BLUEPRINT TO ACCELERATE THE ACHIEVEMENT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN AND AFRICAN STUDENTS Focus Area #4–––Parent Engagement Champions: Bernie Rhinerson and Bea Fernández Staff: Bounhong Khommarath, Lori LaPointe, Pam Moorehead, Elneda Shannon, Dr. Pat Washington Revised from May 21, 2012 AAAE Taskforce Meeting A. All schools must have a parent center. B. Provide training in Family Engagement, Leadership, Advocacy and Parent Education. C. Train staff in outreach strategies to increase the participation of African American and African families at home, school and community. Action Plan

2  Identify space for a Parent Center on each campus  Assign a staff member to serve as the school contact for African American and African parents  Provide district training, resources and support to staff and parents Progress:  154 schools out of 179 completed a Parent Center survey in February (see page 2-3 of handout)  108 have parent centers at 3 levels of implementation  Schools identified a contact for the parent centers  The Parent Outreach and Engagement Department provides support and materials to help schools establish parent centers  Training is available to staff and parents  Webpage: A. Establish Parent Centers Focus Area #4 Actions––Parent Engagement

3 B. Provide Training in Family Engagement, Leadership, Advocacy and Parent Education Progress:  Project Ujima provided 13 parent empowerment seminars on the 2 nd and 4 th Thursdays of the month from 5:30–7:30 p.m.  108 parents/caregivers enrolled this year  477 cumulative parent/caregiver visits  506 children participated in child care and homework enrichment activities  Schools represented: (See page 4 of handout) 6 high schools 6 middle schools 22 elementary schools 13 atypical schools/other  Effective Black Parenting Workshops from February to June  46 parents participated in the workshops from these schools: Lincoln High, University City High Central Elementary, Fulton Elementary, Johnson Elementary Focus Area #4 Actions––Parent Engagement 3

Project Ujima Data Collection Focus Group Interviews––12 Participants B. Provide Training in Family Engagement, Leadership, Advocacy and Parent Education (cont’d) Parent Outcomes Increased positive communication with the school Established consistent homework routine in the home Change in discipline techniques Household more structured Improved interaction - children Increased advocacy for children Sense of belonging and empowerment Student Outcomes Improved grades Increased homework study skills Utilized tutoring services Increased confidence Increased self esteem More respectful and polite Increased sense of cultural pride

5 Focus Area #4 Actions––Parent Engagement Project Ujima Data Collection End-of-Year Evaluaton––33 Respondents B. Provide Training in Family Engagement, Leadership, Advocacy and Parent Education (cont’d)  27 parents indicated that their level of parent engagement in their student’s education had increased since they began participating in Project Ujima, 5 parents said it was the same, 1 parent said it decreased.  27 parents indicated that because of the information they had received in the program, parents felt better prepared to help their children academically and socially, 4 parents said somewhat better prepared, 1 parent said no better prepared and 1 parent did not respond.  From a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest, 25 parents rated the effectiveness of Project Ujima as high, 6 parents gave it a rating of 4, 1 parent gave it a rating of 3,and 1 parent did not respond.

6 Progress:  PREP (Parent Empowerment Education Program), based in Washington, DC, offered workshops for district families at Porter Elementary.  Oct. 8, 2011, Feb. 25 & June 2, 2012  115 parents and 37 students participated in October and February  35 African American parents attended the three workshops  A-G Requirements Workshops (Career Ready & College Preparatory)  328 parents participated at 14 schools sites  200 students from Knox Middle School  Somali Parent Workshops  67 parents enrolled with 94 cumulative visits at 14 schools :  Euclid, Fay, Ibarra, Marshall and Zamorano Elementary Schools, Mann Middle School, and Crawford High School as well as a Community Forum at Springfield College on University and 54 th. Focus Area #4 Actions––Parent Engagement B. Provide Training in Family Engagement, Leadership, Advocacy and Parent Education (cont’d) 6

7 Progress: The Family Engagement Network (FEN) helps staff and parent leaders increase the engagement of parents with an emphasis on working with under represented and refugee families.  FEN met Oct. 26, Nov.10, 30, Dec. 8, Feb. 8,16, May 16, 24.  FEN participants including: parent leaders (SSC, ELAC, PTA, etc.), interested parents, community organizers and staff : Parent Academic Liaisons, outreach coordinators, resource teachers, ELSTs.  Topics: Creating welcoming schools, recruitment, ways to support student learning, outreach for the beginning of the school year.  Participants provided AAAE Blueprint focus areas and shared outreach strategies to engage African American and African families.  Outreach information and materials are available on POE webpage. C. Train staff in outreach strategies to increase the participation of African American and African families at home, school & community. (cont’d) Focus Area #4 Actions––Parent Engagement

8 Actions Items for Focus Area #4 Actions––Parent Engagement 1.Schools with Level 3 parent centers will be asked to submit information about their center and to describe a successful event or strategy that focused on African American or African parents/caregivers. 2.Project Ujima seminars and Effective Black Parenting (EBP) workshops Identify a grant to expand services to families. Use data from parent evaluations to identify topics for next year. Create a marketing plan for EBP workshops. Produce a parent outreach document that outlines successful strategies. 3.Conduct workshops on High School Graduation and A-G Requirements at elementary and middle schools with high numbers of AA and A students 4. Family Engagement Network (FEN) Continue current level of FEN meetings and add afternoon meetings. Conduct two trainings using the parent outreach document (see 2) to help schools increase the participation of AA and A parents/caregivers. Recognition of National Parent Involvement Day-November 15, 2012: Provide schools with outreach strategies so that their site’s celebration is representative of all families, including African American and African parents/caregivers.

9 9 Focus Area #4 Actions––Parent Engagement Budget Realities  Limited Staff: Due to scheduling conflicts we may not be able to meet the requests of schools for days and times they would like for workshops.  Funding: Grant for Project Ujima expired this year. We may not be able to continue the seminars at the same level as this past year.  Transportation: Without funding, Project Ujima will not be able to provide buses for two fieldtrips to visit a university and a cultural institution as in past years. Supports Needed  Identify grants to help offset costs for Project Ujima seminars.  Funding for hourly teachers for Effective Black Parenting classes to meet the requests of schools.  Work with the Counseling and Guidance Department and offer Guiding Good Choices workshops at schools. Their grant provides materials, childcare, snacks, etc.  Work with Instructional Support Services to offer parent workshops on high school graduation and a-g university requirements.