Table Of ContentDOCUMENT RESUME
EA 025 598
ED 366 094
Lynn, Leon
AUTHOR
Building Parent Involvement.
TITLE
Center on Organization and Restructuring of Schools,
INSTITUTION
Madison, WI.
Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED),
SPONS AGENCY
Washington, DC.
PUB DATE
94
R117Q00005-94
CONTRACT
NOTE
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Center on Organization and Restructuring of Schools,
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PUB TYPE
Brief to Principals; n8 Win 94
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Family School Relationship; High Schools; Middle
DESCRIPTORS
Schools; Parent Education; *Parent Participation;
*Parent Role; *Parent School Relationship; Parent
Teacher Cooperation; Partnerships in Education
ABSTRACT
This publication outlines different forms of parent
involvement and provides specific examples of innovative practices.
The first part summarizes what has already been learned about the
difficulties of building parent involvement in schools. Some of the
challenges stem from changes in the family structure, lack of family
resources, opposition from educators, and larger and more
compartmentalized high schools. Different types of parent-school
cooperation, as identified by Epstein (1992), are highlighted in the
(1) basic obligations of
second section. These are categorized as:
(2) basic obligations of schools; (3) involvement at
families;
school; (4) involvement in learning activities at home;
(5)
involvement in decision making, governance, and advocacy; and (6)
collaboration with community organizations. The third part outlines
the following strategies used by middle schools and high schools to
encourage parent involvement: developing parent empowerment, creating
three-way partnerships, going to school instead of work, expanding
the education of parents, and bridging the cultural gaps. (LMI)
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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
***********************************************************************
to principals
Building Parent Involvement
By Leon Lynn
n the summer of 1990, Daisy Cubias started walking the neighborhoods around
Kosciuszko Middle School in Milwaukee, Wis., seeking out the families of chil-
dren who would be entering the School as 6th-graders in the fall.
As the coordinator of a new program to encourage parent involvement at the
school, Cubias wanted to visit as many families as possible before the academic
year began, to start the process of making them feel welcome and to ease the
often-difficult transition from elementary school to middle school.
The reactions she encountered told her how much work lay ahead- "A lot of
times the students would say, 'Why are you here? I'm not even in the school yet. I
haven't done anything wrong," she recalled recently. "Nobody from the schools
had ever visited them before with good news."
U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
During the past decade, educators have begun to attach new importance to
Office ot Educamona/ Pesea/cm and improvement
EDUCATIONAL RE SOURCES INFORMATION
getting parents involved in the education of their children. Studies have shown
CENTER IERICI
document has peen reproduced as
that students get better grades, have better attitudes toward school and have
3/tnts
eCetved trorn the person 0
orpanuatiort
ongonatIng .1
higher aspirations if parents are aware of what's happening in school and encour-
C MtnOt cmanCles have been made to ...prone
reoroduct.on manly
age their children.
Points of n/ew 01 oo.ntons stated /n tnts dock,-
Concern over dropout rates and low student performance, particularly among
,ent do not neCeslanly cepleseni othc.al
OEM posaon or pohc
low-income and minority students, has driven more and more educators to reach
out to parents with new vigor. But those educators often find themselves in
predicaments similar to the one that Cubias encountered that summer in
Milwaukee: Their new initiatives run smack into old attitudes, and other road-
blocks, with deep and stubborn roots.
This brief outlines different forms of parent involvement and gives specific
examples of innovative practices. We hope that school principals, and other educa-
tors, might use this information to clarify alternative paths to parent involvement,
and to design specific programs to implement the chosen priorities in their schools.
WINTER 1994
BRIEF NO. 8
Before we examine specific examples, however, we summarize some of what has
already been learned about the difficulties of building parent involvement in schools.
The Scope of the Challenge
600.,
1
The Scope of the Challenge
tti-1
Different Types of Parent-
4; School Cooperation
The social fabric of our nation continues to undergo profound changes. Today
2
only 7 percent of stu,ieiits come from the type of family that might have
s)i innovative Programs
4
been considered typical a generation ago: two parents in the home and only one a
wage-earner. Today nearly half the children under 18 live in a single-parent home.
