Building Civic Capacity as a Strategy for Improving Parent and Community Involvement in Public Education

A presentation to the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education

February 29, 2012

,

Claudia L. Edwards, PhDSt John Fisher College

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… it’s something… You’re going to vote if you see your

parents voting. If you saw your grandmother voting, your

mother, your father. You’re going to vote, you know? Hey,

I’m going to vote, too, because it’s a family tradition, or

whatever you want to call it. It’s passed down. But if your

family isn’t used to, if you’re not used to seeing your family

voting, then you’re not going to go out and vote either. A

lot of black people don’t vote. Their grandparents didn’t

vote. Their mother didn’t vote. Their father didn’t vote, and

I don’t vote. I’m not trying to be funny…I don’t vote!Excerpts from community focus group

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Who Stole Public Schools from the

Public?A case study on parent and

community involvement

About the Research

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Traditional Schools of Thought on Parent involvement

Research on “involvement” focused on “parents”– Epstein; 2001; Sizer and Sizer (1999); Henderson and Mapp (2002)

Creative and effective ways to connect parent/family involvement efforts with student achievement

Parents working with schools to improve the performance of their own children’s education journey

Parents as “consumers” of public education

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What was in the literature on the public’s role in school and parent/community involvement

Identified patterns of re-segregation taking place in America creating apartheid schools in urban and suburban municipalities (Orfield and Eaton, 1996; Orfield, 2001; Orfield and Lee, 2004)

Research on building civic capacity as a strategy for improving public schools--Examined the politics of urban education (Stone, 1998; 2005)

Discussions on the importance of a fully engaged public prepared to take greater responsibility for holding officials and themselves accountable for high performing schools (Puriefoy, 2005)

Documented historical evidence of the “first Public” and how public engagement was a function of American democracy (Mathews, 2006)

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Turn in the Journey

Consulting project leads to new school-of-thought on community/school relations

Definition of key stakeholder groups for school administrators changed from “parents and families” to the “entire public”

Recognition of the public, including parents as “owners” versus “consumers” of public schools

New “buzz” word for school community relations shifted“Parent and family involvement” to “public engagement”

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Theoretical FrameworkEmpowerment theory

Freire, P. (2000)

Theory of civic capacityStone, C. N., Henig, J. R., Jones, B. D., and Pierannunzi, C. (2001)

Critical Race Theory Bell (1985)

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Research QuestionWhat are the conditions under which a diverse citizenry can be brought together around the aim of improving the performance of public schools in the city of Mount Vernon The study examined:

I. The extent to which there was a shared believe that public education was of value to the people

II. Public perception of the major problems facing the District

III. The potential for building a coalition in support of public schools

IV. Barriers that would have to be overcome to build a diverse coalition

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Case Study of the “Public” in the City of Mount Vernon

Method for Data Collection

In-depth Interviews Individuals (78)

Focus Groups (5)

Observations

Review of Documents

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Key Stakeholder Groups Interviewed

•Youth•North Side Residents •South Side Residents•Fleetwood Residents

•Not for Profit Organization

•PTA/ PTA Councils•Clergy

•Elected Officials•Appointed Officials•Business Community

•Administrators•Principals•Assistant Principals•Teachers•Safety Officers•School Nurses

Education specialists

General Influentials

Community At-Large

Community Based

Organizations

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Key Findings

The public has a deep commitment to the institution of public education

The public is un aware that public belongs to the Public –18% understood ownership

A public ill-equipped for the important role of self-governance

Public has little trust in the decision-making process for public schools—60%

Absence of school safety and the absence of leadership from all sectors— two leading factors impeding education reform

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Respondents’ Responses “How Do Things Get Done for Public Education in Mount Vernon?” by Stakeholder Group ______________________________________________

Stakeholder Group

Specialist

CBO CAL Influentials

Total

Formal Process 6% 3% 6% 3% 17%

Behind Closed Doors

11% 19% 8% 8% 47%

Combination 10% 6% 7% 6% 28%

Things Don’t Get Done

3% 0% 4% 1% 8%

Total 29% 28% 25% 18% 100%

Respondents’ Responses “Is that a good thing?”—A Follow-up Question to “How Do Things Get Done for Public Education in Mount Vernon?” by Stakeholder Group ______________________________________________

Stakeholder Group

Specialist

CBO CAL Influentials

Total

No 13% 19% 23% 4% 60%

Yes 11% 9% 2% 4% 26%

Sometimes 4% 6% 0% 4% 15%

Neutral 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Total 28% 34% 26% 13% 100%

Misguided attempts on the part of school board officials to manage a broken system versus overseeing systemic change

Public unaware of its role as owners of public schools

Public unprepared and ill-equipped to take its place as owners of public schools

Public prioritizes loyalty over accountability—an unwillingness to hold its elected and appointed officials accountable

Abandonment of the middle class

Key Findings on Major Causes for Disenfranchisement

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Signs of a “Public” Ready to Act____________________________________

Examples:

• Research findings show 92% of respondents saw value in a citywide effort in support of higher achieving schools

• Signs of increased civic capacity

• The establishment of a citywide coalition in support of public schools

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