Strategies Targeting Parent Engagement
The research on family involvement in education spans 30 years. It links increased student
achievement with parent involvement in their child’s learning. This link has also spread to
student behavior as students whose parents are involved in their education show improved
behavior, and lower rates of suspension, alcohol use, violence, and antisocial behavior (National
Education Service, 2002). As part of our efforts to improve behavior in the schools, we can look
to parents for support. Many agencies, including the Colorado Department of Education, rely on
Joyce Epstein’s Six Types of Parent Involvement Model to structure parent programming. These
six types are listed here: Parenting, Communicating, Volunteering, Learning at Home, DecisionMaking, Collaborating with Community.
Parent & Community Engagement Committee, 2004
WI RtI PBIS Parent Engagement Outline:
1. Have parents take the RtI PBIS Parent Survey (Pre) at the beginning of each year
(example: open house, parent teacher conferences, etc.).
2. Review the results
3. Share the results with a stakeholder group that includes staff and parents
4. With the assistance of the stakeholder group, develop a plan to address any areas of
concern or weakness. (See items 10 - 13 below)
5. Share the survey results and plan with ALL families and staff.
6. Implement the Plan throughout a specified time period (ie. Semester, school year)
7. Ask parents to take the RtI PBIS Parent Survey (Post) at the end of the time period.
8. Compare this with the Pre-survey.
9. Address the items on the survey that most parents mark “no” or do not understand.
10. Have the RtI PBIS Universal Team use the Family Engagement Checklist, compare
this with the Parent Survey and address the mutual concerns of each document. Use
the RtI PBIS Family Engagement Questionnaire/Guiding Questions to complete the
Action Plan form to guide the team in their Family Engagement implementation.
11. Review the Family Items on Assessments form, review and contrast which items you
have achieved during the school year and which need attention
(TIC/SAS/BoQ/SIR/BAT).
12. Use Epstein’s Six Types of PBIS Parent Engagement for different strategies to use
with families.
13. Once the team becomes fluent in using this process for RtI PBIS use the documents in
other areas to increase Family Engagement.
October 2012
A few strategies to encourage teachers to start positive interactions with families:
1. At the beginning of the school year, have each teacher address 3 positive postcards for
each student in their classroom. When the teacher notices the student show a positive
behavior or improve their behavior, they can quickly jot down a note and send it home.
Ask that teachers have all three postcards for each of their students’ mailed out prior to
January 1. Repeat the process for second semester.
2. At the beginning of the school year or when inviting parents to a school activity include
the school matrix and expectations so parents are aware of the expectations for everyone
who enters the building.
3. Ask parents to work with their child on what are similar expectations at school and at
home. Include a blank matrix for parents to complete with their student.
October 2012