Connect the dots 2014 National Standards

Connecting the Dots with the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships

March 13, 2014

Sherri

You’d Be Surprised to Know.. I’m half hippy, half clown

Favorite SongDangerous by Big DataCollectionsTiaras

Favorite JobWorking with familiesRetirement DreamSomewhere in Europe… In a castle!

Favorite Show

RuPaul’s Drag Race

Favorite Color

Pink!

Who are you?

Stand up if you know the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships

Sit down if you think this outfit is adorable

Stand up if you currently belong to a PTA

Stand up if you have ever heard of PTA

National PTA’s Definition of Effective Family Engagement

National PTA worked with the leading researchers to develop a formal definition of effective family engagement.

There are three components.


A Shared Responsibility in which:

• Schools and other community agencies and organizations are committed to engaging families in meaningful and culturally respectful ways, and

• Families are committed to actively supporting their children’s learning and development.


Cradle to Career:• Continuous across a child’s life,

spanning from Early Head Start programs to college and career.


Across Contexts:• Carried out everywhere that children learn –

o Homeo Pre-kindergarten programso Schoolo After-school programso Faith-based organizationso Community programs and activities

Key FindingPrograms and interventions that engage

families in supporting their children’s learning at home are linked to higher

student achievement. Family involvement at home appears to have the greatest

effect on student achievement. (Mapp and Henderson)

Why is Family Engagement Important?

No matter what their family income or background may be, students with involved parents are more likely to:

Henderson, A., & Mapp, K. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and

community connections on student achievement. Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.

Have better social skillsHave better social skills

Pass their classesPass their classes

Attend school regularlyAttend school regularly

Earn higher grades and test scoresEarn higher grades and test scores

Graduate and go on to postsecondary educationGraduate and go on to postsecondary education

Effective Parent Involvement Improves Achievement

New research shows that meaningful family and community engagement is one of five essential ingredients for effective school reform:

Bryk, A.S., Sebring, P.B., Allensworth, E., Luppescu, S., & Easton, J.Q. (2010). Organizing schools for improvement: Lessons from Chicago. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Instructional guidanceInstructional guidanceStudent centered learning climateStudent centered learning climate

Professional capacityProfessional capacity

Parent-school-community tiesParent-school-community ties

(Principal) leadership as the driver for change(Principal) leadership as the driver for change

We know that family engagement is important.

So, how do we engage all families in their children’s education?

Standard 1 Welcoming All Families

Standard 1: Welcoming All FamiliesGetting Started

Standard 2 Communicating Effectively

Standard 2:

Communicating Effectively

• Use all communication channels: social media, cable television, newspapers, radio, automated phone systems, text messaging, school and PTA web sites, etc.

• Identify parents, community members, organizations and businesses that can help facilitate home-school communication

• Communicate in languages and formats that will best inform all families

• Sponsor events that encourage interaction between educators and families in a fun, social way

• Use all communication channels: social media, cable television, newspapers, radio, automated phone systems, text messaging, school and PTA web sites, etc.

• Identify parents, community members, organizations and businesses that can help facilitate home-school communication

• Communicate in languages and formats that will best inform all families

• Sponsor events that encourage interaction between educators and families in a fun, social way

Getting StartedGetting Started

Standard 3 Supporting Student Success

Standard 3:Supporting Student Success

Link all events to student learning, including activities focused on making all families feel welcome. For example:

Work with school leadership to conduct workshops on interpreting standardized test data

Collaborate with teachers to provide fun, family-centered events focused on topics such as literacy, study skills, individual curriculum areas, and college and career planning

Getting Started

Standard 4 Speaking Up for Every Child

Standard 4:

Speaking Up for Every Child

Standard 5 Sharing Power

• Identify how PTA can support the school improvement plan

• Provide opportunities to interact with your elected officials

• Conduct an annual family survey or focus groups to get on current and potential school programs and policies

• Diversify PTA in membership and leadership

• Sponsor a school accountability meeting to inform families about school programs, services, and performance data

• Invite parents to share concerns and ideas through a suggestion box in the front office

Standard 5:

Sharing PowerGetting Started

Standard 6 Collaborating with Community

Standard 6:

Collaborating with Community

• Identify your goals and determine opportunities for community collaboration that will help you to achieve your desired results for family engagement and student learning

• Leverage individual community connections and encourage connected individuals to take the lead on forging and sustaining the collaboration on behalf of the PTA/school

• Bring partners together around a shared vision

• Recognize partners and thank them whenever you can

Getting Started

Tools to Help implement the National Standards

Tools to Use: National StandardsImplementation Guide

An explanation of the National Standards, action steps, and resources to aid PTA leaders, parents, educators, the community, and students in working together for the educational success of all children.

Tools to Use: National StandardsAssessment Guide

Allows schools to rate themselves on their progress in meeting the Standards.

One of PTA’s most popular tools!

National PTA Standards for Family-School Partnerships

Examples of Best Practices• Boston Public Schools Uses the Standards as a Part of

their Training for Principals and School Staff• Indiana PIRC Embedded the Standards into their

Curriculum for Statewide Parent Leadership Academies• Kansas has Integrated the Standards in their State’s

Guidelines for School Improvement Plans• California PTA is using the Standards to develop parent

leaders to serve on local school accountability committees, aligned with state funding laws

Programs to Help PTAs Use the

National Standards

PTA Programs

• PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships

• Family Reading Experience, Powered by Kindle• Take Your Family to School Week Grants• School of Excellence

Where Do We Go Now?Stand up if you already engage every

family in your school or school district and you don’t have any work left to do.

Sit down if you think this have been the greatest presentation on the PTA National

Standards you’ve ever seen!

Stand up if you got an idea today you want to take back to your local school

Stand up if you learned something new today.

Q&A

Sherri WilsonSenior Manager Family and

Community EngagementNational PTA 703-518-1244

[email protected] @PTAswilson