COURSE CODE: EDU-604

Parent–teacher conference
A parent–teacher conference, parent–teacher interview, parent–teacher
night or parents' evening, is a short meeting or conference between the parents and
teachers of students to discuss a child's progress at school and find solutions to
academic or behavioral problems.

Type
Parent–teacher conferences exist in a variety of different forms, depending on a
country, school district and individual school. The subtypes are characterized by
the following attributes.
Mode
Like most other meetings, parent–teacher conferences can take the form of face-to-
face meetings in which parents and teachers meet in person, or electronic
meetings that are conducted over the phone or via video conferencing systems like
Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Google Meet. Face-to-face meetings offer personal
contact but require that parents and teachers meet at physically the same place
during the meeting. These interviews are usually between five and fifteen minutes
long.
In case of electronic parent–teacher conferences, neither parents nor teachers need
to be at school or other common location and can participate in the meeting from
home or while working or traveling. The school does not need to reserve rooms for
the meetings and there is more flexibility in finding suitable time.
The disadvantages of electronic are a lack of face time that many participants are
used to and a need for the availability to unfailing technology.
Participants

Parent–teacher conferences can be

 one-on-one meetings between a parent and a teacher. This type is used when
different subjects are taught by different teachers and parents meet the teachers
for all different subjects individually. The type offers most confidentiality and
allows the discussion of information specific to a student in a particular subject.
The downside of the type is that the meetings are hard to schedule because they
require multiple time slots and meeting places.
 many-to-one meeting is a meeting between multiple parents and one teacher.
Usually the students whose parents attend the meeting are in the same
class/year and the teacher is either the teacher of a particular subject or the
assigned class teacher. This type is common in elementary schools. It is
relatively easy to schedule but lacks privacy for discussing the progress of
particular students.
 one-to-many meeting between one parent and multiple teachers. This type can
be used if a child has problems in multiple subjects or when a parent comes to
school outside the regularly scheduled parent–teacher conference time to meet
several teachers at once.
 many-to-many meetings between multiple parents and multiple teachers. This
type of meeting is easy to use for electing board members or disseminating
general information about school, calendar of events, changes in common
regulations, etc. It is inefficient for discussing issues that are specific of
particular students and lacks needed privacy.

Duration

The duration of parent–teacher conferences depends on the frequency of

conferences and the number of participating parents and teachers. Annual
meetings with multiple participants may last two hours or longer; one-to-many
and many-to-one meetings once a term may last for an hour; one-on-one
meetings once a year may last 15 minutes, one-on-one meetings once a term
tend to last 5–10 minutes

Location
Most face-to-face meetings take place at school. One-to-many meetings may take
place in separate meeting rooms, many-to-one meetings in larger classrooms and
one-to-one and many-to-one meetings in the school hall, aula or auditorium, with
many one-to-one meetings happening simultaneously in different parts of the room
Parent-Teacher Conferences:
Tips for Teachers

Conducting effective parent-teacher conferences can boost family involvement in

your classroom and help promote positive outcomes for you, your students, and
your school.

A parent-teacher conference is a great opportunity to:

 share academic progress and growth based on classroom observations, testing data,
assessments, portfolios, and assignments
 learn from parents or guardians so you can be better informed about students'
strengths, needs, behaviors, and learning styles
 discuss enrichment or intervention strategies to support students' learning
 discuss issues that may be interfering with students' learning and growth

The Basics

Parent-teacher conferences are usually once or twice a year at progress reporting

periods. They are brief meetings, lasting about 10-30 minutes. Conferences are
typically scheduled 1 to 2 months in advance. Some middle and high schools only
request parent conferences to discuss problems. Most schools set aside specific
dates and times for conferences, but if school schedules conflict with family
schedules, it's worth the effort to find a mutually convenient time, or even schedule
a phone or video conference. Be mindful of special situations, such as divorced
parents, single parents, or guardianships. Some divorced parents, for example, may
prefer separate conferences.

While the main focus of parent-teacher conferences should be learning, it's also
important to discuss factors that can affect learning, such as students' behavioral
and social development. Other topics might include standardized test
results, individualized education programs (IEPs), peer relationships, classroom
behavior, motivation and work habits, as well as students' strengths and challenges.
School staff who support your students' learning may attend the conference, too.
An administrator might attend at your request, or the request of a parent or
guardian. Some teachers like students to attend part of the meeting to show that
parents and educators are both part of the instructional team.

