1. Northwest Service Cooperative June 22, 2011
School, Family and Community Partnerships Developing, Implementing, Evaluating and Revising
Northwest Service Cooperative
June 22, 2011

2. (Learning Point Associates)
Mission Statement
We are dedicated to helping educators improve student learning by equipping them with research-based strategies and services that meet their needs and produce results. As leaders in our field, we strive to be the first choice of educators seeking proven, timely, accessible, and cost-effective solutions to the challenges they face.
(Learning Point Associates)

3. Wake Up Our day will begin with a brief “warm up” activity.
Work alone on the “brain-teaser” puzzle for two minutes.
How many puzzles were you able to solve?
HANDOUT: Are Two Heads Better Than One? Puzzle sheet

4. Are two heads better than one?
Now, work with others at your table for two minutes.
How did working together compare with working alone on this activity?
Working with a partner made the task easier
We used each other’s ideas, skills and talents.
I didn’t feel totally responsible for completing the task.
It was more fun.
HANDOUT: Answer key

5. School, Family and Community Partnerships
The same results occur when teachers, parents, students, and others work together to develop an excellent program of school, family and community partnerships.
Today, we will focus on how to plan, implement, monitor progress and increase the number of families that are involved in their children’s education.

6. Session Goals
Review SIP/DIP expectations/requirements for parent involvement
Examine ways to translate the research base for building effective school, family and community partnerships to action using Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement
Review and summarize results of your Partnership Inventory
Develop an Action Plan for “next steps” in building your research-based partnership program

7. Why evaluate?
When activities are evaluated, outreach to families should increase, and the quality of the partnership program should improve from year to year.
Helps shift interactions with families from “accidental and peripheral” to well-planned and intentional
Evaluation is not viewed solely as or measured only by “bodies in the building.”
HANDOUTS??? Evaluation samples?

8. SIP: Evaluating Parent Involvement
SIP Element 6:
6. Promote effective parent involvement strategies Include strategies to promote effective parental involvement in the school
a) Identify research-based or best practice strategies used to increase parent involvement, including new efforts and enhancements to existing strategies.
b) Explain how these effective parent involvement strategies will contribute to improved student learning in the specifically cited area(s).
c) If continuing in School Choice, SES, Corrective Action, Pre-Restructuring or Restructuring, describe the process to evaluate parent involvement strategies.

9. DIP: Evaluating Parent Involvement
DIP Element 6:
6. Promote effective parent involvement strategies Include strategies to promote effective parental involvement in the school
a) Identify research-based or best practice strategies used to increase parent involvement, including new efforts and enhancements to existing strategies.
b) Explain how these effective parent involvement strategies will contribute to improved student learning in the specifically cited area(s).
c) If Continuing in Need of Improvement or Corrective Action, describe the process to evaluate parent involvement strategies.

10. Appendix B-
Element 6: Describe the process to evaluate parent involvement strategies being implemented. If strategies are not effectively engaging parents, especially from identified student groups, what new research-based strategies are proposed, in cited areas?

11. SIP-DIP RUBRIC
6. Promote effective parent involvement strategies
Distinguished
Proficient
Needs Revision
* Strategies are identified that are effective based on research and best practice and an evaluation process is evident
* Strategies are identified to inform families about continuous academic progress, especially in cited area(s)
* Strategies are identified that are effective based on research and best practice (and include a process for evaluation when completing Appendix B,C, D or E)
* Strategies are identified and linked to improving student learning in cited area(s)
* Strategies are not identified or unclear to promote effective parent involvement
* Strategies are not identified or are not linked with improving learning in cited area(s)

12. Research Base
“Is the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) a research-based model?”
The term is important for all school improvement programs and for the No Child Left Behind requirements for parental involvement. Just as educators want research-based curricular and instructional approaches, they also want family and community involvement programs to be based on solid knowledge and tested tools.

13. The answer-YES!
NNPS is research-based. NNPS's framework of six types of involvement, emphasis on teamwork, planning forms, evaluation tools, and other strategies and materials are based on the results of research conducted over twenty years by NNPS and other researchers.
NNPS research is on-going

14. What Research Says….
Parents vary in how much they presently are involved.
Parents are concerned about their children’s success in school.
Students need multiple sources of support to succeed in school and in life.
Schools must reach out in order to involve all families.
Some teachers and administrators are initially resistant to increasing family involvement.
Teachers and administrators in schools and districts need inservice, preservice, and advanced education on partnerships.
Subject-specific practices involve families in ways that directly assist students’ learning and success.
Partnership programs are most effective if they are research-based, customized for each community, evaluated, and continually improved to help meet important goals for students.
Think-Pair-Share:
Think about…whether or not these findings pertain to your school/district and your experiences.

