICY.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A local educational agency may receive funds under this part only if
such agency implements programs, activities, and procedures for the involvement of parents in
programs assisted under this part consistent with this section. Such programs, activities, and
procedures shall be planned and implemented with meaningful consultation with parents of
participating children.
‘‘(2) WRITTEN POLICY.—Each local educational agency that receives funds under this
part shall develop jointly with, agree on with, and distribute to, parents of participating children a
written parent involvement policy. The policy shall be incorporated into the local educational
agency’s plan developed under section 1112, establish the agency’s expectations for parent
involvement, and describe how the agency will—
‘‘(A) involve parents in the joint development of the plan under section 1112, and the
process of school review and improvement under section 1116;
‘‘(B) provide the coordination, technical assistance, and other support necessary to
assist participating schools in planning and implementing effective parent involvement
activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance;
‘‘(C) build the schools’ and parents’ capacity for strong parental involvement as
described in subsection (e);
‘‘(D) coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies under this part with
parental involvement strategies under other programs, such as the Head Start program,
Reading First program, Early Reading First program, Even Start program, Parents as
Teachers program, and Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters, and Staterun preschool programs;
‘‘(E) conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content
and effectiveness of the parental involvement policy in improving the academic quality of
the schools served under this part, including identifying barriers to greater participation by
parents in activities authorized by this section (with particular attention to parents who are
economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited
literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background), and use the findings of such
evaluation to design strategies for more effective parental involvement, and to revise, if
necessary, the parental involvement policies described in this section; and
‘‘(F) involve parents in the activities of the schools served under this part.
‘‘(3) RESERVATION.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each local educational agency shall reserve not less than 1
percent of such agency’s allocation under subpart 2 of this part to carry out this section,
including promoting family literacy and parenting skills, except that this paragraph shall not
apply if 1 percent of such agency’s allocation under subpart 2 of this part for the fiscal year
for which the determination is made is $5,000 or less.
‘‘(B) PARENTAL INPUT.—Parents of children receiving services under this part shall
be involved in the decisions regarding how funds reserved under subparagraph (A) are
allotted for parental involvement activities.
‘‘(C) DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.—Not less than 95 percent of the funds reserved
under subparagraph (A) shall be distributed to schools served under this part.
‘‘(b) SCHOOL PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT POLICY.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each school served under this part shall jointly develop with, and
distribute to, parents of participating children a written parental involvement policy, agreed on
by such parents, that shall describe the means for carrying out the requirements of subsections
(c) through (f). Parents shall be notified of the policy in an understandable and uniform format
and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language the parents can understand. Such policy
22
shall be made available to the local community and updated periodically to meet the changing
needs of parents and the school.
‘‘(2) SPECIAL RULE.—If the school has a parental involvement policy that applies to all
parents, such school may amend that policy, if necessary, to meet the requirements of this
subsection.
‘‘(3) AMENDMENT.—If the local educational agency involved has a school district-level
parental involvement policy that applies to all parents, such agency may amend that policy, if
necessary, to meet the requirements of this subsection.
‘‘(4) PARENTAL COMMENTS.—If the plan under section 1112 is not satisfactory to the
parents of participating children, the local educational agency shall submit any parent
comments with such plan when such local educational agency submits the plan to the State.
‘‘(c) POLICY INVOLVEMENT.—Each school served under this part shall—
‘‘(1) convene an annual meeting, at a convenient time, to which all parents of participating
children shall be invited and encouraged to attend, to inform parents of their school’s H. R. 1—
79 participation under this part and to explain the requirements of this part, and the right of the
parents to be involved;
‘‘(2) offer a flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening, and
may provide, with funds provided under this part, transportation, child care, or home visits, as
such services relate to parental involvement;
‘‘(3) involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review,
and improvement of programs under this part, including the planning, review, and improvement
of the school parental involvement policy and the joint development of the school-wide program
plan under section 1114(b)(2), except that if a school has in place a process for involving
parents in the joint planning and design of the school’s programs, the school may use that
process, if such process includes an adequate representation of parents of participating
children;
‘‘(4) provide parents of participating children—
‘‘(A) timely information about programs under this part;
‘‘(B) a description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of
academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels
students are expected to meet; and
‘‘(C) if requested by parents, opportunities for regular meetings to formulate
suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of
their children, and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible; and
‘‘(5) if the school wide program plan under section 1114(b)(2) is not satisfactory to the
parents of participating children, submit any parent comments on the plan when the school
makes the plan available to the local educational agency.
