Title I Parental Involvement Missy Moore, Title I Coordinator St. Tammany Parish School System

What does research tell us about the Influence of Parent Involvement? When schools work together with families to support learning, children tend to succeed not only in school, but throughout life. When families and schools cooperate, the results include: Higher grades and test scores Better attendance More homework completed Higher graduation rates/greater enrollment in post-secondary education ADD IT UP: Using Research to Improve Education for Low-Income & Minority Students. Poverty & Race Research Action Council (2001)

The most accurate predictor of a student’s achievement in school is not income or social status, but the extent that a student’s family is able to: Create a home environment that encourages learning Express high (but not unrealistic) expectations for their children’s achievement and future careers Become involved in their children’s education at school and in the community. Notes from Research: Parent Involvement and Student Achievement. San Diego County Office of Education 1997

School Parent Involvement Policy Each Title I funded school must develop and distribute its own written parental involvement policy that includes: Annual meeting Offer a flexible number of meetings Involve parents in planning, review and improvement of Title I programs Provide timely information regarding the programs Provide opportunity to submit dissenting views to LEA

School Parent Compacts Each Title I funded school must have a compact: developed jointly with parents of the school describes school and parents’ responsibilities. The compact must also address the importance of ongoing communication between teachers and parents. At a minimum: Parent-teacher conferences (at least annually) in elementary school, Frequent reports to parents on their child’ progress Reasonable access to staff and school

St. Tammany Parish Title I Schools NATIONAL NETWORK OF Partnership Schools JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY and St. Tammany Parish Title I Schools

School Model The NNPS School Model includes four essential elements: Action Team for Partnerships Framework of Six Types of Involvement One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships Program Evaluation Researchers and facilitators at the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University work with the members of NNPS to study the nature and results of involvement. NNPS aims to increase knowledge of new concepts and strategies; use research results to develop tools and materials that will improve policy and practice; provide professional development conferences and workshops; share best practices of parental involvement and community connections; and recognize excellent partnership programs at the school, district, organization, and state levels.

What is an Action Team for Partnerships? A team of 5-6 people (teachers, administrators, parents, community members, and others) that work to organize and sustain a program for parental involvement A team that helps to create a welcoming school environment for families A team that works to engage families and the community in ways that support student achievement and success All schools in the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) use an Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) to organize and sustain a program of school, family, and community partnerships. With an ATP, teachers, administrators, parents, community members, and others can work together to connect family and community involvement with school improvement goals. The ATP in each school aims to: Create a welcoming school environment for families Engage families and the community in ways that support student achievement and success

Six Types of Involvement: Keys to Successful Partnerships Parenting Communicating Volunteering Learning at Home Decision Making Collaborating with the Community Parenting Assist families with parenting skills and setting home conditions to support children as students. Also, assist schools to better understand families. Communicating Conduct effective communications from school-to-home and from home-to-school about school programs and student progress. Volunteering Organize volunteers and audiences to support the school and students. Provide volunteer opportunities in various locations and at various times. Learning at Home Involve families with their children on homework and other curriculum-related activities and decisions. Decision Making Include families as participants in school decisions, and develop parent leaders and representatives. Collaborating with the Community Coordinate resources and services from the community for families, students, and the school, and provide services to the community.

One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships Detailed information on activities Implementation of all of the Six Types of Involvement Dates, grade levels involved, preparations needed, persons in charge and assisting, and evaluation tools for planned are required Schools are asked for detailed information on the activities that the Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) will implement for all of the Six Types of Involvement to reach specific school improvement goals. There are two versions of the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships that a school's ATP may use or adapt – Form G and Form T. Both formats of the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships require ATP members to list the dates, grade levels involved, preparations needed, persons in charge and assisting, and evaluation tools to gauge results of the planned activities. Every year, the ATP should obtain reactions to and ideas for the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships from the School Improvement Team, PTA/PTO, faculty, parents, and others. Templates for the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships are in the NNPS Handbook and in .pdf form on the CD in the Third Edition which schools will receive once their membership has been processed.

Schools proceed step by step using the NNPS Partnership Planner to establish and strengthen partnership programs. Schools will receive the Partnership Planner after membership is processed.

What do I need to do? Set meeting dates for Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) Select members for ATP Develop a One-Year Action Plan for 2013-2014 Continue implementing your Action Plan

Documentation Send copies of the following to Lynn Johnson at the Covington Education Center (make sure that you have copies of each on file at your school also): Your school’s parental involvement policy One-Year Action Team Plan for 2013-2014 List of ATP members List of ATP meeting dates

SCHOOL-FAMILY-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS THE KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL-FAMILY-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS EPSTEIN’S SIX TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT Type 1 PARENTING: Assist families in understanding child and adolescent development, and in setting home conditions that support children as students at each age and grade level. Assist schools in understanding families. COMMUNICATING: Communicate with families about school programs and student progress through effective school-to-home and home-to-school communications. Type 2 Type 3 VOLUNTEERING: Improve recruitment, training, work, and schedules to involve families as volunteers and audiences at school or in other locations to support students and school programs. Type 4 LEARNING AT HOME: Involve families with their children in learning activities at home, including homework, other curriculum- related activities, and individual course and program decisions. DECISION MAKING: Include families as participants in school decisions, governance, and advocacy through PTA/PTO, school councils, committees, action teams, and other parent organizations. Type 5 COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY: Coordinate resources and services for students, families, and the school with businesses, agencies, and other groups, and provide services to the community. Type 6

Reaching Results for Students Studies show that each type of involvement promotes different kinds of results. Type 1 – Parenting Students improve when families are provided information on child development and school expectations at each grade level (e.g., to support student health, behavior, attendance). Type 2 – Communicating Students Increase awareness of their own progress in subjects and skills when teachers, students, and parents communicate about classwork. Type 3 – Volunteering Students gain academic skills that are tutored or taught by volunteers. Type 4 – Learning At Home Students complete more homework in specific subjects when teachers guide parents in how to interact on assignments. Type 5 – Decision Making Students benefit from policies and projects conducted and supported by parent organizations and partnership teams. Type 6 – Collaborating with the Community Students gain skills and talents in curricular, extra-curricular, and afterschool projects with community partners. EACH TYPE of involvement also can strengthen SPECIFIC RESULTS

Sample: How School Improvement Goals are Linked to a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships Improve student achievement in reading – PAGE 1 Family Reading Night Weekly interactive homework in reading and writing Parent/community volunteer book buddies and book talks Improve student achievement in mathematics – PAGE 2 Family Math Night After-school tutoring program in math PTA fundraiser for computer software Increase student attendance rates – PAGE 3 Family volunteers to phone parents of absentees Attendance and lateness policies in newsletter and Web site Family dinner with principal for improved attendance Strengthen the climate of partnerships – PAGE 4 Reformat the newsletter and Web site to be family-friendly Teachers’ walks in students’ neighborhoods or home visits Welcome back picnic before school starts in the fall

COMPLETE A FINAL COPY OF THE ONE-YEAR ACTION PLAN FOR PARTNERSHIPS YOUR ATP’s NEXT STEPS ? COMPLETE A FINAL COPY OF THE ONE-YEAR ACTION PLAN FOR PARTNERSHIPS 1. SHARE THE DRAFT and gather input from teachers, parents, the School Council, and others at school. MAKE FINAL REVISIONS on a paper or electronic copy. 3. PUBLICIZE THE FINAL PLAN in the school newsletter, on the Web site, at the next Open House Night, and in other ways. 4. GIVE COPIES TO ALL ATP MEMBERS and to the district facilitator who will assist your team.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? lynn.johnson@stpsb.org