10 Truths About Parent Involvement

from the Illinois PTA website

Research shows that regardless of income or background, when parents are involved, students are more likely to earn higher grades, enroll in higher-level programs, attend school regularly, have better social skills, graduate, and go on to postsecondary education. Here are some truths about parent involvement that you can use to gauge your involvement level and the relationship you have with your child's school. After reviewing these truths, check out PTA's resources for parent involvement for ways to get more involved:

1. All parents have hopes and goals for their children.
2. Parents differ in their abilities and/or resources to help their children reach those goals.
3. The parent is the central contributor to a child's education.
4. Parent involvement must be seen as a legitimate element of education and deserves equal emphasis with elements such as school improvement and evaluation.
5. Parent involvement is an ongoing process, not a series of events.
6. Parent involvement requires a shared vision, policy, and framework for planning programs and practices that are connected to student learning.
7. Many barriers to parent involvement are found within school practices, attitudes, and assumptions.
8. Successful parent involvement programs help families guide their children’s learning from preschool through high school.
9. Families from diverse backgrounds have their own sets of norms and experiences that often influence their relationship with schools.
10. Parents are more likely to become involved when they understand that they should be involved, they feel capable of making a contribution, and they feel invited by the school and their children.

• Overview
• FAQs
• What to expect
• Why participate?
• Mission/objectives
• Board
• Contact
• Store
• Forms
• Feedback

• © 2012 Emerson PTA
• Contact
• Terms of use
• Privacy policy

Web site by Webitects