DOCUMENT RESUME ED 424 933 · This action/research project focuses on parent involve-ment to promote their chil-dren's school success, a topic that has received significant national

DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 424 933 PS 027 039

TITLE Parents as School Partners Dissemination Kit.INSTITUTION National Council of Jewish Women, New York, NY. Center for

the Child.SPONS AGENCY Danforth Foundation, Clayton, MO.; General Mills Foundation,

Wayzata, MN.; Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, MI.PUB DATE 1996-00-00NOTE 57p.; Funding also received form the Kalman & Ida Wolens

Foundation.AVAILABLE FROM National Council of Jewish Women, 53 West 23rd Street, 6th

Floor, New York, NY 10010; Tel: 212-645-4048; Fax:212-645-7466; Web site: http://www.ncjw.org; e-mail:[email protected]

PUB TYPE Guides Non-Classroom (055)EDRS PRICE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Academic Achievement; Administrator Attitudes; Educational

Policy; *Elementary Secondary Education; *Family SchoolRelationship; Focus Groups; *Information Dissemination;Literature Reviews; Parent Attitudes; Parent Participation;*Parent School Relationship; *Parents; Partnerships inEducation; Principals; Superintendents; Teacher Attitudes;Teachers

ABSTRACTParents as School Partners is a volunteer research

initiative of the National Council of Jewish Women and its researchinstitute, called the Center for the Child. This initiative focuses on parentinvolvement to promote children's school success. This document contains aproject overview and six accompanying reports providing a detailedpresentation of the project's activities: (1) surveys of 193 school districtsuperintendents regarding the existence of parent involvement policies andthe types of programs being enacted to implement these policies; (2) 33 focusgroups with parents, teachers, and principals about what parent involvementmeans to them and what they need to make it work; (3) a compilation ofreplicable school-based programs for enhancing parent involvement; (4) aliterature review of over 200 articles on the impact of parent involvement onchildren's school success. The findings provided a broad description ofcurrent issues in the field of parent involvement and revealed that althoughthere was widespread consensus among parents and educators that parentinvolvement is critical to children's school success, parents and schools donot share a vision of how to educate children. Both parents and teachersidentified a need for open dialogue between homes and schools, especially forinteractions that are positive and not problem-focused. Professional andinservice training for teachers on working with families is not widelyavailable. The findings reported that most model parent involvement programsrequire parents to conform to school practice rather than training educatorsto accommodate to the culture of parents, or to incorporate parents' views.The six accompanying reports include, "Program Compilation: ReplicablePrograms to Enhance Parent Involvement"; "Literature Review: A CriticalReview of the Research Evidence"; "Parent Focus Groups: Voices from theField"; "Teacher Focus Groups: Voices from the Field"; "School PrincipalFocus Groups: Voices from the Field"; and "School District SuperintendentsSurvey: Parent Involvement Policies, Programs, & Practices." (Author/KB)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)

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Parents As SchoolPartners is a volunteerresearch initiative of theNational Council of JewishWomen (NCJW) and itsapplied research institute,the Center for the Child.This action/research projectfocuses on parent involve-ment to promote their chil-dren's school success, a topicthat has received significant national attention.Parents As School Partners is unique in its simulta-neous consideration of policies, programs, practice,and research to determine the status of currentknowledge in the field of parent involvement.

As the start of its long term commitment to thisissue, in the spring of 1995 NCJW launched ParentsAs School Partners with funding from the DanforthFoundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, theKalman and Ida Wolens Foundation, and GeneralMills Foundation. Four preliminary activities wereconducted to make a significant contribution to thefield of parent involvement. These activities involvedboth researchers at the Center forthe Child and volunteers in 52NCJW Sections around thecountry:

Project Overview 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

parent involvement

Surveys of 193 school dis-trict superintendentsregarding the existence ofparent involvement policiesand the types of programsbeing enacted to imple-ment these policies.Thirty-three focus groupswith parents, teachers, andprincipals to hear from the"voices in the field" what

means to them and what theyneed to make it work.

A compilation of replicable school-based programsfor enhancing parent involvement.

A critical and scholarly literature review of over200 articles on the impact of parent involvementon children's school success.

The knowledge gained from these activities pro-vides an in-depth investigation of what we do and donot know about parent involvement, what policiesand programs are being enacted, and what they arelikely to mean in the lives of those most affected.The six accompanying reports provide a moredetailed presentation of each of the project activi-

ties which together make up the ParentsAs School Partners project.

The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a 90,000 member volunteer organizationwith a onehundred year history of community service, advocacy, research, and education.

NCJW's Center for the Child was founded in 1983 to conduct research to improveprograms and policies for children and their families.

Working together, NCJW Sections and the Center for the Child can make a differencein the lives of women, children, and families.

For more information, please contact Dr. Amy Baker, Director, NCJW Center for the Child,53 W. 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010 Ph: (212) 645-4048 Fax: (212) 645-7466

4


0 0 0 Parent Involvement: Challenges and Opportunities

The data collected from the four Parents As School Partners activities provides a broad mapping of currentissues in the field of parent involvement. Ten major themes emerged which deserve special attention as they

point to directions in future programs and practice.

There is widespread consensus among parents, educators, practitioners, policymakers, and researchers that parent involvement is critical to children'sschool success.

While parents and schools share a common mission of educating children,they do not share a vision of how to accomplish this goal. There are inherenttensions in the roles and responsibilities of parents and teachers.

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Parent involvement theory and exemplary parent involvement programs recognize thevalue of creating meaningful partnerships among homes and schools in order to enhanceparent involvement. These partnerships recognize and value the unique contribution ofhomes and schools to the education of children.

There is a need for more open dialogue between homes and schools, especiallyinteractions that are positive and not problem-focused. Parents and teacherswant more opportunities to talk about how parent involvement feels to themand how it can be enhanced.

Professional and in-service training for teachers on working with families is notyet widely available.

Parent involvement requires effort on the parts of teachers and parents who do not haveregularly scheduled time in their daily routines for parent involvement.

There are many institutional and personal barriers to effective home-school partnerships.

There are few opportunities for personal and individualizedcontact between parents and teachers.

Most model parent involvement programs require parentsto conform to school practice rather than training educatorsto accommodate to the cultures of or incorporate the viewsof parents.

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Less is known about the effectiveness of specific types ofparent involvement for enhancing children's school achievement than commonly hasbeen assumed.

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Thanks to the following NCJW Sections who participatedin the Parents As School Partners Project

Akron (OH)Baltimore (MD)

Chicago (IL)Cleveland (OH)Concordia (NJ)

Contra Costa (CA)Gr. Dallas (TX)

Gr. Danbury (CT)Gr. Detroit (MI)

Edison (NJ)El Paso (TX)Essex (NJ)

Evanston-Niles (IL)Hollywood (FL)Houston (TX)

Howard County (MD)Jacksonville (FL)

Gr. Kansas City (KS)Kendall (FL)

Long Beach (CA)Los Angeles (CA)

Louisville (KY)Marin County (CA)

Gr. Miami (FL)Mid Bergen (NJ)Milwaukee (WI)

Gr. Minneapolis (MN)Mt. Diablo (CA)Nashville (TN)

Gr. New Haven (CT)Gr. New Orleans (LA)

New York (NY)Northern Virginia (VA)

Peninsula (NY)Pittsburgh (PA)

Gr. Rochester (NY)Sacramento (CA)

San Jose (CA)Seattle (WA)

Gr. Somerset (NJ)South Cook (IL)

South Suburban (MA)St. Louis (MO)Stamford (CT)

Gr. Syracuse (NY)Gr. Teaneck (NJ)University (FL)

Valley (AZ)West Morris (NJ)

West Virginia (WV)Gr. Westchester (NY)

Worcester (MA)

Special thanks to the NCJW Gr. Miami Section (FL) for helping underwrite these materials.Z1

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We would like to gratefully acknowledge the following foundations for their support:

Danforth Foundation W.K. Kellogg FoundationGeneral Mills Foundation Kalman & Ida Wolens Foundation

The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funders.

National Council of Jewish Women53 West 23rd Street, 6th floor

New York, NY 10010Ph: (212) 645-4048Fax: (212) 645-7466

E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.ncjw.org

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ProgranrCompilation: Weplicable Programs To Enhance Parent Involvement

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The Issue 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

There is widespread consensus thatparent involvement is a key compo-nent for the school success ofAmerica's children. Based on thisbelief, policies are being enacted topromote and increase parent involve-ment at all levels of schooling.Therefore, schools will be seekinginnovative programs to foster school-home partnerships.

O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Programs were considered for inclu-sion in the compilation if they could beimplemented by schools, were forschool-agecrchildren, and aimed toincrease parent involvement.Information about each program was

To address this need, the NCJWCenter for the Child identified andresearched promising parent involve-ment programs for school districtsaround the country. The program com-pilation was one of four activities ofParents As School Partners, NCJW'svolunteer research and action projectexploring parent involvement to pro-mote children's school success.

0 0 0 0 0 Procedures 0

gathered to determine if it could beconsidered "promising" for implemen-tation by schools based on its currentuse and a well-documented set of pro-gram materials. It is important to notethat having demonstrated effectiveness

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

o o o o 000 oo oo o o oo o o a The Findings 00000Five types of school-based programs

for improving parent involvement wereidentified:

CURRICULUM MODELS:Programs with a fully developed cur-riculum in which parents and chil-dren work together to improve thechild's skills and abilities. These pro-grams deliver materials to parentsthrough workshops or home visits, orby sending them home with children.

PARENT WORKSHOPS:Programs which consist of workshops

to provide parents with skills andinformation to increase involvementin their children's education.

MULTI-COMPONENTPROGRAMS:Programs which have many compo-nents, including parent workshops,home-based materials, and a parentaldecision-making component.

HOME-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS:Programs which are notcurriculum-based, but which aim toimprove the school climate with a

through rigorous program evaluationwas not considered a criteria of promis-ing programs. While this would beideal, too few of the programs were rig-orously evaluated to meet that criteria.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

strong emphasis on parental involve-ment in every aspect of the program.

OTHER PROGRAMS:Programs which did not fit into anyother categories. These programs aimto train teachers, enhance parentvolunteerism, increase school-homecommunication and bring books intothe home.

The chart on the following pages pro-vides basic information about these promis-ing programs.

HighlightsThere are few parent involvement programs for parents of children older thanelementary school-aged.

Few parent involvement programs have been rigorously evaluated.

Most parent involvement programs aim to change parents' behavior.

There are few parent involvement programs for training teachers or changingthe way that schools and parent interact.

cas Parents As School Partn4rs Ut,

Program Compilation: Freplicable Programs To Enhance Parent Involvement

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Curriculum Models 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

PROGRAM YEAR GRADE DURATION PARENT INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM CONTACT

BowdoinMethod I/II

1975 5-12 Yrs 17 books Parents learn a variety ofparent involvement lessons,cognitive skills, how childrenlearn, and emotional and socialneeds of children.

Virginia SchmidtWebster International Inc.(800) PARNTED(800) 727-6833

Calendar ofSkills

1992 K-6th Ongoing Parents receive calendars fromschool with daily learningactivity suggestions.

Duvall County Board ofEducation, Michael Walker(904) 771-2417

Families andSchoolsTogether(FAST)

1988 Prek-3rd 8 2 1/2-hoursessions withmonthly follow-up sessions

Parent-child, parent-school,parent-parent,.parent-team,and parent-communityinteractions.