Here are a few tips on getting the most out of your conferences:

Before the Conference

Get informed. Make sure you're familiar with your school's or school district's
protocols on progress reports or report cards, grading policies, and any other
student assessment tools. As you move through the conference, the report card or
progress report can be a springboard for discussion and help guide you through the
meeting. Also, have any local or state standardized tests results available to share,
if possible. Make sure you know how the standardized testing data will be used to
customize or differentiate instruction for students.
Prepare your materials. Preparing materials well before the conference will make
you feel more at ease when families show up at your classroom door. As you're
teaching during the school year, keep in mind which assessments will be shared
and reported at conferences. Review student data, assignments and assessments
that you'll be sharing with parents, and make notes about what you'd like to ask
parents about their children to support learning.

In addition to progress reports, you may want to set aside separate conference
folders with three to five student documents that support grades and progress, as
well as any test results that are available.

You can also prepare an outline or agenda for conferences and share them with
parents so they know what to expect. Some teachers keep worksheets with
strengths, needs, and social or behavioral notes to guide them through conferences.

If you'll be discussing any problems, make sure to have documentation, such as

examples of misbehavior or missed assignments. Also, make sure to inform parents
about any problems before the conference. If a parent knows about a
concern before the conference, chances are you'll both be better equipped to
discuss possible solutions
during the conference.
Send informative invitations. Be sure to communicate the importance of
attending conferences at back-to-school night and other parent forums, and let
parents know that they are a critical part of their child's instructional team. When
you send home information about conference dates and times, give parents several
meeting times to choose from. On the invitation, remind parents that they'll be able
to ask questions, because an effective parent-teacher conference is a two-way
conversation about students. You might also want to remind parents to be
respectful of other parents' time, and be clear that time slots won't be extended if
parents arrive late.

A week or so before the conferences, send home reminders of where and when the
conference will be held, as well as the meeting agenda. If a conflict arises and an
in-person meeting is not an option, try to schedule an alternative way to meet, via
phone or video. If you'll be phone- or video-conferencing, send home copies of
materials ahead of time so parents can have them in hand while you talk.

During the Conference

Create a welcoming environment. Make your classroom inviting by displaying
students' work, and making space for the conference with an adult-sized table and
chairs. If parents need to bring their child or other siblings, have an area set aside
with puzzles, games, worksheets, or computers to limit distractions. Also consider
offering healthy snacks or beverages to families. Remember to have paper and
pens available so parents can take notes. You also might want to have a box of
tissues available for when you have to deliver bad news.

Open with positives. When you start the conversation, remind parents that the
goal of this meeting is to share information about students' academic progress and
growth and how their child interacts in the school environment. All parents are
proud of their kids and want to hear about their child's strengths as well as
challenges, so be sure to discuss both — but start with the positives.
Discuss progress and growth. Inform parents about their child's ability levels or
grade levels in different content areas, using demonstrative work examples or
testing results. Many parents want to know how their children compare to their
peers, but remind them that you're discussing their child's individual instructional
levels, not their standing in class. You should, however, inform them about grade-
level expectations and how the student is doing in that context.

It's all too easy to let discussions veer off-task during conferences, so try to limit
all talk to learning and how to support the student's instruction.

Avoid teacher-talk. K-12 education is loaded with jargon and acronyms, but a
parent-teacher conference is not the place to use them. Be sure to explain any
terms, curriculum titles, or even words on progress reports that aren't commonly
used outside the school setting.
Ask questions and listen. Ask parents or guardians for their input about students'
strengths, needs, and learning styles, as well as their hopes and dreams for their
children. Don't forget to ask these simple but important questions: "Does your
child like school?" and "Why?" or "Why not?" That single line of questioning can
give you a lot of information that can be helpful in the classroom.
Make a plan. Provide suggestions for activities and strategies to support learning
at home. Spend the last few minutes of the meeting on your specific goals for the
student. Note the kinds of strategies you'll use, the length of time you'll use them,
and when you'll communicate to parents next.
Be honest and have a thick skin. It's your responsibility to give parents or
guardians an accurate assessment of students' academic progress. Sometimes this
means delivering bad news. Sugar-coating the facts defeats the purpose of the
conference.

