“No! I don’t want to get involved!”Overcoming barriers to parent engagementData compiled by Susan Hamann; President-Elect, Oregon PTAPresented by Oregon PTA’s Executive Director, Carol Wire

Agenda

• What is parent engagement and why is it important?

• What are the challenges and barriers related to parent

engagement?

• How can I help parents at my site overcome these

barriers?

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4 versions of partnership

Review the four versions of Family-School Partnerships

•Partnership School

•Open-Door School

•Come-if-We-Call School

•Fortress School

Follow the instructions on the rubric and score your site.

•Where does your school fit?

•Where does your program fit?

•Is there a difference?

•Share your results with your table mates.

Source: Beyond the Bake Sale—The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships (2006)

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Why engage families?

Boost grades and test scoresImprove attendanceFoster positive social skillsIncrease graduation rates and increase higher education attainmentImproved relationships between parents and kidsImproved outcomes for after school programs

Source: Focus on Families! How to Build and Support Family-Centered Practices in After School. Harvard Family Research ProjectBuild the Out-of-School Time Network (BOSTnet). 2006

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Parenting: Helps all families establish environments to support

children as students

• Aligns with PTA Standard for Family-School Partnerships (#3)

• Supporting Student Success: Families and school staff continuously collaborate to support students’ learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively.

Sources:

Joyce L. Epstein, Ph.D., et. al., Partnership Center for the Social Organization of Schools

Ready, Set, Lead! PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships. 2009.

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Parenting: Helps all families establish environments to support

children as students

• Barriers and Challenges

• Information is not accessible to all families

• Translation and interpretation services are an added cost

• Information may be too academic

• Parent education opportunities should be linked to student success

• A family’s financial situation may not support the home environments being promoted

• Can they afford fresh, healthy food?

• Parents work in the evening (can’t be there to help with homework)

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Parenting: Helps all families establish environments to support

children as students

• Ideas:• Offer parent education opportunities• Parenting, language, healthy living, helping with

homework• GED, literacy, college credit

• Neighborhood meetings that help parents understand school• Offer parent/teacher conference success tips• Offer parent involvement ideas to the community• Newsletter articles• Signs at site• Local newspaper

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Parenting: Helps all families establish environments to

support children as students

• Outcomes for kids

• Increased respect for parents

• Higher self-esteem

• Better health

• Students feel supported at home

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Communicating: Design effective school-to-home and home-

to-school communications about school programs and children’s progress.• Aligns with PTA Standard for Family-School Partnerships

(#2)• Families and school staff engage in regular, two-way,

meaningful communication about student learning.

Sources: Joyce L. Epstein, Ph.D., et. al., Partnership Center for the Social Organization of Schools Ready, Set, Lead! PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships. 2009

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Communicating: Design effective school-to-home and home-

to-school communications about school programs and children’s progress.

• Barriers and Challenges:• Language – non-English speaking families

• Translation and interpretation are an added cost to programs

• Information sent home is:• Unclear

• Too academic, full of teacher-ese and acronyms

• Frequent communication adds to the work load of staff Ore

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Communicating: Design effective school-to-home and home-

to-school communications about school programs and children’s progress.

• Ideas

• Assist with parent teacher conferences

• Find translation and interpretation services

• Communicate frequently and consistently

• Sponsor events that reach all parents

• Events should allow staff and parents to mingle

• Provide a calendar of school events

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Communicating: Design effective school-to-home and home-

to-school communications about school programs and children’s progress.

• Outcome for kids

• Understanding of their own progress

• Understanding of school policies

• Informed decision making

• Awareness of role in communication

• Students as messengers of information

• Back pack mail Ore

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Volunteering: Recruit and organize parent help and support• ARTICLE: “It’s O.K. to Skip That Bake Sale” By Bruce Feiler• Barriers and challenges• Encouraging all families to participate• Scheduling• Working parents, parents with really little kids

• Training volunteers for specific tasks• Matching talents with needs of the program• School culture may not support parent volunteers• Article: “A New Breed of Volunteer Calls for a New

Volunteer Culture” by Thomas McKee http://www.ptaourchildren.org/ourchildren/20120809#pg1

• School climate survey

Sources: Joyce L. Epstein, Ph.D., et. al., Partnership Center for the Social Organization of SchoolsBeyond the Bake Sale—The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships (2006)

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Volunteering: Recruit and organize parent help and

support• Ideas• Recruit widely• Address school culture• Create a community room for:• Volunteer work• Meetings• Family resources

• Organize volunteers• Create schedules• Offer specific tasks

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Volunteering: Recruit and organize parent help and

support• Outcomes for kids:

• Builds communication skills between children and adults

• Targeted attention from volunteers builds skills

• Increased awareness of talents in the community

• Future occupations, hobbies

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Learning at Home: Provide information and ideas to help

students at home with homework and other curriculum related activities, decisions and planning.• Aligns with PTA Standard for Family-School Partnerships (#3)

• Supporting Student Success: Families and school staff continuously collaborate to support students’ learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively.