Family Service AmericaLinda Wheeler, Director(414) 359-1040(414) 359-1074 (fax)

Family Math 1981 K-9th 3-62-hour sessions

Parents learn how to work withchild on math activities.

Virginia Thompson,Director(510) 642-1823

Mega Skills 1988 Elem.& Mid.

Ongoing Parent learn in workshops howto use "recipes" of home learningactivities with child. Focus on lifeskills for academic achievementand emotional growth.

Dorothy Rich,Home School Institute(202) 466-3633

Parents andComputersTeachingStudents(PACTS)

1982 Elem.& Mid

2 3-hoursessions

Parents are trained to useeducational software to use athome with child.

Adrienne Adams,Instructional TechnologyDetroit Public Schools(313) 596-3534

Parents asEducationalPartners(PEP)

1986 lst-3rd Ongoing Parents are trained to interactpositively with their childrenand to work with their childrenat home.

Pam Lott,Grandview ConsolidatedSchool District(816) 761-7246

Parents onBoard

4-14 Yrs 1 3-hour Parents learn in workshopworkshop how to help childrensucceed in school.

Karen Sullivan,Active Parenting Press(800) 825-0060

Push forExcellence

7th 10 weeks Parents study with child onehour per weeknight.

June Brown, PUSH-EXCEL(312) 373-3366

TeachersInvolvesParent inSchoolwork

1988;1995(rev)

K-8th Ongoing Children interact with parentsor other family members to shareideas and to complete homework.

Karen Clark Salinas,John Hopkins University(410) 516-8818

3 as Parent& As School Partners 4, 10

PPogram-COmpilation: Replicable Programs To Enhance Parent Involvement

0000D0 ...r000-000 .,)00000 Parent Workshops 000000000000000000000


Epic HomeProgram

1980 Birth-12th

6 2-hour sessions Parent workshops include specificworkshops on promoting parent/school interactions.

Vito J. Borrello,President(716) 886-6396

ParentInvolvementResourceManual

1995 K-7th 11 Workshops Parents learn a variety of parentinvolvement lessons and Title Ifederal guidelines.

Judith Dato,Webster International Inc.(800) PARNTED(800) 727-6833

ParentsAssuringStudentSuccess (PASS)

1993 7 2.5-hourworkshops

Parents learn how to help childlearn.

Susan Dunkar,National EducationalService,(800) 733-6786

The ParentProject

1994 Elem. 6 2-hourworkshops

Parents learn in workshops howto help their child learn.

Dr. James Vopat,Carroll College Waukesha,WI 53186 (414) 547-1211

ParentsSharing Books

1989 Prek-Mid. 6 workshops Parents learn how to read andshare books with their children.

Ellie McFarlane,Family Literacy Center(800) 759-4723

The RightQuestionProject

1990 K-12th 2 3-hourworkshops

Parents learn how to support,monitor and advocate by learninghow to ask the right questions.Parents can also be trained tobe facilitators.

Ana Rodriguez,The Right QuestionProject(617) 628-4070

Studying atHome/Readingat Home

1985 Elem. 3 1.5-hoursessions

Parents learn how to help childstudy and read.

Sam Redding,Executive Director,Academic DevelopmentInstitute (800) 759-1495

000000000000000 Multi-Component Programs 000000000000000


AHEAD 1987 lst-5th Ongoing Parents receive curriculum inhome visits and attend groupmeetings with Mega Skillscurriculum.

Genethia Hayes,Director(213) 295-8582

Baltimore'sSchool &FamilyConnectionsProject

1987 Elem.& Mid.

Ongoing Each school developed ownproject.

Susan Herrick/Karen Salinas(410) 516-8800

t:- 44 Parents As School rcirtners 4

Program'Compilation: Replicable Programs To Enhance Parent Involvement

.) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Multi-Component Programs(continued from page 4)

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


LIFE 1989 K-2nd Ongoing Parent education, Family Math,PASS, Prek-screening, summerenrichment, teacher training.

Dr. Ejlali,LIFE Project(423) 753-1100

NationalNetwork ofPartnership-2000 schools.

1996 Elem.Mid.&HS

Ongoing Schools are assisted to developtheir own comprehensiveprogram partnership using actionteams for school, family, andcommunity partnerships.

Joyce Epstein orKaren Clark SalinasJohns Hopkins University(410) 516-8800

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home-School Partners-hips 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


Parent-TeacherActionProject

1990 K-8th Ongoing Eight projects developed locally. Center on Children, Families,Communities, Schools, andChildren, John HopkinsUniversity(410) 516-0370

SchoolDevelopmentProgram

1968 K-12 th Ongoing Parents participate in governanceof school, are actively involved indaily activities, and learn throughworkshops how to help child learn.

Cynthia Savo,Yale Child Study Center,New Haven(203) 737-1012

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Other Prograrns111 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


Epic SchoolProgram

1980 Prek-12th 1 4-hour session Teachers identify barriers to parentinvolvement and ways to overcomethem and receive packets for parentsto work on with their children.

Vito J. Borrello,President (716) 886-6396.

ParentsAssistingwith SchoolSuccess (PASS)

1989 K-12th Ongoing Parents volunteer in the classroomand receive support and supervision.

Washington County PublicSchools, (615) 753-2131.

Reading IsFundamental

1966 Prek-12th 3 book eventsper school year

Parents plan and implement readingmotivation activities, order books,and read with their children athome and school.

James Wendorf,Director

Reading Is Fundamental,Inc,(202) 287-3220.

Trans Parent 1987 K-8th Ongoing Parents have access to school infor-mation through special phone lines.

Betty Phillips Center forParenthood Education,(615) 322-8080

5 Parents As School Partners

Program Compilation: Replicable Programs To Enhance Parent Involvement

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following foundations for their support:

Danforth Foundation

General Mills Foundation

W.K. Kellogg Foundation

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Kalman & Ida Wolens Foundation


IPPNational Council of Jewish Women

53 West 23rd Street, 6th floorNew York, NY 10010Ph: (212) 645-4048Fax: (212) 645-7466


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16

Literature Review

00000000000004 The IssueThere is widespread consensus that

parent involvement is key to children'sschool success. The strength of thisbelief is evidenced by the national,state, and local policies being enactedto increase parent involvement. Suchpolicies are based on the widely held

3000000000000000000000000 0Research in the field has produced

promising scientific evidence for thebenefits of parent involvement for stu-dent achievement, but this evidence isnot entirely convincing or definitive. Inparticular, four limitations in researchmethods have compromised the qualityof much parent involvement researchto date: non-experimental procedures;failure to isolate parent involvement'sspecific effects; inconsistent definitionsof parent involvement; and lack ofobjective measures. Thus, knowledgegenerated from this research is based on

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To address these issues and evaluatecurrent knowledge about the relation-ship between parent involvement andchildren's school achievement, theNcpv Center for the Child conductedthis Parents As School Partners litera-ture review. The review was conductedto clarify what is and is not knownabout parent involvement, to deter-

Background

belief in the benefits of parentsinvolvement for students. However,this belief is based on evidence consid-ered definitive, but which, due to fourlimitations in research methods, is notyet entirely conclusive.

00000000000000000000000000assumption and generalization as muchas rigorous scientific findings.

Educators have also assumed that alltypes of parent involvement are equallyimportant based on limited data aboutspecific types of parent involvement.Thus, different kinds of involvement arecurrently given equal weight in theoryand practice, leading to overconfidencein what programs can actually accom-plish. Clearly, effective parent involve-ment programs and practice must beinformed by sound research knowledge.

With increased national attention to

parent involvement (such as the FamilyInvolvement Partnership for Learning ofthe U.S. Department of Education) andits benefits, an examination of the quali-ty of research evidence is needed andtimely. Available research must be care-fully analyzed to determine the scientificevidence of parent involvement's effec-tiveness. In particular, it is important todetermine the effects of specific kinds ofinvolvement for distinct outcomes forvarious student groups. This knowledgeis essential for the development of inno-vative programs and practices.

The Literature Review 000.0......00.0.00.0

0000000000000000000000Over 200 articles were included in

the literature review. Only articles relat-ing specifically to the benefits of parentinvolvement in the education of school-age children from kindergarten through12th grade were included. Existingreviews and several computer-basedsearches and scans of key education andchild development journals were used toidentify appropriate articles for inclu-sion. Each article was evaluated forquality and strength of the research.

mine what types of involvement work,and to identify gaps in knowledge thatcan be addressed in future research.

The literature review was one offour activities of Parents As SchoolPartners, NCJW's volunteer researchand action initiative exploring parentinvolvement to promote their chil-dren's school success.

procedures 00 00 0 0

Articles ranged from opinion papersand program descriptions to theoreticalpapers, reviews, and experimental stud-ies. Experimental studies about parentinvolvement's impact on studentachievement were examined and ana-lyzed for the following methodologicallimitations: (1) use of non-experimentalprocedures; (2) the extent to which theeffects of parent involvement were notisolated from other treatment effects;(3) inconsistency in how parent

involvement was defined; and (4) use ofnon-objective measures of parentinvolvement.

A total of 211 papers were includedin this review: 23 opinion papers/pro-gram descriptions; 12 theoretical papers;31 other reviews, 14 descriptive studies;and 131 empirical studies. These 211papers represent a comprehensiveyet not entirely exhaustive survey ofthe research literature on parentinvolvement.

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Literature Review

10 .1(1.) ; 000000000000 FindingsFindings relating to the various types of articles included in the review are presented below.

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Theoretical Articles: While there are many differentways to conceptualize the home-school relationship,there is growing consensus that the community impactmodel best reflects this complex relationship. The com-munity impact model asserts that families, schools, andcommunities make important contributions to andshare responsibility for children's achievement in mutu-ally reinforcing ways. While theoretically strong, thismodel has yet to be tested in empirical studies.

Dr. Joyce Epstein's' system classifying six types ofparent involvement is widely cited. However, its poten-tial contribution to theory and practice has not beenfully explored. Measure development, hypothesis test-ing, and program evaluation are all activities to whichthis classification system could bebut have not yetbeenapplied.

Program Descriptions:Programs to enhance par-ent involvement are beingdeveloped based on thecommunity impact model.Two features of this modelare particularly promising.The first emphasizes part-nership, in which parents,principals, and teachers

work together to enhance parent involvement in theirschools. Secondly, flexible design of parent involvementprojects allows participants to customize programs sosuit local needs.

Opinion Papers: Most opinion papers promote thebenefits of parent involvement. These papers are general-ly informal and do not present data or indicate how pro-posals are supported by previous work and knowledge.

Research Reviews: Many researchers in the fieldassume published research is of adequate quality, and soreviewers tend to draw conclusions based on thesefindings. Most existing reviews do not critically assessthe quality of included studies.

Empirical Research:All four limitations inresearch methods(cited above) are inmany of the existingexperimental studies onparent involvement. Many studies do nothave adequate designs; many rely on self-report or other non-objective measures ofparent involvement; many use inconsistentdefinitions; and many do not isolate thespecific effects of parent involvement.Given these limitations, less may beactually known about parent involve-ment than is presumed. As many stud-ies do not rule out other explanationsfor relationships between parentinvolvement and student achievement,caution must be used in makinggeneralizations and inferences based on these studies.

8

'Epstein, J. (1995) Schools/Family/Community Partnerships: Caring for the Children We Share. Phi Delta Kappan. pp. 701-713.

3 Abi Parents As School Partners

Literature Review

Recommendations For Future ResearchThere are several recommendations for future inves-

tigations which might address existing gaps in knowl-edge about how parent involvement affects studentachievement. In particular, future research might try to:

Use experimental procedures notably randomassignment when appropriate in a field setting.

