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DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 133,796
,BA 009 011
AUTHOR
Davies, Don, Ed.
Schools Wheze Parents Make A Difference.
TITLE
INSTITUTION
Institute for Responsive EduCation, Boston, Mass.
PUB TATE
16
160p.
MOTE.
AVAILABLE FROM
Institute for Responsive Education, 704 Commonwealth
Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 ($3.95, orders
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DESCRIPTORS
American Indians; *Case Studies (Education); Change
Strategies; Citizen Participation; Community Schools;
Educational Alternatives; Elementary Secondary
Education; *Parent Participation; Parent Role;
*Program Descriptions; *School Community Programs;
*School Community Relationship; School Integration
ABSTRACT
This book presents 11 case studies that demonstrate
successful efforts to improve education through building new
relationships between schools and communities. In addition to
preeenting the case studies, the book also contains au introductory
chapter that discusses the potentials and pitfalls of local efforts
at participatory democracy, as well as a final chapter that
summarizes theoretical and practical lessons drawn from the case
studies and from the experience of the Institute for Responsive
Education. The individual chapters include the following:
"Introduction"; "Pluralism Goes Public: How Lagunitas, California,Did
It"; "Parents and a Dream School"; "Fight for Community Schools ii)L
West Virginia"; "Learning in Louisville Is a Two-Way Street";
"Parents 'Plus Principal: Key to SuCcessful Desegregation in Boston";
"School Community Adirisory Councils: Los Angelee.Road Toward. Citizen
Itvolvement"; "The LiOn and the CrCket: The Makind. of Militants in
Crystal City, Ttxas"; "Indian Parents Strive for Community Control:
The Story of Three Indian Schools"; "The Milwaukee Fedtiation of
Independent Schools"; "Alternatives in Public Schools: Minneapolis
Experiment"; "Citizens Act to Change Schools"; -and "PerSpectives and
Future Directions." (JG)
k
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I/
Edited by Don Davies
Institute for Responsive Education
2
1976 by the institute for Resaonsive Education
704 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02215
(617) 3534309
Acknowledgments
This book is the prodiict of the work and talent
of many people. Most importantly, of course, are the
journalists and writers who prepared chapters one
through eleven. They write with a liveliness, clari-
ty, and wit sometimes missing from books about
.,
schools.
is due to Bill Weber, who was
Special crech
Associate Director of the Institute for Responsive
Education during part of the time the book was be-
ing prepared. He cOntributed
the conceptw:d
to
development of the
book, making arrangements
with many of the authors, helping select the cases to
be included, and contributing editorial support for
many of the chapters.
Miriam Clasby, now I.R.E. Associate Diiector,
and Bill Burges, program associate, cantributed im-
portantly to the deVelopment and writing of Chap-
ter 12. Robert WohV'orth, formerly with Farrar,
Straus, & Giroux, Inc., served as adviser and consul-
tant. Barbara Prentice, I.R.E.'s director of publica-
Hans, did her usual excellent work in editing and
handling publishing arrangements.
I: am grateful to Mike Franklin who designed
the cover, and to Janet Starble for her proof reading
and production assistance.
I want to extend particular thanks to the scores
of parents, citizens, and educators across the coun-
try ,who contributed their time and ideas to the
book.
I want to single out four individuals whose con-
fidence; ideas, and support have made this book
possible: Norrn'an and Karen Stone of Woodside,
California; Hon. Mary Conway Kohler, Director of
the National Commission on Resources for .Youth;
.and Mrs. Elizabeth Meyer Lorentz, I.R.E. Board
Chairperson.
The editor
4
Other I R.E. PublliatIons
Cition Action in Education, quarterly journal of the Institute or Re-
sponsive Education. New models and ideas for citizen involve ent in
schools from Alaska to Florida are repprted for citizens aud school people
wanting to increase citizen involvement in school decision making.
$SOOfIyea
The Community at the Bargaining Table, by Seymour Sarason .a d an
ess
I.R.E. study team, 1975. Citizens are locked out of the bargaining pr
= which determines a widening scope of education policy. This report pro-
bargaini
poses five alternative models for community involvethent in
$ .60
Tagether: Schools and Communities, by Miriam Clasby and "JoA ne.
Lema, 1975, is a handbook and resource directory developed from a p oj-
ect in Massachusetts to study and encourage school/community collaboa-
tion. Includes suggestions for advisory,councils, organizations, and sch ol
$4
and community people interested in "getting it together."'
ll
.*Facts for a Change: Citizen Action Research for Better Schools,,by
Burges, 1976. Fact finding becomes community action *hen the peop e
F r
most affected define their issues, get' the facts, and act for change.
a guide
citizen groups, school officials, community leaders, students
$5.
informed community action.
*Words, Pictures, Media: Communication in Educational Politics, b
Lloyd Prentice, 1976 How to develop a public information strategy to pu
Combines strategy wit
your pcoblems and proposals in the public eye.
evat
e tips on fund raising, writing press releases, budgeting, and
"how t
$4.
uation.