‘‘(d) SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HIGH STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.—As a
component of the school-level parental involvement policy developed under subsection (b), each
school served under this part shall jointly develop with parents for all children served under this part a
school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the
responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and
parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the State’s high standards. Such
compact shall—
‘‘(1) describe the school’s responsibility to provide high quality curriculum and instruction
in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables the children served under this part
to meet the State’s student academic achievement standards, and the ways in which each parent
will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning, such as monitoring attendance,
homework completion, and television watching; volunteering in their child’s classroom; and
participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children and positive
use of extracurricular time; and
‘‘(2) address the importance of communication between teachers and parents on an
ongoing basis through, at a minimum—
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‘‘(A) parent-teacher conferences in elementary schools, at least annually, during
which the compact shall be discussed as the compact relates to the individual child’s
achievement;
‘‘(B) frequent reports to parents on their children’s progress; and
‘‘(C) reasonable access to staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in their
child’s class, and observation of classroom activities.
‘‘(e) BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INVOLVEMENT.—To ensure effective involvement of parents
and to support a partnership among the school involved, parents, and the community to improve
student academic achievement, each school and local educational agency assisted under this part—
‘‘(1) shall provide assistance to parents of children served by the school or local
educational agency, as appropriate, in understanding such topics as the State’s academic
content standards and State student academic achievement standards, State and local
academic assessments, the requirements of this part, and how to monitor a child’s progress and
work with educators to improve the achievement of their children;
‘‘(2) shall provide materials and training to help parents to work with their children to
improve their children’s achievement, such as literacy training and using technology, as
appropriate, to foster parental involvement;
‘‘(3) shall educate teachers, pupil services personnel, principals, and other staff, with the
assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out
to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate
parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school;
‘‘(4) shall, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent
involvement programs and activities with Head Start, Reading First, Early Reading First, Even
Start, the Home Instruction Programs for Preschool Youngsters, the Parents as Teachers
Program, and public preschool and other programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent
resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education
of their children;
‘‘(5) shall ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and
other activities is sent to the parents of participating children in a format and, to the extent
practicable, in a language the parents can understand;
‘‘(6) may involve parents in the development of training for teachers, principals, and other
educators to improve the effectiveness of such training;
‘‘(7) may provide necessary literacy training from funds received under this part if the local
educational agency has exhausted all other reasonably available sources of funding for such
training;
‘‘(8) may pay reasonable and necessary expenses associated with local parental
involvement activities, including transportation and child care costs, to enable parents to
participate in school-related meetings and training sessions;
‘‘(9) may train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents;
‘‘(10) may arrange school meetings at a variety of times, or conduct in-home conferences
between teachers or other educators, who work directly with participating children, with parents
who are unable to attend such conferences at school, in order to maximize parental involvement
and participation;
‘‘(11) may adopt and implement model approaches to improving parental involvement;
‘‘(12) may establish a district-wide parent advisory council to provide advice on all matters
related to parental involvement in programs supported under this section;
‘‘(13) may develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses
in parent involvement activities; and
‘‘(14) shall provide such other reasonable support for parental involvement activities under
this section as parents may request.
‘‘(f) ACCESSIBILITY.—In carrying out the parental involvement requirements of this part, local
educational agencies and schools, to the extent practicable, shall provide full opportunities for the
participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of
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migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under section 1111 in a
format and, to the extent practicable, in a language such parents understand.
‘‘(g) INFORMATION FROM PARENTAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCE CENTERS.—In a
State where a parental information and resource center is established to provide training, information,
and support to parents and individuals who work with local parents, local educational agencies, and
schools receiving assistance under this part, each local educational agency or school that receives
assistance under this part and is located in the State shall assist parents and parental organizations by
informing such parents and organizations of the existence and purpose of such centers.
‘‘(h) REVIEW.—The State educational agency shall review the local educational agency’s
parental involvement policies and practices to determine if the policies and practices meet the
requirements of this section.
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Title I Part A: Parental Requirements
Adapted from: Parent Involvement: Title I, Part Non-Regulatory Guidance
Parent Involvement Requirements
When
By Whom
SEAs
LEAs Schools
Staff and Student Performance
Annual Report Card:
SEAs and LEAs disseminate to parents, schools, and the
public an annual report card with information on student Annually
achievement, graduation rates, school district performance
teacher qualifications, safe schools information, etc.
X
X
How Are You Ensuring the Education, Distribution of Information,
Access, Opportunity, and the Identification and Removal of Barriers
in the Context of Effective Parent Involvement - STRATEGIES
1.
Whose responsibility is it? What will the responsible person do?
2.
How do you ensure that all parents are being adequately informed?
3.
How are you helping to create opportunity and access for more parents?
4.
How are you helping to identify and remove barriers?
5.
Are you hearing from parents/what are they saying? What are the pleased with? What are their
concerns?
6.
Who’s getting the word? Who’s in the conversation? Who’s not showing up at the “table”?
What can you do to help?
7.