Specifically measure a parent's involvement(i.e., type and level) independent of otherelements of a particular program.

Distinguish the effects of the program's contentfrom the deliverer (parent or other adult) of theprogram.

Clarify which aspect of parent involvement is

being measured.

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Use objective measures of parent involvement,such as direct observation of parent behavior andstandardized data collection tools.

Use measures of parent involvement whichreflect the influence of more than one parent onchildren's achievement.

Design studies to examine relationships between

parent involvement and student achievementwithin gender.

Take into account the complex and transactional

nature of interrelationships between parentinvolvement and its outcomes.

1

For more information, please contact Dr. Amy Baker, Director, Ncpv Center for the Child,53 W. 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010 Ph: (212) 645-4048 Fax: (212) 645-7466

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Thanks to the following NCJW Sectionswho conducted focus groups:

Baltimore (MD)

Cleveland (OH)

Dallas (TX)

Gr. Danbury (CT)

Long Beach (CA)

Gr. Miami (FL)

Milwaukee (WI)

Pittsburgh (PA)

St. Louis (MO)

Stamford (CT)

University (FL)


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22

Parent Fecus Groups: Voices From the Field

1 0 The IssueThere is widespread consensus that parent involvement is

a key component for the school success of America's children.Based on this belief, policies are currently beingenacted to promote and increase parentinvolvement at all levels of schooling.Therefore, partnerships will be forgedbetween homes, schools, and communi-ties with an unparalled level of contactbetween parents and educators. It is sur-prising that parents have had few opportuni-ties to share their unique and valuable perspectivesabout what parent involvement means to them and what theyneed to make these partnerships work.

To address this issue, NCJW Sections around the countryconducted focus groups with parents to hear from the "voicesfrom the field" about parent involvement. Focus groups werealso conducted with teachers and principals. The focus groupswere one of four activities of Parents As School Partners,

The Focus GroupsSixteen focus groups were conducted. Parent partici-

invited through random selection procedures.Each focus group was audiotaped and followed a

similar format, which included: an intro-duction; signing of consent forms; open-ing, main, and summary questions; pay-ment of subjects; and completion ofparticipant background information

forms. Questions addressed types of con-tact parents have with schools, the condi-

tions under which certain types of contact occur,their beliefs about parent involvement, and their percep-tion of the school's interest in and attitudes toward theirinvolvement.

pants were

"That's parent involvementto me... the day-to-day

decisions that are going toaffect your children."

NCJW's volunteer research and action initiative exploring par-ent involvement to promote children's school success.

0 0 0 0 a The Sections 000e o o o 0

Twelve NCJW Sections conducted par-ent focus groups. These Sections werediverse in size and geography. NCJWvolunteers received training throughindividual consultation, site visits, an in-depth How-to Guide, a Parrners in Progressnewsletter, and ongoing intensive individual-ized technical assistance.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The ParentParticipants

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Twelve focus groups were held with parents of elementaryschool children; three with parents of middle school children;and one with parents of high school children. In total, there were

111 parent participants. 53 (47.7%) were Caucasian,46 (41.4%) were African-American, and 12

"They say they want (10.8%) were from another minority, mostlyHispanic. Half of the parents had no more

parent involvement but a lot than a high school education and nearlyof times it's sort of on half were not employed outside the home.

their terms." 39 (35%) were single parents and one-fifth(21.8%) claimed government assistance as

their family's primary source of income.

HighlightsMany parents don't know how to initiate involvement in the schools.Not all parents feel welcome to join the PTA.Parents are more likely to attend school events in which their child is performing.Services and programs offered to parents by the school may open the door to other types of involvement.Few parents have opportunities to be decision-makers within schools.Many parents do not believe that the school welcomes their input and feedback about curriculum,teacher evaluations, and school policy.There are few avenues for parents to provide schools with their ideas about their child or about theschool in general.

Most school-home communication is one-way: from schools to homes.Most parents desire personal and individualized contact with their child's teacher and want more indi-vidualized school-home communication about their child's progress and needs.Many parents are uncertain about how much to oversee and help with their child's homework andwant more guidance in this area so that they can best help their child learn.Parents would like to be informed about their child's curriculum and ways that they can support andenhance their child's learning at home.Parents want timely notification about their child's behavioral or academic problems.

PAnts As School Partners;23

2

Parent FinusGroups: Voices From the Field

What Parents Had ToParents' discussions from the focus

groups were transcribed verbatim fromthe audio tapes. The over 300 pages oftranscripts were read and analyzed forcontent, resulting in six general cate-gories of issues discussed by the parents:

Types of InvolvementBarriers to InvolvementReasons for InvolvementSchool-Home CommunicationFacilitators of Involvement

4 How Schools Could be Different

The following pages present parents' perspectives on these sixthemes and include quotes highlighting key issues raised.

The Parents As School Partners project also included focusgroups with teachers and principals. Please refer to these reports for

a fuller understanding of the issues raised.

0 0! 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Types Of Involvement 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Parents varied in the type and level of their involvement in the schools.

Volunteering at School: Being physically present at theschool as a class volunteer or office aid was a commontype of involvement. Interestingly, parents varied in the extentto which they wished to be in their own child's class. Parentswho volunteered did so because they believed it was beneficialfor the school and their children. I volunteer when I can. AndI've been in the class to read them stories and anything else that theywill allow me to do with a three-year-old behind me.

Participating in the PTA/PTO: Fixing up libraries, run-ning food drives, planning and funding field trips, helpingschools obtain computers, planning teacher appreciationactivities, funding prevention programs, and organizing talentshows were just some PTA activities in which parents partici-pated. However, not all parents were able to participate orfelt comfortable participating in the PTA.

Parent-Teacher Communications: Some parents main-tained ongoing contact with teachers, others addressed par-ticular problems, and some did not even attend regularlyscheduled meetings. I keep in contact with the teachers. I willcall them or they will call me because I'm a very active mother andWe need to communicate. I think my first [job] is to make sure thatall teachers know I want them to communicate with me. Not allparents had such communication with the schools. One par-ent, when asked if she attended any parent meetings, said:"...They have 'em but I don' t go."

Attending Social Events: Many parents even thosewho did not attend PTA meetings or volunteer went tothe school to see their own children perform (plays, pro-grams, band practice, and musical performances). Children'sexcitement and desire to have their parents in the audiencewas added incentive for parents. Social events geared for the

parents or the whole family (open houses, pot lucks) werealso seen as low key social opportunities to gather with other,families in the school.

Overseeing Homework: While a popular topic, parentsdiffered in the extent to which they structured their chil-dren's completion of homework. Some did homework withtheir children each day and acted as a "teacher at home".Others felt their children could do homework on their own.Most parents had an opinion about homework, yet felt inse-cure about whether theirs was the right approach. They wor-ried that their input might be impeding their child's learning,or felt they should not have to work with their children if theteacher was doing her job. Parents struggled with these issues,but did not mention discussing their concens with teachersnor did they mention whether the school provided them withclear feedback and guidance.

Advocating on Behalf of their Child: Whether advocat-ing on behalf of a physically handicapped child or stepping into address an academic concern, many parents felt it wastheir job to be their child's advocate within the school sys-tem. Parents felt that if they did not speak up for their child,no one would. According to parents, the teacher was there tohelp all children, but no one else was there to speak onbehalf of their child. For example, a parent with a physicallyhandicapped child became involved to change class attitudesabout her son. I came immediately and let the teacher knowwhat was going on with the children and I as his parent would nottolerate anything that interferes with his education.

Other types of involvement discussed were attending parentprograms and serving on advisory committees. Few parentsmentioned serving in a decision-making capacity.

2 4

3 Parents As School Partners

ParentfOcusffroups: Voices From the Field

Reasons For InvolvementParents shared their beliefs about the importance of being involved at the school

and in their children's education.

As Advocates: Some parents becameinvolved to address a problem betweenthe school and their child. Parents feltstrongly that they could advocate fortheir children because they wereexperts on their children, had knowl-edge that no one else had, and knewwhat their child was capable of.

Something to Offer Teachers:Parents felt that their insider knowl-edge about the children could also beof use to the teachers, not just whenthere was.a conflict but on an ongoingbasis. Parents were frustrated that therewas no formal mechanism for theteachers to obtain information fromparents about their child's learningstyles, interests, and talents. As oneparent of a special needs child noted:The parent has the very knowledge theteacher needs...[to]make their job easierand give the children a better chance atsuccess.

To Improve the School: Many par-

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"I want to show the kidsthat it's important, thatschool is very importantto me. That's why I want

to be visible here..."

ents believed that their involvementmade an important contribution to theschool and thus improved the qualityof their children's education.Photocopying, errands, and takinglunch orders were all seen as importantand worthy activities for parent volun-teers. Even parents who did not seethemselves as having talent or interestin working directly with children inthe classroom could make a contribu-tion to their children's education.

To Demonstrate the Value ofEducation: Parents wanted to showtheir children that they valued educa-

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tion and saw the school as an impor-tant part of life. I want to show thekids that it's important, that school is veryimportant to me. That's why I want to bevisible here and show them that [itlis just areally important place for them.

To Reinforce Skills: Many parentsrecogni:ed the potential influence theycan have on their child's education andlearning. Parents felt it was importantto be involved at home, seeing them-selves as an equal partner in teachingthe child. As one parent put it:Well I think they expect us as parents toteach. Don't just stop when they get out ofschool. We have to work together as ateam...when they leave one school it's likecoming home to another school. Ofcourse the teachers can't speak and be withevery child at school because there is notenough time. In my opinion parents haveto spend as much [time] as they can withchildren and help them because they beginfrom the family not from the school.

Barriers To Parent Involvement 00000000000

Parents were aware that they were not as involved as they could be, speaking wistfullyabout wanting to be more involved and feeling disappointed about

the school events and field trips they missed.

Logistical Constraints: Time, money, scheduling, trans-portation, child care, having younger children at home, andworking outside the home all made it difficult for parents tovolunteer or attend meetings at school. I work two jobs andto come to festivals, I have to request time off and then cover itwith vacation. But I can' t do that every time there's a meeting.

Schools Limit Involvement: Parents felt that the schoolwanted their involvement if it was convenient and helpfulfor the school, such as attending fundraising events or fieldtrips. They did not feel that the school was responsive to theparents' own ideas of what involvement meant to them.Some parents had negative experiences being involvedand/or felt the school was not really interested in theirinvolvement.

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They say they want parent involvement but a lot of times it'ssort of like on their terms. You can come and cook for thespaghetti dinner and come and work in the clinic. But as far as sit-ting on a committee and being heard about curricular issues. Itdoesn't have that impact. As a parent if you come to the teacherbecause you have a question or something, the initial reaction isthat you are interfering... that I'm stepping on their toes and Ishould just mind my own business. Some parents had called theschool to offer their services without hearing back.

Children Limit Involvement: Children were not alwayspercieved as adequate carriers of important documentsbetween administration and homes and often lost informa-tion sent home. The communication tends to break down asthe kids get older. Another parent agreed: [kids.] do not bring

Parents As School Partners 4

Parent Fecu&Groups: Voices From the Field

those notices home. Theythrow 'em out, they leave 'emin their locker, they crush 'ern intheir book bag. And the kidsdon't give 'em to us. Sosomething has went on andwe don't know about it untilit's over. And then the schoolthinks that we don't care...andthen we think that they're notsending us notices, so it's a lack ofcommunication back and forth.Many parents felt that their children especiallyonesdid not want them involved. My son has kind ofrequested that if I'm going to help , that I not do it on his team.