15. Framework of Six Types of Involvement

16. Shifts in thinking….
School, family and community partnerships is a better term than parental involvement.
School, family and community partnership is a multidimensional concept.
A program of school, family and community partnerships is an essential component of school and classroom organization.
Programs of school, family and community partnerships require multilevel leadership.
Programs of school, family and community partnerships must focus on increasing student learning and development.
All programs of school, family and community partnership are about equity.
The concept of “partnership” recognizes that parents, educators, and others in the community share responsibility for student’s learning and development.
A framework of six types of involvement-the result of research and exemplary practices-helps schools develop programs that involve families in many different ways.
No longer off to the side, family and community involvement must be planned and evaluated just as any aspect of school improvement.
District leaders play important roles in establishing a “culture of partnerships,” and in assisting ALL elementary, middle, and high schools in the district to develop and sustain programs that involve students’ families in productive ways.
No longer partnerships for partnerships sake…purposeful and productive practices, linked to important goals for students in order to help improve attendance, achievement, behavior and other indicators of success in school.
Need to develop programs with practices that engage ALL families in all communities, not just parents who are easy to reach.
HANDOUT: VIDEO REACTION LOG
PD360 VIDEO: ANNE FOSTER Part 1: Parent Engagement

17. Overlapping Spheres of Influence
The theory behind the work on partnerships states that children learn and grow at home, at school, and in the community.
Students develop best when people in these three contexts work together as partners….as evidenced in countless studies.

18. 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.
HANDOUT: SIX TYPES/KEYS and Handout: Pg. 16 Research shows that the six types of involvement are important for helping educators, parents and other family members and the community work as partners in children’s education.
The six types or “keys” to involvement create a comprehensive program of school, family and community partnerships.
Activities for the six types of involvement, parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with the community are conducted within the overlapping areas of the spheres of influences model….they show how home, school, and the community share responsibility for the students success.
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

19. Carousel Sharing
With your partner, you will initiate the creation of an informational poster about your assigned partnership key.
Your poster should provide a clear understanding of the partnership key, including the challenges and “redefinitions.” Feel free to be creative! Symbols, images, etc.
After you have initiated the poster, each team will rotate around the room, spending 2-3 minutes at each poster.
Continue to embellish and enhance the posters as you rotate around the room. Record your ideas and thoughts about each teams’ work directly onto each poster.
Pass the marker responsibility back and forth as you work around the room.
When you arrive back at your own poster, read how others have responded to and enhanced your work.
Handout: Six Type Summary packet

20. Take a Break
Estimated time: 10:15-10:30

21. Meeting the Challenges

22. Challenges & Redefinitions
Most schools conduct some activities for the six types of involvement, but most schools do not reach all families, at all grade levels, in ways the are family friendly, and that produce results.
Schools must work to meet challenges and reach all families in order to have a successful partnership program.
“Redefinitions” are needed to look at common involvement activities in new ways.
Handout: Pg. 17 Challenges and Redefinitions

23. Jumping Hurdles
Select one person to the recorder and one person to report to the whole group.
With your team, identify ONE very successful family or community involvement activity at your school/district.
What challenge(s) arouse? How was the challenge solved?
How would you improve the activity if it were conducted again.
Used the “Jumping Hurdles” form to record your responses.
Handout: Jumping Hurdles

24. School, Family and Community Partnership INVENTORY Results
Take about minutes to examine the results of your Partnership Inventory.
Feel free to make notes, jot down your observations/thoughts.
Handout: Inventory results for each school/district

25. Element 6-Notes
Describe the process to evaluate parent involvement strategies.
How are the six types of involvement presently covered or conducted at your school/district?
What similarities or differences do you notice across grade levels? What activities should be implemented across grade levels, or be modified from grade to grade?
Describe the role of the student in the partnership activities.
How well do your partnership activities reach all families?
Where are your strengths? What needs do you notice?
How does your current parent involvement policy align with this framework? How might you adjust your policy to reflect the six types of involvement?
What are some possible NEW action steps you might take?
Other insights/observations?
Handout: Notes form for Element 6
OR, do electronically?