Is it working? What does it is working mean to you? Your schools? Your parents?
1.
Whose responsibility is it? What will the responsible person do?
2.
How do you ensure that all parents are being adequately informed?
3.
How are you helping to create opportunity and access for more parents?
4.
How are you helping to identify and remove barriers?
5.
Are you hearing from parents/what are they saying? What are the pleased with? What are their
concerns?
6.
Who’s getting the word? Who’s in the conversation? Who’s not showing up at the “table”?
What can you do to help?
7.
Is it working? What does it is working mean to you? Your schools? Your parents?
Individual Student Assessment:
SEAs in consultation with LEAs, should provide
information on all students in all schools to parents,
teachers, and principals on individual student
interpretive, descriptive, and diagnostic reports that align
with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and
other state standards.
As Soon As
Possible
After the
Assessment
X
Parents’ Right-to-Know – Student Achievement
Schools are to provide to each parent information on the
level of achievement for each of their children in each of
the State academic assessments programs.
Note: This requirement may be covered by the SEAs
individual student assessment report indicated above.
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Determined
by LEA
X
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Parent Involvement Requirements
When
SEAs
Determined
by SEA
X
By Whom
LEAs
Schools
How Are You Ensuring the Education, Distribution of Information,
Access, Opportunity, and the Identification and Removal of Barriers
in the Context of Effective Parent Involvement - STRATEGIES
Students with the Most Significant Cognitive
Disabilities:
A State that measures the achievement of students with
the most significant cognitive disabilities based on
alternate achievement standards must ensure that parents
are informed of the actual achievement levels of these
students, especially in the case of an LEA that exceeds
the 1% cap on counting proficient scores for AYP.
LEAs Identified for Improvement:
SEAs notify parents of children enrolled in schools in
the LEA that the LEA has been identified for
improvement and other information.
Promptly
upon
Identificati
on
X
LEAs identified for Corrective Action:
SEAs disseminate to parents and to the public
information on corrective actions taken by the SEA.
Timely
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
X
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Parent Involvement Requirements
When
SEAs
By Whom
LEAs
School
How Are You Ensuring the Education, Distribution of Information,
Access, Opportunity, and the Identification and Removal of Barriers
in the Context of Effective Parent Involvement – STRATEGIES
Schools Identified for School Improvement,
Corrective Action, or Restructuring:
LEAs provide to parents of each student an explanation
of what the identification means, how the schools
compare to others, reasons for the identification, the
LEA’s and schools’ responses, how parents can become
involved, any corrective action taken, the parental choice
and supplemental services options as applicable,
restructuring and other information.
Promptly
Following
Identificati
on
X
At least
Annually
X
Schools Identified for Corrective ActionSupplemental Service Notices:
LEAs serving schools that fail to make Adequate Yearly
Progress by the end of the first full school year after
being identified for improvement provide notice to
parents of the availability of supplemental services, the
identity of the providers, a description of the services,
and other information.
Schools Identified for Restructuring:
LEAs serving schools that fail to make AYP after 1 full
school year of corrective action provide prompt notice to
teachers and parents and provide opportunity to
comment and participate in preparing a restructuring
plan.
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Promptly
After
School
Misses AYP
following
one full
school year
of being in
corrective
action
X
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Parent Involvement Requirements
When
How Are You Ensuring the Education, Distribution of Information,
Access, Opportunity, and the Identification and Removal of Barriers
in the Context of Effective Parent Involvement - STRATEGIES
By Whom
SEAs
LEAs
Schools
HIGHLY QUALIFIED STAFF
Parents Right to Know –Teacher and
Paraprofessional Qualifications:
LEAs inform parents of Title I, Part A students that
parents may request, and the LEA then will provide,
certain information on the professional qualifications of
the student’s classrooms teachers and paraprofessionals
providing services to the child
Annually at
the
Beginning of
School Year
X
Parents’ Right to Know- Non-Highly Qualified
Teachers:
Schools provide to each individual parent timely notice
that the parent’s child has been assigned, or taught for 4
or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not
highly qualified.
X
Timely
PARENT PARTICPATION IN SCHOOL GOVERNANCE
Written Parental Involvement Policies:
LEAs notify parents of Title I, Part A children of district
level written parental involvement policy; schools notify
parents and community of school’s written parental
involvement policy. LEA and school policies must be
developed jointly with and agreed upon with the parents
of children participation in Title I Part A programs that
identifies the activities that the parents, the entire school
staff, and the students will undertake to share the
responsibility for improved student academic
achievement. An annual evaluation of parent
involvement must be conducted.