'R)
For Further Reading
5
Continued on page 3
CENTER ON ORGANIZATION AND RESTRUCTURING OF SCHOOLS
2
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
activities, as well as attending plays, sporting
Different Types of Parent-
events and similar functions. Schools can get
School Cooperation
the most out of this process by creating flexible
schedules, so more parents can participate, and
Epstein (1992) has identified six important
by working to match the talents and interests
types of cooperation between families, schools
of parents to the needs of students, teachers
and other community organizations. As schools
and administrators. At the middle school and
make decisions about how to structure parent-
high school levels, the students themselves also
involvement programs, it is useful to be aware of
can be encouraged to volunteer.
these different approaches. They represent differ-
Involvemen. in Learning Activities at
4
ent goals, require different strategies and involve
HomeWith the guidance and support of
different costs and benefits to the school.
teachers, family members can supervise and
Basic Obligations of FamiliesFamilies
assist their children at home with homework
I. must develop strategies to provide for the
assignments, as well as other activities that are
health and safety of children, while maintain-
coordinated with classroom work. Schools must
ing a home environment that encourages learn-
retain the responsibility for setting the curricu-
ing and good behavior. Schools can provide
lum and providing instruction, while assiting
training and information to help families
parents by providing information on what
understand their children and the changes they
requirements students must meet, plus guidance
undergo through various stages of development.
on how to monitor children's progress and help
The challenge is to deliver this information
them along.
to all parents who want it, not just the few who
Involvement in Decision Making,
5
can attend m:2etings or workshops at the
Governance and AdvocacySchools can
school. Schools might have more success get-
provide family members, as well as other commu-
ting the message across through local cable TV
nity figures, with guidance and training in leader-
broadcasts, audio and video tapes, newsletters
ship and decision-making skills. At the same
and other handouts, for example.
time, the schools can invite family members into
Basic Obligations of SchoolsSchools must
the decision-making process of the school as true
L reach out to families with information about
contributors, not tokens, and can provide infor-
school programs and student progress. This
mation to families and community groups so they
includes the traditional avenues of communica-
can effectively address school issues.
tion, such as phone calls, report cards and
In order to ensure meaningful input, schools
parent conferences. It also can include "innova-
must work to open this process up to all seg-
tive communications" that give family members
ments of the community, not just those people
additional information on school choice, choos-
who have tl- e most time and energy to spend
ing special curricula, courses, or activities, and
on school affairs.
making the transition from elementary. level
K
Collaboration with Community
education to middle school and high school.
li OrganizationsSchools can help families
Communication on these issues must be in a
gain access to support services offered by other
form that families find understandable and use-
agencies, such as health care, cultural events
ful, and it must be two-way, with educators pay-
and after-school child care programs. This helps
ing a great deal of attention to the concerns and
families provide a home environment that sup-
needs of families.
ports learning. Schools make this happen by
Involvement at SchoolParents can make
working with agencies, businesses, cultural
3
significant contributions to the environ-
organizations and other community groups.
ment and functions of a school by taking part
These partnerships also can help enrich school
in school-based activities. This can include vol-
curricula and other student experiences.
unteering timc on campus for school-sponsored
2
vision of progressive reforms within
While parent involvement
continued from page 1
the school.
Schneider and Coleman (1993)
has steadily won new
Some schools do, of col rse, give
report that a family's ability to get
parents real power to influ.mce the
involved in the education of its chil-
support among educators
governance processif, in 3ome cases,
dren is most greatly affected by the
prompted only by vigorous legislative
during the past 10 years,
presence or absence of family
action. A prime example is the
resources, especially income and the
Chicago public-school system, where
parents have gotten harder
number of parents in the household.
in 1988 the Legislature crta..?-d elect-
Thus, while parent involvement has
ed councils at each school. Parents
to reach.
steadily won new support among
hold a majority on each council,
educators during the past 10 years,
which appoints the principal, devel-
parents have gotten harder to reach.
educators. This is especially true at
ops and approves the school budget
A parent who works a night shift,
the middle school and high school
and oversees the development of
can't afford to miss a day's pay and
levels. As students grow older, they
school-improvement plans.
has no power to rearrange his or her
Researchers report that the shift
face much more complex social pres-
schedule, for example, will obviously
in power has resulted in a turnover
sures and begin asserting their inde-
have a much harder time attending
pendence from their parents. Many
rate among Chicago principals
school meetings scheduled at night.
approaching 50 percent. But they
actually discourage their parents
On average, resource-based obsta-
also see positive attitudes among
from coming to school.
cles have an even stronger impact
most teachers, and some of the
Secondary schools also tend to be
on Airican-American and Hispanic
system's lowest-performing schools
larger and more compartmentalized, so
familir,ts, which are far more likely to
have begun to post significantly
that no single person is primarily
be poor than white or Asian fami-
better reading achievement scores
responsible for a particular student.
lies. But that doesn't mean Hispanic
on standardized tests.
