Building Positive Relationships Between Home and School Partnerships Matter Building Positive Relationships Between Home and School Aldine ISD Title I Department 2015

Why should this matter to me? You are currently employed by and/or teaching at a school that is implementing a Title I, Part A School-wide Program. As part of a Title I, Part A School-wide Program, our school receives federal funding that pays for resources to assist schools with high concentrations of students from low-income families. These resources improve education quality and help ensure all children in low-income contexts meet the state’s academic performance standards. Therefore, our campus’ staff members are to be educated on how to reach out to, to communicate with, and to work with parents as equal partners; to implement and coordinate parent programs; and to build ties between home and school.

Parental Involvement: The Centerpiece of Title I No Child Left Behind (NCLB) defines parental involvement as the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including and ensuring— that parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning; that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school; that parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child; and that other activities are carried out, such as those described in section 1118 of the ESEA (Parental Involvement). [Section 9101(32), ESEA.] The No Child Left Behind website at: http://www.nochildleftbehind.gov/

The Parental Involvement Policy Partnerships Matter The Parental Involvement Policy

Partnerships Matter: The Parental Involvement Policy Schools receiving Title I, Part A funds are REQUIRED to develop jointly with, agree upon, and distribute to, parents of participating children a written parental involvement policy. What is a Written Parental Involvement Policy? Our campus should have a written parental involvement policy that explains how the campus supports the important role of parents in the education of their children. Every campus that receives Title I, Part A funds MUST have a written parental involvement policy. We will now review and discuss our campus’ parental involvement policy so that each staff member will be aware of our campus’ expectations and commitments to involving parents throughout the school year.

The School-Parent Compact Partnerships Matter The School-Parent Compact

Partnerships Matter: The School-Parent Compact Schools served under Title I are REQUIRED to develop jointly with parents for all children served a school-parent compact, and the compact reflects the needs that are unique to EACH school. It must outline how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved academic achievement. What is a School-Parent Compact? Our campus’ compact must outline the means by which the school and parents will build and develop partnership to held children achieve the State’s high standards. In a compact, families and school staff agree how to work together. Everyone “owns” the responsibility of helping children achieve high academic standards. We will now review and discuss our campus’ school-parent compact so that each staff member will be aware of the responsibilities that are outlined for all stakeholders included in the compact.

School-Parent Compact: From Paper to Partnership The most critical step is moving the compact from planning to action. First, all stakeholders need to know about our compact and how they can get involved. Secondly, stakeholders will need constant reminders of how their daily activities (helping a student with homework or attending a meeting at school) fulfill the commitments in our compact. The compact is an action plan for student success and school improvement. Next, link the compact to action so that families, school staff, and the community see how the compact can work to make things happen in our school. Finally, use the compact to discuss student progress during parent-teacher conferences, to explain academic standards and expectations for all students, to support training for teachers and other staff to work effectively with families, and to help partners discuss their responsibilities in meeting the goals of the school.

School-Parent Compact: All Campuses Compacts SHOULD NOT be sent home to parents for signatures only, without discussion of it with the parent. Compacts SHOULD NOT be included in registration packets for signatures without discussing it with the parent prior to receiving signatures.

School-Parent Compact: Elementary Campuses ONLY Parent-Teacher conferences either face-to-face or via telephone are REQUIRED for discussion of the School-Parent Compact. (This is required by law. Title I, Part A, Section 1118) Teachers MUST keep a contact log to document discussion of the Compact with EACH parent.

Partnerships Matter Parental Involvement

The Benefits of Parental Involvement When parents are involved, students have… higher grades, test scores, graduation rates, and attendance rates. increased motivation and better self-esteem. decreased use of drugs and alcohol, and fewer instances of disruptive and/or violent behavior.

Parental Involvement: Barriers and Suggestions Parents and teachers have different ideas of what parent involvement looks like. Provide clear descriptions for volunteers. Survey parents to determine their areas of expertise and areas for which they desire to assist. Make expectations for involvement clear.

Parental Involvement: Barriers and Suggestions Parents encounter an atmosphere that is uninviting towards visitors in the school. Ask the following questions… Is your school inviting upon entrance? Has the front office staff received training on how to greet visitors? Are the administrators and teachers friendly, welcoming, and accessible?

Parental Involvement: Barriers and Suggestions Parents feel like communication from the school is negative or neutral. Contact parents with positive accomplishments about their child. Don’t let the first or only communication be when the kids are in trouble or the school is having a fundraiser.

Parental Involvement: Barriers and Suggestions Parents lack parental education and parenting skills. Provide trainings and support for parents in their parenting efforts without being demeaning. Read literature that helps you better understand cultural differences in parenting.

Parental Involvement: Barriers and Suggestions Job Pressures Plan school events at convenient times for parents who work various shifts. Offer the same training, meeting, and family night on different dates and/or times to accommodate parents’ work schedules. Work out times that parents can volunteer for long periods of time or short intervals.

Parental Involvement: Barriers and Suggestions Language barriers (Foreign language and/or Educational Jargon) Utilize a translator when necessary Send school notices home in all dominant languages spoken on campus. Be aware of the use of educational jargon when speaking to parents. When using educational acronyms such as STAAR, ITBS, IEP, etc. be sure to explain their meaning.

Partnerships Matter! to parents