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Determined
by LEA
LEA
Policy
School
Policy,
SchoolParent
Compacts
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
PARENT INVOLVEMENT REQUIREMENTS
WHEN
SEA
By Whom
LEA
School
How Are You Ensuring the Education, Distribution of Information,
Access, Opportunity, and the Identification and Removal of Barriers
in the Context of Effective Parent Involvement - STRATEGIES
Written SEA Complaint Procedures:
LEAs disseminate free of charge to parents of students,
and to appropriate private schools officials or
representatives, adequate information about the SEA’s
written complaint procedures for resolving issues of
violation of a Federal statue or regulation that applies to
Title I Part A programs.
Determined
by SEA
X
Annual
X
Annual
X
X
Progress Review:
SEAs disseminate to parents, LEAs, teachers, and other
staff, students, and the community the results of the
SEAs yearly progress review of each LEA (including
progress in carrying-out parental involvement
responsibilities),
Progress Review:
LEAs disseminate to parents, teachers, principals,
schools, and the community the results of the LEAs
yearly progress review of each school.
X
Title 1 Part A Meeting:
Schools invite parents to an informational meeting to
inform them about the school’s participation in Title I
Part A programs and explain the requirements and their
right to be involved.
Annual
X
Timely
X
Title I Part A Information:
Schools provide to parents of participating children
specific information about Title 1 Part A programs, and
opportunities to request regular meetings.
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
PARENT INVOLVEMENT
REQUIREMENTS
Title I Funding:
LEAs with allocations in excess of $500,000 must
reserve at least one percent of parent involvement
activities. At least 95% of the reserved funds
must be allocated for parent involvement
activities at the school level. Parents must be
involved in decisions for the use of these funds.
WHEN
SEAs
Annually
BY WHOM
LEAs
Schools
X
X
X
X
X
X
How Are You Ensuring the Education, Distribution of Information,
Access, Opportunity, and the Identification and Removal of Barriers
in the Context of Effective Parent Involvement - STRATEGIES
BUILDING PARENTAL CAPACITY FOR INVOLVEMENT
Parental Capacity:
LEA and schools shall provide assistance to
parents (i.e., understanding academic topics; how
to work with their children to improve
achievement, integrate parent involvement
programs with Head Start, Even Start, Smart
Start, More at Four, Reading First etc.) to the
extent feasible and appropriate; pay reasonable
and necessary expenses associated with parental
involvement activities, maximize opportunities
for parent meetings, may train parents to enhance
the involvement of other parents, may establish a
district advisory council, and may develop
appropriate roles for community-based (faithbased) and businesses in parent involvement
activities.
Family Literacy:
SEA will encourage LEAs and Title I schools to
offer family literacy services (using funds under
this part) if the agency or school determines that a
substantial number of students served under this
part by the agency or school have parents who do
not have a secondary diploma or its recognized
equivalent or who have low levels of literacy.
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Hope Springs Eternal School in St. Anywhere, North Carolina
School
Administration
School Improvement Team
Co-Chairs
Math
Others
Co-Chairs
Literacy
Others
Othesr
Co-Chairs
Science
Others
Others
Co-Chairs
Social Studies
Others
Co-Chairs
Support Services
Discipline
Attendance
Career Planning
Graduation
Co-Chairs
School Improvement
Team
Others
Others
Others
Co-Chairs
Exceptional Children
Section 504
Student Assistance
Others
Co-Chairs
The Arts
Physical Education
Health Education
Parent, Family, and
Community
Involvement
Staff
Members
Parents
Community Leaders
Members of
Agencies,
organizations, and
civic groups
Others
Others
Faith-based
Organizations
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Victory School in Everywhere, North Carolina
School
Administration
School Improvement Team
Co-Chairs
Grade-level Chair
Co-Chairs
Grade-level Chair
Co-Chairs
Grade-level Chair
Co-Chairs
Grade-level Chair
Co-Chairs
Support Services
Discipline
Attendance
Career Planning
Graduation
Co-Chairs
Grade-level Chair
Co-Chairs
Exceptional Children
Section 504
Student Assistance
Co-Chairs
The Arts
Physical Education
Health Education
Others
Other
Others
Others
Other
Others
Others
Others
Other
Others
Others
Parent, Family, and
Community
Involvement
Staff
Members
Parents
Community Leaders
Members of Agencies,
organizations, and civic
groups
Others
Others
Faith-based
Organizations
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Implementation Chart
Develop the implementation strategy for each of the involvement indicators from the school improvement plan.
Status of each involvement strategy that was a part of the
school improvement plan by level of implementation
Provide Oversight of
Implementation
What Resources are Need
for Implementation
Implementation
Date
Completion
Date
What is the indicator
of success
Communication Indicators:
Parenting Indicators:
Student Learning Indicators:
Volunteering Indicators:
Advocacy and Decision-Making Indicators:
Training Indicators:
Community Collaboration Indicators:
Student Health Indicators:
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Model One for Assessment of Implementation Strategies
Status of each involvement strategy that was a part of the school improvement
plan by level of implementation
Advanced
Implementation
Full
Implementation
Partial
Implementation
Little to No
Implementation
Communication:
Indicators:
Parenting.