In addition, you may see some of your students differently than their parents do,
and some parents may take your evaluation of their child in a negative or defensive
way. While you should be open to constructive criticism, remember that you're in
charge of the conference, and if the discussion becomes too heated to be effective,
or goes awry in other ways, you should conclude the meeting and ask to reconvene
at another time. If you have reason to expect such negative interactions before the
next conference, ask an administrator to attend.

If you suspect a student may have a learning disability, however, you don't need to
say that specifically. You can just tell the parents or guardians that you recommend
they have their student get an educational evaluation to determine his or her
learning style.

After the Conference

Follow up. A little thank-you can go a long way. Many parents have to take time
off work or hire babysitters to attend conferences, so consider taking the time to
thank parents in a letter or email. You can also have students write thank-you notes
to their parents or guardians for attending and supporting their learning. In the
notes, remind parents to contact you if they have any further questions or concerns.

Be sure to contact parents who did not attend and offer alternative ways to
communicate about their child's progress.

Communicate regularly. Let parents know what's going on with their child in an
ongoing fashion. Keep families informed about class projects, homework and other
assignments, students' accomplishments, and any problems or concerns that may
arise.
Enhance your instruction. Now that you know a little more about your students,
use that information to make instructional decisions that will help your students
achieve and grow in the classroom.

Parent Teacher Conference

A parent teacher conference helps to communicate to parents the areas their child
are excelling in and to give them specific ideas of how to improve upon their
child’s performance in school. Teacher parent conferences should be used as a
platform to make a lasting bond with the parent to increase the likelihood of
academic success for their child. Teacher parent conferences should not be used as
a venue to acknowledge the flaws and inabilities of students, but as a stepping
stone to foster improvement within each child. A few helpful hints for teachers to
follow when conducting teacher parent conferences are listed below.

Acceptable behavior during teacher parent conferences:

 Greet parents with warmth and admiration. They are taking time out of their
busy schedule to meet with you.
 Summarize the positives before beginning on the particular problems the
child is exhibiting in class.
 Formal dress should be worn during teacher parent conferences. This will
reflect the meetings importance and help win respect from parents.
 Always have a clear cut plan of action for improving the success of the
child.
 Present their child’s classroom work to them during the conference. This
will give them a visual representation of the corrective action needed.
 Set goals for improvement
 End the teacher parent conference on a positive note and ask for assistance
from the parents.

Teacher parent conferences can be an uncomfortable situation for many parents.

However, establishing an honest and productive relationship with your child’s
teacher can help increase the likelihood of academic success for your child. Strong
parent involvement will send a positive message to your child. Always take into
account that parents may have hard feeling from their own schooling experiences
or do not speak fluent English. In this situation, a teacher parent conference can
become overwhelming for parents. Parents should follow a few helpful hints to
make sure a teacher parent conference will be beneficial to their child.

Before the teacher parent conference:

 Schedule an appointment with the teacher.

 o Teachers should make special accommodations for working parents.
o Prepare a list of questions to ask the teacher.
o What are the areas my child is struggling in?
o Is my child completing their assignments on time?
o What are my child’s strengths?
o Is my child misbehaving in class?
 Talk with your child before the teacher parent conference.
o Specific concerns of your child
o Questions or concerns regarding the teacher

During the parent teacher conference:

 Establish rapport with the teacher

 Ask questions concerning your child
 Listen carefully to the positive and negative suggestions from teachers.
Don’t take criticism from teachers personally during teacher parent
conferences. They want to see your child succeed.
 Develop an action plan
o Action plan should include steps to resolve and improve upon the
student’s performance in class.
o Make sure there are specific goals and objectives for the student to
meet in the future.

After the teacher parent conference:

 Keep in touch with the teacher regarding the progress of your child.
 Send a thank you note to the teacher to thank them for taking the time to
meet with you.
 Watch the behavior and progress of your child.

Edu-604
Effect of Family
Family Factors That Influence Students' Behavior in School

When a child misbehaves or fails to meet expectations at school, the child’s home
and family life should be considered. Several family factors can affect a child’s
behavior and ability to perform in the classroom. These include economic stability,
changes in family relationships, parental attitudes toward education and incidents
of child abuse.

Economic Stability
Poverty can affect school readiness in several ways. Children from lower-income homes often
experience a lack of parental consistency, a frequent change in part-time caregivers, a lack of
supervision, poor nutrition and poor role-modeling.

