2.  Review Objectives  It’s the Law  What works? Wagon Wheel Activity  It’s all about Customer Service  Guidelines for Successful Parental Involvement: Working with Parents of Students with Disabilities, a shared reading group exercise.  Benefits of Strong Parent/School Collaboration Agenda

3. Today’s Objectives:  New Teachers will create in writing a meaningful communication system to connect with parents within 2 weeks of the start of the school year based on literature provided.  New Teachers will develop in writing a process to ensure parental participation at IEP meetings and other school events based on whole group discussions.

4. Guiding Principles A shared belief in collaboration among families and service providers A committed effort to minimize the bureaucracy in the process Meaningful Parent Participation Indicators of Success Teams are constituted of required members who are prepared. The process of IEP development is individualized. The documents reflect the process used in the development. The documents are dynamic and responsive to changes in the child. The documents belong to the family. Evaluation and monitoring are vehicles for improvement of services. Denver Public Schools Division of Student Services, July 2012

5.  Review Objectives  It’s the Law  What works? Wagon Wheel Activity  Guidelines for Successful Parental Involvement: Working with Parents of Students with Disabilities, a shared reading group exercise.  Benefits of Strong Parent/School Collaboration Agenda

6. Free Appropriate Public Education: (FAPE) The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)/ No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) Exceptional Children’s Educational Act (ECEA) It’s the LAW It’s It’s the LAW

7.  Always participate with parents in a two-way, meaningful communication involving student’s progress, and other school activities including: Being actively involved Serving as full partners Providing effective Home-School Communication (in parent’s primary language) Connecting as a resource contact to incorporate community involvement KEY POINTS From: PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships: http://pta.org/National_Satndars.pdf

8.  Review Objectives  It’s the Law  What works? Wagon Wheel Activity  Guidelines for Successful Parental Involvement: Working with Parents of Students with Disabilities, a shared reading group exercise.  Benefits of Strong Parent/School Collaboration Agenda

9. Wagon Wheel Activity: (Count off A/B and form a circle) Share with your partner: (2 minutes) What steps do you take to get parents involved in the IEP process? “A Group”- Record responses from partners on chart paper Both Groups- Discussion and Reflection What works?

10.  Review Objectives  It’s the Law  What works? Wagon Wheel Activity  It’s all about Customer Service  Guidelines for Successful Parental Involvement: Working with Parents of Students with Disabilities, a shared reading group exercise.  Benefits of Strong Parent/School Collaboration Agenda

11.  Provide opportunities for ALL parents  Provide parent a copy of parental rights and safeguards  Keep your parents in the loop  Reach out to your parents and communicate with them as equal partners It’s all about Customer Service…

12.  Review Objectives  It’s the Law  What works? Wagon Wheel Activity  It’s all about Customer Service  Guidelines for Successful Parental Involvement: Working with Parents of Students with Disabilities, a shared reading group exercise.  Benefits of Strong Parent/School Collaboration Agenda

13. Guidelines for Successful Parent Involvement: Working with Parents of Students with Disabilities  Break into groups of 5  Each group will read and discuss a section of Guidelines for Successful Parent Involvement: Working with Parents of Students with Disabilities (6 minutes)  One member from each group will share a synopsis of their section and provide a brief description of group feedback/reflections

14.  Parents are the central contributor to their child’s education.  Each parent presents a level of involvement in their child’s education.  Parents are human.  Parents from different ethnic and racial groups may have alternative and important ways of supporting their children. Parents are

15. Guidelines to handle difficult situations…  An Ear, Not an Answer  Stay positive  There is an old saying that the best way to have the last word is to apologize  Verify the parent’s concern  Ensure the parent you will check into the situation, and follow-up with them (National PTA, Building Successful Partnerships, 2000; Countryman & Eggleston, 1994; Shartrand, Weiss, Kreider, & Lopez, 1997; National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education, 2002)

16.  Review Objectives  It’s the Law  What works? Wagon Wheel Activity  It’s all about Customer Service  Guidelines for Successful Parental Involvement: Working with Parents of Students with Disabilities, a shared reading group exercise.  Benefits of Strong Parent/School Collaboration Agenda

17. Benefits of Strong Parent/School Collaboration (National PTA, Building Successful Partnerships, 2000; Countryman & Eggleston, 1994; Shartrand, Weiss, Kreider, & Lopez, 1997; National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education, 2002) Students: * More positive attitudes toward school *Higher achievement, better attendance and more homework completed consistently *Higher graduation rates and enrollment rates in postsecondary education

18. Benefits of Strong Parent/School Collaboration Parents: * Greater knowledge of education programs and how schools work * Knowledge of how to be more supportive of their child *Greater confidence about ways to help children learn *More positive views of teachers *Greater empowerment (National PTA, Building Successful Partnerships, 2000; Countryman & Eggleston, 1994; Shartrand, Weiss, Kreider, & Lopez, 1997; National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education, 2002)

19. Benefits of Strong Parent/School Collaboration Teachers and Administrators: *Greater teaching effectiveness *Higher expectations of students * Increased ability to understand family views and cultures * Greater appreciation of parent volunteers *Improved morale *Greater sense of community (National PTA, Building Successful Partnerships, 2000; Countryman & Eggleston, 1994; Shartrand, Weiss, Kreider, & Lopez, 1997; National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education, 2002)

20. Benefits of Strong Parent/School Collaboration Communities: * Greater strength through collaboration with schools and parents * Greater impact of services through a comprehensive, integration approach * Increased access to services for families *Greater sense of community (National PTA, Building Successful Partnerships, 2000; Countryman & Eggleston, 1994; Shartrand, Weiss, Kreider, & Lopez, 1997; National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education, 2002)

21. Questions/Comments/Thought s

22. IEP Meeting Agenda and Student Directed IEP’s with Jared LeMieux