Family InvolvementParents as Partners

Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships

Anne T. Henderson, Karen L. Mapp, Vivian R. Johnson, and Don Davies

Family-School Partnerships

When schools, families and community groups work together to support learning children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more.

Core Belief #1All parents have dreams for their children

and want the best for them

Assuming that all families want the best for their children is the first step in cultivating and maintaining strong partnerships.

To support families’ dreams educators must demonstrate their belief that parents can help them achieve them

Core Belief # 2All parents have the capacity to support

their child’s learning.

Parents are more motivated to support their children’s learning when they receive clear invitations and support from teachers and other school staff to be engaged, are confident about their ability to help their children, and are clear about what they should do to support their child’s learning.

Core Belief #3Parents and school staff should be equal

partners

Parents often see school staff as the “professionals,” who have the power to assign children to their teachers, dole out discipline, make the rules, and control access to desirable programs. As a result, parents may feel that they are supposed to help their children at home and come to school only when asked.

Core Belief #4The responsibility for building partnerships

between school and home rests primarily with school staff, especially school leaders

Reaching out to parents is easier for educators than “reaching in” to teachers and other staff is for parents. The principal and teachers must take the first step, especially when parents already feel intimidated by school staff.

Barriers to Achieving the BeliefsWhen the faculty and other staff are from a

different cultural and social background than students and their families, fears and feelings that people carry may prevent them from embracing these beliefs.

What are your barriers?

Developing RelationshipsThe school feels warm and friendlyPeople are accessibleSmaller is betterHonor families by recognizing their strengths and

contributionsAdopt a partnership philosophyEmbrace our familiesListen and respond to familiesMake parent-teacher conferences family friendlyAccentuate the positiveEmbrace families’ confidenceSet ground rules for involvement

Linking to LearningAll programs at your school should help

families:Get a clear idea of what their children are

learning and doing in classPromote high standards for student workGain skills to help their children at homeUnderstand what good teaching looks likeDiscuss how to improve student progress

Examples Back- to school nights/ Adopt a theme School grounds Book Fair Family fun nights/themes Parent group meetings / workshops

What’s new? Working in the classroom Student-led conferences Homework Safety Special Education Enrichment

Classroom visits Class meetings School newsletters Curriculum nights

Addressing DifferencesRecognize and support different forms of

parent involvement.Make sure there are no “hidden rules”Recognize, learn about and affirm all cultures

in the school.Connect families’ cultures to what students

are learning.Get to know your community and identify its

assetsAddress unequal resources

Sharing PowerThe starting point for teachers and

administrators to see families as partners and not simply as clients or guests.

Make sure parents are prepared to become effective members of councils and committees

Develop effective and meaningful policies and compacts.

Title I Requirements

1 % of Title I budget allocated for parent involvement95 % goes directly to school sites

District-level and school-level policies

School-Family compacts

District PolicyGoals for 2011 / 2012Provide a series of workshops on district

initiativesProvide updates on Title I initiatives through

the district websitesParticipate in School-a-brationTranslate district policy into SpanishProvide reimbursement for background

checksRecognize outstanding commitment to school

and family partnerships