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The Power of Parent Involvement: Evidence, Ideas, and Tools for Student
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 The Power of Parent
Involvement: Evidence,
Ideas, and Tools for
Student Success

Evanthia N. Patrikakou
DePaul University

Center on
Innovation & Improvement
Twin paths to better schools
Center on Innovation & Improvement
121 N. Kickapoo Street
Lincoln, IL 62656 USA
Phone: 217-732-6462
Fax: 217-732-3696

www.centerii.org

Information • Tools • Training

Positive results for students will come from changes in the knowledge, skill, and behav-
ior of their teachers and parents. State policies and programs must provide the opportu-
nity, support, incentive, and expectation for adults close to the lives of children to make
wise decisions.
The Center on Innovation & Improvement helps Regional Comprehensive Centers in
their work with states to provide districts, schools, and families with the opportunity,
information, and skills to make wise decisions on behalf of students.

A national content center supported by the U. S. Department of Education’s Of-

fice of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position of the supporting
agencies, and no official endorsement should be inferred.

Series Editor: Herbert J. Walberg

Copy Editors: Lori Thomas, Pam Sheley
Design: Pam Sheley
Executive Director: Sam Redding

© 2008 Academic Development Institute

 1
parents are full partners in their child’s education
Introduction and are included, as appropriate, in decision making
and on advisory committees to assist in the educa-
Parent involvement has been a much discussed concept tion of their child” [title IX section 9101(32)].
by parents, teachers, and policy-makers alike. The ques-
tion arises though: is parent involvement more than In order to create a comprehensive picture of some of the
just a “feels good” idea? The present paper (a) discusses different aspects of parent involvement, this article will
research evidence that indicates the major role parent in- (a) review research evidence that indicates the positive
volvement and school-family partnerships play in improv- impact parent involvement has on the academic, social,
ing children’s learning and behavior, and (b) offers ideas and emotional learning of children, (b) discuss the general
and tools to put this important idea into practice in order factors affecting parent involvement as well as specific
to help all children succeed. factors reported by parents and teachers, (c) present ideas
and checklists schools and parents can use to build suc-
cessful school-family partnerships, and (d) list resources
with additional information on the theory and practice of
Key Principles school-family partnerships.
Parent involvement: What is it? Parent involvement: Does it really work?
Parent involvement is a crucial force in children’s develop- Parents, teachers, and policy makers agree that parent in-
ment, learning, and success at school and in life. Decades volvement is an essential ingredient to children’s learning.
of research in the area of family involvement have time But what does research say about parent participation in
and again supported the simple fact that children of in- a child’s learning and achievement? Does parent involve-
volved parents have a much greater chance to develop into ment increase children’s performance and behavior, or it
healthy, knowledgeable, responsible, and caring adults. is just one of the things that just sounds right?
Parent involvement in education has many faces and
assumes varying degrees (Vaden-Kierman & McManus, Parent involvement and academic
2005) from the simple question asked at the dinner table: achievement
“How was school today?” to the daily checking and sign- Research has indicated that there are positive academic
ing off on homework completion, to regular visits to the outcomes stemming from parent involvement rang-
library, museums, cultural and art events, to participating ing from benefits in early childhood to adolescence and
in program evaluation and other decision making activi- beyond (Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Patrikakou, Weiss-
ties. Given this wide variety of parent involvement “defi- berg, Redding, & Walberg, 2005). Researchers have used
nitions,” it is often challenging to compare information a variety of ways to measure academic achievement such
across studies, fields, and programs. One of the reasons a as report card grades, grade point averages, standardized
widely accepted definition is lacking is that family involve- test scores, teacher ratings, other cognitive test scores,
ment is a complicated concept. Some factors that must grade retention, and drop out rates. It has been shown
be taken into consideration are child characteristics and that children whose parents are involved in early child-
development, beliefs and expectations of the family and hood or participate with their children in early childhood
school, the different roles parents, students, and teachers programs, such as Head Start, have higher cognitive and
play, cultural perspectives and life demands, and policies language skills than do children whose families are not
that outline or mandate schools to forge relationships with involved or part of such programs. Also, children who par-
families. All these contribute to what is known as school- ticipate in early childhood programs that had strong fam-
family partnerships. ily collaboration are more likely to be better prepared for
The need for a definition with a broad use has increased school. Most importantly, benefits continue to be evident
in recent years because of the emphasis current major even later, as these children have fewer grade retentions
educational policies and legislations have placed on par- and are more likely to graduate from high school.
ent involvement. For example, in No Child Left Behind, Parent involvement remains a strong predictor of aca-
the centerpiece of current educational strategy, the term demic achievement even for high school students. It is
“parent involvement” appears more than 900 times! For important to debunk the popular myth that parents’ influ-
the first time in major legislation, a parent involvement ence over their children withers as they enter adolescence.
definition appears: Often, both parents and school personnel misinterpret
“parent involvement means the participation of par- the adolescents’ desire for autonomy as a developmental
ents in regular, two-way, and meaningful commu- barrier to family involvement. However, studies have indi-
nication involving student academic learning and cated that high school students believe they can do better
other school activities including ensuring that (a) at school if they know that their families are interested in
parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s their schoolwork and expect them to succeed, thus chal-
learning; (b) parents are encouraged to be actively lenging the prevalent view that adolescents do not want
involved in their child’s education at school; and (c) their parents involved at all. Research has also shown that

