Illinois Service Resource Center
Serving deaf/hard of hearing student behavioral needs
A Service and Resource Center of the Illinois State Board of Education
Illinois Service Resource Center
Parent/Family Involvement Checklist
For Parents of Students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Parent involvement has a positive impact on student success and achievement.
Parents often wonder about ways that they can become involved in their child’s
education. Joyce Epstein of the Center on School, Family and Community
Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University, one of the nation’s leading experts on parent
involvement, has developed a Framework of Six Types of Family Involvement:
 Parenting – develop and implement appropriate parenting skills, provide
home environments that support learning
 Communicating –maintain open lines of communication between home and
school
 Volunteering- spend time in the school or classroom
 Learning at home, - promote at-home learning through high expectations and
strategies to monitor and help with homework
 Decision-making - participate as partners in school organizations, advisory
panels, and similar committees
 Community collaboration - family participation in the community
This checklist provides ideas for increasing parent and family involvement at each age
level.
The Illinois State Board of Education State Performance Plan seeks to increase the
percentage of parents with a child receiving special education services who report that
schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for
children with disabilities.
DHH Parent/Family Involvement Checklist
Early Intervention (Ages 0-3)
Goal
Parenting
Educate yourself on
parenting a child who is
Deaf/ hard of hearing
Communicating
Learn to communicate
(sign language can be
useful even if this is not
the primary mode of
communication
Volunteering
Join organizations/
Connect with other
parents/ Find a mentor
Learning at home
Reinforce EI lessons at
home
Decision making
Address issues of
acceptance
Collaborating with the
community
Learn about resources
Ideas
- Read books (provide
suggestions?/ ISRC library)
- Explore websites
- ISD Parent Institute
- Educate the school about
your child’s needs
- Take a sign language class
- Use books and videos
- Have a signing dinner
- Develop open dialogue with
your child’s provider.
- Hands and Voices Family
Fun Days and other events
- Parent Guide from Guide by
Your Side
- Mom’s Night Inn
- ISRC Parent Cafes
- Read books together
- Play games together
- ISRC library materials
- ISRC website literacy and
game instructions
- Assess your vision of your
child’s future
- DSCC, PUNS
- ISRC Digital Update
- Local school district
- Deaf child signs
What I did
DHH Parent/Family Involvement Checklist
Early Childhood (Ages 3-5)
Goal
Parenting
Learn about how
hearing loss impacts
development
Communicating
Start developing a good
relationship with the
school
Volunteering
Spend time at school
Ideas
- Develop an awareness of
your child’s strengths and
challenges
- Develop behavior
intervention skills
- ISD Parent Institute
- Establish consistent
communication system with
the school (notebook, e-mails,
phone calls)
- Volunteer in classroom or
building
- Establish connections with
other parents
Learning at home
- Puzzles, taking turns, books,
Reinforce academic and games
behavioral lessons from - Small chores
school
- Set timers to understand five
minutes
- Visit museums and parks
- Label everything with words
and/or pictures of signs
- Turn on closed captioning on
television
Decision making
- Read information about IEP
Learn about IEP
meetings (books, websites)
process
- Look for resources such as
webinars
- ISBE Parents Rights Guide
Collaborating with the - Explore recreational and
community
cultural options
Spend time out in the
- Take child out in the
community
community
- GBYS Family Fun Days
- Teach patience and social
skills
What I did
DHH Parent/Family Involvement Checklist
Elementary School (Ages 5-10)
Goal
Parenting
Establish behavioral
expectations at home
Ideas
- Consistent expectations,
terminology, and
reinforcements/consequences
at home and school.
- Investigate technology, i.e.
alarm clocks
Communicating
Notebook, brochure,
Develop format to share PowerPoint, All About Me
information about your
child with the school
Volunteering
Attend open house, look at
Identify volunteer
newsletters and websites, find
opportunities and
out what volunteer
participate
opportunities are available,
and pick one or more.
Learning at home
- Establish regular time for
Provide opportunities to homework.
enhance learning from
- Know what your child is
school.
studying in school - check
school website for resources,
read newsletters, be involved
in communication with
teacher.
Decision making
Join parent groups, advisory
Have a voice in policies, councils, and committees
practices, and programs - Participate in your child’s IEP
at school.
Team meeting
Collaborating with the - Attend special recreation
community
programs and camps
Be aware of and utilize - Attend library events
services and resources - Attend school events, such
in the community.
as Parent Cafés.
- Participate in community
service projects
What I did
DHH Parent/Family Involvement Checklist
Middle School (Ages 10-14)
Goal
Parenting
Maintain behavioral
routines in the home
Communicating
Maintain open lines of
communication with the
educational team
Volunteering
Identify volunteer
opportunities and
participate
Learning at home
Incorporate life skills into
learning at home; teach
accountability and
responsibility for work
completion
Decision making
Have a voice in policies,
practices, and programs
at school.
Collaborating with the
community
Increase awareness of
Deaf culture issues and
advocacy skills;
participate in community
activities
Ideas
- Create lists of what to do
before and/or after school
- Follow routines consistently
- Use technology supports i.e.
alarm clocks
- Become familiar with postsecondary transition
- Learn about the transition
process and ask questions;
maintain an open line of
communication
- Continue to share All About
Me information
- Explore student participation
in IEP process
- Chaperone field trips
- Attend sporting events and
plays
- Volunteer in the library
- Establish expectations for
household life skills
- Establish routine and set
place for homework
- Check assignment
notebooks
- Continue to participate in
parent groups, advisory
councils, and committees
- Participate in your child’s IEP
Team meeting
- Attend plays or other events
with sign language interpreters
- Learn about and request
accommodations in the
community such as assistive
listening devices, loops,
captioning, and interpreters
- Identify activities where your
child will be successful
What I did
DHH Parent/Family Involvement Checklist
High School (Ages 14 and older)
Goal
Ideas
Parenting
- Teach financial management skills
Support independence - Encourage student participation in
extra-curricular activities with requests
for accommodations
- Use technology supports such as
electronic calendars
Communicating
- Check parent portals regularly
Maintain open lines of - Ensure that student communicates
communication with
effectively with teachers as necessary
educational team
- Update/share All About Me info
- Encourage child participation in IEP
- Invite Transition Coordinator to IEP
- Develop student responsibility for
communications
- Continue to learn about the transition
process and ask questions; maintain
an open line of communication
Volunteering
- Explore opportunities to volunteer at
Identify volunteer
school or after school
opportunities and
- Attend school events
participate
Learning at home
- Encourage self advocacy by having
Incorporate life skills
student make appointments
and self advocacy into independently
learning at home;
- Review student portals with child
teach accountability
- Learn the accommodations required
and responsibility for
for classes such as swimming, driving,
work completion
or community service requirements
Decision making
- Continue to participate in parent
Have a voice in
groups, advisory councils, and
policies, practices, and committees
programs at school.
- Participate in your child’s IEP Team
meeting
Collaborating with
- Explore supports from Department of
the community
Rehab Services
Utilize resources in the - Attend community events with
community
requests for appropriate
accommodations (be aware of what these
are, encourage student to make the requests)
What I did