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Parental Engagement in Schools
posted by: Alix | March 13, 2012, 09:05 PM   

Parental engagement has been a hot topic for years and can vary widely depending on area of the country or school setting. From a perceived lack of parent involvement in inner-city school systems, to the "helicopter" parents of high-performing students, teachers have for years cited level of parental involvement as a contributing factor to student learning.

As we reported last week, a new study confirms that teacher moral is at a low point. Interestingly, the same study shows an upswing in parental engagement. Overall, the data indicates that teachers with higher job satisfaction are likelier to report greater involvement of parents in their schools.

Levels of engagement between parents and schools have also seen notable improvement over past surveys. A whopping 64% of the students surveyed report that they talk about things that happen at school with their parents every day, up 14% from 1988, the first time the survey touched on the topic. Further, 46% of students repot that their parents visit their school at least once a month, up from 16% during the same time period.

Most teachers (91%) and 80% of parents believe that their schools help all parents understand what they can do at home to support student success, and 83% of students agree that their teachers and parents work together to help them succeed. In schools where parents are highly involved, teachers are also more likely to receive good performance reviews.

Similarly, a report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) that surveyed the same students at various grade levels indicated that students with involved parents were more likely to have high GPAs. The study surveyed over 25,000 students from districts across the country.

Joyce Epstein, founder and director of the National Network of Partnership Schools called the trends a good start. "Although it's very encouraging that family and community involvement has increased over time across the country, this is by no means an accomplished goal."

Policies that empower parents in urban areas are also catching on in certain districts. Parents in Adelanto, California are currently trying to take advantage of the 2010 Parent Trigger Law, a provision that allows a majority of families at a struggling school to force major changes, from letting go staff to closing the school and reopening it as an independent charter. The idea behind popular law has clearly resonated with parents who have felt frustrated by school bureaucracy.

Parent Trigger laws are also spreading beyond California, passing or sparking a dialogue in other states, including Maryland and Florida. Even Hollywood has taken notice. A feature film highlighting a parental take-over is due for release this fall.

While there are various approaches and polices designed to increase parental involvement, the practice is critical to student achievement. Clearly, parents and teachers both want students to succeed. If an open dialogue is established early between parents, teachers, and administrators, a partnership for the sake of the student is certain to develop.

What do you think about parental engagement?
Comment below.

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