Synthesis Series: Patrikakou

2
there are long-lasting effects of parent involvement on the children’s learning and behavior. Children whose parents
academic achievement of adolescents and young adults. are involved in their learning do better at school, both
Specifically, parents who hold high expectations for their academically and behaviorally.
teens, communicate their expectations clearly, and en-
courage their adolescents to work hard in order to attain
them can make a difference in students’ success. Students Factors That Affect Parent Involvement
whose parents stayed well informed and held high ex-
pectations for them had higher grades, completed more There are three broad types of parent involvement:
academic credits, and were more likely to plan for college. involvement at home, involvement at school, and home-
school communication. Communication is the key ele-
ment that shapes parent involvement activities at home
Parent involvement, social and emotional
and at school and enhances school-family collaboration.
learning and the prevention of high-risk
Two-way communication between home and school helps
behaviors
build an on-going, productive, and trusting relationship
In several studies researchers have acknowledged the between parents and educators, which increases parent
value that social and emotional factors have on learning participation in learning activities both at home and at
and academic achievement. More recently, these factors school.
have been recognized for their own merits and for the There are several factors that affect the frequency and way
important role they play in academic success (Zins et al., in which parents become involved in their child’s educa-
2004). For example, children who participated in early tion at home and at school and collaborate with schools.
childhood programs whose families were actively involved This section will first provide an overview of such factors,
displayed much less delinquent behavior later in life than and give parent and teacher perspectives.
those who did not. Also, adolescents who are supported at
home and at school display more positive attitudes about An Overview of Factors Influencing Parent
school, better attendance and behavior, and increased Involvement
class preparation. Child characteristics and development
Also, social and emotional learning is shown to be funda- Child characteristics can influence the magnitude and na-
mental to children’s academic learning, social and emo- ture of parent involvement. Young children whose parents
tional development, health, mental well-being, motivation actively participated in early childhood programs not only
to achieve, and citizenship. Social and emotional learning display a head start in academic, social, and emotional
is the process of understanding how to recognize and learning, but also engage in less risky and delinquent
manage your emotions, demonstrate caring and concern behaviors later in life. As students enter adolescence,
for others, make responsible decisions, establish positive often both parents and school personnel misinterpret the
relationships with adults and peers, and handle chal- adolescents’ desire for autonomy as a developmental bar-
lenging situations effectively (CASEL, 2003). Social and rier to family involvement. High school students still want
emotional types of learning have been shown to improve their families involved and believe that they can do better
understanding of academic subject matter, increase moti- at school when they know that their families are interested
vation to learn and commitment to school, reduce anxiety, in their schoolwork and expect them to succeed, thus chal-
enhance attention, and improve study skills and time lenging the prevalent view that adolescents do not want
devoted to school work, as well as improve attendance and their parents involved at all.
graduation rates. Beliefs and expectations
These findings on social and emotional learning become Parent and teacher beliefs and expectations are crucial to
even more important considering all the risks, includ- shaping home-school relations. Beliefs about individuals
ing drug use and violence, facing schools, families, and and group characteristics drive our choices and behaviors,
students today. Preventing such risky behaviors involves and are crucial in shaping relationships and partnerships.
many factors; one of them is the involvement of parents. It A positive, welcoming school climate, and consistent
is imperative that, through their relationship with schools, invitations to parents with ways to become involved in
parents become aware of their great positive influence and their children’s education at home and school, positively
preventive power. Major prevention efforts such as the predisposes parents about the school’s efforts. Parents’
National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, an historic positive perception highly influences their children’s per-
initiative to educate and empower all youth to reject illegal ception of school, which, in turn, positively contributes to
drugs launched in 1998, underlines the important role students’ academic, social, and emotional learning. Parent
parents play in prevention that works. The campaign’s and teacher expectations regarding the academic, social,
motto, Parents: The Anti-Drug, reflects the critical im- and emotional development of children have been shown
portance of parent involvement in children’s and youths’ to be among the best predictors of school success.
healthy development (http://theantidrug.com).
Parent, teacher, and student roles
The bottom line: Research evidence supports the view Parents, teachers, and students play a critical role in
that parent involvement plays a major role in improving establishing and maintaining school-family partnerships.