Indicators:
Student Learning.
Indicators:
Volunteering.
Indicators::
Advocacy and Decision-Making.
Indicators:
Training.
Indicators::
Community Collaboration.
Indicators:
Student Health.
Indicators:
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Model Two for Assessment of Implementation Strategies
Status of each involvement strategy that was a part of the school
improvement plan by level of parent access and opportunity
81-100 percent of
parents indicate
that they either
got the
information or
knew about it
61-80 percent of
parents indicate
that they either
got the
information or
knew about it
41-60 percent of
parents indicate
that they either
got the
information or
knew about it
21-40 percent of
parents indicate
that they either
got the
information or
knew about it
0 – 20 percent of
parents indicate
that they either
got the
information or
knew about it
Communication
Indicators::
Parenting.
Indicators:
Student Learning.
Indicators:
Volunteering.
Indicators:
Advocacy and Decision-Making
Indicators:
Training
Indicators:
Community Collaboration
Indicators:
Student Health.
Indicators:
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Model Three For Assessment of Implementation Strategies
Communication Facilitate regular, two-way, and meaningful communication between home and school. (Communication should be in a
format that parents/guardians understand.)
Indicators
⎯
Advanced
Implementation
Full
Implementation
Partial
Implementation
Little to No
Implementation
Conduct annual survey for families to provide reactions to school
programs and share information and concerns about students
⎯ School staff implements systemic efforts to inform parents about
academic goals, class work, grades, and home-work for their children in
their home language. (classroom contracts, students assignment books,
homework websit4es, and online grade books
⎯ School staff offers varied ways that parents can share information with
teachers about their children’s learning needs. (phone and email
contacts, offering parent conferences, making home visits, or other
methods)
⎯ School staff partners with community leaders and organizations to build
parent understanding academic expectations, school strategies, and
student achievement results
⎯ School staff offers parents opportunities to discuss school-wide
achievement issues, including assessment data, at least once a semester
⎯ School staff implements systematic efforts to maximize parent –teacher
conference participation (offering multiple locations, convenient times,
follow- with parent who don not reply to first notices, and opportunities
for student-lead conferences
⎯ Provide language translators as needed
⎯ Conferences with every parent at least once a year, with follow-ups as
needed.
⎯ Other
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Parenting. Promote and support responsible parenting.
Indicators
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Advanced
Proficient
Basic
Marginal
Sponsor parent education workshops and other courses or
training for parents
Provide families with information on child or adolescent
development
Conduct family support programs with parent to parent
discussion groups
Provide families with information on developing home
conditions that support learning
Lend families books or tapes on parenting or videotapes of
parent workshops
Ask families about children’s goals, strengths, and talents
Sponsor home visiting programs or neighborhood meetings to
help families understand schools and to help schools
understand families School provides suggestions for home
conditions that support learning at each grade level.
School provides workshops, videotapes, and/or computerized
phone messages on parenting and child-rearing at each grade
level
Parent education and other courses or training for parents
(e.g., GED, college credit; family literacy).
Family support programs to assist families with health
nutrition, and other services.
Other
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Student Learning. Inform and involve parents and caregivers in children’s learning activities so that they may play an integral role in
assisting student learning.
Indicators
Outstanding
Satisfactory
Fair
⎯ Provide information to families on required skills in all
subjects
⎯ Provide information to families on how to monitor and discuss
schoolwork at home
⎯ Provide information on how to assist students with skills that
they need to improve
⎯ Provide regular schedule of interactive homework that
requirement students to demonstrate and discuss what they
are learning with a family member
⎯ Ask parents to listen to their child read or to read allowed with
their child
⎯ Provide calendars with daily or weekly activities for families
to do at home and in the community
⎯ Help parents to participate in decisions about their students’
learning
⎯ Help families help student set academic goals, select courses
and programs, and plan for college or work Information for
families on skills required for students in all subjects at each
grade.
⎯ Information on homework policies and how to monitor, and
discuss schoolwork at home.
⎯ Other
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Poor
Volunteering. Ensure that parents/guardians are welcome in the school and seek their support and assistance in a variety of ways.
Indicators
Distinguished
Proficient
Apprentice
Novice
⎯ School and classroom volunteer program to help teachers and
administrators students and other parents. Parent room or
center for volunteer work, meetings, resources for families.
⎯ Class parent, telephone tree, or other structures to provide all
families with needed information.
⎯ Parent patrols or other activities to aid safety and operation of
school programs.