I have the same problem. When [my daughter] wasin grade school, I was active, but here she only wants me to bake

"And the kids don't give 'em to us.So something has went on and we don'tknow about it until it's over. And then

the school thinks that we don'tcare...and we think that they're notsending us notices, so it's a lack ofcommunication back and forth."

older

her some goodies for the bakesale. Other than that, "OhMommy stay in thebackgTound."

Lack of Information:Parents who were new to aschool or had not yet beeninvolved did not know how tofind out how to becomeinvolved. Parents were uncer-tain or insecure about how and

whom to approach to be involved. The PTA was one way totake on responsibilities and to hear about what was happeningat the school. But those not involved in the PTA did notknow of other avenues for initiating involvement.

school-Home Communication 0900000000000000

The nature and extent of school-home communication generated much discussion among parentsin the focus groups. Parents inferred a lot about the extent to which the school wanted parents to

be involved by the ways schools reached out to families and parents in the community.

Communication from Administra-tion: Schools primarily communicatewith families through newsletters andreminder notices typically sent homewith children. For the most part, par-ents felt positively about the school'sattempts to inform them. I couldn't gettoo much information from the school. Acommon complaint, though, was thatsuch information was susceptible tobeing lost or mishandled. While parentsappreciated ongoing communication,many felt swamped by the volume ofpaper sent home. One parent joked thatit was a full-time job managing thepaperwork that came home every dayfrom her three children.

Communication with the Teacher:The child's homework and assignmentbooks were a common way for teachersand parents to have an ongoing dia-logue about the child's progress andneeds. Every week the child bringshome his notebook and the parent signs offon it. If there is any negative comment...it would be in the notebook. I may be able

to catch it on a weekly basis and to methat is good communication between theparent and the teacher. As with every-thing else, there was variation inparental satisfaction. Sometimes a par-ent will write a note and not get anythingback from the teacher. So I think youneed that communication going back andforth.

Many parents would like more personalindividualized contact especiallypositive communication with theirchild's teacher. The parents who hadreceived positive calls from teacherswere aware of the benefits of this spe-cial effort. I had an incident last year insecond grade. Three weeks into the schoolyear I got a phone call from this teacher. .She called to say, "I'm just telling you thatyou have a wonderful son." And it felt sogood to get a call like that. I have gottena call from my son' s teacher on myanswering machine; her words were,"Thank you for raising your son the wayyou have. He has made teaching a plea-surable experience." However, manmer-

ivy

ents complained that they only heardfrom the teacher or school when therewas a problem.

Desire for Timely Notification ofProblems: Many parents felt that theywere not informed of problems until itwas too late, and inferred from this thatthe school did not care about theirchild's success. Parents viewed earlynotification as an opportunity to helptheir child catch up before he or shegot too far behind. Parents eventhose not typically involved wantedthe opportunity to intervene before itwas too late. If there is a problem, Idon't think it should wait for conferencetime or report cards... parents should benotified right away. Whereas here yourchild could have gotten in trouble andyou'd not even know about it until maybelike the 10th time and then you find outabout it and by then you know they'reready to kick your kid out. Yeah, they'redoing fine. Then they come up with a D.You know, how fine were they doing whenI talked to you?

5 Parents As Schoo(Partners

Parent FOcus Groups: Voices From the Field

Facilitators Of Involvement 0000

Parents spoke positively about their involvement in their child's school, highlighting situationswhich made it easier for them to be involved.

School is welcoming: Some parentswere overwhelmingly enthusiasticabout how welcome they felt at theirchild's school. A lot of schools don'twant parents involved. This school expectsit and they want it, you know, and theyask you for it. You walk in and they'renot looking at you like, "Why are youhere?" They're looking at you like, "We'reglad you're here." It's a real open schoolfor parents, you know. It's not just for thekids. It's for us too.

Schools Offer Services: Being ableto use the school's computer, mediaroom, and copy machine; and partici-

"It's not even theparents as much as thechildren. The children

just glow and just love itwhen their mom's here

or their dad's here."

pating in adult education programs cre-ated a sense of good will between par-ents and schools and helped make par-ents feel more comfortable being onthe premises. Programs and services forchildren were also viewed positively by

the parents. Anything the school did tomake their lives easier or better wasnoted with appreciation.

Children Want ParentalInvolvement: Some parents felt thattheir children really wanted them to beinvolved. I think he likes to have mearound...They are just eating it up. And Iam going to take every moment of it andspend it here. Another parent comment-ed: It's not even the parents as much asthe children. The children just glow andjust love it when their mom's here or theirdad's here.

How Schools Could Be Different <)000.1000000

Parents were asked to select three ways they would like to change how schools relate to parentsand families. It was not difficult for parents to imagine ways to make their schools better. Even

though the question was specifically focused on how schools relate to parents, parents' wish listsincluded several general suggestions for improving schools.

Offer more services: Several parents wished schools wouldoffer children more services and programs. A nurse on staff,the building being open past school hours, more computersper child, more updated technology, extracurricular activities,and more support services were all popular suggestions.Parents wanted their children to have all the benefits thatchildren who attended private school had.

Better Communication: Parents wanted to be informed ifhomework was missing so that it did not become a problem.Parents wanted to know if their child was not performingwell before the report card or progress report indicated asignificant problem. Parents wanted to know if their childwas not behaving or performing well in school. I felt theywent too long. She started getting As in math and slowly startedslipping and then I got the slip when she slipped! When I spoke tothe teacher he barek knew her...and said that by now it was toolate, she'll probably get a D. So we tutored her anyway and shecame home with a B+.

Parents also wanted to hear good things about their childreriperformance and behavior not just problems what one

parent called "Happy Calls." Another form of communicationthat parents wished for was personal contact with their child'steacher. We need a weekly meeting with parents and teachersand everybody can get together and try to solve these problems.E-mail, homework hotlines, beepers, faxes, evening phonecalls, and telephones in the classroom were all suggestionsparents had for increasing teacher accessibility to the parents.

Safer Schools: All parents wanted their children to be safeand cared for when they sent them off to school. At a mini-mum they wanted the school building to be well maintainedand they wanted their children to come home at the end ofthe day no worse than when they left in the morning. Parentswanted their children to be protected and nurtured as muchas they wanted them taught and educated. I want to keepmy child safe. Complete safety for all the children. They'd makesure that the school was always a safe haven for the kids. I don'twant my child to see guns, I don't want her to see drugs, and Idon't want her to see violence.

,%,) 7

Ali Parents As School Partners 4., 6

Parent FOcus Groups: Voices From the Field

Be More Nurturing: Parents wanted a warm, caring, nur-turing, and supportive environment where their children areloved, respected, and appreciated for who they are. We weresaying that the teacher and student relationship should be closer,more emotionally. ...you know, "Good job!", nice pep talk

"As parents we need to be ableto just walk in and a teacher

cannot tell us, 'you can't come.'You know, it's an open thing.It's up to you as a parent."

you know, pat on the back, things like that, more supportive.Another parent explained her wish this way: The teacherneeds to make numerous positive comments, especially individualcomments because even though they are in middle school, theystill have little baby hearts; they have not matured enough yet.

Be More Welcoming: Parents wanted to be respected whenthey made contact with the school. They didn't want to feelas if they were nuisances but rather as if they had somethingimportant to say. Parents wanted to be abk to come to theschool any time, not just for open house and parent teacherconferences, and they wanted to feel welcomed. As parentswe need to be able to just walk in and a teachercannot tell us, "you can't come." You know, it's an open thing.It's up to you as a parent.

Have More Individualized Instruction: Parents wantedthe teachers to individualize instruction, to pay more atten-

tion to the children who needed extra help, to provide morechallenges for the children functioning at the top, and to beopen to children's unique way of learning. Parents wantedmore flexibility in what the teachers expected of their chil-dren and more attention from the teacher to help their chil-dren perform at their maximum potential. The teachershould recognize that your child needs more work and provide thatfor your child. I have a daughter who struggles so hard for just thehomework she has. But your child who's much brighter, a teachershould somehow be able to differentiate and give more to the childthat needs that extra challenge.

Have More Opportunities for Feedback: Parents wantedthe opportunity to provide input into teacher evaluationsand wanted teachers to be accountable not just to theschool system but also to the families. I feel that the feed-back from the kids is missing now from all education systems.

I think the parents should be more knowledgeable about howthey evaluate teachers. It would be really fun to see whatwould happen if we started letting the kids make decisions aboutwhat it is they wanted to learn!

7 AK Parents As School Partners ea,

Parent:Roos Groups: Voices From the Field

Parents have had surprisingly littleinput into the national debate onparental involvement. There have beenfew opportunities for parents to mean-ingfully express their beliefs and sharetheir opinions and ideas about thisissue. Policies, programs, and practiceshave been developed based on others'notions of what parents want and whatthey need to be effective partners intheir children's education.

The parents who participated inthese 16 focus groups had strong feel-ings about the topic of parent involve-ment in their children's education.They shared instances when their

Conclusioninvolvement was a positive experience,and instances when their involvementwas frustrating and disappointing. Insituations where parent involvementwas mandatory or clearly called forfrom the school, such as conferences,PTA meetings, school events, programs,and fund raisers, many parents tried toaccommodate the school schedule evenwhen it was a hardship.

There were also instances in whichthe parent was not invited but desiredcontact either to right a perceivedwrong or to increase contact betweenhome and school. Yet not all parentsfelt welcome or comfortable, and manyfelt the school did not appreciate their

J 0 0 0

initiative. Participation was not per-ceived to be a two-way partnership.Many parents felt guilty that they couldnot be involved in ways encouraged bythe school and angry that they couldnot be involved in ways they wantedbut felt the school was not open to.

The parent focus groups provide anin-depth exploration of what parentsare really thinking and feeling, andthese discussions suggest many fruitfulavenues for refining practice to be morein line with the realities of parent'slives. Only then can the promise ofparent involvement become a reality.

For more information, please contact Dr. Amy Baker, Director, NCJW Center for the Child,53 W. 23rd Street, New Yorkplt10010 Ph: (212) 645-4048 Fax: (212) 645-7466

tai Parents As 4)191 Partners 4,



Danforth Foundation



and


The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funders


New York, NY 10010Ph: (212) 645-4048Fax: (212) 645-7466


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There is widespread consensus thatparent involvement is a key componentfor the school success of America's chil-dren. Based on this belief, policies arecurrently being enacted to promote andincrease parent involvement at all lev-els of schooling. Therefore, partnershipswill be forged between homes, schools,and communities with an unparalled

0'J 3093

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Fourteen focus groups were con-ducted by 12 NCJW Sections nation-wide. Teacher participants were invit-ed throngh random selection proce-dures. Each focus group was audio-taped arid followed a similar format,

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The Issue D 0 0 0 0

level of contact between parents andeducators. It is surprising that teachershave had few opportunities to sharetheir unique and valuable perspectivesabout what parent involvement meansto them and what they need to makethese partnerships work.

To address this issue, NCJWSections around the country conducted

The Focus Groupswhich included: an introduction;signing of consent forms; opening,main and summary questions; andcompletion of participant backgroundinformation forms. Questionsaddressed types of contact parents

The Sections 0 0 0 0 0 0

Twelve NCJW Sections conducted focus groups withteacher participants. These Sections were diverse in size andgeography. NCJW volunteers received training through indi-vidual consultation, site visits, an in-depth How-to Guide, aPartners in Progress newsletter, and ongoing intensive techni-cal assistance.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 3

focus groups with teachers to hear fromthe "voices from the field" about parentinvolvement. Focus groups were alsoconducted with parents and principals.The focus groups were one of four activ-ities of Parents As School Partners,NCJW's volunteer research and actioninitiative exploring parent involvementto promote children's school success.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 0

have with schools, the conditionsunder which certain types of contactoccur, their beliefs about parentinvolvement, and their perception ofthe school's interest in and attitudestoward involvement.