Synthesis Series: Patrikakou

 3
Roles are affected by, and also affect, beliefs and expecta- www.ed.gov). Still, current policies do not provide the
tions about what the desirable outcomes from a home- specificity that practitioners need in order to better define
school collaboration are, who is responsible for these and integrate school-family partnerships in their daily
outcomes, how important each member’s contribution is, routines. As an important first step, organizations such
and in what ways each member can contribute. If parent as the Academic Development Institute have developed
roles are limited to chaperoning field trips and organizing guides to help parents understand the different aspects of
bake sales, home-school relations remain on the surface the law, as well as how they can help their child succeed
level with no true partnership occurring. Parent roles (http://www.adi.org/parentguide.html).
must expand in other areas such as (a) decision making at Although policies mandate parent participation and the
school or the district; (b) collaborating with the commu- striking majority of parents and teachers agree that par-
nity to offer additional resources and support to families ent involvement is an important element in education,
and students; and (c) establishing new learning oppor- actual parent involvement is still low. Parents and teach-
tunities, such as interactive homework assignments and ers report different views on what is needed and may
classroom presentations, to enhance involvement in both seek different things from a partnership between them
school and at home. (Lawrence-Lightfoot, 2003). What contributes to this dis-
Older students can also play an important role in school- crepancy between parent and teacher beliefs, and between
family partnerships. For example, involving older students beliefs and practice? The following sections discuss both
in parent-teacher conferences and intervention planning the parent’s perspective and the teacher’s perspective on
creates continuity between home and school, and students the issues.
get the strong and very important message of valuing edu- The Parent Perspective
cation. Receiving a unified message and clear expectations
from both parents and teachers is a strong motivation for Parents identify three major barriers that prevent them
students to succeed. from becoming involved: (a) time and life demands, (b)
lack of knowledge of what is expected of them and in what
Cultural perspectives specific ways they can help their children at home, and (c)
In recent years with the increasing cultural and linguistic various factors in the school environment.
diversity of families, the home and school environments Time and life demands. Time seems to be a major bar-
may hold different and sometimes diverging beliefs about rier impeding parents from participating in school activi-
the appropriate degree and nature of parent involvement ties or assisting their children with schoolwork at home.
(Gaitan, 2004). Being aware of such factors and address- Parents often report lack of time or schedule conflicts as
ing them in appropriate ways makes home-school interac- the two most important barriers of parent involvement
tions more positive and productive for the benefit of all and feel that, frequently, parent activities at school are at
students in a multicultural society. By creating culturally inconvenient times.
aware school-family partnerships, school systems can
reduce cultural discontinuities, create diverse learning With the increase in single-parent households and
opportunities, improve ethnic and racial perceptions and the dramatic change in the work force, with mothers
attitudes, and foster interethnic friendships. For example, of school-aged children entering it in great numbers,
providing parents with materials and activities that are time has become a valuable commodity for parents who
adapted to accommodate the needs of families from dif- struggle to make ends meet. It is important that schools
ferent cultural and linguistic backgrounds will enhance recognize and adapt to this need by surveying parents
parent involvement and contribute to the creation of a about convenient times for activities, offering alternative
positive home-school climate. In this way, more learning means of communication, and most of all, understand-
opportunities will be created and students will be better ing that it is not the parent’s fault if he or she cannot
prepared to acquire not only knowledge, but also attitudes participate due to employment, family responsibilities, or
and skills necessary to interact positively and productively other time restrictions. For example, parents often report
with people in a pluralistic society. having difficulty attending parent-teacher conferences
during the day due to inflexible work schedules. Whenever
Policies
schools made adjustments to accommodate parents’ time
For decades, federal, state, and local policies have im- restrictions, parents were very responsive, offering greater
pacted families and the roles they should play in public cooperation and support for teachers and the school. In
education. As discussed in previous sections, research general, parents are appreciative of any parent involve-
evidence has affected major legislation which in turn has ment and outreach efforts schools make and give high
acknowledged the importance of school-family partner- marks to teachers who incorporate parent involvement in
ships by mandating parent participation on various levels their regular educational activities.
of policy design and implementation. The No Child Left
Behind Act of 2001 is the most important example of this Child care responsibilities also influence the parents’ ca-
effort. NCLB requires schools to develop specific ways to pacity to participate in their child’s education. If it is hard
get parents involved not only in their child’s education, for parents to attend the parent-teacher conference for
but also in ways to improve the school (for details see one of their children, it is self-evident that the degree of
difficulty increases tremendously for two or more. Many