26. Lunch

27. Reaching Results

28. Results for Students, Parents and Teachers
By focusing on results, family and community involvement can contribute to the attainment of school improvement goals.
Each of the six types of involvement produces different results.
It is vital to link the six types of involvement to specific, desired results
Handout: pg. 18 EXPECTED RESULTS

29. Better social skills and adjustment to school
For STUDENTS
Higher grades and test scores
Better attendance
Improved behavior at home and at school
Better social skills and adjustment to school
More classes passed and credits earned
Increased enrollment in more challenging
academic programs and graduation on time

30. For PARENTS and other parents and effective responses to problems
Stronger sense of support from school
and other parents
More awareness of student progress
and effective responses to problems
Increased self confidence about guiding
student through school
Appreciation of teachers’ work and skills
Increased feeling of ownership of school

31. For TEACHERS Increased respect for families’ strengths and efforts
Increased understanding of families
goals for their children
Greater readiness to involve all families
in new ways
Use of community resources to enrich
students’ experiences
Increased satisfaction with teaching

32. TYPE 1 TYPE 2 TYPE 3 TYPE 4 TYPE 5 TYPE 6 READING GOAL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EXAMPLES
for a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships
to IMPROVE READING ACHIEVEMENT
READING GOAL
TYPE 1
Workshops for parents on various ways to read aloud with
young children
TYPE 2
Parent-teacher-student conferences on reading goals and
reading progress
TYPE 3
Reading-partner volunteers, guest readers of favorite stories, and other organized, ongoing read-with-me activities
TYPE 4
Family Reading Night to demonstrate reading strategies for parents and grade-specific activities to conduct with students at home
TYPE 5
PTA/PTO support for a family room or parent center to provide information on children’s reading, and to conduct book swaps,
make book bags for read-at-home programs, and sponsor other reading activities
Handouts: Math and Reading Examples Elementary and Middle School
TYPE 6
Donations from business partners of books for classrooms, for the school library, and for children to take home
…AND MANY OTHER IDEAS FOR EACH TYPE OF INVOLVEMENT

33. TYPE 1 TYPE 2 TYPE 3 TYPE 4 TYPE 5 TYPE 6 MATH GOAL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EXAMPLES
for a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships
to IMPROVE MATH SKILLS
MATH GOAL
TYPE 1
Workshops for parents to explain new math standards and tests, and to demonstrate and discuss how math skills are taught to students
TYPE 2
Articles for parents in school or class newsletters or posted on the school Web site by students and math teachers on interesting math topics and skills
TYPE 3
Volunteer math tutors to assist students who need one-on-one tutoring and extra help with specific math skills
TYPE 4
Weekly interactive homework assignments for students to demonstrate mastery of a math skill for family partners and to discuss how each skill is used in everyday situations
TYPE 5
PTA/PTO-sponsored Family Math Night for fun and learning
TYPE 6
After-school programs funded by business and community partners to provide students with extra help and enrichment activities in math
…AND MANY OTHER IDEAS FOR EACH TYPE OF INVOLVEMENT

34. Handout: Goal sheet

35. National Network of Partnership Schools
Need ideas??? Click on “Table of Contents” to access document

36. What does a good action plan include?
Student centered goal linked to cited area(s)
Desired results-Specific, quantitative, and measureable
Success indicators-What tools will you use to measure the desired results? (formal, and informal measures)
Partnerships-How are parents, other family members or community involved?

39. Action Plan for student success
One person should record your ideas
Identify ONE important academic goal for students . This goal will be directly from your SIP/DIP Plan
Measurement tools-again, specific
Activities-describe in detail (ie. Newsletter will include a new math skill for each grade at least one time a month vs. “newsletter.”

40. HANDOUT: BLANK ACTION PLAN

41. Action Team for Partnerships
Improvement or AYP Leadership Team
Action Team for Partnerships (ATP)
guides action to increase family and community involvement by writing an annual Action Plan for Partnerships linked to SIP goals.
AYP Leadership or School Improvement Team oversees
the school’s ENTIRE School or District Improvement Plan (SIP/DIP).
This team meets at least monthly
to discuss all programs, assess
progress, and plan next steps to
attain goals in the SIP/DIP.
ATP meets monthly to discuss
the schedule of family and
community involvement activities,
assess progress, and improve plans.
Mention Requirements for AYP plan team/parent
This team hears all committee reports and assists committees in helpful ways.
ATP is one committee that reports plans and progress to the School Council for advice and support.

42. Feedback-CEU’s
Thank you for your feedback. Your comments and suggestions will be used to plan future sessions.

43. Professional Reflection (aka…Homework)
Professional Reading: Why Some Parents Don’t Come to School (Finders & Lewis, 1994) AND/OR, Breaking New Ground: Data Systems Transform Family Engagement in Education (PTA, 2011)
Refer to PLC Article discussion guidelines-How might you share these resources with your staff?
Check out the Parent Involvement resources on the Northwest Service Cooperative site:

44. References
Epstein, J. L. (2009). School, family, and community partnerships: your handbook for action (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Finders, M., & Lewis, C. (1994). Why some parents don't come to school. Educational Leadership, 51(8), Weiss, H. B., Lopez, M. E., & Stark, D. R. (2011, January). Breaking new ground: Data systems transform family engagement in education. Harvard Family Research Project. Retrieved June 21, 2011, from

45. Northwest Service Cooperative AYP Team
Kyle Erickson
Becky Smith
Toni Cox