Changes in Family Relationships

Divorce has long been linked to behavior problems, anxiety and depression in
children. This is often because single-parent homes feature parents struggling with
their own feelings of depression and anxiety, accomplishing household
responsibilities previously held by two people and meeting more financial
demands. Single parents often must take on more hours at work to meet financial
responsibilities, which can lead to children feeling neglected and acting out, and
cause them to experience the effects of economic instability mentioned above.

Parental Attitudes Toward Education

Children learn first by mimicking behavior they see modeled for them. According
to a 2009 article published in on the website of the National Center for
Biotechnology Information, studies show a positive correlation between the
parents' level of education and their child’s attitudes toward academic
achievement.

Children who have parents who encourage academic success are more likely to
develop their own aspirations for higher education. In this way, parent education is
a good predictor of a child’s academic success

Child Abuse
Child abuse can happen by way of physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, sexual
abuse or substance abuse in the home. According to KidsHealth.org, victims of
child abuse are known to be at high risk for engaging in risky behaviors and acting
out in school. They might have problems socializing with other children and adults
and completing or focusing on assignments.

The Effects of a Single Parent Home on a Child's Behavior

Children with two parents in the home -- earning two incomes -- tend to have
better financial and educational advantages. The effects of a single-parent home on

a child’s behavior can be far-reaching and impact several areas of life, including
academic achievement and social behaviors.

Academic Achievement

Most single-parent households are run by mothers, and the absence of a father --
coupled with lower household income -- can increase the risk of children
performing poorly in school. The lack of financial support from a father often
results in single mothers working more, which can in turn affect children because
they receive less attention and guidance with their homework. Researcher Virginia
Knox concluded from data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, that
for every $100 of child support mothers receive, their children's standardized test
scores increase by 1/8 to 7/10 of a point. In addition, Knox found that children with
single mothers who have contact and emotional support from their fathers tend to
do better in school than children who have no contact with their fathers.

Emotional Effects

Having only one income earner in the home puts single parent households at risk
for poverty, finds research compiled by the University of Washington's West Coast
Poverty Center. Living in poverty is stressful and can have many emotional effects
on children, including low self-esteem, increased anger and frustration and an
increased risk for violent behavior. Besides financial constraints, other emotional
effects of growing up in a single parent household may include feelings of
abandonment, sadness, loneliness and difficulty socializing and connecting with
others. Effects vary from child to child, however, and the individual parenting style
of the single parent is also a big influence on the child’s development.

Positive Effects
Single parenting can have positive effects on children as well, depending on other
factors such as personality types and parenting techniques. According to a study at
Cornell University, positive single parenting did not show any negative impact on
the social and educational development of the 12- and 13-year-olds participating in
the study. In addition, children in single-parent families may exhibit strong
responsibility skills, as they are often called upon to help out more with family
chores and tasks. Children in single-parent families often form close bonds with
their parent, as they are closely dependent on each other throughout the child’s life.
Children from single-parent families may also form closer bonds with extended
family members or family friends, as these people often help raise them.

The Education of Children of Single Parent Homes

According to the Social Science Research Network. With the increase of divorce
rates throughout the United States and elsewhere in the world, single-parent homes
are a major segment of all households with children. Accordingly, it's a point of
intense interest to educators and parents how a single-parent environment affects
children's learning.

Potential Challenges

Typically, single parents have to manage far more tasks than the mothers or fathers
in two-parent households, simply because of practical limitations on the division of
labor. At least until children are old enough to take on household chores, all the
housekeeping responsibilities fall on one person, as well as wage earning and
parenting. As a result, it's possible for single parents to have less time or energy to
encourage their children's learning by reading together, overseeing homework or
planning educational, entertaining and fitness activities and outings for the family.

Education and Behavior

Aside from the direct influence of household structure on academic achievement

and learning, a single-family home environment may influence a child's behavioral
performance in school, which can indirectly affect learning and interest in school.
According to Adoption.com, when single parents are working full time and
therefore have less available time for their children, the situation may lead to either
behavioral issues or lower academic achievement.

What Are the Benefits of a Two-Parent Household

Even with the rise in single-parent families, most children still live in two-parent
households. Depending on the state, anywhere from 53 to 79 percent lived with
two parents in 2011, according to the national KIDS COUNT program. Although
many children raised in single-parent homes become successful adults, studies
shows that children living in well-functioning, two-parent families have several
advantages.