Synthesis Series: Patrikakou

4
families do not have child care resources or a live-in care- parent involvement in schools depends to a great extent
giver. This imposes a big obstacle for their participation on teacher perceptions and practices on the issue of par-
in school activities. Alternative child care and after-school ent participation.
programs offered by community organizations can offer Teacher perceptions of parent involvement not only af-
parents a helping hand so they can attend school events. fect the teachers’ participation in such programs, but can
Several schools provide some form of child care on days also play an instrumental role in influencing the teacher’s
that parent participation is essential such as for parent- relationship with the student. An overwhelming majority
teacher conferences. In that way parents can have the of teachers agree that parent involvement contributes to
opportunity to participate and actively contribute in their more successful students and a more positive school cli-
child’s education. mate. However, only a third of teachers feel that it is their
Lack of Knowledge. An important ingredient to par- responsibility to involve families, and only half believe
ent involvement is communication between parents and that they can change parent behaviors. This indicates that
teachers. Most parents report that they would like to teachers often may not perceive themselves as effec-
know what their children are learning at school and how tive agents of change and therefore, may not be actively
they can be involved in their education. Parents feel that involved in parent involvement efforts. Since they don’t
schools must inform them about their curricula as well as believe they can improve parent participation, teachers
about ways to assist their children at home. Many par- may not contribute broadly to this cause.
ents believe that parent involvement in their children’s Training. The reluctance on the part of the teachers to
school would increase if they had more information and actively involve parents may be partially due to insuf-
understood better what their children were learning. ficient training in developing the necessary skills. Robust
Parents look to the school to suggest specific ways they teacher preparation for the schools of the 21st century
can become involved and help their children learn. Even should reflect the multitude of research findings point-
providing parents with general information can be suffi- ing to the importance that parent involvement has in all
cient to trigger noticeable change. For example, informing stages of the educational process (Epstein, 2001; Patrikak-
parents through a newsletter about parent participation, ou, Weissberg, Redding, & Walberg, 2005; Weiss, Kreider,
how powerful it is for their children’s academic achieve- Lopez, & Chatman, 2005). However, only a few teacher
ment, and how parents can be involved in their children’s preparation colleges and universities have reported offer-
education can yield higher parent involvement rates. ing a course on family involvement or collaboration, and
The school environment. Based on recent census data, even then it may be offered as an elective. Several institu-
ethnic and cultural diversity is increasing in the United tions report having some topic—usually parent-teacher
States, and the need for schools to prepare minority stu- conferences—relevant to parent involvement integrated
dents for full participation in the American life and society into another course. Infused in some other course, or
has become even more pronounced. Children may experi- taught separately, pre-service teachers should have a com-
ence adverse conditions in a variety of settings such as prehensive picture of the many benefits of broadly defined
poverty and lack of resources in the family, school, or the parent involvement, as well as be aware of key areas that
community. In addition, parents of such children often can make them more effective when working with stu-
have limited education themselves, and negative per- dents and their families. Empowered teachers will em-
sonal experiences with the educational system lead them power parents to be involved and expect more from their
to mistrust and often fear the school environment. Such children. Empowered parents can inspire their children
perceptions pose a serious obstacle in parent involvement to do better at school and in life. By preparing teachers
and may influence the children’s attitudes and their school and administrators to build collaborative partnerships, we
performance adversely. Another factor that complicates have the potential to improve the learning opportunities
things even further is the fact that schools tend to com- for all students, so no one is left behind.
municate with parents primarily when there is a problem Parent demographics. As discussed earlier, there has
at school. This association between school and bad news been a rapid change in societal demographics in recent
only reinforces the parents’ reluctance to get involved and years. Teacher perceptions of parents and families seem
fuels their defensiveness when dealing with the school to be partially influenced by demographic factors, such as
system. the parents’ education, SES, or marital status. For exam-
The development of positive, trusting attitudes toward the ple, better educated parents receive higher teacher ratings
school is a slow process that requires constant attention, on parental involvement. Also, teachers report that single
systematic and methodical structuring, frequent evalua- parents may not be sufficiently involved in their child’s
tion, and most importantly the school’s and the parents’ education at home, despite indications that single parents
commitment to establish and maintain a constructive and were spending more time than married parents helping
trusting partnership. their children with homework. Another factor affecting
The Teacher Perspective teacher perceptions is grade level as teachers of younger
children tend to give parents higher ratings, viewing them
Because teachers are the connecting link between families as more helpful than did teachers of older students.
and the educational process, successful implementation of

