Families In SchoolsFamilies In Schools

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“Students need to realize they must put forth effort. The fact is it is the communities and parents who are failing. Just look at the bars on the windows and tagging. Clean up your own house before you come after those working to give your kids an education.”

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Parent engagement is NOT part of the problem, it IS part of the solution!

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History

• as “requirement” to funding (Title I Advisory)

• as “consequence” to not meeting benchmarks (e.g. parent trigger)

• impacts few parents

• led by central office or parent center at best

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History

History

Title I and Parent Involvement: Lessons from thePast, Recommendations for the Future

Karen L. Mapp, Harvard Graduate School of Education

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/issues/2012/03/pdf/titleI_parental_invovlement.pdf

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Solution

When done right, parent engagement:

• Decreases costs to the state • Improves teacher satisfaction and turnover•Student attendance increases (school funding increases)•Student outcomes increase

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• Long-term study of Chicago schools found five essential supports for school improvement: school leadership, parent-community ties, professional capacity, student-centered learning, instructional guidance

• Schools with strong family and community ties are 4x more likely in reading, and 10x more likely in math, to make significant gains.

Anthony S. Bryk et al, (2010) Organizing Schools for Improvement: Lessons from Chicago (Chicago: University of Chicago Press)

Research

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Reading

11% 10% 9%

16%

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43%

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47%

36%

45%

0%

5%

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SchoolLeadership

ParentInvolvement

WorkOrientation

Safety &Order

CurriculumAlignment

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Imp

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Strong

Research

Research

Beyond the Bake SaleAnne Henderson, Karen Mapp, Vivian Johnson, and Don Davies

http://www.hfrp.org/evaluation/the-evaluation-exchange/issue-archive/building-the-future-of-family-involvement/beyond-the-bake-sale-how-school-districts-can-promote-family-involvement

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Beyond Compliance

• Schools have role to play• Focus at the school/classroom level• Create a welcoming environment• Increase learning opportunities• Increase communication/trust• Train staff and leadership• Increase volunteer and leadership opportunities

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Become A Champion

• Collaborate with community organizations• A school improvement strategy• Funding that supports parent engagement• Raise awareness• Improve monitoring/accountability• Options and choices

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Families Improving Education

• 11 organizations from the Central Valley & Inland Empire (over 130 parents, civic leaders, board members).

• Working to improve education in their communities

• Key problems:• High dropout rates• Low ELL reclassification• Lack of welcoming environment• Unfair education policies

• One solution• An education system that welcomes parents and makes them part of the solution

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