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Source:KSA-Plus Communications
As a parent, should know about and here are 12 things you
expect from your schools …
and yourself:
Your involvement matters — a lot. Research shows that students with
involved parents are more likely to earn
higher grades and test scores, enroll in higherlevel
programs, be promoted and earn
credits, attend school regularly, have better
social skills, and graduate and go on to college.
You can be involved in many ways. You can be
involved as a teacher — establishing
a learning environment at
home for the whole family. You can
be a supporter of education — volunteering at school and taking
part in school activities that promote
education. You can be an advocate for
your own child and for all children — pressing
state and local leaders for better programs
and higher achievement. And you can be a
decisionmaker — taking part in decisions
about programs and staffing.
Children need you.
American students are not
doing as well in school as they
should be. Less than one-third of
American students are doing
well in reading, writing, math,
science and other important
subjects, according to the National
Assessment of Educational Progress,
“the nation’s report card.” Worse, the
scores of African American, Hispanic
and low-income students are much
lower. This is both morally wrong and
economically short-sighted. Neither our
democracy nor economy can thrive
with this level of low achievement.
Schools need you. Public opinion polls show that parents, elected officials and educators alike agree that the lack of parent involvement is the key challenge facing schools. Teachers and principals are desperate for parents like you to be more involved. Helping your child at home, volunteering in classrooms, attending parent-teacher meetings, serving on school committees — all help is needed.
You should be told clearly what the learning standards
are in each grade.
Parents and students alike need to
know at the start of the school year
what is being taught in English,
math, science, social studies and
other subjects in each grade. And
they need to be told how that learning
will be tested so they can understand how
to help their children do their best. You
should have access to standards guides
like the one on the right.
You should be told about the school’s behavior standards.
Students need to feel safe
in order to learn. Parents
should know what the
school’s safety and discipline
standards are, how
problems are handled, and
what the school is doing to
promote an environment
of respect and responsibility.
You should be told clearly how your child’s school is doing.
School districts now are required to publish parent-friendly
report cards every year that show
how students are performing in reading and
math, attendance rates, graduation rates,
and whether all student groups are making
good progress. As in the example below, you should be
able to see at a glance how your school compares.
Middle and high school parents should be told what it will take for your child to apply for college. Middle school
is not too early to begin
learning what kind of
courses your child should be taking
if he or she wants to leave high
school ready for college. For
instance, many educators say all
students should take algebra by
eighth grade and should have at
least three years of math and science
in high school.
You should know your
options. With the federal
No Child Left Behind law, students
in low-income public
schools that fail to meet learning
goals for two years in a
row now have a chance to
transfer to a better school. Plus,
if your child’s school still needs improvement
after three years, you can request
extra tutoring services. Also, as of January
2003, 36 states have charter schools, which
provide alternative approaches to learning.
You should be able to get answers to your important questions.
How do I know that my child is safe? What is my child expected to know
and be able to do in reading, writing, math and other subjects? How is this learning
measured? What will the school do to help if my child is behind? What can I do to
help? Whether in person, on the phone or on the Internet, your school should be
willing to share the answers to these important questions.
You should be treated with respect. Parents and other
taxpayers may not be the educational experts. But you are the owners
of the schools. The educators are hired to work for you and your children,
not the other way around. You have the right to be treated as a fully equal partner in your child’s education.
You’re more likely
to get what you
want for your child if
you work with other
parents. If you are in a
school that is not parentfriendly,
administrators
might perceive you as a
fruitcake or a member of a powerful organization,
depending on how many allies you have.
Parents are powerful.
Parents with knowledge and skills
are even more powerful ....
and are making a
difference all over
the country.
At KSA-Plus Communications, we believe that knowledgeable, engaged parents improve student achievement. Students win, educators
win, communities win. We offer a wide range of materials, workshops and strategic advice to parent groups, community organizations,
housing coops, faith-based groups, business leaders, elected officials and educators who are committed to ensuring that all
American children, no matter what their background, get the kind of education they’ll need to lead good lives.
To learn more about parent leadership, visit www.ksaplus.com. Or call 703-528-7100.
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Send mail to mikemcmahonausd@yahoo.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: September 17, 2004
Disclaimer: This website is the sole responsibility of Mike
McMahon. It does not represent any official opinions, statement of facts or
positions of the Alameda Unified School District. Its sole purpose is to
disseminate information to interested individuals in the Alameda community.
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