Synthesis Series: Patrikakou

 5
Too much to do, so little time. Although increased training to support the school personnel who put parent
parent involvement has major and obvious advantages, involvement into practice. Schools also should find ways
from the teachers’ perspective, more contact with parents to systematically recognize and reward positive school-
increases teachers’ and other school personnel’s respon- family partnership efforts by both school personnel and
sibilities and raises various concerns about time avail- parents.
ability and heavy work load. Teachers feel overburdened, Planned effort: Effective school-family partnerships
with limited resources available to them, and view parent are carefully planned and implemented. At the beginning
involvement efforts as being outside their expertise. Often, of the school year, parents’ needs, views, and patterns of
teachers do not know how to involve parents effectively or school involvement must be assessed. Such an assessment
how to use them as a resource. By better preparing educa- accomplishes two goals: (a) it helps school personnel plan
tors on ways through which (a) they can meaningfully parent-outreach efforts more effectively, while at the same
collaborate with families, and (b) set goals and use time- time (b) it conveys to parents the important message that
efficient strategies to reach out to parents, we will tap into their perspective is valued and will be used by the school.
the underutilized force of parent involvement. Planning is as essential for the success of teacher outreach
The bottom line: Parents and teachers have multiple to parents as it is for the implementation of the curricu-
responsibilities and pressing time demands. The pace of lum. And the same road-map principle applies to both: If
modern life is swift. But both must recognize that parent you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t know when
involvement and building school-family partnerships you’ve arrived.
are integral to the process of learning and the success of Proactive and persistent communication: Regu-
schooling. Teachers are the glue that holds the school- lar, continuous communication with parents throughout
family partnership together. With the appropriate sup- the school year about class rules, expectations, and goals
port and time-cutting tools, teachers can put this great involves them in the educational process in meaningful
idea into practice. And by doing so, they will maximize
ways. Informing families about classroom routines (such
school’s benefits for all the children — and their families.
as weekly quizzes) and providing them with specific ways
they can help at home provides parents with structured
opportunities to participate in their child’s education.
How to build a successful school-family Home-school communications become even more effec-
partnership: Ideas and tools tive if parents and teachers identify the best ways (e.g.,
Sometimes we take things for granted or we consider phone calls, notes, or a home-school journal) and times
them self-evident when we should not. Many parents they can be reached. This minimizes the frustration both
might be surprised to learn that research shows that they parents and teachers have when they are not able to make
have such a strong influence on their children’s and teen- contact with each other and, more importantly, makes
agers’ education. Simply letting them know is an impor- sure that the message gets through. Using a variety of
tant first step. Given the realities discussed in the previous approaches and follow-up communications can increase
section, priority must be given to assisting teachers and the number of parents educators reach. And it maintains
parents in overcoming these barriers to establish effec- the flow of information that can lead to a child’s improved
tive partnerships. There are steps that schools can take academic and social performance.
to establish and maintain their relationship with parents, Proactive and persistent communication becomes even
and there are things that parents can do to enhance this more crucial when students are in adolescence, when
relationship. The following sections discuss what schools school outreach to parents declines dramatically. Schools
and families can do to build a productive partnership and should continue to encourage parents to (a) keep open
further assist children to succeed in school and later in lines of communication with their teens by maintaining
life. family time to discuss things and share common activities;
What schools can do (b) enforce consistent rules that help adolescents learn the
relationship of independence and responsibility; and (c)
It will help schools to use a comprehensive base when they show that education is important by encouraging home-
develop their strategic planning for school-family partner- work and reading, knowing the student’s teachers, and
ships. Fragmented or isolated efforts are not going to yield supporting post-secondary education planning. In addi-
sustainable results, nor will they contribute to a system tion to these general recommendations, it is important for
change. One framework schools can apply is the “seven- schools to provide specific information and suggestions
P’s philosophy” of parent involvement when they develop that are aligned with the broader curriculum framework
their strategic planning on school-family relations: and expand learning from the classroom to home and
Partnership as a priority: Schools with mission beyond. Since parent involvement continues to be such a
statements that highlight the importance of home-school positive and powerful source of influence for the achieve-
relationships clearly communicate their commitment to ment of adolescents and young adults, communicating
including parents as collaborators in the education of to families ways which they can continue to be involved
children. But effective implementation of the mission during the middle and high school years can maximize
statement requires the necessary resources, as well as benefits for all students.