Risk-Taking Behaviors

In a 2009 study published by Cornell University, researchers reported that children

living with married, biological parents have lower levels of risk-taking behaviors.
When compared to single-parent and step-parent families, these children reported
lower levels of substance abuse such as smoking, drinking and drugs.

Health

Living with two parents can lead to better health. Based on the results of the 2003
National Survey of Children’s Health, children living with two biological parents
or in a blended adoptive family were healthier than children living with
grandparents, single moms or step-parents. They had excellent or very good
physical and dental health and fewer injuries requiring medical attention. In
addition, these children were less affected by asthma and frequent headaches and
less likely to miss more than 11 days of school due to illness.

Economics

While nearly half of all single-mom families live in poverty, economic distress
affects only one in 10 married families with children. Two-parent households tend
to live in better neighborhoods and their children attend better schools. The
economic impact continues into the college years. In a 2005 doctoral dissertation,
Peggy Brandt Brown found that while 33 percent of students from single-parent
families expected more than $25,000 in student loan debt upon graduation, only 22
percent of students from two-parent families expected the same rate of debt.

Well-Being

Your supervision and support directly enhance your child’s well-being. When
compared to single-parent families, two-parent households more closely monitor
their children's behavior, knowing who they are with and where they are.
According to the Policy Institute for Family Impact Seminars, this type of
monitoring is a powerful predictor of whether children participate in problem
behaviors. Two-parent homes also tend toward more involvement in their
children’s schools and express higher educational goals. When combined,
monitoring and educational support account for a 20- to 40-percent increase in the
well-being of a child raised in a two-parent home, when compared to a child from
a single-parent family.

The Importance of Parents as Role Models

arents serve as role models not only through direct interactions with their children,
but through the examples they set with their attitude and behavior within the family
and in the outside world. By addressing their concerns, sharing their lives, and
maintaining a constructive perspective, parents can contibute to their children's
personal growth and development .

Definition

Role models are often subjects of admiration and emulation. Through their
personal qualities and achievements, they can inspire others to strive and develop
without direct instruction. Due to their regular presence and interaction with their
children, parents can serve as consistent and evolving role models for their
children. The child development experts at the PBS Parents website note that
parents can be role models for learning by integrating what school-age children
have already learned into daily life.

Building Blocks for Learning

The home environment provides the foundation for learning and is an element of
the student's life that can affect grades, Education success was positively impacted
by home learning opportunities such as parents reading to their children, trips to
the library, and resources encouraging play with letters and numbers, according to
education professionals reporting in the "British Educational Research Journal."
The British researchers found that the mother's education level had the single most
significant impact on a young child's academic success.

Barriers between school, teachers and

families
 Barrier 1: Unspoken
Expectations About Family
Engagement
Some families may not see it as their
place to be highly involved in their
child’s education. They may think it’s
their responsibility to get their child
to school, and it’s the teacher’s job
to teach skills and knowledge. In
many cases, that doesn’t mean a
family is trying to avoid
responsibility. It could be a cultural
difference. Or it could be a sign of
respect and trust in you as the
teacher.

Possible solutions: Communicate

with your students’ families that their
involvement is not only welcomed
but encouraged.

 Let families know you want to work with them toward your
shared goal of helping their child thrive. Be explicit in letting them
know that they play a critical role in meeting that goal.
 Begin your relationship by introducing yourself and asking
to learn more about their family and their student . During
that time, ask them how they prefer to keep in contact.
 Ask families how they’d like to be involved and what information
they need to support their child’s learning.

Barrier 2: Inflexible Work

Schedules
According to one literature review,
parents and caregivers who have
more flexibility, stability, and
 predictable work hours at their jobs
tend to be more engaged. That’s
because they can be.

But many families may have trouble

getting time off from work to
come to IEP meetings and other
school events or conferences. They
may have inflexible or unpredictable
work schedules. Many parents and
caregivers who work hourly-rate jobs
may not be able to financially afford
to take time off. Others may work
night shifts and rely on getting sleep
while students are at school. And
many parents and caregivers may
not have access to email or the
ability to take a phone call at their
job.

Possible solutions: Be flexible

about how and when you
communicate with families.