The TeacherParticipants

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Eleven of the focus groups were held with elementaryschool teachers; two with middle school teachers; and onewith high school teachers. In total, there were 87 teacherparticipants: 73 from elementary schools, eight from middleschools, and six from high schools.

HighlightsIt is often difficult for teachers to contact par-ents as they usually cannot leave their class-rooms to make phone calls or have meetings

. Teachers want parents to reinforce acade-mic and disciplinary recommendations.

Teachers believe parents of older childrenneed to be as involved as those ofyounger children.

Teachers have little personal contact withparents, and what contact they do have ison school premises.

There appears to be little consensus aboutthe benefits of involvement. Each teacherhas his/her own ideas.

Many teachers do not feel that parentsrespect them as professionals.

Involving parents requires significant efforton the part of teachers.

Teachers feel that some parents do notwant honest feedback about their child'sperformance.

4As earents As School Partners z-a, 2

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reachertFiku&ffroups: Voices Rom.the Field

What Teachers Had To SayTeachers' discussions were tran-

scribed verbatim from the audio tapes.These transcripts were read and ana-lyzed for content,resulting in sixgeneral cate-gories of issuesdiscussed byteachers:

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Ways Teachers Want Parents to beInvolved

Barriers to Involvement

School-Home CommunicationBenefits of Involvement

How Teachers Encourage ParentInvolvementHow Parent-Teacher RelationshipsCould Be Different

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The following pages present teachers'perspectives on these six themes andinclude quotes highlighting key issuesraised. The Parents As SchoolPartners project also included focusgroups with parents and principals.Please refer to these reports for a fullerunderstanding of the issues raised.

Ways Teachers Want Parents To Be Involved 0 000 0 0

Teachers talked about what types of involvement they asked of parents and had definite ideasabout the frequency and nature of involvement.

Support Teachers: Teachers wanted parents to supportthem in efforts to educate their children. They asked thatparents support them as professionals who had their child'sbest interest at heart. Teachers wanted to feel as if they wereon the same team as parents, and wanted parents to followthrough on what teachers asked of them, to pick up wherethe teachers left off. It is important to support the teachers andtheir decisions for homework and encourage their children to dowhat they are asked to do. If we're giving assignments, or we'redoing projects in the room all we really ask for is that the parentssupport us. If the kids are misbehaving, if we call, give ussome satisfaction.

Be Informed: Teachers wantedparents to come to the schoolmore often, see what the chil-dren were doing, have opencommunication with the teacherabout their child, and be involvedwith the child's education in anyway that would be beneficial. Theyasked that parents come to school tothe class, read the newsletters and school and class informa-tion, and inform teachers if there was something specialgoing on with the child that might be useful in understandingthe child's behavior. I would want them involved in theirchild's education, come in the classroom, see what's going on, fol-low-up with them, come back in...that's all I ask. I ask thatthey just find out what they are doing on a daily basis, that theytake an active involvement in finding out and participating in anyway that they can to help their own child in the schools.

whether homework was completed, to convey to the childthat home and school were working together to support thechild's education. Several teachers noted that parents did notknow how much to correct their child's work and how muchto let children make their own mistakes. We ask a lot ofjudgment of the parents...we want them to still help with home-work, but we also want them to encourage their children to bebuilding independence and responsibility..

Send Children to School Ready to Learn: Teachers wantedparents to teach their child values, proper behavior

and social skills so they did not have todevote school time to teaching the

children these basic skills. I askparents to send their child ready to

learn and that entails a number of

I would want them involved intheir child's education, come inthe classroom, see what's going things . Being healthy,, having been

well rested the night before, dressedon, follow-up with them, come to learn, nourished, not full of

back in... that's all I ask. candy.. That's before they even get thefirst lesson. Give them confidence so

when they come in they see themselves as winners,as able and competent. I want that parent to talk to that child,and love their child...talk to him, listen to him, hug him a lot.

observe

Help Children with Homework: While not all teacherswanted the parents to assist with homework content, theywanted the parents to monitor and ensure that it was com-pleted and sent to school. They wanted parentsljo care about

Have High Expectations for their Children's SchoolSuccess: Teachers wanted parents to have high expectationsfor their child and to encourage their children to learn andachieve. You have to convince some parents that their childrencan do better and that they should plant these seeds, not just theteachers. Another teacher added: Parents have to help plant thatseed. We're not the only seed planters.

A few teachers mentioned asking parents for concrete assis-tance such as making donations to the classroom for specialprojects or helping nt4 transportation on field trips.

3 ,s's Parents As School Partners eik,

TeicheRfocustGroil r:Voices From.the:Fielt

Barriers To InvolvementTeachers spoke of several barriers to increased parental involvement.

Logistical Barriers: Teachers were aware of the logisticalbarriers parents faced in being involved, particularly on theschool premises. Transportation, work schedules, insufficienttime for scheduled conferences, and their inability to accessparents, were several of the logistical barriers limiting parentinvolvement. One teacher, a mother herself, sadly noted thatshe had to miss many opportunities to be involved at herchild's school in order tofulfill her obligations as ateacher.

III Parents Don't KnowHow to Be Involved:Teachers also noted thatmany parents wanted tobe more involved in theirchild's education but didnot seem to know how tomake that happen. Andwe know that they reallywant the best for their kidsbut a lot of times they don'tknow how. That' s a realstumbling block for us to help them help their kids. Teachers want-ed parents to provide support and structure, which they real-ized many parents may not have the skills or confidence to beable to do. For example, even when some parents knew howto solve homework problems themselves, they were not neces-sarily able to explain the process to their children.

,

4

appeared less involved than parents of younger children, andthat parents of later born children were less involved thanparents of first born or only children. The teachers believedthat as children got older, their parents became "burnt out"from earlier involvement, and that the older the child, theless motivated and interested the parent was in their educa-tion. The parents are less discouraged at the lower grades espe-

cially if it is their first child.

For the first day of schoolwe have everybody bringing

;

their kids. They are standingat the door with them andthen ...they send 'em out alittle more and each year,they give 'em more indepen-

, dence until by the timethey're in sixth gradP they'vegiven them all the indepen-dence you need. In fact,"Don't call me unless hedoes something wrong."

i

cr

Children Limit Involvement: Teachers noted that, as chil-dren matured, they did not want their parents in the class-room or even in the school. Some teachersrecognized that preadolescent childrenwere easily embarrassed by their par-ents and wanted the experience ofindependence and separation.Parents, too, may limit theirinvolvement at school if they per-ceive it as too difficult for their childto handle.

Parent Burn-Out andDiscouragement: Many teachers dis-cussed that parents of older children

,

Schools Limit Involvement: Most teachers believed thatparents were welcome in the school, and only a few teachersmentioned that parental involvement was limited by the qual-ity of the interaction between schools and homes. Someteachers did feel, though, that certain school practices to pro-tect children, such as having to check in at the office, havingto wear a visitors pass, and having to schedule specific times toobserve the classroom, may in fact be impediments to involve-ment by the parents. Some teachers said that not all teachers

and schools were as welcoming as parentsmight want them to be. Other teachers

commented that while the schoolmight try to be welcoming, many

parents have had their own nega-tive experiences as studentswhich made them hesitant to beinvolved in their child's school.

Some parents are very much inavoidance of contact with schools

because they do not perceive schools asa positive place.

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Parents As School Partners 4., 4

Teacher Focus Groups: Voices From the Field

0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 a 0 o 0 0 o° School-Home Communication aama

Teachers emphasized school-home communication as an important elementof parent involvement.

Scheduled Meetings and .

Conferences: Teachers felt that gener-al orientation meetings and individual-ized parent-teacher conferences wereimportant ways to inform par-ents about school rules andexpectations, as well as aboutissues with their child. A majorcomplaint, however, was thatmany parents did not attendthesetmeetings, which wasinterpreted as lack of interest inthe child's education. Mostteachers felt that while parentsmay have barriers to participa-tion, parents could get to ameeting if they really wantedto.

Informal Meetings: Informalmeetings between parents andteachers typically occurred when aparent was already on the premises,volunteering in the class, or drop-ping off/picking up the child. Whileteachers did not want to be expect-ed to meet with parents whodropped by informally, if the timingwas right they could spend a fewminutes with the parent. Suchopportunities for informal meetingswere seen as a secondary benefit ofparent involvement in the class.

I'd like for them to do to help me.I really get a good response when I call

somebody who has never been called foranything good. And after that the student

0 0

Written Reports/Updates: Teachersmentioned that portfolio assessments,report cards, and progress reports weresent home to inform parents of their

child's progress throughoutthe school year. Whileschools and teachers varied inthe frequency of the informa-tion sent home, many teach-ers felt that corrected home-work assignments also provid-ed parents with informationabout the child's curriculumand progress. Some teachersalso sent home daily notes tothe parents about the child'sbehavior. Teachers generallyfelt that they communicatedregularly and sufficiently withparents regarding their child's

school performance. ...we commu-nicate with the parents a great deal.We send a lot of written informationhome and ask for a signature on it.We send behavior forms home. Anybehavior problems are indicated andthen that's signed on a weekly basis sothat the parent should be aware of theiracademic progress as well as behaviorprogress on at least a weekly basis.We do communicate a lot in writtenform with the parents and so whether

they really take the time to read it or notwe really don't know. Teachers felt thatit was important for parents to knowwhat to expect for the upcoming yearso they could be involved and helpfulto the child. They reported sending aconsiderable amount of information toparents and wondered if any of it madea difference or if parents read or madeuse of the information.

"I really get agood response when

I call somebody who hasnever been called for anything

good. And after that thestudent seems to

really buckle down."

Phone Calls: Teachers discussed themany advantages of calling parents 7to introduce themselves, to share withthe parents their expectations for theupcoming year, to remind parents ofspecial events, to discuss behavioralconcerns, or to provide positive feed-back to the parent. What I do at thebeginning of the school year is I take timeto call every one of my parents...I let themknow what my expectations are and what

seems to really buckle down. Most teach-ers did not have access to telephonesand found evenings a more conducivetime to reach parents. However, thoseteachers with telephones in their class-rooms reported benefits of being able toreach a parent immediately.

Home Visits: Only a few teachersreported making home visits, due tolack of time as well as to the danger-ous living conditions of some of thefamilies.

.4 4

4.1..

5 4A-i Parents As School Partners ea,

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Teacher Focus Groups: Voices From the Field

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Benefits Of InvolvementTeachers reported asking a lot of parents because they perceived important benefits to parental

involvement in their children's education.

Involvement in the Child'sEducation at Home: Teachersacknowledged that they cannot do theirjob alone they need parents to teachtheir child, help with their homework,read to their child, take their child tothe library, and make learning an every-day activity. This home involvementand support was viewed by teachers ascritical to what they were trying toaccomplish during the schoolday.Parental involvement makes their jobeasier while also providing childrenwith a better foundation of skillsand knowledge. Parental support isa necessity, , really.... I think that theschool would be a lot better if we hadmore parental support for what goeson in school. The ones that areread to may not be the first renclPrbut they get there... they have theinterest. I have to tell [the parents]that I can' t do it alone. I cannot edu-cate your children all by myself. I needattention to homework. It can makea tremendous difference for the childjust how involved the parent is.