1
Surveys, by Bil
1 *Facts and Figures: A Layman's Guide to Conducting
' Burges, 1976 Guide to competent survey techniques-and methods, wit
$3.5
samples.
*Collecting Evidence: A Layman's Guide to Participant Observation, b
Joseph Ferriera and Bill Burges, 1976. Observer as camera method
foli
$2.00
gathering information is explained, with examples.
*you Can Look It Up: Finding Educational Documents, by Bill Burges,
1976. Libraries can be mazes without maps. This guide points out the
education
most important documents and sources for information about
for school board members, parents, students, and school professionals.
$2.00.
*(The price for the five books in the Factual Politics series is $17.00 if oruered separately.
*The five-book set may be purchased for $14.00.)
ontents,
Page.
Preface
Don
Davii\scsit
7
.
Introduction
heritone
Joseph
11
Chapter 1
.Phirislism does Public: How Lagunitas,
Cal(rormii Dtd It
21
Dian* Div* y
'Chapter 2
Parents and Dream School.
James Benet
Fightforo4nunitySchoolsin
Chapter p
West Vir
89
.Jini Branscome
..
Chapter 4
Learning in Lduisvilleis a.
,
Two-Way StreOt
51
.
Wallac Roberts
Chapter 5
Parents Plus PrinciPak Key to
Successful Desegregation in Boston
59
Muriel Cohen
Chapter 6
School armMunity Advisory Councils: Los
.
!Angeles' Road Toward Citizen Itivolvement
. . 69
Gerald Faris
.!
.
hapter.7
he Lion and the,Crkket: The Making of
.
ilitants in Cryital City, Texas
77
H rbert Hirsch
A mando Gutierrez
.
tiago Hinomosa
pter0
Inà
ian Parents Strive for Community Control
'Ch
Th4 Story of Three Indian Schools
91.
Kielce lackingbird
'
LYnn Shelby
.
.
Cha ter 9
The Milwaukee Federation Of
Independent SchoOls
103
.
J. Madeleine Nash
Chapter 10
Alternatives-in Publk &hoots:
Minneapolis ExPerimint
121
Rake WIggiesworth
'Chapter 11
Citizens Act to Change Schools
133
Velma A. Adams
phapter 12
Perspectives and Future Direciions
145
Don Davies
v
Preface
Don Davies*
Many Americans are fed Up with. the .'lbest
and the brightest"-
making decisions for them about
wars, taxes, zoning, hospitals, and
schools.
are
Many
frustrated
with
slow-moving,
unresponsive
bureaucracies that crowd the landscape. They
are suspicious of
polfti-
clans and professionals and experts. Some
are retreating into apathy.-
Butothers are organizing with like-minded
people to build healthier
communities and
institutions and to demonstrate that ordinary
Americans can be self 'governing. They
are banding together to try.
to Make goyernment and institutions
marg.-responsive, more ac:
countable.
The scheols are criticized from all sides today,
and are the target
of many citizen activists. Schookare
evepywhere; they are the largest
and most expensive public instifition
we have. They touch the lives
of nearly everyone atone time
or another.
In the 1950's and 60's, eipectations for what
the schools could do
shot sky, high. Innovation and change
were, the watchwords. We
became an "education society," and
costs rose along with hopes.
Now, people are disappointed with
the results and resent paying
the bill...Most of the
money fOr the public schooli comes .from local
property taxes, property
taxes already groaning under, the burden of
rising costs of other public services such
as police and fire protection.
4on Davies is the
Director of the Institute for Responsive EdUcation
and Professor in the Departinent of System
Development and Adaptation,
School of Education; Boston University. Prior
to founding I.R.E Davies
served as Associate Commissioner and Deputy
Commissioner in the U.S. Of-
rye of Education, and -as Executive Director of the
National. Edueation
Association's National Commission
on Teacher Education and Professional
Standar*. He is a former classroom teacher and the
author of many artieles
.
on teacher education and school polities.
time for
The last half of the 1970's is likely, to be a tense and trying
conflict. Many people are
the schools, a time of retrenchment and
But the picture isn't all
apathetic; many others antagonistic or hostile.
more school people willing to join with
- grim. There are hopeful signs
governing
parents and citizens in solving problems; new approaches to
and citizens. Parent
the schools giving a much larger voice to parents
contribu-
and citizen groups of many kinds are demonstrating positive
for
tions toward improving education. More variety and ehoices
available are being
parents and children about the kinds of education
developed.
in the
Citizens and educators are recognizing that improvement
schools
schools and community support for education occurs only when
when the educational con-
and communities are open to, each other
member) has a strong, honest
sumer (student, parent, and community
part in setting policy and making decisions.
-
schools
This book is for those Americans who want to improve the
they
through collaboration between educatort and the communities
for parents, . teachers, students, administrators, school
Its is
serve.