Synthesis Series: Patrikakou

6
Positive: Research shows that teachers are more likely to Simple suggestions, such as counting the plates and forks
communicate with parents when their children misbehave while setting the dinner table or the steps going up the
or face significant academic problems. However, it is ex- stairs, can help parents reinforce what their child has
tremely important to let families know when their child is learned at school. In this way, knowledge is generalized to
performing successfully. In this way, communication from various environments, and, through its multiple use, the
school is not automatically labeled as “bad news.” And child can be more confident about his or her schoolwork.
the positive input can be an indication to parents that the
Program monitoring: School-family-partnership
teacher sees the whole child, not just his or her areas of
activities can be improved when they are systematically
weakness. This in turn provides a broader context to par-
evaluated. Throughout the school year, as part of their
ents, who will then be in a better position to receive news
planning, teachers need to examine the effectiveness of
of any concerns school personnel may need to share with
the strategies and materials they use, ask for parent feed-
them. Teachers who reach out to parents in a positive way
back, and calibrate their practices accordingly. In this way,
early in the school year note that parents are thrilled to
activities can be fine-tuned continuously and will have
receive good news about their children, and that the good
greater potential for yielding positive results. An end-of-
feeling built up through such positive reporting made
the-year evaluation also will provide closure for the year’s
them more responsive and willing to listen to teacher con-
efforts—and valuable insights for next year’s planning.
cerns and suggestions.
School/Teacher Checklist on Communication
This positive style of communication establishes a con-
structive tone in home-school relationships and makes it The following checklist can help schools and teachers
easier for parents and teachers to work together for the initiate constructive and consistent communication with
child’s benefit. The dissemination of positive news fos- families and enhance student performance.
ters congenial interactions, not only between parents and 99Send home words of praise and encouragement. Re-
teachers, but also between parents and children. Parents member, parents need a pat on the back too!
who receive good news from school have more oppor- 99Jot a quick note on letters home, or have students
tunities to discuss the successful experiences with their decorate them to draw parent attention.
children and be actively involved with them in positive 99Keep parents informed of school and class rules,
ways. And positive communication is often a two-way expectations, and activities.
street: Parents, by offering positive feedback to teachers, yy Send home a welcome letter to parents before the
recognize and reinforce the teachers’ efforts. beginning of the school year to help get their chil-
Personalized: Providing school-wide newsletters and dren ready for the new year (e.g., list major goals
general classroom notes serves the important function of for the year, materials needed for class, contact
keeping parents in touch with school activities and events. information).
But these general types of communication, though a nec- yy Remind parents to read the school handbook and
essary component, do not constitute a sufficient school- ask questions if they need further information or
home communications program. What draws parents’ assistance.
attention is specific information about their own child. yy Start a weekly or biweekly class newsletter.
Teachers who provide parents with specific, concrete ex-
99Encourage parents to respond to your notes by leav-
amples of their child’s strengths and weaknesses achieve
ing space for comments or by including quick ques-
higher levels of collaboration, maximizing the benefits for
tions as a guide.
the child.
99Give parents a chance to express their goals for their
Personalized communication can involve a variety of tech- child’s education.
niques, such as keeping a home-school journal in which 99Use simple, familiar language, and include “atten-
parents and teachers inform each other about the child’s tion grabbers” (e.g., upbeat graphics, bold headings,
achievements and their concerns, jotting quick person- boxes around special items, etc).
alized notes, and having students decorate the notes to
99Keep parents regularly informed about their child’s
draw parents’ attention. Ready-to-use materials can cut
progress.
down on preparation time and help the teacher personal-
ize communications in an efficient way. Systematically yy Try to contact parent(s) at least once each
planning for parent-teacher conferences or “report-card quarter—sharing positive news with them will
pickup” days also enhances opportunities for parents and enhance their involvement.
teachers to share specific information about the child. yy Send home a weekly work folder containing com-
pleted homework assignments, in-class work, and
Practical suggestions: Effective school-family-partner-
any tests or quizzes.
ships extend the learning environment from the classroom
to the home and beyond. Teachers can ease this process yy Recognize academic and behavioral achievement
by offering parents practical and specific suggestions on by sending achievement certificates home and
how they can further assist with their child’s education. encouraging parents to display them.
This will show the parents, who have a desire to help their 99Always communicate respect for and appreciation of
children, varied and structured strategies. parents and families.