This can leave parents unsure who to
and African-American families are
In places where the law is less
contact. Larger attendance areas at
less interested in getting involved.
demanding, however, parent groups
the secondary level can also add to
Numerous studies have shown that
frequently are paid only lip service
transportation problems that keep
these families often want to play a
by school officials. Parents, seeing
some parents away. As a result of these
greater role in educating their chit-
that such organizations won't be
and other factors, studies show that
dren, but lack either the resources or
very fruitful, decline to take part.
parent involvement drops off sharply
the experience to do so effectively.
once students reach middle school, Where schools do make an effort to
Kerbow and Bernhardt (in
include parents in governance, equal
and by the time they reach high
Schneider and Coleman, 1993)
school it can be difficult to see at all. access to the process can be difficult to
cite data from the 1988 Natbnal
Advocates of parent involvement
ensure. For example, at another mid-
Education Longitudinal Study
also must frequently contend with
dle school visited by researchers from
(NELS:88), which show that
opposition from the educators them-
the Center, this time on the West
African-American and Hispanic
selves. Teachers and administrators,
Coast, staff members complained that
parents display significantly higher
often without any formal training or
a small group of white parents domi-
levels of school involvement than
positive experiences in dealing with
nated the school's parent association.
white or Asian parents with similar
parents, can view increased parental
Staff members feared that the associa-
levels of income and education. The
involvement as a threat to their pro-
tion didn't really address the concerns
authors suggest that African-
fessional autonomy and judgment.
of students who weren't white and
American and Hispanic families
For example, at one Midwestern
reasonably affluent.
place a greater emphasis on educa-
middle school visited by researchers
Ensuring equal access to all inter-
tion as a way to get ahead. "To claim
from the Center on Organization
ested parents, not just those who
that these parents are inadequate in
and Restructuring of Schools, the
already have the resources and
their attention to their children's
principal admitted discouraging par-
experience they need to "work the
education," they write, "is straight-
ent "interference" in school gover-
system," becomes increasingly impor-
forwardly mistaken."
nance, because it was feared that the
tant as the number of students from
But tapping that willingness to
traditional expectations of parents
poorer and single-parent families
get involved is daunting for many
would clash with the principal's
continues to rise.
African-American and Hispanic parents display significant-
innovative Programs
Here are some ways that schools
ly higher levels of school involvement than white or Asian
around the country have tried
to encourage parent involvement.
parents with similar levels of income and education.
We focus here on strategies for mid-
dle schools and high schools
follow-up exercises in class that let
and events. Di uing the fall semester
because of the greater difficulty in
students share what they've learned.
of 1992, 138 swdents took part in the
encouraging parent involvement at
Parents are sent letters about TIPS
program, and 53 raised their grade-
those grade levels. Other examples
during the summer, are asked to attend
point averages by at least half a point.
can be found in Rioux and Berta
orientation meetings, and receive
The impact of the empowerment
(1993) and Fruchter, Galletta, and
additional information through
program on the 700 or so parents at
White (1992).
newsletters and their children.
Kosciuszko may not appear very great.
This year, researchers are begin-
Cubias freely admits that the program
V Empowerment of Parents
ning a formal evaluation of the TIPS
"can't reach 100 percent of the par-
Milwaukee's Kosciuszko Middle
program's effectiveness, said Vivian
$chool serves about 740 students,
ents, you can't reach 50 percent."
most of them Hispanic and econom-
Jackson, the project's field director.
But in language echoed by her
ically disadvantaged.
But informal evaluations have shown
counterparts at many schools, she
In addition to conducting the
very positive responses toward the
nonetheless credits the progiam with
home visits to families of incoming
program from parents, students and
making real changes in the lives of
students mentioned earlier, Daisy
teachers. Many parents say they've
many students and their families.