⎯ Conduct annual surveys to identify interests, talents,
availability of volunteers
⎯ Create parent room, family center, or volunteer zone for
volunteering, meetings, and housing family resources
⎯ Provide opportunities to volunteer at home or in the
community to support class or school
⎯ Sponsor a volunteer recognition program
⎯ Others
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Advocacy and Decision-Making. Include parents/guardians as partners in the decisions that affect children and families
Indicators
81-100 percent
of parents
indicate that they
either got the
information or
knew about it
61-80 percent of
parents indicate
that they either
got the
information or
knew about it
41-60 percent of
parents indicate
that they either
got the
information or
knew about it
21-40 percent of
parents indicate
that they either
got the
information or
knew about it
⎯ Active parent organizations, school advisory councils, or
committees (e.g., curriculum, safety, personnel, and other
committees) for parent leadership and participation.
⎯ Independent advocacy groups to lobby and work for
school reform and improvements.
⎯ Networks to link all families with parent representatives.
⎯ Include parents in the active recruitment of other parents
for involvement and participation
⎯ Create a mechanism of identifying and encouraging
parents to serve as mentors and coaches to other parents
⎯ Seek input, feedback, and support from parents by a
variety of methods
⎯ Have active parent participation on school and district
level councils and committees
⎯ Other
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
0 – 20 percent of
parents indicate
that they either got
the information or
knew about it
Training. Assess the parents’ informational needs and provide parent training based upon those needs.
Indicators
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pervasive
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Offer professional workshops and training opportunities in
various formats and locations
Provide training on the meaning and use of information
identified in NCLB
Provide training on the meaning and use of information local
board and school policies
Provide training on the meaning and use of information base
on needs identified through assessment or needs survey
Provide trading on the meaning and use of information base
on parent involvement policy
Provide training on the meaning and use of elements of the
curricular
Provide training on the meaning and use of information
pertaining to pathways to promotion, graduation, and use of
grades
Provide training on the meaning and use of information
pertaining to pathways that lead to discipline and suspension
issues
Provide training to parents, families, communities, and
schools so that they are sharing a common understanding
about policies, standards, practices and expectations
Other
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Community Collaboration: Collaborate with community agencies and other organizations to provide resources to strengthen school
programs, families, and student learning.
Indicators
•
Occurring in All
Areas
•
Information for students and families on community health,
cultural, recreational, social support, and other programs or
services.
Information on community activities that link to learning
skills and talents, including summer programs for students.
Planned service integration of school in partnership with
businesses, civic, counseling, cultural, health, recreation, and
other agencies and organizations.
Service to the community by students, families, and schools
(e.g., recycling, art, music, drama, and other activities for
seniors or others, etc.) Alumni to link to school programs for
students.
Provide resource directories for parents and students with
information on community agencies, programs, and services
Provide information on community activities that link to
learning skills and talents, including summer programs for
students
Work with local businesses, industries, and community
organizations on programs to enhance students skills
Offer after-school programs for students with support from
community businesses, agencies, volunteers
Sponsor intergenerational programs with local senior citizens
•
Other
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Occurring in Most
Areas
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Occurring in Some
Areas
Occurring in a
Few Areas
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Student Health. Promote health awareness among parents/guardians by addressing the need for health programs and student health
services, which are linked to student learning.
Indicators
•
Superior
Average
Fair
Poor
__Implementation
__Implementation
__Implementation
__Implementation
__Response
__Response
__Response
__Response
Inform and raise awareness among parents by providing
information/training to parents on health and safety issues,
programs, services, policies, and practices
•
•
Educate and raise awareness among parents by providing
information/training on specific health and safety skills and
child development expectations through adolescents
•
Involve parents in health and safety issues pertaining to health
education, prevention and invention programs and services,
and heath and safety promotion programs and campaigns
•
Support families by identifying and connecting parents with
resources, services, family health screenings, evening or afterschool activities, or resource centers
•
Empower parents to influence policies and practices that may
have an impact on the health and safety of students
•
•
Other
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Model Four For Assessment of Implementation Indicators
Communication Facilitate regular, two-way, and meaningful communication between home and school. (Communication should be in a
format that parents/guardians understand.)
Ratings Key:
1 = Novice = Practiced Rarely
2 = Apprentice = Practiced Sometimes
3 = Proficient = Practiced Most of the Time
4 = Advanced = Practiced all the time
Indicators
⎯
Examples: Agendas, sign-sheets, policy manuals, handbooks, announcements,
newsletters, newspaper articles, poster, surveys, checklists, rosters, school signage,
forums, community conversations, town-hall meetings, etc.