Synthesis Series: Patrikakou

 7
yy Try to greet parents as they drop off or pick up Parent Checklist on Communication
their child at school. Get basic information you need at the beginning of the
99Be sensitive to cultural differences. school year.
yy Encourage parents to attend special events such 99Go to the school/classroom open house or orienta-
as school open house days, back to school events, tion night.
or class orientation nights. 99Have the teacher’s contact information (e.g., phone
School/Teacher Checklist on Homework number or e-mail), and know the convenient times to
In order for students to succeed in the classroom, they get in touch with him/her.
must develop a structure that supports homework 99Read the school handbook so that you are aware of
completion. Parents and teachers can collaborate in this the school/classroom rules.
process by enforcing good homework habits at home Let the teacher know that you want to be informed reglar-
and at school. When parents and teachers work together, ly about your child’s schoolwork and behavior.
children can develop healthy homework habits that last a
99Give the teacher your contact information and conve-
life time!
nient times to get in touch with you.
99Establish a homework routine, and communicate it
99Tell the teacher that you would like to hear about
clearly to students and parents.
both your child’s strengths and weaknesses.
99Inform parents about your expectations for home-
99Read and respond, if needed, to all notices, newslet-
work and how homework will be scored and contrib-
ters, etc.
ute to student grades.
99Ask about class rules, routines, and what students
99Let parents know when and how to contact you if
will be learning.
there are questions or concerns about homework.
99Talk to the teacher as soon as you have a question or
99Provide parents with information about available
concern about your child.
homework resources (e.g., homework hotlines).
99Ask parents for their feedback on homework assign- Let the teacher know that you would like to be actively
ments. You can use questions or check list points involved in your child’s education.
such as: 99Go to parent-teacher conferences and other school
yy How long did it take your child to complete this meetings. If you can’t make it, work with the teacher
assignment? to make alternative plans.
yy My child completed this assignment on his/her 99Ask the teacher about specific ways in which you can
own. be involved in schoolwork at home.
yy My child completed this assignment with some 99Ask the teacher when you can visit the classroom.
help. 99Volunteer to help the teacher in the class or with
yy My child needs more work on this skill/topic. special events.
yy I need more information to help my child with 99Mark your calendar with special school activities and
this type of assignment. events so that your child is prepared for both of you
to attend together.
99Always provide prompt, specific feedback by return-
ing graded homework papers as quickly as possible, 99Work with the teacher to clarify your child’s academ-
offering practical suggestions for improvement, and ic and behavioral goals for the year.
praising students for effort and achievements. 99Share information of major life changes that are
taking place at home (e.g., death in the family, birth
What families can do
of a sibling, divorce, etc.) and may affect your child’s
There are several things families can do to increase their academics or behavior.
involvement at home and school. Communication and
99Share information about your child’s accomplish-
homework are two major ingredients to student success
ments at home or in extracurricular activities.
and connecting links between schools and families. The
following checklists offer suggestions to parents to become 99Act like a partner with the teacher for your child’s
better informed and more involved in their children’s education and learning.
learning and education. 99Tell the teacher that you would like to work together
to solve problems.
Communication. Good communication between home
99Let your child know that you support the teacher’s
and school is important to keep parents in touch with
classroom rules and work goals.
the child’s educational needs and success. The following
checklist can help parents improve their communica- 99Contact the teacher to let him/her know about things
tion with the school and better assist their children with at school that your child likes.
homework: 99Communicate with the teacher when you have
questions, concerns, or suggestions to improve your
child’s learning.

