Parent Voice in Education Project

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Parent Voice in Education Project

• Final report
• March 2005

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Parent Voice in Education Project

• 20 parent leaders from across the province
• Representing all four public boards (English
  Catholic, English Public, French Public, French
  Catholic)
• Representing Ontarios regions (North, South,
  East, West)
• Experienced parent leaders
• We believe that there must be a new and
  fundamental commitment to parental involvement
  that connects the provincial level directly to
  parents at the school level. This new approach to
  parental involvement must be embedded at the
  Ministry level so that it can permeate the system

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Mandate

• Established by the Minister of Education on Nov.
  6, 2005
• To report to the Minister of Education on how to
  establish an independent, representative
  province-wide parent body that is accountable to
  parents.
• Body will serve as legitimate voice of parents at
  the provincial level in the development of
  provincial policy.
• Recommend how to develop parent involvement and
  participation in the education system at the
  local, regional, and provincial level and
  increase individual parent involvement in
  childrens education.

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Our principles

• The consultation process would be a genuine
  discussion with parents and we were prepared to
  listen
• We would reach out to as broad a cross section of
  Ontarios parents as possible
• We would have no pre-conceived ideas of the right
  answer
• All types and forms of parental involvement would
  be recognized and respected.
• Who participated?
• 1,150 submissions by parents, school councils,
  parent groups and educators
• 8 public meetings across Ontario
• More than 40 parent-organized meetings

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What we heard parents asking for

• Support for the grassroots level of the system,
  including school councils
• The parent voice heard and their involvement at
  the local level enhanced
• More consistent information about what their
  children are learning, along with information
  about what they can do to help
• More welcoming schools
• A more effective system of communication for
  parents
• Not another layer of bureaucracy or body that
  would filter or translate their voice 

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Key issues identified through the process

• A lack of ownership for parental involvement or
  ensuring the parent voice within the education
  system other than at the school level.
• The school council change initiative delegated
  responsibility to the school level, without
  consistent supports at the board level or the
  provincial level of the system.
• Many parents, teachers and principals would
  benefit from training and development to open
  channels of communication, and stimulate helpful
  forms of parental involvement
• There is a high degree of variability in
  commitment, support and capability for
• Maintaining an open and constructive two-way
  dialogue
• Stimulating parental involvement that supports
  student learning

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Recommendation 1

• We recommend that the Minister of Education
  champion the integral role of parental
  involvement in a childs education and that this
  be a key message in all communications to
  students, parents, educators and the public.

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Recommendations Summary

• Our recommendations would result in
• A new provincial Parental Involvement Policy that
  will encourage and make consistent parental
  involvement at all levels of the system
• An Office of Parent Involvement within Ministry
  to develop and support the implementation of the
  parental involvement policy
• An independent Board of Parents, appointed by
  parents, that will work to ensure that the parent
  perspective from the grassroots are securely
  linked to the Minister.
• Parental Involvement Advisory Committees in every
  school board to monitor and increase parental
  involvement
• Tools to help school councils reach out and
  involve more parents in school community
  including a new focus for the Ministrys
  District Offices to support and facilitate
  parental involvement and school councils
• Supports for principals, teachers and school
  boards to help them develop positive
  relationships with parents and school councils

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Ownership and responsibility for parental
involvement and the parent voice belongs at each
level within the system.

• Minister of Education
• Own and advance the agenda for parental
  involvement and the parent voice at all levels of
  the system

• Board of Parents
• Advisory board and a sounding board for the
  Minister
• Push the agenda for parental involvement and the
  parent voice

• Office of Parental Involvement
• Develop and support a provincial policy on
  parental involvement, and support the existing
  legislation on school councils
• Stimulate two way communications
• Stimulate and monitor progress at all levels of
  the system

• Ministry of Education District Offices
• Support and oversee implementation of the policy
  at the board and local levels
• Stimulate two way communications, organize town
  halls for the Minister
• Stimulate and monitor progress within the
  district

• School Board Level
• Assign ownership for the advancement of parental
  involvement and school councils to the Director,
  who may assign it to a senior level designate
• Establish a Parental Involvement Advisory
  Committee
• Establish protocols and execute communications
  and training / sharing of best practices for
  educators and parents
• Stimulate and monitor progress within the board

• School Level
• Develop annual plans for stimulating helpful
  parental involvement within the school, in
  conjunction with staff and the school council
• Enhance the role of school councils to become
  increasingly focused on stimulating parental
  involvement within their schools
• Understand school level issues preventing parents
  from becoming involved in their childs education
  in helpful ways, including cultural issues and
  language issues and develop strategies to reach
  out to parents
• Stimulate and monitor progress within the school

• Parents
• Participate in the education system as a partner
• Seek out the information required to effectively
  support children in the education system, and how
  to become involved in helpful ways
• Gain the skills to communicate effectively with
  school staff and address issues in a constructive
  and collaborative manner

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Resources

• How to get the PVEP Report
• Web site www.ontarioparentcouncil.org
• Email info_at_parentvoiceineducation.org
• Phone [phone]

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Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world. Indeed,
its the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead
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Thank you