Ratings
Evidence and Documentation
Conduct annual survey for families to provide reactions to school
programs and share information and concerns about students
⎯ School staff implements systemic efforts to inform parents about
academic goals, class work, grades, and home-work for their children in
their home language. (classroom contracts, students assignment books,
homework websit4es, and online grade books
⎯ School staff offers varied ways that parents can share information with
teachers about their children’s learning needs. (phone and email
contacts, offering parent conferences, making home visits, or other
methods)
⎯ School staff partners with community leaders and organizations to build
parent understanding academic expectations, school strategies, and
student achievement results
⎯ School staff offers parents opportunities to discuss school-wide
achievement issues, including assessment data, at least once a semester
⎯ School staff implements systematic efforts to maximize parent –teacher
conference participation (offering multiple locations, convenient times,
follow- with parent who don not reply to first notices, and opportunities
for student-lead conferences
⎯ Provide language translators as needed
⎯ Conferences with every parent at least once a year, with follow-ups as
needed.
⎯ Other
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Parenting. Promote and support responsible parenting.
Ratings Key:
1 = Novice = Practiced Rarely
2 = Apprentice = Practiced Sometimes
3 = Proficient = Practiced Most of the Time
4 = Advanced = Practiced all the time
Indicators
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Examples: Agendas, sign-sheets, policy manuals, handbooks, announcements,
newsletters, newspaper articles, poster, surveys, checklists, rosters, school signage,
forums, community conversations, town-hall meetings, etc.
Ratings
Evidence and Documentation
Sponsor parent education workshops and other courses or training for
parents
Provide families with information on child or adolescent development
Conduct family support programs with parent to parent discussion
groups
Provide families with information on developing home conditions that
support learning
Lend families books or tapes on parenting or videotapes of parent
workshops
Ask families about children’s goals, strengths, and talents
Sponsor home visiting programs or neighborhood meetings to help
families understand schools and to help schools understand families
School provides suggestions for home conditions that support learning
at each grade level.
School provides workshops, videotapes, and/or computerized phone
messages on parenting and child-rearing at each grade level
•
Parent education and other courses or training for parents (e.g., GED,
college credit; family literacy).
Family support programs to assist families with health nutrition, and
other services.
•
Other
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Student Learning. Inform and involve parents and caregivers in children’s learning activities so that they may play an integral role in assisting
student learning.
Ratings Key:
1 = Novice = Practiced Rarely
2 = Apprentice = Practiced Sometimes
3 = Proficient = Practiced Most of the Time
4 = Advanced = Practiced all the time
Indicators
Examples: Agendas, sign-sheets, policy manuals, handbooks, announcements,
newsletters, newspaper articles, poster, surveys, checklists, rosters, school signage,
forums, community conversations, town-hall meetings, etc.
Ratings
Evidence and Documentation
⎯ Provide information to families on required skills in all
subjects
⎯ Provide information to families on how to monitor and discuss
schoolwork at home
⎯ Provide information on how to assist students with skills that
they need to improve
⎯ Provide regular schedule of interactive homework that
requirement students to demonstrate and discuss what they
are learning with a family member
⎯ Ask parents to listen to their child read or to read allowed with
their child
⎯ Provide calendars with daily or weekly activities for families
to do at home and in the community
⎯ Help parents to participate in decisions about their students’
learning
⎯ Help families help student set academic goals, select courses
and programs, and plan for college or work Information for
families on skills required for students in all subjects at each
grade.
⎯ Information on homework policies and how to monitor, and
discuss schoolwork at home.
⎯ Other
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Volunteering. Ensure that parents/guardians are welcome in the school and seek their support and assistance in a variety of ways.
Ratings Key:
1 = Novice = Practiced Rarely
2 = Apprentice = Practiced Sometimes
3 = Proficient = Practiced Most of the Time
4 = Advanced = Practiced all the time
Indicators
Examples: Agendas, sign-sheets, policy manuals, handbooks, announcements,
newsletters, newspaper articles, poster, surveys, checklists, rosters, school signage,
forums, community conversations, town-hall meetings, etc.
Ratings
Evidence and Documentation
⎯ School and classroom volunteer program to help teachers and
administrators students and other parents. Parent room or
center for volunteer work, meetings, resources for families.
⎯ Class parent, telephone tree, or other structures to provide all
families with needed information.
⎯ Parent patrols or other activities to aid safety and operation of
school programs.
⎯ Conduct annual surveys to identify interests, talents,
availability of volunteers
⎯ Create parent room, family center, or volunteer zone for
volunteering, meetings, and housing family resources
⎯ Provide opportunities to volunteer at home or in the
community to support class or school
⎯ Sponsor a volunteer recognition program
⎯ Others
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Advocacy and Decision-Making. Include parents/guardians as partners in the decisions that affect children and families
Ratings Key:
1 = Novice = Practiced Rarely
2 = Apprentice = Practiced Sometimes
3 = Proficient = Practiced Most of the Time
4 = Advanced = Practiced all the time
Indicators
Examples: Agendas, sign-sheets, policy manuals, handbooks, announcements, newsletters,
newspaper articles, poster, surveys, checklists, rosters, school signage, forums, community
conversations, town-hall meetings, etc.
