1. 1 Family Network on Disabilities of Florida, Inc. 2735 Whitney Road Clearwater, Florida 33760 Phone: (727) 523-1130 Toll free: (800) 825-8687 E-mail: pirc@fndfl.orgpirc@fndfl.org Website: www.fndfl.org The Impact of Family and Community Involvement on Student Achievement

2. 2 National Center for Family & Community Connections with Schools Southwest Educational Development Laboratory A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement Annual Synthesis 2002 Anne T. Henderson & Karen L. Mapp http://www.sedl.org/connections/resources/evidence.pdf http://www.sedl.org/connections/resources/evidence.pdf

3. 3 The History of “Evidence” The Evidence Grows (1981) The Evidence Continues to Grow (1987) A New Generation of Evidence: The Family is Critical to Student Achievement (1994)

4. 4 Southwest Educational Development Laboratory SEDL's Free Publications by Subject - Community and Family Involvement in Student LearningSEDL's Free Publications by Subject - Community and Family Involvement in Student Learning

5. 5 The Bottom Line When parents are involved, regardless of their income or background, students are more likely to:  Earn higher grades  Score higher or tests  Attend school  Adapt well to school  Graduate  Go on to post secondary education

6. 6 The Findings

7. 7 Increasing the Quantity of Evidence  Positive Impact on Student Achievement Expanding the Scope of the Evidence  Effective Strategies for Making Connections  Community Organizing Efforts to Improve Schools

8. 8 The Positive Impact on Student Achievement

9. 9 “A positive and convincing relationship between family involvement and benefits for students including improved academic achievement” (p. 24) Findings On the Whole

10. 10 Positive findings were true for families across demographic categories such as –Race –Ethnicity –Educational background The Positive Impact on Student Achievement Findings Across Demographics

11. 11 Specific Benefits Identified –  grade point average –  scores on standardized tests –  classes passed –  behavior –  attendance The Positive Impact on Student Achievement Findings

12. 12 Having an engaged parent is not in itself a guarantee of high student achievement. Other Key Characteristics Needed –High expectations –Good curriculum –Quality instruction –School leadership The Positive Impact on Student Achievement Findings No Substitute for Good Teaching

13. 13 “Programs and interventions that engage families in supporting their children’s learning at home are linked to higher student achievement.” (p.25) The Positive Impact on Student Achievement Findings Schools Can Make a Difference

14. 14 “The more families support their children’s learning and educational progress (through the years) the more their children tend to do well in school and continue their education.” (p.30) The Positive Impact on Student Achievement Findings Cumulative Effects

15. 15 “Families of all cultural backgrounds, education, and income levels encourage their children, talk with them about school, help them plan for higher education, and keep them focused on learning and homework.” (p.34) The Positive Impact on Student Achievement Findings ALL Types of Families

16. 16 Effective Strategies for Making Connections

17. 17 “Programs that successfully connect with families and communities –Invite involvement, –Are welcoming, and –Address specific parents and community needs.” (p. 43) Effective Strategies for Making Connections Findings On the Whole

18. 18 Parents’ involvement is based on: –What parents think they are supposed to do –Parents’ confidence in their ability to help –Parent’s perception that the school & child want them to be involved Effective Strategies for Making Connections Findings WHY Parents Get Involved [Kathleen Hoover-Dempsey & Howard Sandler (1997)]

19. 19 What influences choices about “how” to be involved? –Parent self-perception (skills, ability, interest) –Demands on time and energy –Children, teacher/school specific suggestions and invitations for involvement Effective Strategies for Making Connections Findings [Kathleen Hoover-Dempsey & Howard Sandler (1997)] HOW Parents Are Involved

20. 20 Involvement of parents from economically distressed circumstances SOCIAL FACTORS –Parents own educational experiences –Their parents’ involvement when they were in school –Their beliefs about family involvement –Burdens of family responsibilities/time constraints Effective Strategies for Making Connections Findings [Karen Mapp (2002)] Economically Distressed Families

21. 21 Effective Strategies for Making Connections Findings [Karen Mapp (2002)] SCHOOL FACTORS - WHAT “When school staff engage in caring and trusting relationships with parents that recognize parents as partners in the educational development of children, these relationships enhance parents’ desire to be involved.” (p.45) Economically Distressed Families

22. 22 Effective Strategies for Making Connections Findings [Karen Mapp (2002)] SCHOOL FACTORS - HOW Processes by which relationships were formed Welcome parents Honor participation Connect with parents “Joining process” Economically Distressed Families

23. 23 “Parent involvement programs that are effective in engaging diverse families recognize, respect, and address cultural and class differences.” (p.48) Effective Strategies for Making Connections Findings Diverse Families

24. 24 Best practices to involve families from different cultural and social backgrounds: –Build on cultural values –Stress personal contact –Foster communications –Create a warm environment for parents –Facilitate structural accommodations Effective Strategies for Making Connections Findings

25. 25 Community Organizing Efforts to Improve Schools

26. 26 Community Organizing is: –Building a base of parents/residents who engage in action to address school issues –Focusing on change in schools using mobilization, direct action, negotiating, etc… –Supporting democratic decision making –Developing leaders from within –Building strong, lasting organization to alter power relationships that lead failing schools Community Organizing Efforts to Improve Schools Findings

27. 27 Community organizing contributes to changes in schools including: –Upgraded school facilities –Improved leadership and staffing –Higher quality learning programs –New resources & funding Community Organizing Efforts to Improve Schools Findings

28. 28 Build relationships so those holding power become more willing to share it. Build capacity of local school leaders to expand and share decision making. Broaden power base of families and community members Use rights of free speech, assembly, due process, and access to courts Change governance policies to give parents and community members a voice on key issues. Community Organizing Efforts to Improve Schools Findings Key Strategies

29. 29 Community Organizing Efforts to Improve Schools Findings Major Finding Organized initiatives are developing in low-income, urban areas and the rural south. They have contributed to changes in policy, resources, personnel, school culture, and educational programs.

