Los Angeles Unified School District Specially Funded

1
Los Angeles Unified School DistrictSpecially
Funded Parent/Community Programs
DivisionParent Community Services
BranchPresented by Sylvia
RuizAdministrator
Parent Engagement
2
Partners in Education

• Build trust and confidence between parents and
• educators
• Parents play a different role in and around
  school
• Find ways parents can become constructively
• involved
• Checklist for gauging schools strengths and
• weaknesses

3
Parent Participation and Parent Involvement

• Participation
• To take part in activities with others
• Involvement
• The act of taking part in an activity or event
• Engagement
• To be totally associated or concerned to engross
  or occupy absorbingly

4
Partnership

• Creating a successful family school partnership
  is not easy!
• It takes more than lip service. It takes
  motivation and encouragement on the part of
  staff.
• It takes willingness and commitment on the part
  of families.
• It takes extra energy from E V E R Y O N E !

5
Parents Role in Education

• As Partners Performing basic obligations for a
  childs education
• As Collaborators Problem Solvers reinforcing
  school efforts and helping to solve problems
• As Audience Attending and appreciating
  performances and productions

6
Parents Role in Education

• As Supporters Volunteers in classrooms and
  parent organizations
• As Advisors or Co-Decision Makers Provide input
  on school policy and progress through membership
  in ad-hoc or governance bodies and advisory
  committees such as SSC/CEAC/ELAC

7

• First and Primary Educators
• Language, values, social skills, lifestyles and
  cultures
• Regular activities and contacts which are the
  core of family-school partnerships
• Enrollment requirements, paperwork, vaccinations,
  medical exams
• Daily preparation, proper rest, getting dressed,
  having breakfast, daily attendance and
  punctuality
• Read and respond to written communications and
  phone calls regarding schedules, procedures,
  special events and policies
• Sign permission slips, information forms and
  report cards
• Attend parent/teacher conferences and special
  events

8
Taking a critical look at the way schools
communicate with parents may have
the greatest potential for strengthening the
partnership

• Parents encourage and reward satisfactory
  achievement and behavior
• Show interest in what happens daily
• Share educational culture and the importance of
  education
• React to-absences, homework, truancy, policy on
  TV and bedtime
• Stimulate and reinforce learning through
  enrichment activities
• Read to children
• Take trips to museums, library and botanical
  gardens
• Discuss possible careers and higher education
• Potential to help school personnel to resolve
  learning / behavior problems
• Can provide background information regarding
  health/family problems
• Can work with staff to develop strategies for
  intervention/enrichment

9

• Schools need to consider whether their current
  policies and practices hinder or facilitate
  parent involvement in effective problem solving
• Developing successful problem solving practices
• Early intervention
• Better behavior improves student achievement
• Prevent need for special education placement
• Create more orderly school environment

10

• Largely a passive role
• Listen, observe, applaud and question
• Designed to provide information through direct
  personal knowledge of the school
• School personnel needs to help parents feel
  comfortable and familiar with the school so that
  they can support their childs adjustment and
  progress, especially minority and low income
  parents

11
Parent to Parent Activities

• These Parent to Parent activities are quite
  valuable and need to be encouraged. They can
  indirectly help further the goals of the school
  and safeguard the well being of the student.
• Provide a wide range of volunteer services
• Fund raisers, to deal with emergencies
• Share special expertise such as tutoring
• Volunteering/monitoring in and around the school
• Performing clerical and custodial duties
• Carpooling school enrichment activities
• informal sharing of information to understand
  child development, learn discipline and
  communication techniques
• Cooperative childcare
• Safe block homes, hotlines for children
• Hospitality committee new or non-English parents
• Support action groups MADD/SADD
• Parent Peer Groups
• Parent Advocate Training (Special Education)
• Parent Center activities

12
Training and Clear Communication

• With training and clear communication parents can
  play a useful and helpful role in the governance
  of schools and the achievement of students
• Conducting School-wide Needs Assessment
• To work out solutions to school-wide problems and
  develop strategies to address them and help
  introduce a new policy or curriculum
• Personnel selection
• Give input or make decisions about budgetary
  items

13
Principles of Effective Partnerships

• Every aspect of the school climate is open
  helpful and friendly
• Communications are frequent, clear and two-way
• Parents are treated as partners in the
  educational process, with a strong role to play
  in their childrens learning and behavior
• Parents are encouraged to comment on school
  policies and share in the decision making process
  on meaningful issues

14
Principles of Effective Partnerships

• The school recognizes its responsibility to
  develop partnerships with all families
• The Administration promotes and encourages the
  philosophy of Family Partnerships
• The school encourages volunteer participation
  from parents and the community

15
Understanding When mutual interdependence is
established real relationships can develop

• Positive and strong home-school relations provide
  the climate in which parent involvement
  activities flourish. These are essential
• Trusting persons will readily collaborate
• Promote two-way communications
• Reach all parents
• Children will integrate the separate experiences
  of home and school
• Families provide reinforcement and support
• Schools provide services and expertise

16
Basic Procedures

• Provide at least half coordinator-ship
• Assess together needs and resources
• Develop a common understanding about roles of
  parents and staff
• Recruit parents actively select and assign them
  carefully
• Provide training for parents and staff
• Allow frequent opportunities for evaluation and
  feedback

17
Barriers

• Turf battler staff / teachers
• Logistics when?, where?, who?, how?
• Attitudes
• Time
• Funds
• Safety
• Childcare
• Transportation
• Translation

18
The Strength and Quality of Parent Involvement is
determined by the Attitude and Behavior of the
School Staff!