Ratings
Evidence and Documentation
⎯ Active parent organizations, school advisory councils, or
committees (e.g., curriculum, safety, personnel, and other
committees) for parent leadership and participation.
⎯ Independent advocacy groups to lobby and work for
school reform and improvements.
⎯ Networks to link all families with parent representatives.
⎯ Include parents in the active recruitment of other parents
for involvement and participation
⎯ Create a mechanism of identifying and encouraging
parents to serve as mentors and coaches to other parents
⎯ Seek input, feedback, and support from parents by a
variety of methods
⎯ Have active parent participation on school and district
level councils and committees
⎯ Other
Training. Assess the parents’ informational needs and provide parent training based upon those needs.
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Ratings Key:
1 = Novice = Practiced Rarely
2 = Apprentice = Practiced Sometimes
3 = Proficient = Practiced Most of the Time
4 = Advanced = Practiced all the time
Examples: Agendas, sign-sheets, policy manuals, handbooks, announcements,
newsletters, newspaper articles, poster, surveys, checklists, rosters, school signage,
forums, community conversations, town-hall meetings, etc.
Indicators
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ratings
Evidence and Documentation
Offer professional workshops and training opportunities in
various formats and locations
Provide training on the meaning and use of information
identified in NCLB
Provide training on the meaning and use of information local
board and school policies
Provide training on the meaning and use of information base
on needs identified through assessment or needs survey
Provide trading on the meaning and use of information base
on parent involvement policy
Provide training on the meaning and use of elements of the
curricular
Provide training on the meaning and use of information
pertaining to pathways to promotion, graduation, and use of
grades
Provide training on the meaning and use of information
pertaining to pathways that lead to discipline and suspension
issues
Provide training to parents, families, communities, and
schools so that they are sharing a common understanding
about policies, standards, practices and expectations
Other
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Community Collaboration: Collaborate with community agencies and other organizations to provide resources to strengthen school programs,
families, and student learning.
Ratings Key:
1 = Novice = Practiced Rarely
2 = Apprentice = Practiced Sometimes
3 = Proficient = Practiced Most of the Time
4 = Advanced = Practiced all the time
Indicators
•
Examples: Agendas, sign-sheets, policy manuals, handbooks, announcements,
newsletters, newspaper articles, poster, surveys, checklists, rosters, school signage,
forums, community conversations, town-hall meetings, etc.
Ratings
•
Information for students and families on community health,
cultural, recreational, social support, and other programs or
services.
Information on community activities that link to learning
skills and talents, including summer programs for students.
Planned service integration of school in partnership with
businesses, civic, counseling, cultural, health, recreation, and
other agencies and organizations.
Service to the community by students, families, and schools
(e.g., recycling, art, music, drama, and other activities for
seniors or others, etc.) Alumni to link to school programs for
students.
Provide resource directories for parents and students with
information on community agencies, programs, and services
Provide information on community activities that link to
learning skills and talents, including summer programs for
students
Work with local businesses, industries, and community
organizations on programs to enhance students skills
Offer after-school programs for students with support from
community businesses, agencies, volunteers
Sponsor intergenerational programs with local senior citizens
•
Other
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Evidence and Documentation
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Student Health. Promote health awareness among parents/guardians by addressing the need for health programs and student health services,
which are linked to student learning.
Ratings Key:
1 = Novice = Practiced Rarely
2 = Apprentice = Practiced Sometimes
3 = Proficient = Practiced Most of the Time
4 = Advanced = Practiced all the time
Indicators
•
•
Examples: Agendas, sign-sheets, policy manuals, handbooks, announcements,
newsletters, newspaper articles, poster, surveys, checklists, rosters, school signage,
forums, community conversations, town-hall meetings, etc.
Ratings
Evidence and Documentation
Inform and raise awareness among parents by providing
information/training to parents on health and safety issues,
programs, services, policies, and practices
•
Educate and raise awareness among parents by providing
information/training on specific health and safety skills and
child development expectations through adolescents
•
Involve parents in health and safety issues pertaining to health
education, prevention and invention programs and services,
and heath and safety promotion programs and campaigns
•
Support families by identifying and connecting parents with
resources, services, family health screenings, evening or afterschool activities, or resource centers
•
Empower parents to influence policies and practices that may
have an impact on the health and safety of students
•
•
Other
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
References:
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Acknowledgements/Contributors
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities
Parent Advisory Council Members
Color Key: Rose = State Responsibilities
Yellow = Schools Responsibilities
Tan = School District Responsibilities