Sources:

Joyce L. Epstein, Ph.D., et. al., Partnership Center for the Social Organization of Schools

Ready, Set, Lead! PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships. 2009.

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Learning at Home: Provide information and ideas to help students at home with

homework and other curriculum related activities, decisions and planning.

• Barriers and Challenges• Leaving the responsibility to students to communicate HW

expectation, deadline and decisions

• Involving families in curriculum related decisions

• Language barrier

• parents may feel uncomfortable helping kids with homework• Parents may dislike/distrust academic world

• Parent time• Poverty stress, multiple children, multiple jobs or difficult working

hours

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Group Discussion• Parents without adequate resources often feel overwhelmed.

Families suffering from economic stress must address their own needs for food, clothing, and shelter before they can see clear to become more involved in their children’s education.

• Brainstorm some strategies with a neighbor.

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Learning at Home: Provide information and ideas to help

students at home with homework and other curriculum related activities, decisions and planning.

• Survey: How closely is your school’s parent involvement program linked to student learning?

• Ideas• Accessible information for parents

• Policies, guidelines, expectations, how to help with HW

• HW schedules

• Academic family activities at school

• Goal setting, college planning

• Open staff development to parents

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Learning at Home: Provide information and ideas to help

students at home with homework and other curriculum related activities, decisions and planning.

• Outcomes for kids• Gains in skills and abilities linked to homework

• Higher grades due to homework completion

• Higher self-esteem as a learner

• Kids feel supported at home

• Parent and school present a united front

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Decision Making: Include parents in school decisions,

developing parent leaders and representatives

• Aligns with PTA Standard for Family-School Partnerships (#5)• Sharing Power: Families and school staff are equal partners in

decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence and create policies, practices and programs.

Sources:

Joyce L. Epstein, Ph.D., et. al., Partnership Center for the Social Organization of Schools

Ready, Set, Lead! PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships. 2009

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Decision Making: Include parents in school decisions,

developing parent leaders and representatives

• SURVEY: How well does your school support parents as advocates?

• Barriers and Challenges• Parents leaders are reflective of the all the groups at the site

• Ethnic, SES, racial, LGBT

• Offering training that is accessible to all

• Including students in decision making

Sources:

Beyond the Bake Sale—The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships (2006)

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Decision Making: Include parents in school decisions,

developing parent leaders and representatives.

• Ideas• Organize parent groups (PTA!)

• Parent Advisory Council

• Site Council• How can parents support the school improvement plan?

• Committees• Site level district level regional level state level

• Engage in local elections• Candidates forum, education

• Create a parent involvement policy

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Decision Making: Include parents in school decisions,

developing parent leaders and representatives.

• Outcomes for kids• Students feel that their family has a voice

• Students’ rights are protected

• Benefits are linked to policies enacted by parents and experienced by students

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Collaborating with the Community: Identify and integrate

resources and services from the community to strengthen school programs, family practices and student learning and development.

• Aligns with PTA Standard for Family-School Partnerships (#6)• Families and school staff collaborate with community members to

connect students, families and staff to expand learning opportunities, community services and civic participation.

Sources:

Joyce L. Epstein, Ph.D., et. al., Partnership Center for the Social Organization of Schools

Ready, Set, Lead! PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships. 2009

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Collaborating with the Community: Identify and integrate

resources and services from the community to strengthen school programs, family practices and student learning and development.

• SURVEY: How well is your school sharing power and practicing democracy?

• Barriers and Challenges• Communicating with families about opportunities• Equity• Whose responsibility is it?

• Funds, staffing, locations

• Community contributions should integrate with program needs

Sources: Beyond the Bake Sale—The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships (2006)

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Collaborating with the Community: Identify and integrate

resources and services from the community to strengthen school programs, family practices and student learning and development.

• Ideas• Distribute resource information

• Alumni participation

• Reach out widely

• Resource fair

• Engage older adult community

• Press relaeses

• Service learning

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Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement• Collaborating with the Community: Identify and integrate

resources and services from the community to strengthen school programs, family practices and student learning and development.

• Outcomes for kids• Increased skills and talents

• Greater awareness of career options, education opportunities

• Linking resources to people who need them.

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Involved vs. Engaged• Whose energy drives it?• Involved: Ideas and energy come from the school/site.

• Engaged: Ideas and energy come from parents

• Invitation• Involved: “We’re” involving “them”

• Engaged: Starts with building relationships. Parents are challenged to do something.

• Roles of Parents and Staff• Involved: Families complete school/site directed tasks

• Engaged: Community organizers who do things for themselves with the support of the school.

Source: http://www.publicschoolinsights.org/LarryFerlazzoParentEngagement

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Questions? Comments?

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