Institute for
board members, and community leaders, published by the
Responsive Education.
citizen par-
I founded the Institute in 1973 to advocate and assist
ticipatiOn in educational decision making. My years in Washington as
Deputy Commissioner in the U.S. Office of Education convince# me
the riots of
that lasting educational change needs support and roots
mil-
participation bi the community. There I saw what happened o
'money fd edtp.
lions of dollars for innovation in education. Much of this
I was continually
cators who were innovative until the dollars ran out.
community was
impressed by the lasting changes taking place where the
closely involved in planning and monitoring programs.
.
most impor-
My 3iears in Washington also convinced me that the
rebuilding their own com-
tant task facing the people of America is
affairs and their own
petence and confidence in managing their own
consuming ser-
communities. Democracy means more than voting and
kind oi
also .means participating in decision making. This
it
vices;
it is an
democracy is.fgten slow and inefficient, but I believe that
essential part Of a healthy society.
working with
The message of this book is significant: parents,
is an
school people, can make a difference. Democratic participation
schools.
important part of American life and can help improve
efforts to improve
The eleven case studies demonstrate Auccessful
schools and
education through building new relationships between
communities.
Wayne County, West
In Louisville, Los Angeles, and rural
members to
Virginia, school councils enable parents and community
have a direet and continuing say in local school policy.
California patents
In Minneapolis and a little town in northern
of schooling they want for their children
now choose the style and type
from the freest to the most traditional:
8
In Crystal City, Texas, a community. organize on
ed politics
to force the schools to be more responsive to the needs
goals of the
.
Chicano majority in the town.
In one of the ration's most affluent suburbs; Hillsborough,
California, parents play a major role in creating a private "dream
school" for children with special talente.
In Milwaukee, inner city black parents run remarkable educa-
tional programs on shoestrings in old parochial school buildings.
"
On Indian reservations in New Mexico, Montana, and Wyoming,
Indian .Children now attend schools staffed by and accountable to their
Own tribes.
In Boston, New York City, Washington, and suburban Madison,
/Connecticut, private citizen organizations act as watchdogs, communi-
/ ty information services, ombuusmen, and mobilizers of citizen action
/
to imprOve schools.
An elementary school principal in Boston is finding successful
ways to involve parents in the desegregation process.
. These places were selected from hundreds of examples by the
staff of the bititute for Rasponsive Education. They are a small sam-
of a
large-scale and growing national phenomenon: tens of
ple
thousands of parents and other community people are involved in new
and significant, ways in school affairs. Each of these success stories
contains how-to-do-it ideas and suggestions for readers who are or who
want to be engaged in similar activities in their own schools or com-
munities.
In his introductory comments, Joseph Featherstone points to the
potentials and some of the pitfalls of local efforts at participatory
democracy, cautioning against oversimplification of the complex issues
at stake. The final chapter summarizes theoretical and practical
lessons drawn from the case studies and from.the studies and experience
of the Institute for Responsive Education.
The case for democratic participation
Schools need'
is
clear,.
the change that
change,
Only school-commnnity
bring.
alliances
Evidence that democratic participation works comes at a strategic
time
a time when Americans are wavering between activism and
apathy, between cynicism and hope.
9
Int rodint ion
.
Joseph Feaeherstone*
The obituaries written for many of the educational reforms of the
-1960's are premature. Each Of theàe esiays shows the process by which
the glittering abstractions about "participa on" take concrete shape,
the shape of school immtures involving parents with education.
Parent participation
arises from two strong historic trends,
trends not confined to education. One is the continuing .expansion of
the human service sectors of the economy
prOfessionals.helping peo-
. often
ple. IVIore and more of the work of ofir Seciety is in the service
the public service
sectors: schools, hospitals, government.
The other trend is almost a predictable resPonse to the first':
as
.
.
.
the serviCes expand, consumers begin to organize to make than more
responsive and accountable. Often the initial set of issues around
which coniumers organize invdlves what I call the pathological profes-
sionalism of many of our social services, which often seem designed to
insulate 'professionals from the public rather than to provide decent
seriices.
In education there is particular force to the demand for participa-
tion. Our political tradition mandates local lay control of the schools,
and one characteristic, mode of school -reform has been citizens'
movement& There are historic prieedents (Or turning the schools back
to the-people TrIenever they lose their legitimacy
when they lose
what the Chinese elegantly term "the manditte of heaven."
'
The failure of schools to.educate the urban poor is not
new. Nor'is
otir sense of secial crisis new. Both were woven into the &Mc of our ci-
ty schools in the-nineteenth century. Richard Titmuss has said that. the
tlaseph roetherstons is a teacher at the Harvard University Graduate
.,
School of Ethication. He is also a contributing editor for the.New Republic, and
author of What Schools Can Do, to be published in the fog 1976, by Norton
Publishing Company:
11
,,