 Offer the option of having meetings over the phone or via video
conferencing instead of in person.
 Whenit’s time for parent-teacher conferences, offer early
morning or evening meeting times if your schedule permits.
 Consider keeping in touch with families using messaging on a
communication platform like Remind or Participate. You can use
these tools to send quick updates about student progress.
 Let families know that the U.S. Department of Labor has said
that parents and guardians can use the Family and Medical
Leave Act (FMLA) intermittently to attend IEP meetings.
 Consider meeting in a mutually convenient public location, like a
library or a community center. (Check your school’s policies on
this before moving forward with this type of plan.)
 Barrier 4: Shared or
Complicated Custodial
Situations
Some students split their time between their
parents’ homes. Other students are being
raised by grandparents or other family
members, or they’re navigating the foster care
system. A family member who seems hard to
engage may not be on your class email list
because the child moved into their home after
the start of the school year. In other cases, a
parent or caregiver may not get notices that
are sent home because it’s not their day with
their child.

When it comes to meetings, it’s not always

clear who should be involved. This is
especially true if your student lives in more
than one household or is in foster care,
as foster parents may not always have
educational decision-making rights .

Possible solutions: Work with families and

school administrators to better understand
who to communicate with about what.

 If you’re unsure about the educational rights of a parent or foster parent, work
with your school’s social worker or counselor to get a clear answer.
 Ask the family who needs to be kept in the loop about school events, meetings,
and other announcements. You may need to add more than one family member
to your email list or to send an extra copy of a notice or a report card to separate
households.

Barrier 5: Cultural
Differences or Immigration
Concerns
It can be challenging for families of English
language learners (ELLs) or immigrant
students to interact with their child’s teacher
and school. A language barrier may deter
some parents and caregivers from engaging
 with the school. There may also be cultural
differences, like the view in some cultures that
asking questions of the teacher is
disrespectful. And some families may hold
beliefs that having a struggling learner or a
child with a disability is not something that
should be talked about.

In other cases, families may have concerns

about their immigration status. Those families
may be afraid to engage because they don’t
feel safe or are unsure whether they can trust
the school.

Possible solutions: Get information about

meeting the needs of the families of English
language learners and immigrant families.

 Read these six strategies for partnering with families of English language
learners .
 Use an interpreter to communicate with families, if possible. Ask your school
administration how to request one. Try to avoid using students as interpreters
between you and their families.
 Know your students’ rights. They not only have civil rights, but also rights to
privacy and an education, regardless of their immigration status.
 Know that schools and bus stops are currently “ sensitive locations.” This
means that the Department of Homeland Security recognizes them as places
where immigration enforcement shouldn’t take place unexpectedly and without
proper approvals.

Barrier 6: Prior Negative

Experiences With Schools
Families of students who learn and think
differently may come to you with years of
negative experiences with the education
system. They may feel intimidated by, angry
at, or mistrustful of teachers and schools.

Keep in mind that some learning and thinking

differences are genetic and run in families.
There may be generations of family members
who have their own negative associations and
emotions about their experiences in school.
 They may feel as though they don’t have the
skills to support their child academically.

Possible solutions: Approach learning

differences with sensitivity and empathy.

 Acknowledge past negative experiences if families bring them up. Let them know
that your goal is to work together collaboratively and respectfully.
 Offer information in multiple formats, such as short videos, visual instructions,
and printed information. Keep in mind that for some families, a lot of text may be
overwhelming. Be as concise as possible and avoid using jargon.
 Use neutral language when talking about a student’s struggle with learning.
Using the Universal Design for Learning framework can help you talk about
learner variability and explain that you know all students have strengths and
challenges. Let families know you work to support all learners and address their
challenges to help them thrive.
Developing relationships with your students’
families isn’t always easy. But it’s an
investment that can lead to improved student
achievement and trust, as well as
improvements in communication with families.
Want more information?

 .

Barrier 3: Limited Resources

Even if family members are able to
take time off from work to visit the
school, getting to the school can put
a strain on their resources. For
instance, parents and caregivers
might have trouble arranging
childcare for their other children. Or
they might have difficulties with
transportation, including limited
access to a car or mass
transportation. All of these factors
can make it hard for families to
participate in school events or
meetings.
Possible solutions: Find creative
ways to overcome resource barriers.