Cubias established a "parent center"
taken a new interest in their chil-
Several parents have used skills they
at the school, a room where parents
dren's homework, and students report
learned at the school to win better
can meet, make phone calls and get
that they've learned things about
jobs, for example.
information to help solve problems.
their parents they never would have
In an average week, between 5 and
Three-Way Partnership
known if they hadn't worked with
15 parents stop by looking for help.
Two middle schools in Baltimore,
them on TIPS assignments. Teachers
The center is staffed by Cubias and
Md., began a program in 1990 that
report higher rates of return for TIPS
a network of volunteers she has
requires students to work with their
homework than regular assignments,
recruited, as well as three parents
parents in order to complete home-
and they say the assignments have
who are paid $6 an hour for 16 hours
work assignments. The Teachers helped to open avenues of communi-
of work per week.
Involve Parents in Schoolwork pro-
cation with many parents.
The center is also headquarters
gram, or TIPS, was designed by Joyce
for the school's volunteer program.
.4 Going to School Instead of Work
L. Epstein, co-director of the Center
During the 1992-93 school year, vol-
Manual High School in Denver,
on Families, Communities, Schools
unteers contributed more than 1,400
Colo., serves about 970 students.
and Children's Learning at Johns
hours of work to the school, serving
About half are white and one-third
Hopkins University.
as file clerks, tutors, in-class helpers
are African American. Twenty per-
The two schools, Calverton Middle
and in many other capacities. In an
cent of the students are from low-
School and West Baltimore Middle
average week, 10 to 15 parents come
income families.
School, together serve more than
to school to volunteer.
Each August since 1987, parents
3,100 students, most of them African
The school also hosts adult educa-
of incoming 9th graders are sent
Americans from low-income families.
tion classes in English as a second
letters by school officials, telling
The program tries to create a
language, computer skills and other
them they will be "required" to par-
three-way partnership between par-
useful subjects. Attendance ranges
ticipate in an orientation meeting
ents, teachers and students. Teachers
from 7 to 15 parents per weekly
before school begins and at least
receive training in how to construct
class. Cubias tries to organize at
one parenting workshop during the
assignments that call on students to
least two or three classes per year.
school year. Students whose parents
interview their parents, solicit their
A special program for some stu-
comply receive extra academic
opinions on specific topics, play a
dents who need extra help with
credit toward graduation.
game with them or work with them
schoolwork calls on parents to agree,
Manual also "requires" a unique
in some other way. The teachers also
in writing, to attend school meetings
third commitment: Each parent is
receive guidance on how to conduct
5 4
FOR FURTHER READING:
STEPS. In classes that meet two
a3ked to come to school for a full
hours per day, five days per week
day during the year. Working
Chavkin, N.E (Ed.). (1993). Families and
for three months, parents receive
through the parents, school officials
Schools in a Pluralistic Society. Albany, NY:
training on how to obtain access to
ask employers to grant each parent
State University of New York Press.
services offered by social service
a paid day off to attend classes and
agencies and other community
meet with teachers. Almost all of
Epstein, J.L. (in press). School and Family
resources. The parents can then
the employers have agreed.
Partnerships: Preparing Educators and
serve as "facilitators" who help
About 25 percent of the 9th-
Improving Schools. Boulder, CO: Westview.
their neighbors, and other Robeson
grade parents take part in at least
Epstein, J.L. (1992). School and Family
parents, get the most from these
some of the "required" activities
Partnerships. In M.C. Alkin (Ed.),
services, said Robeson principal
each year. Last year only three
Encyclopedia of Educational Research (6th
Jackie Simmons. The training also
parents spent the day at school,
ed.) (pp. 1139-1151). New York:
includes instruction in word pro-
though school officials are hopeful
Macmillan.
cessing, database management and
they can boost that program's pop-
Fruchter, N., Galletta, A., &. White, J. L.
ularity. The school hasn't conduct-
other marketable skills.
(1992). New Directions in Parent
ed a statistical study to gauge the
Involvement. Washington, DC: Academy
Bridging the Cultural Gaps
program's effects, but parents have
for Educational Development, Inc.
