Parent U-Turn Parents Gathering and Sharing Information for Quality Schooling

Who are we? And why are we here? 4 Mary Johnson 4 Emma Street 4 Toimicia Deffebaugh 4 Angelita Andrade 4 Valerie Muñoz These are our stories...

Mary Johnson 4 Parent, Leader, Activist, Politician 4 I want to improve my skills as a woman organizer in a male dominated field. 4 I want to become a better advocate for the kids in our community. 4 I want to empower parents for students’ rights.

Emma Street 4 Parent, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, Activist 4 I hope to leave a legacy behind for future generations.

Toimicia Deffeeaugh 4 Parent, Activist 4 I want to help parents get involved in their children’s education. 4 I want to give children positive guidance.

Angelita Andrade 4 Parent, Activist 4 I want to walk my children through the journey of their education and show them that I care about their future. 4 I won’t lose the faith before we make changes.

Valerie Muñoz 4 Parent, Activist 4 I have many children going to public school and it worries me that they won’t be prepared for their future. 4 I won’t give up until I see a good change.

Problem/Issue/Question O South High has many problems that need to be addressed by administrators, parents and community members. These problems include low test scores, low attendance, low teacher/child ratio, and a low percentage of teachers with credentials. Also, parent voices are not heard at South High. 3 How do the conditions of LA schools affect students academically and socially? 3 How can we change our community in order to promote a safe and effective educational environment for all students?

Methods 4 Surveys 4 Parent observation check-list 4 Observations 4 Interviews with Principals 4 Focus Groups 4 Talked to parents at home schools

Sample Survey Question 4 Do you think your student is receiving an education based on state standards?

Findings: Do you think your student is receiving an education based on state standards? Yes = 34 No = 44 Don’t Know = 22

Sample Survey Questions 4 Does your child’s school inform parents about state standards?

Findings: Does your child’s school inform parents about state standards? Yes = 35 No = 50 Don’t Know = 17

Sample Survey Questions 4 Is your child’s teacher fully credentialed?

Findings: Is your child’s teacher fully credentialed? Yes = 32 No = 22 Don’t Know = 49

Sample Survey Questions 4 Is the bathroom open and clean for students to use all day?

Findings: Is the bathroom open and clean for students to use all day? Yes = 45 No = 50 Don’t Know = 9

Parent Findings in Summary 4 Parents say that the A - G curriculum is not being taught. 4 Students say they have no access to counselors. 4 Parents report that facilities, bathrooms, and food are poor across the board. 4 Parents report that schools do not welcome parent involvement. 4 Parents and students are intimidated by teachers and administrators. 4 Parents don’t know what a quality education is. 4 Parents aren’t informed about California state standards. 4 Parents don’ t know if their child’s teacher has a credential or not. 4 Parents don’t know their rights or how to hold a school accountable. 4 Schools don’t inform students on college preparation.

Process Findings 4 Parents are too busy to stop and fill out survey 4 Parents are afraid/intimidated by surveys. Surveys and research are foreign to them. 4 Principals and schools are reluctant to answer questions and talk to parents. 4 Principals do not hold themselves accountable.

Moving Ahead 4 Sample School Accountability Report Card (SARC): Teachers Degrees: Bachelor’s, Masters/Above, Experience: School, District, New, 1-3 years, 4-6 years, 7-9 years, 10/more years. Teaching within area of degree: Teacher Average Daily Attendance: Teacher Identified as Failing: Teacher Turn Over Rate: 4 Parent Union 4 Parent Curriculum Training 4 Town Hall Presentation 4 Letter to Superintendent Dr. Harold Cebrun

What We Learned: In Summary 4 Credentialed teachers leave. 4 State standards are not taught. 4 Students aren’t learning and aren’t prepared for college. 4 There is not a lot of parent involvement. 4 A - G are not being taught.