Building Partnerships with Parents

NAPCS National Conference - June 21, 2012Perry White, Principal, Perry White Consulting

Lyman Millard, Communications Director, Breakthrough Schools

Breakthrough Schools

• Founded in 2010 by 3 of Cleveland’s top-performing charters

• K-8, 9 Schools, 1,850 students

• Reversed Achievement Gap

• BreakthroughSchools.org

Citizens Academy

• Founded in 1999

• 406 students

• 99% African American, 82% NSLP

• ~ 75% Single Parents

• Median Household Income: $22,000

Success Indicators

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 20110%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Parent Conference Attendance Rate

Success Indicators

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 201140

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

Cleveland (CMSD) Solon Citizens Academy

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY

EXCELLENT

Performance Index Score Trends

Success Indicators

3rd Grade Reading 98%Math 100%

4th Grade Reading 95%Math 95%

5th GradeReading 100%Math 98%Science 95%

Preliminary Ohio Achievement Data, 2012

Success Cycle

EngagementSuccess

Success Indicators

Success is More Than Numbers

Strategy

How We Did It

1. Its Starts with People

2. Think Developmentally

3. Framework for Goal-Setting

Your People

1. People People

2. Problem-Solvers

3. Clear Expectations

4. Accountability

Stages of EngagementFormal

PlanAd Hoc Plan

Regular Contact

Limited Contact

Limited Comfort and Trust

Limited Comfort and Trust

1. Do Not Feel Welcome in School

2. Do Not Trust Teachers or Staff

3. No Engagement

Limited Contact

1. Feel Welcome in School

2. Trust Teachers and Staff

3. Limited Interaction

4. Limited Change in Outcomes

Regular Contact

1. Feel Welcome in School

2. Trust Teachers and Staff

3. High Degree of Interaction

4. Limited Change in Outcomes

Ad Hoc Plan

1. Comfort and Trust Established

2. High Degree of Engagement

3. One or More Goals Established

4. Reactive Contact

Formal Plan

1. Comfort and Trust Established

2. High Degree of Interaction

3. Goals Established and Updated

4. Progress Regularly Evaluated

Framework for Goal Setting

1. Family’s Aspirations

2. Student’s Dreams

3. School’s Mission

4. Academic Standards

Make a Plan

1. Where the Student Is

2. Where We Want Them to Be

3. How Will We Get Them There

4. Roles & Responsibilities

Three Legs of Student Success

Student Success

Student

TeacherParent

Roles & ResponsibilitiesTeachers:

1. Work with Families to Set Goals

2. Communicate Progress

3. Set Conditions for Success

4. No Excuses

Roles & ResponsibilitiesParents:

1. Get the Child To School Every Day

Ready To Learn

2. Support the School

3. Advocate for Their Child’s Best

Interests

Roles & ResponsibilitiesStudents:

1. Take Responsibility for Learning

2. Come to School Ready to Learn

3. Respect the Learning of Others

Tactics

Who’s Job

1. Everyone’s

2. All the Time

Engagement Tactics - Teachers

1. Phones

2. Home Visits

3. ConferencesMy Achievement Plan

Phones

1. In Every Classroom

2. Calls Home As a Consequence

3. Calls Home as a Reward

MAPs

1. Academic Outcomes

2. “At School” Plan

3. “At Home” Plan

4. Regularly Updated

5. Regularly Communicated

MAPs

Home Visits

1. Before School Begins

2. Teacher Team

3. Set Mutual Expectations

4. Complete MAP

5. Demonstrate “Whatever it Takes”

Conferences

1. Twice a Year

2. Week-Long Schedule

3. Onus on Teachers

4. Discuss Progress Toward Goals

5. Update MAP

Other Tactics

1. Volunteers

2. Parent Advisory Committee

3. Board

Volunteers

1. 8-Hour Expectation

2. Track Hours, Follow-Up

3. Make Experience Meaningful

4. Recognition Ceremony

5. No Enforcement Mechanism

Parent Advisory Committee

1. Parent-Led

2. Monthly Meetings

3. School Business

4. Parent Concerns

5. Incentivize Attendance

Board

1. No More than Two Parents

2. Pick the Right Ones

3. Bring Parent Perspective into

Governance

4. Make Decisions in Best Interest of

ALL of the Students

Year-Long Cycle

Summer 1st Trimester

2nd Trimester

3rd Trimester

JUL• Class Assignments

AUG• Internal Goal-Setting• Home Visits, MAPs

SEP• Initial Assessments• PAC Meeting

OCT• Short-Cycle Assessments• PAC MeetingNOV• Conferences, MAPs• Short-Cycle Assessments• PAC MeetingDEC• Short Cycle Assessments• PAC Meeting

JAN• Retention Meetings• Mid-Year Assessments• PAC MeetingFEB• Short-Cycle Assessments• PAC MeetingMAR• Short Cycles Assessments• PAC Meeting

APR• State Assessments• PAC MeetingMAY• End-of-Year Assessments• PAC MeetingJUN• Final Report Cards• Volunteer Recognition• Preliminary State Scores

Questions?

Lyman Millard

lmillard@breakthroughcleveland.org

Perry White

Perry@PerryWhiteConsulting.com

216.346.5722

Resources & Materials

PerryWhiteConsulting.com

CitizensAcademy.org/sharing