Involvement in the Classroom andthe Building: Teachers perceived thatparent involvement benefitted teachers,the classroom, and the school in severaldifferent ways. First, when parents vol-unteered in their child's class, teachersbelieved they were sending a powerfulmessage to the child about the value ofeducation. Secondly, involvement pro-vided opportunities for increased con-tact between teachers and parents,allowing the teacher to pay additionalattention to the child's progress andoffering the chance for parents andteachers to develop trust and rapport.It' s h.ard to be making phone calls all thetime because lots of times they're not homewhen you call them. So, if they're comingin and you get to see them from time totime , you have that opportunity to talk tothem. You end up having many,, many

conferences and talking with the parentabout how the child's doing or "Bo's soexcited about the farm day coming up" Or

contribution to the school. Withoutparents taking on these roles, the jobswould not get done.

Involvement Addressing SpecificIssues: In addition to benefits of ongo-ing involvement, teachers also feltinvolvement was critical in addressingproblems when they occurred. Phonecalls with parents enabled teachers toget immediate feedback about a disci-pline issue. Teachers wanted to be ableto access parents the moment a problem

arose in order to maintain controlin their classroom. They believedthat simply the specter of parentshearing about misconduct helped

the children behave better.... We've taught them how to dial

9 and dial their own parents...."Now you have to call her at home

and tell her what you did!"Teachers were aware that childrenmove between the two worlds ofschool and home and that theseworlds rarely came together.

Children have a great deal of controlover the information sent home fromschool, and teachers believed that chil-dren did not always convey this infor-mation accurately. Further, teachers feltthat many parents were quick to assumethat teachers are out to hurt their childor wield authority unfairly. To theseteachers, then, communication betweenhome and school was useful to theextent that such misunderstandings andmiscommunications could be clarified.

"If parents were moreinvolved, did come to schooland did see what we do, then

they would treat us as thisprofessional person who's

up there trying to better mychild's education..."

something like that. In addition, someteachers explicitly provided parentingtips to parents who volunteered. Some-times as tivichers we find ourselves ...makingsuggestions to parents if they are havingdifficulties with their children. And givingextra iAPas that a parent can work with thechild at home .... Teachers also thoughtthat parent involvement would makeparents better understand and respecttheir role. I think that if parents weremore involved, did come to school and didsee what we do, then they would treat usas this professional person who's up theretrying to better my child's education, tryingto help my child as opposed to this bad guy,,this teacher who's always calling me abouthim or her not finishing their homework ornot behaving in class. Lastly, teachersmentioned that parental help in theirchild's class, and in the school buildingas lunchroom aides, librarians, and play-groupil assistants, made an important

4.4 3 7

"It can make atremendous differencefor the child just howinvolved the parent is."

414-i Parents As School Partners 4, 6

V F- F.eac .ocus reaps:: oices rent e le Id'.

How Teachers Encourage Parent InvolvementTeachers discussed ways they tried to increase involvement and encourage parents

to be a part of their children's education.

III Special Projects: Teachers tried to attract parent involve-ment with special projects in hopes that, once inside theclassroom, parents would see that their involvement was fun,important, and beneficial. I think projects bring parentsinto the classroom in a non-directway. Early in the year we announceprojects we'll have throughout theyear and to send materials inwrapping paper tubes for whenwe make the Parthenon... Well,the parents like to bring them inand they also like to stick aroundand construct the thing in class!Teachers also tried to make com-ing to school easy and convenientfor parents. I have an open doorpolicy.. I like to grab them anytime that I can. I wantthem to be involved. I want them to see what I am doing with theirkids. I want them to know what their kids are learning.

ones , you already know I care about your child ... and then theycan't help but listen to you when you say you have a problemabout something. Calling parents to share ongoing positive

feedback about the child was seen as an effective parentinvolvement motivator, not just toestablish rapport before a disciplineproblem arose, but also as a way to

excite the parent about theirchild's progress. Some teach-ers, aware that the majority ofcontact with the parent wasaround problems, negative

feedback, discipline, or academ-ic issues, discussed the benefits of

making regular positive contactwith the parents. Newsletters about

exciting classroom projects and activities alsoenabled teachers to have non-problem and non-issue focusedinteractions with parents.

"I have an open doorpolicy. I like to grab them

anytime that I can. I want themto be involved. I want them tosee what I am doing with theirkids. I want them to know what

their kids are learning."

Persistence: Some teachers mentioned being persistent,writing notes home requesting help, calling to remind parentsthat they promised to participate in a certain event or pro-ject, and providing several different opportunities for involve-ment. The teachers, especially those who perceived strongbenefits to the children and school of parent involvement,tried any way to get parents in the door. Just pleading, beingpathetic you know just...you need them, you can't do withoutthem. Sort of not taking no for an answer,, being a real nudge.

Formal Volunteer Programs: Some teachers mentionedparent volunteer programs within their schools in which par-ents could come and sign up for different volunteer opportu-nities. Other teachers mentioned trying to make sure thatclassroom tasks for parents were manageable and within theirskill and interest level, so that they would have a positiveand successful experience. One teacher had a table with pro-jects for parents to work on any time they came into herclassroom. The projects were simple tasks so that any parentcould do them and all parents could make a contribution andfeel good about their involvement.

Creating Positive Relationships: Teachers emphasized theimportance of creating a positive relationship with parents asa way to increase and improve their involvement. You startoff calling for good reasons so when you have to call for the bad

Teachers also mentioned trying to be respectful of parents, act-ing naturally, and being warm and friendly towards them inorder to make the parents at ease in their presence. Thankingthe parents and praising their efforts to be involved, be it athome or in the classroom, was also a tool for building rapport.

Praising them, sending them thank you notes absolutely all the timeas soon as they've done something. When one teacher was askedhow she tried to increase parent involvement in her classroom,she said: Well you tell them what they are doing right. Some teach-ers understood the importance of positive feedback and rein-forcement and applied that to their work with parents.

Joint Problem-Solving: Joint problem-solving was also dis-cussed as a method of improving parent involvement. Whenproblems arose, some teachers asked parents to participate inproblem-solving in hopes that the parent would be more like-ly to implement agreed upon action steps. As one teachernoted, teachers cannot tell parents what to do with theirchildren outside of school hours, even when it comes to han-dling homework. I think the problem and the solution has to bediscussed with the parent because everybody's got a differentlifestyle and everybody works differently with their children withintheir family. So, I think [we could say] ... "This child has to beable to come back with his homework. How can we, according tothe way you are living, how can we help this child, you know, gettheir work done."

-) 8

7 Parents As School Partners 4,

Teacher rdeus:GroupilVoices From the Field.

How Parent-Teacher Relationships Could Be Different °

Teachers were asked what could be different in the ways parents related to them.

Improved Communication BetweenHome and School: Some teachersenvisioned communication in whichparents would provide feedback to theteachers about how their parentinvolvement feels. If they are comingfor some lesson or something and they justsit down and then walk out. I want toknow some reaction...Instead of just won-dering what is going on in their minds.Other teachers wished that parentswould share information about thechild's home life to provide a contextfor the child's behavior or performance.

If there is a problem you need to share itwith me. I need to know what is happen-ing because it does affect what they'redoing. Other teachers wanted ongoingcommunication to support the child'sacademic work and to clear up misun-derstandings that the children mightinadvertently be creating between theparent and teacher. Normal contact.I'd like to be able to call and say, "Barrywas Irate to class today. Can you pleasetalk to him?" Or, "Sue got her homeworkdone today and I really appreciate youhelping her." Just keep the lines of com-munication open.

More Involvement on the Part ofthe Parent: Teachers wanted the par-ents to be more involved in their chil-dren's lives, to know what they weredoing in school, to know who theirfriends were, and what their interestswere. When they spoke of moreinvolvement, they meant more activeand concerned parenting which theybelieved would lead to more involve-ment in the child's education andschooling. If it was up to me it would bemandatory that a parent comes to theschool at least once a month to meet withthe teacher. Teachers also wanted par-

ents to be actively involved in theschool, to initiate contact with teach-ers, to offer help and support, to askquestions and let teachers know whensomething is bothering them or theirchild. Many teachers also specificallymentioned a desire for more fatherinvolvement in the schools.

.;

More Positive Attitude TowardsTeachers: Teachers generally felt thatparents were mistrustful and suspiciousof them, and not always appreciative oftheir efforts. They complained that par-ents did not really understand thatteachers needed to address the con-cerns of all children in the class, notjust their child. If parents were pleased,teachers also wanted to be thanked fortheir.time and effort. If parents weredispleased, teachers wanted an opportu-nity for dialogue about their concerns.It saddened them that parents assumedthe worst as it reflected a fundamentallack of trust and good will betweenhomes and schools. Many teachersmentioned wanting to be treated astrained professionals who knew whatthey were doing. I would like parents toshow respect to our profession. We grewup in a time where what the teacher said

3 9

was right. Kids knew if they got in troublethey also had to be accountable at homeand we don't see a lot of that. We're prettylow on the totem pole.

Parents Be More Willing to HearProblems and Criticism: Teacherswanted to be able to openly discussproblems with parents without beingattacked. They wanted parental supportif the child was having adjustment,behavioral, or attitude problems.Teachers wanted parents to back themup. We cannot do it alone. We need thehelp ...and support of the parents.

Following Through on AddressingProblems: As well as being more will-ing to hear about problems, teachersalso wanted parents involved in follow-ing through. Teachers complained thatif children knew there were no conse-quences to bad behavior, then thebehavior would not improve. Teachersalso knew that a child who was fallingbehind needed help outside of school tocatch up and they saw parentinvolvement in this area as critical.

I would like to see the parents not beingso negative when you tell them about theirchild, because they must realize that thechild has a problem... and getting angry ...is not going to help. It's only going to makethings worse. ...if your child has a prob-lem, it is better that you address it and.. just deal with it...Blame shouldn't beput on anyone. The focus should be on thesolution. You need follow-up. Not justthe teachers but the parents to followthrough with wh.at they say...that is allyear long.

46 Parents As School Partners Za, 8

Teacher Focus-ffrotips: Voices From the Field

,0000Gu0., )00)...000000 ConclusionTeachers have had surprisingly little input into the

national debate on parental involvement and few opportuni-ties to meaningfully express their beliefs and share opinionsabout this issue. Policies, programs, and practices have beendeveloped based on others' notions of what teachers wantand need to work effectively with parents.

The 87 teachers who participated in these 14 focusgroups had strong feelings about parent involvement. Theyshared instances when involvement was a positive experi-ence and also when it was frustrating and disappointing.Teachers appreciated parents who followed through on acad-emic and discipline decisions and who trusted and respectedthem as professionals who have their children's best interests

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at heart. They also had experiences when they perceivedparents as not caring about their children's education andnot open to criticism and suggestions. In all cases, parentinvolvement required time and effort by teachers to makephone calls, write notes home, and work with parent volun-teers over and above their many teaching obligations.Parent involvement was not built into their regular teachingroutine.

These teacher focus groups provide an in-depth explo-ration into what teachers are really thinking and feeling.The results suggest fruitful avenues for refining practice to bemore in line with the realities of teachers' jobs. Only thencan the promise of parent involvement become a reality.

