Goals 2000: Family And Parent Participation In Schools

Family involvement in education can help get families involved in school and knowing what their child is learning

Collective research focusing on family-school partnerships provide an extensive examination of parent involvement. Smith et al., (2011) referred to parent involvement as school, family, and community partnerships for the purpose of shared expectations, responsibilities, interests, and correlating influences of family, school, and community. Epstein’s (2008) framework of parent involvement approached parent involvement typologies from an institutional perspective; the framework for this literature review was conducted with a parental perspective that may positively affect academic achievement among students in 6th – 12th grades attending high poverty, rural schools. An explanation of Epstein’s six categories of parent involvement follows:

In the excerpt from a book entitled Class Dismissed, Meredith Maran discusses that students’ parents should spend more time on getting involved in their children’s education. At first, the author states that if students want to be successful, their parents and schools should play important roles. However, there is a big trouble that parents have different opinion over getting involved in children’s education. Some parents are willing to get involved in their children’s education because they have enough time and sources to do so and they actually get reward from their parents’ same actions. On the contrary, the other parents don’t believe that get involved in their children’s education is important and majority of them don’t have enough time and material base to support, in that case, their children’s life are going to be tougher than theirs. In the end, Maran concludes that we cannot expect all the parents get involved into children’s education because society is still filled with materialistic unfairness.

An obstacle I have witnessed in my school is the lack of parental involvement. Throughout this year, I believe the parents' investment in their children education has been disheartening. I can say in my own classroom, nearly one-third of student’s parents have no idea how they are doing in school academically. About one-sixth of student’s parents don’t sign daily agendas or notes that are sent home. Only about one-fifth of parents consistently attend school programs. My biggest concern is that too many parents are disengaged. Parent involvement can indeed make a difference in a child’s education. Students would perform better academically and behaviorally if their

The National Education Goals, adopted in 1990, specified eight goals for educational improvement in the United States. As stated in the National Education Goals, “By the year 2000, every school will promote partnerships that will increase parental involvement and participation in promoting the social, emotional, and academic growth of children” (National Education Goals Panel, 1998). According to the final report, there was no significant change in the level of parent participation in the majority of the states. The No Child Left Behind law established strict provisions for states, school districts, and schools with regard to parental involvement among the parents of disadvantaged students for increasing academic achievement (U.S. Department of Education, 2003). Epstein suggests that schools establish comprehensive school-family partnership programs.

In an article published by The Daily Caller entitled “Parents and students are to blame for failing schools” (10 December, 2010), JM Arcano denounces parents and students for their role in America’s failing education system. He justifies this condemnation by highlighting many parents’ weaknesses when it comes to preparing their children for school, such as not providing the necessary foundation required by formal education, and by addressing that despite the typically scapegoated politicians and teachers, securing a proper education ultimately lies with the parents and their children’s determination, as politicians’ best efforts (NO Child Left Behind, Head Start, Race to the Top) cannot fully satisfy students’ real needs. Arcano’s purpose is

Parents that have spoken out risk upsetting a teacher that will be looking after their child for the rest of the year, many teachers express the opinion that parents are not qualified to help their children as they have not had pedagogy training. Parents need to be allowed to voice opinions and concerns when it comes to their children’s well-being without fear of repercussions. There are numerous ways that parents should become involved in education reform. In New York City, parents withheld their children from participating in standardized testing; proclaiming that too much time was spent on training for the tests and not enough time and faith was given to the teachers to teach according to their best judgement and training. Instead of waiting on politicians to lead the change in education reform parents need to start change themselves on a local level by participating heavily in the schools that their children attend. Getting to know the teachers and administration allows parents to have a voice about concerns and problems that they witness firsthand as well as being active voters for members of the school board. Those that complain that the nation is no longer a competitive learning source should in turn become actively involved in education

Parent involvement in schools is positive to the extent that the child is encouraged and getting help on their homework when they need it. If the child is neglected the influence that they need from their parents, they would think that there would be no use to study and get good grades. The letter from a ”Concerned Mother” and the article, ”In Defense of Helicopter Parents” by Lisa Belkin from the New York Times, show evidence of parent influence being beneficial to a child. The influence of parents will help encourage their children to not give up, causing their determination to grow. Parent involvement from an early age will affect how they grow up academically.

As discussed above, the extensive research conducted has demonstrated that parental involvement has positive effects on student achievement (Allen, 2005; Epstein et al., 2002; Mapp & Henderson, 2002). A large portion of the research conducted has been influenced by Dr. Joyce Epstein. Dr. Epstein is the director of the Center for School, Family, and Community

One of the ways education is a shared public responsibility is through parental involvement and the affect parents have on their children’s education. Meier wanted children to be as focused on school as they were play, but she couldn’t do this without the help of parents. Parents need to work with the

While also going in more depth by attempting to address many of the issues that limit the ability to make specific conclusions about parental involvement, from the results of other studies that have examined this issue. The study was designed to see the differences by using more variables than other studies, variables that have not been used in other studies such as; parents discussing school with the students, and parental attendance to school events. This made the study distinct and allowed for the researchers to find a more conclusive correlation between academic achievement for parental family structure (William Jeynes,

Yes Freda parental involvement is critical through out the world for any school. According to research family factors plays a major role in teacher’s ability to teach students. Coupled with, principals and teachers agree that what is going on at home impact a student’s propensity to learn. Especially, when some teachers and administers try to work with children in less than ideal family environments, we can only do so much. Particularly, when parents are often not willing to partner with the schools to provide for the children. On a high note the earlier in a child’s educational process parent involvement begins, the more powerful the effects. Also the most effective forms of parent involvement are those that engage parents in working directly

More recently, the United States Department of Education, by submitting the 1996 proposal for National Education Goals, addressed the issue of parental involvement. The official U.S. government stood by the research of three decades that “parental participation in schooling improves student learning,” (U.S. Department of Education). Based on government research, family involvement programs don’t always need additional money to be successful, but leaders should stretch their own creativity to expand the programs that encourage community and family support. Parental involvement is found to be beneficial through high school, not stopping after elementary school, and parents that evolve as leaders should be encouraged to continue their role in their child’s education. The most successful parent leaders are found to play four roles in their child’s education: those roles are teacher, supporter, advocate and decision maker. The teacher-role supplements the child’s education at home, the supporter contributes his/her skills to the school, the advocate helps children receive fair treatment at home, and the decision maker participates in joint problem-solving with

Parental involvement in education is a vital essential for creating a cooperative environment for the student to thrive and succeed in. When a student knows that he or she is receiving support both inside and outside the school, the chances of that child becoming responsible for and active in their education are more likely. I know that there can be difficulties including parents for many reasons. Such parents may be too busy, uninterested or just feel helpless. However, as an educator, I will still have an obligation to reach out to these parents and assist them.

Parent Involvement has been an issue in the United States since before the turn of the