Two schools in California's San
reported feeling more comfortable
Diego County have taken steps to
about communicating with the
Rioux, J. W., & Berla, N. (1993).
improve communications with
school, and staff members credit
Innovations in Parent & Family
families that don't speak English as
the program for nurturing a greater
Involvement. Princeton Junction, NJ:
their first language. At Muir lands
level of cooperation and commit-
Eye on Education.
Middle School in La Jolla, about
ment from parents.
Schneider, B., & Coleman, J.S., (Eds.).
310 Hispanic students are bused
(1993). Parents, Their Children, and
from San Diego as part of a deseg-
Expanding the Education of
Schools. Boulder, CO: Westview.
Parents
regation plan. The school, which
At Paul Robeson High School in
has a total student population of
01=01M1111
Chicago, a parent-involvement
about 870, has begun translating
progmm underway since 1989 seeks
its parent newsletter into Spanish.
to recognize parents as individuals,
Brief to principals is prepqred by Leon
Random telephone surveys of fam-
Lynn at the Center on Organization and
with needs and interests that exist
ilies found strong positive feelings
Restructuring of Schools. University of
separately from their roles as par-
about the newsletters.
WisconsinMadison. This publication is
ents. The school, which serves
Muir lands also has selected
supported by the U.S. Department of
about 1,400 studentsmost from
"community leaders" from its
Education, Office of Educational Research
low-income families and virtually
minority communities. They
and Improvement (Grant No. RI I7Q00005-
94), and by the Wisconsin Center tOr
all African Americanputs a heavy
attend leadership training classes,
Education Research, School of Education,
emphasis on parent education.
serve as mentors for other parents
University of WisconsinMadison. The
Last year Robeson hosted week-
and call lists of parents each
opinions expressed herein are those of the
ly classes in computer training and
month to keep them informed of
authors and do not necessarily reflect the
stress reduction, each of which
school events and solicit input.
views of the supporting agencies. This
drew about a dozen parents. The
publication is free upon request.
Montgomery Junior High
group that received computer
School in San Diego provides
Director: Fred M. Newmann
instruction then began writing and
translation in up to five languages
Associate Director: Gary Wehlage
Dissemination Coordinator: Leon Lynn
printing a school newsletter.
at parent-teacher association meet-
Administrative Assistant: Diane Randall
Another class taughP parents how
ings and other key events, in order
Graphic Designer: Rhonda Dix
to write proposals for grants, and
to reach parents from Mexico, the
the school received several awards
Philippines, Cambodia, Laos,
1
as a result of their efforts.
Vietnam and other nations. Key
This year Robeson has enrolled
documents, such as surveys on
rnnted on mt. van/ parct me%
about a dozen parents in an ambi-
school climate and accountability,
%Or
vdable
tious program called Strategy To
are translated as well.
Empower Patents and Students, or
6
5
CENTER MISSION
T
he Center on Organization and Restructuring of Schools will study how
organizational features of schools can be changed to increase the intel-
lectual and social competence of students. The tive-year program of research
focuses on restructuring in four areas: the experiences of students in school;
the professional life of teachers; the governance, management and leadership
of schools; and the coordination of community resources to better serve
educationally disadvantaged students.
Through syntheses of previous research, analyses of existing data, and
new empirical studies of education reform, the Center will focus on six criti-
cal issues for elementary, middle and high schools: How can schooling nur-
0
ture authentic forms of student achievement? How can schooling enhance
educational equity! How can decentralization and local empowerment be
constructively developed? How can schools be transformed into communities
of learning? How can change be approached through thoughtful dialague and
support rather than coercion and regulation? How can the focus on student
outcomes be shaped to serve these five principles?
CENTER PUBLICATIONS
In the WI and spring of each year, the Center publishes an issue report
which offers in-depth analysis of critical issues in school restructuring, dis-
tributed free to all persons on the mailing list. In addition, three "briefs" tar-
geted to special audiences will be offered yearly. Our bibliography will be
updated each year and is distributed free on request. Occasional papers
reporting results df Center research will be available at cost. To be placed on
the mailing list and receive Issues in Restructuring Schools, please contact
Leon Lynn, Dissemination Coordinator. Center on Organization and
Restructuring of Schools, University of Wisconsin, 1025 W. Johnson Street,
Madison, WI 53706. Telephone: (608) 263-7575.
*s.:
tti
E.,
F
;ANIZATION AND
G OF SCHOOLS
ducation Research
1.Madison
7