30. 30 The Recommendations: Putting Findings into Action

31. 31 Recommendation #1 Recognize that ALL parents are involved and want their children to do well in school. –Assume that all families can help improve their children’s performance in school –Refrain from blaming families

32. 32 Create programs that will support families to guide their children’s learning (preK-High School). –Early Childhood Program Features Home visits Lending libraries Discussion groups with other families Classes on stimulating development Recommendation #2

33. 33 Guiding children’s learning (cont.) –Elementary & Middle School Age Interactive homework involving families Regular phone calls from teachers Learning packets with instructions Meetings with teachers to talk about progress –High school Age Regular meetings with teachers Information about program options, testing, graduation Information about financing postsecondary education Explanations of courses of study to prepare for college Recommendation #3

34. 34 Work with families to build their social and political connections. –Promote families’ connections –Translate communications –Offer childcare, transportation, etc… –Support families’ involvement in decision making –Give families information about the education system –Open the school to community meetings –Involve families in action research –Invite families to attend staff meetings & trainings Recommendation #4

35. 35 Develop the capacity of school staff to work with families and community members. –Design pre-service & in-service to: Help staff recognize advantages of school, family, & community connections Explore how to develop relationships with families Enhance staff ability to work with diverse families Enable staff to make connections with community resources Recommendation #5

36. 36 Link family and community engagement efforts to student learning. –Develop programs for parents to assist children in development of specific skills. Demonstrate an activity (role play) Give materials & advise on how to use them Help parents assess children’s progress Share ideas & knowledge between after-school staff and teachers Incorporate information on standards at open house Recommendation #6

37. 37 Focus efforts to engage families and community remembers in developing trusting and respectful relationships. –Relationships are key Respect cultural and class difference Allocate resources to build relationships Allow staff the resources and time to create and operate programs Recommendation #7

38. 38 Embrace a philosophy of partnership; be willing to share power with families. –Imbed families in comprehensive school improvement plans –Providing training for school decision- making groups on how to work effectively –Avoid using parents and community members to “rubberstamp” decisions Recommendation #8

39. 39 Build strong connections between schools and community organizations. –Work with community organizations (e.g. Boys & Girls Club, YMCA) –Open the school to groups/agencies that support families (e.g. health care, family literacy, job training, recreation, social activities) –Coordinate with efforts to reach families with community organizations including religious groups (e.g. neighborhood walks, focus groups, meetings with politicians) Recommendation #9

40. 40 The Evidence There is “strong and steadily growing evidence that families can improve their children’s academic performance in school. (p.73) The Evidence Continues to Grow

41. 41 Southwest Educational Development Laboratory National Center for Family & Community Connections with SchoolsNational Center for Family & Community Connections with Schools

42. 42 ED.gov Engaging Parents in Education: Lessons from Five Parental Information And Resource Centers-- Pg 7Engaging Parents in Education: Lessons from Five Parental Information And Resource Centers-- Pg 7

43. 43 The Research

44. 44 About the Studies 51 studies Range covering –Early childhood through high school –Diverse populations –Community as well as parent/family involvement –Different sources of data Sound methodological, experimental, quasi- experimental, or correlational design Findings that match the data collected

45. 45 About the Studies 3 Research Topics –Impact of parent & community involvement on student achievement –Effective strategies to connect schools, families, & communities *new topic –Parent and community organizing efforts to improve schools *new topic

46. 46 Early Head Start Project EASE (Early Access to Success in Education) HIPPY (Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters) Head Start Title I Parent Outreach Programs TIPS (Teachers Involving Parent in Schoolwork) Types of Programs in the Studies

47. 47 What the Studies Cover Evaluations of Programs Home vs. School Activities Home-School Interactions Family Use of Time Community Effects Culture and Class Community Organizing/Building Literature Reviews

48. 48 Defining Parent Involvement Studies included involvement at home & in school Many studies used some variation of Joyce Epstein’s 6 types –Parenting –Communication –Supporting School –Learning at Home –Decision Making –Collaborating w/Community

49. 49 Examples of Involvement Engaging in learning activities including checking homework Talking about school and what children are learning Attending school events & conferences Monitoring out-of-school activities Volunteering in school

50. 50 Examples of Student Achievement Attendance Report card grades Enrollment in advanced classes Standardized test scores Enrollment in advanced classes Teaching ratings of school adjustment Behavior & healthy development Reading/language performance

51. 51 Study Limitations Limited long-term research Limited number of experimental or quasi-experimental studies Small sample size Lack of rigorous standards in program evaluation Limitations inherent in use of survey data –Based on interviews/questionnaires –Determining “directionality” looking after the fact –Difficult to determine the “whys”

52. 52 Design and conduct research that is more rigorous and that uses more culturally sensitive and empowering definitions of involvement. –Use different types of research to shed light on all questions and issues in this complex field –Include information on practices to engage families in future federal data collection –Expand how family involvement is defined –Investigate a greater variety of forms of family and community engagement –Study how families attempt to influence schools and become more involved Research Recommendation Don’t forget to complete our online survey on the last slide!

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54. 54 Please Complete Evaluation For more information contact: 2735 Whitney Road Clearwater, Florida 33760 Office: 727-523-1130 or 800-825-5736 Fax: 727-523-8687 www.fndfl.org