9 Parents As School Partners 4,,

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4 4

School Principal Focus &ups: Voices From the Field

There is widespread consensus thatparent involvement is a key componentfor the school success of America's chil-dren. Based on this belief, policies arecurrently being enacted to promote andincrease parent involvement at all lev-els of schooling. Therefore, partnershipswill be forged between homes, schools,and communities with an unparalled

O 0000000000000000

00 The Issue 9 0 0 0 0 0

level of contact between parents andeducators. It is surprising that schoolprincipals have had few opportunities toshare their unique and valuable per-spectives about what parent involve-ment means to them and what theyneed to make these partnerships work.

To address this issue, NCJW Sectionsconducted focus groups with principals

0.00 o The Focus Groups o

Three focus groups were conductedby three NCJW Sections. Principalparticipants were invited throughrandom selection procedures. Eachfocus group was audiotaped and

O 00 0 0 000

followed a similar format, whichincluded: an introduction; signing ofconsent forms; opening, main, andsummary questions; and completion ofparticipant background information

The Sections 0 00 0 00 0 0

Three NCJW Sections conducted focus groups with prin-cipal participants. NCJW volunteers received trainingthrough individual consultation, site visits, an in-depth How-to Guide, a Partners in Progress newsletter, and ongoing inten-sive individualized technical assistance.

O 00000000000000000000

Principals' discussions from thethree focus groups were transcribedverbatim from the audio tapes.Thesetranscripts were read and analyzedfor content. Given the small numberof focus groups, the data base was

000

O 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0000 0 0 00

to hear from the "voices from the field"about parent involvement. Focus groupswere also conducted with parents andteachers.The focus groups were one offour activities of Parents As SchoolPartners, NCJW's volunteer researchand action initiative exploring parentinvolvement to promote children'sschool success.

O 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0000 0 0 0 00 0

forms. Questions addressed types ofcontact parents have with schools, theconditions under which certain types ofcontact occur, and their beliefs aboutparent involvement.

0000 The School PrincipalParticipants

0 0 0 0

The principal focus groups were conducted with a totalof sixteen principals. The principals represented a range ofexperience in their jobs, serving in their positions from oneto ten years.

The Findings 0000 0 0 0 0 00 00 0 0 0000 0 0 0 00 3

somewhat restricted. Two topicsemerged as central to principals'concerns about the issue of parentinvolvement.

The following pages present princi-pals' perspectves on these topics and

include quotes highlighting key issuesraised. The Parents As School PartnersProject also included focus groups withparents and teachers. Please refer tothese reports for a fuller understanding ofthe issues raised.

HighlightsPrincipals appreciate parent volunteer programs as a way to formalize volunteerism in the schooland create respect for parents.

Principals recognize that parents face many stresses and demands which may affect their ability tobe involved.

Principals sometimes feel overwhelmed with their increased responsibilities in trying to address thebasic needs of their families.

Principals experience many parents as primarily problem-focused, issue-oriented, and negative.

Principals acknowledge that teachers and parents do not always have shared agendas.

46 Parents. As School Partners za,4 5

EST COPY AVAHABLEIL

Moo! Principal Focus Groups: Voices From the Field

Types Of Involvement 00000000(100000000000Principals spoke of several ways parents could be involved at the school and at home.Parents Assisting in the

School: Principals spoke of par-ents assisting as classroom vol-unteers or as aides in non-class-room settings (e.g., on the bus,in the cafeteria, in the library).Some schools had formal pro-grams for assigning parents tovolunteer positions. Principalsfelt these programs effectivelyinvolved parents and servedto professionalize volunteerism,bring parents into the schoolmore regularly, increase parents'visibility within the school, andshow parents they were neededand valued. Principals shared theview that parents should notonly volunteer in theirown child'sclass but volunteer in order tobenefit the entire school.Principals wanted parents tovolunteer only if they would sup-port all children and take anactive role in enhancing theschool not if they werejust checking up on theirchild's teacher or giving their child extra assistanceand support.

"We feel that way we pullparents into the school

because...it will eliminate thefear of coming to schooland...once they get there

there's always someone whowill say, 'Oh. I need to talkabout this'. Or, 'I want aconference about this."

Formal Parent Organizations: The PTA and PTO, acommon type of involvement mentioned by all of theprincipals, were generally regarded positively. IThe parentgroups] provide things for the school itself...We have a comput-er set up in every classroom that was provided by the parentgroups. There are problems and we present the problems, thethings that we look for and then they help us afford it. They'vebeen very good. However, one principal noted that in hisschool the parent organization was more interested inextra curricular activities than in academics. They'll builda playground for us if we ask them for it but to get them tocommit to making money so we can insert the new science cur-riculum model, that's an entirely different thing... We have amandate, a task which is to educate these kids. And I alwayswant to put that first. Relationships between principals andparent groups varied from school to school; in some cases

there was a shared mission andclose working relationship, andin others, the parent group settheir own agenda and carried itout independent of the princi-pal.

Social Events andOrientation Nights: Principalsbelieved that it was importantto get parents "in the door" ofthe school and that it would beeasier for parents to come to theschool after a pleasant initialcontact. Principals sensed a cer-tain amount of resistance fromparents to coming to their chil-dren's schools and believed thatif they could get parents toattend a social event, they mightlater volunteer or attend a meet-ing if needed. One of the thingswe've also found effective is to dosome things that will bring the par-ents into the school to see theirkid...We feel that way we pull par-ents into the school because...it will

eliminate the fear of coming to school and...once they get therethere's always someone who will say, "Oh. I need to talk aboutthis". Or, "I want a conference about this."

Communication with Parents: Principals mentionedseveral ways schools communicated with and reached outto parents, including phone calls, home visits, and writtenmaterials sent home. Phone calls and home visits allowedschools to have individualized contact with parents toaddress specific issues about their child. Written materials,viewed as an ongoing tool to keep parents involved in theeducational process, focused on upcoming events, class-room progress reports, and district wide activities. In mostcases, information was sent home with children in theirschool bags. Principals mentioned using these materials asa way of responding to concerns raised by parents. Forexample, when a parent complained about school lunches,the principal wrote an article in the school newsletterabout how lunch menus were planned.

4 63


SthoolPriricipál POCus4roups: Voices From the Field

Challenges to Parent InvolvementPrincipals discussed several challenges to parent involvement, focussing on parents as the

major stumbling block to greater and more effective parent involvement.

Principals discussed six ways in whichparents create challenges for parentalinvolvement.

Advocating Only for their OwnChildren: Principals complained thatmany parents were only involved toadvocate on behalf of their childrenaround particular issues, not betterthe school as a whole or rally aroundpositive issues. Such a focus on nega-tivity left a bad impression on theschools as they did not feel that par-ents had a vested interest in anyoneother than their own child. I don'tthink it would hurt if parents could getinto a regular form of communicationthat's not always issue oriented. Mostparents do not talk to their kids' teachersunless it's about some flash point. Andusually it's a negative one...that puts areal negative taste in the mouths ofteachers. Another principal added:From our end we really attempt tohave standardized contact. But from theparents' end to us it's almost alwaysissue-based. I never get a phone callfrom a parent to see what's going on. Ialways get a phone call from a parentabout something in particular and usual-ly it means something that isn't goingtheir way.

Parental Apathy: Some principalslamented that many parents did notsee themselves as having any role intheir child's education. They felt thatsome parents, who did not seem tocare about their child's educationalsuccess and who failed to followthrough in supporting the teacher,were leaving the child's educationand behavior solely in the hands ofschools. One principal wished thatparents would question him more.

...Parents don't ask me these ques-

tions. And truly, I'd feel a whole lot bet-ter if they did take me to task on this, ifthey did say you know, "How come mychild didn't pass?" ...I truly wish that theparents took this seriously and put theeffort into providing their kids withsupport .

"My parents are moreinterested in our providing

the basic needs. As sadas that is, they are

much more worried aboutthat free lunch being

lost than a losthomework paper"

Cultural Diversity Within SchoolCommunity: Principals cited diversi-ty among parents within a schoolcommunity as another challenge toparent involvement. Barriers due todiversity included communicatingwith parents in different languages,translating written materials intoother languages, and parents failingto relate to one another because ofdiverse backgrounds. Further, princi-pals claimed that some cultures didnot emphasize parent advocacy andinvolvement with their children'seducation.

Social and Economic Challenges:Principals viewed many parents asoverwhelmed by their social and eco-nomic circumstances. For many par-ents, a focus on survival needs such asfood and shelter took precedence overseeing that homework was done. One.principal noted that the turnover rate.;

in his school was 50% over the courseof the year. He believed that parentsand children who moved frequentlyhad less ties to schools and were hard-er to engage. Principals also believedthat poor working parents seemed tohave little time for involvement atschool and little energy for involve-ment with the child's education athome. My parents are more interestedin our providing basic needs. As sad asthat is, they are more worried about thatfree lunch being lost than a lost home-work paper. I mean they'll call up thecounselor in a heartbeat to get a shoevoucher, but let a teacher try to get somesupport on a homework issue... Again,this is coming from issues sometimes

when their poverty is real high, .... allthe things we are asking [them to] checkto see that homework is done, read toyour child and all that stuff. . They don'thave rent. They don't have food. Theydon't have beds. Principals noted thathile the structure of schools has notchanged in a hundred years, demandson schools have continued to risesteadily, with schools now taking onsocial service and mental health rolesin addition to academic and educa-tional ones. Principals were disheart-ened that living conditions impededchildren's being ready to learn and gotin the way of parents supporting andnurturing their children. The addi-tional demands on schools took time,effort, and resources which these prin-cipals would rather allocate for educa-tional purposes.

Permissiveness: Principals weredistressed that many parents did nothold their children to high standardsor provide them with support andassistance to reach those standards.While principals noted how poverty

4Parents As School Partners es., 4

School Principal FocuVGroups: Voices From the Field

challenged parents, they did not onlysee poor parenting in low-incomefamilies in their schools. Rather theynoted a trend in society for childrento have more power within a familyand parents to have less control overtheir children. One of the basic prob-lems...I believe centers around a clash ofvalues. The school possesses and nur-tures a set of values: hard work, hon-esty, dependability, respect for rules,respect for authority, good attendance,and peaceful resolution of conflicts.Many of our parents do not share thosevalues and it becomes a significant prob-lem in parents becoming positivelyinvolved with the school. I have fami-lies come to me and say, "I need helpwith my child. What do I do? I can'thandle him any more?" and I've seen itwith five-year-olds. One of my con-cerns is helping parents be parents and Iguess maybe getting into the role of whatparenting is. This would be a tremen-dous help for children these days...And Iwould like to think ...along withparental involvement in school, theschool could help the parents in their roleof parenting...which in turn would helpus be better able to work with the chil-dren in school.

Parents Have Difficulty HearingCriticism About their Children:Principals reported that many parentswere defensive and angry about criti-cism of their child's work or behaviorand were unwilling to support theschool in efforts to modify the child'sbehavior or performance. It is veryhard to tell the parent when their child isdoing not only poorly grade wise butdoing poorly in behavior and they gohand in hand. And that can be difficultto tell a parent...the child continues tobe the loser. Some parents are alsoperceived as not valuing and respect-ing the expertise of the teachers andother professionals within the schoolsystem. Principals cited parents whoquestioned the curriculum and profes-

sional judgment of teachers. Norwould they question the techniques usedby their doctor, but they will certainlyquestion the techniques of you or of yourteacher, which is sort of sad in a way inthat often parents don't look upon teach-ers as being professionals at what theydo...And I think parents ought to be

"Neither sideoften wants to hearwhat the other one

has to say...and it canget pretty heated...."

respecting what we do and respecting ourskills and abilities. Part of the issueappears to be that parents are notseen as accepting their child's limita-tions. Ours want all of their kids tobe geniuses. I mean literally, we don'thave an average student at this school.

...They can't all play sports, and theparents don't expect sports out of all ofthem. They can't all be great musiciansand they're satisfied...However, theyshould all get A's. These high expecta-tions do not always transfer into thesupport and assistance for the child'seducation that schools believe arehelpful (i.e., assisting with home-work, providing a time and space forwork to get done, following throughori teacher recommendations).

Principals also felt that some parentsdid not support the school's level ofexpectations for the child. For exam-ple, some parents complained thatschool-aged children were too youngto be transferring information home,or that the school's discipline tech-niques were too harsh. In general,principals felt that parents alwaystook the child's perspective in dis-putes between home and school.Principals wanted parents to followthrough on discipline and academic

4

expectations and felt that often par-ents undermined the work of theschools by coddling their childrenand taking their side. Principalswanted parents to trust schools ratherthan assume the child was alwaystelling the truth about how he or shewas victimized by the school system.As one principal put it: Neither sideoften wants to hear what the other onehas to say...and it can get pretty heat-ed.... Principals saw the situation asone with sides, with the parents onone side and the principals andteachers on the other. Each side hadan agenda and fixed ideas about theother side's agenda. Principals werekeenly aware that this does not lenditself to effective and positiveparental involvement.

Additional barriers cited by principalsincluded:

Administrative and logisticalbarriers: Working with parents fromdifferent ethnic backgrounds withlimited English, lack of access to tele-phones for teachers to call parentsduring the day, and the huge effort tocommunicate with parents throughnewsletters and phone calls were alsobarriers mentioned as challenges toparent involvement.

Teachers' Difficulty RelatingPositively to Parents: A few of theprincipals mentioned that someteachers had difficulty relating posi-tively to parents. Well, a lot ofteachers come in there with their boxinggloves on. I think we have to helpteachers understand the mores offamilies. And they don't have the back-ground to relate for] don't know howto... they don't have an understanding...about culture, economic level.But teachers really need training onunderstanding how to be sensitive andinteract positively.

5 46 Parents As School Partners eig,

Moo! Frincipal.Fecus.Groups: Voices From the Field

ConclusionThe principals who participated in these focus groups

had strong feelings about parent involvement. They sharedinstances when parent involvement was a positive experiencefor them and when it was frustrating and negative. Theybelieved that parent involvement was vital to childrens'school success and that families were both key in shaping thedevelopment and education of children and a rich and valu-able resource to the entire school community.

At the same time, there were some built-in tensions inthe school-home relationship. Some principals felt that manyparents were angry and confrontational in their dealings withschools. Principals also recognized that while teachers and

parents may have a shared mission to educate children, theydo not necessarily have a shared understanding of how to bestachieve that goal. Many principals were aware of theincreased stress and demands placed on parents due to socialand economic circumstances which made parent involvementless of a priority and more difficult to achieve.

The principal focus groups explored what principals arereally thinking and feeling and the results suggested fruitfulavenues for refining practice to be more in line with whatschools can really accomplish. Only then can the promise ofparent involvement become a reality.



4 9 BEST COPY AMIABLE



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Chicago (IL)Concordia (NJ)

Contra Costa (CA)Gr. Detroit (MI)

Edison (NJ)El Paso (TX)Essex (NJ)

Evanston-Niles (IL)Hollywood (FL)

Howard County (MD)Jacksonville (FL)

Gr. Kansas City (KS)Kendall (FL)

Los Angeles (CA)

Louisville (KY)Marin County (CA)

Gr. Miami (FL)Mid Bergen (NJ)Milwaukee (WI)

Gr. Minneapolis (MN)Mt. Diablo (CA)Nashville (TN)

Gr. New Haven (CT)Gr. New Orleans (LA)

New York (NY)Northern Virginia (VA)

Peninsula (NY)Pittsburgh (PA)

Gr. Rochester (NY)Sacramento (CA)

San Jose (CA)Seattle (WA)

Gr. Somerset (NJ)South Cook (IL)

South Suburban (MA)Gr. Syracuse (NY)Gr. Teaneck (NJ)University (FL)

West Morris (NJ)West Virginia (WV)Gr. Westchester (NY)

Worcester (MA)


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School District Superintendents Survey: Parent Involvement Policies, Programs & Practices

O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The IssueThere is widespread consensus that parent involvement is

a key component for the school success of America's chil-dren. Based on this widely held belief, policies are currentlybeing enacted to promote and increase parent involvement atall levels of schooling. For such policies to be successful, dis-trict superintendents will need to provide vision, leadership,and sometimes pressure. It is surprising, therefore, that littleis known about district level policies and practices to pro-

O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

; 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

mote and support parent involvement.To address this issue, NCJW Sections around the country

surveyed school district superintendents about the existenceof district level parent involvement policies and the programsand practices implementing these policies. The survey projectwas one of four activities of NCJW's Parents As SchoolPartners volunteer research initiative exploring parentinvolvement to promote children's school success.

The SurveyThe survey addressed six areas of parent involvement pol-

icy: providing parents with opportunities to be decision-mak-ers; communicating with parents about how to help theirchildren succeed in school; reaching out to diverse families;training staff to work with parents; communicating with par-ents about their child's progress; and providing links to social

O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The SForty-two NCJW Sections participated in the survey

project. These Sections varied in size and geographic location.NCJW volunteers received training through an in-depthHow-to Guide, a Partners in Progress newsletter, and on-going

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

services. Superintendents were asked about the existence ofan overall parent involvement policy and about the existenceof policy in each of these six areas. They were also asked toprovide examples of programs related to each policy currentlybeing implemented.

ections 0 0 0 0 000 0 00 0 000 00 0

technical assistance. Sections followed four data collectionsteps: determining districts in their area; selecting districts tosurvey; preparing and mailing the survey; andfollowing up.

The Districts SurveyeSurveys were sent to 436 superintendents. 193 surveys

were returned, a response rate of 44.2 percent. The surveyeddistricts varied widely in number of schools and children; allbut a few (96.9%) received federal Chapter 1/ Title 1 funds.

d0000 0 .0 0 0 0 0 0 0. 0

NOTE: Because participating districts are not necessarilygeographically or demographically representative of schooldistricts nationwide, these results are suggestive of trendsrather than conclusive.

HighlightsAlmost 50% of districts surveyed have an overall parent involvement policy.

There is ample latitude in how policies are put into practice.

Few opportunities for wide-scale parental decision making exist within many schools.

Most communications sent home from schools do not provide individualizedinformation for parents about their children.

Schools are least likely to have policies for training teachers to work with families.Many schools develop their own parent involvement programs rather thanimplementing existing programs.

53JPai Parents As School Partners z-it, 2

School District Superintendents Survey: Parent Involvement Policies, Programs & Practices

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The Findings

How Many Districts have ParentInvolvement Policies?

Overall Parent Involvement Policy 49.2%Parents As Decision Makers 71.6 %Communicating with Parents 55.3%Reaching Out to Diverse Families 48.7%Training Staff to Work with Parents 37.1%Communicating About Child's Progress 76.6%Providing Links to Social Services 54.3%

What are Districts Doing toImplement Parent Involvement Policies?Superintendents were asked about the programs and practices imple-mented to support parent involvement policies. For each type ofpolicy, superintendents mentioned implementing several types ofprograms, indicating latitude in how such policies are put into prac-tice.The following data highlights programs and practices cited by atleast 20% of the districts.

Parents as Decision MakersServing on a school improvement council 70.2%Serving on a specific task force 24.8%Serving on a district council 23.4%

Less commonly mentioned practices for enabling parents to serve asdecision makers included: serving on a Chapter 1 or other advisorycouncil; serving on the PTA; or playing non-advisory roles.

Because only a few parents can serve on these councils, decision-mak-ing opportunities may be limited to only a small percentage of parentswithin any one school.

Communicating with ParentsAbout Helping Their Child Learn

Written information about the school 48.6%Parent-teacher meetings 36.7%Parent programs 32.1%

Less frequently mentioned practices included: written reports aboutthe child; school social or orientation events; school interventions;and homework hotlines.

Many school-home communications do not provide parents with indi-vidualized information about their child.

Reaching Out to Diverse FamiliesWhile no programs and practices to reach out to diversefamilies were widely cited, approaches for dealing with diversityincluded: social events; parents as advisors; outreach to specific fami-lies; material adaptation; early intervention programs; staff training;support groups; multicultural task forces; and special personnel.

There is no standardized approach for addressing the issue of diversitywithin schools.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Training Staff to Work with FamiliesIn-service staff training 52.1%

Less common practices included: in-service workshops by specialists;staff development on curriculum; off-site staff training; and earlyintervention programs.

Among the few schools that have a policy to train teachers to work withfamilies, training is mostly provided in-service rather than by specialized staff.

Communicating About Child's ProgressWritten reports on child's progress 60.9%Meetings about the child's progress 60.3%Written communication about school rules/events 49.7%

Less frequently cited activities included: parent orientation eventsand training programs; PTA advisory committees; and homeworkassignments and hotlines.

It is surprising that practices providing parents with specific informationabout their child's progress meetings and written reports were not

more widely cited.

Providing Links Between Familiesand Social Services

Hiring social workers/psychologists 23.4%

Less common linkage strategies included: creating community part-nerships; collaborating with social services; providing services; mak-ing outside referrals; providing health services, drug awareness, earlyintervention or teen parenting programs; or working with communi-ty agencies.

Hiring social workers and implementing intervention and supportprograms are the most common approaches to linking families withresources.

What Else are Districts Doing?168 additional current district-level parent involvement practiceswere offered, such as classroom volunteering, open houses, and par-ent centers. Some superintendents mentioned funding sources (EvenStart, Chapter 1, Title 1) rather than specific practices. Only a fewsuperintendents mentioned existing model programs.

5 43 Ji Parents As School Partners

Sbhool,District.Superintendents:Survey:13Mnt Involvement Policies, Programs &Practices

0 0 0 0 Conclusion 00 00.00 00 000 00.00 00 00 000 0.

The survey data provides a first glimpse into the extentand nature of parent involvement policy at the district level.As policy is an important avenue for developing and sustain-ing practice, it is encouraging that almost half of the districtshave an overall parent involvement policy.

The data also suggests several areas for future study. Forexample, are the practices reaching a sufficient number ofparents and teachers? Are the practices effectively achievingthe goals of the policy? To what extent are parents andteachers involved in developing these policies and practices?

Such issues warrant future attention as educators and familieswork together so that children can succeed in school.


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56

Published By:THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN

Nan Rich National PresidentSusan Katz Executive Director

A PARENTS AS SCHOOL PARTNERS PUBLICATIONMarice L. Ha lper Project ChairwomanLois Zaas Chair, Project Field Team

Amy J.L. Baker, Ph.D. Project DirectorNicole Romano Novins Project Field DirectorChabiram Rampersad Project Administrator

Special thanks to Project Consultants:Julie Nusbaum Laura Soden, Ph.D. Pat Ward

Karen Kirshner, Dir., Marketing & Communications, NCJWElaine Kaufman, Editor, Partners In Progress Newsletter

© Copyright, 1996

National Council of Jewish Women53 West 23rd Street, 6th floor, New York, NY 10010

Phone: (212) 645-4048 Fax: (212) 645-7466E-mail: [email protected] 57Website: http://www.ncjw.org

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Documents

DOCUMENT RESUME ED 424 933 · This action/research project focuses on parent involve-ment to promote their chil-dren's school success, a topic that has received significant national