Synthesis Series: Patrikakou

8
99Ask for suggestions about activities you can do with 99Be careful of the line between helping your child and
your child to build on what he/she is learning at doing the work for your child.
school. 99Talk to the teacher about a problem your child is
99Show respect for the teacher and the school. experiencing with homework.
99Thank the teacher for his/her efforts—remember, 99Praise your child for good effort.
teachers need a pat on the back too! In addition, you can…
More tips to enhance parent-teacher communication 99Ask the teacher how much time your child should be
include: studying each night.
99Write a note on your child’s homework and let the 99Have your child write down assignments in a special
teacher know if the work was easy or difficult for your “assignment notebook.”
child. 99Read to or with your child every day.
99Make an appointment so that you have time to talk 99Set a good example by doing your “homework” (e.g.,
with the teacher instead of showing up without prior paying bills, making a grocery list, reading, etc.) at
arrangements at a time when the teacher may have the same time your child does homework.
other responsibilities to fulfill.
99Talk about your concerns in a positive, problem-
solving way—avoid blaming or criticizing the teacher
especially in front of your child.
Conclusion
99Let your child know about the discussions you have School-family partnerships take time and effort to estab-
had with his/her teacher. Children should see that lish and maintained. There are concrete steps that schools
open communication between home and school is a can take in order to reach out to parents in a positive and
good sign of teamwork. ongoing way. But that is not enough. Since school-family
99Show the teacher your appreciation, especially when partnerships are a two-way street, parents must build on
he/she does something special for your child. the school’s efforts, or initiate their own, and collaborate
with teachers in a productive way for the success of all
Homework. Homework is another area of the educa- children.
tional process where parents can play an instrumental
role. See Table 1 for a “getting started” guide that can help
parents start building healthy homework habits.
References
Parent Guide Epstein, J. L. (2001). School, family, and community
Building Healthy Homework Habits partnerships: Preparing educators and improving
Getting Started Checklist: schools. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Use an assignment notebook. Gaitan, C. D. (2004). Involving Latino families in schools:
Set daily time for homework. Raising student achievement through home-school
partnerships. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Have your child sit at a clean, well-lit table.
Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A new wave of
Have the necessary supplies in place. evidence. Austin, TX: National Center for Family and
Quiet! No television. Community Connections with Schools.
Check that homework is complete. Lawrence-Lightfoot, S. (2003). The essential conversa-
tion: What parents and teachers need to learn from
Put assignments in bookbag.
each other. New York: Random House.
PRAISE child for his/her effort. Patrikakou, E. N., Weissberg, R. P., Redding, S., & Wal-
Talk with teacher as needed. berg, H. J. (Eds.). (2005). School-family partner-
Table 1: Getting started on building healthy homework habits ships: Fostering children’s school success. New York:
Teachers College Press.
Also…
Vaden-Kiernan, N., & McManus, J. (2005). Parent and
99Let your child know that homework is important.
family involvement in education: 2002–03 (NCES
99Agree with your child upon a set workspace and time 2005-043). U.S. Department of Education, National
for homework. Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC:
99Ask to see homework, and talk to your child about U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved Fall
what he/she learned each day. 2006 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2005/2005043.
99Check to make sure your child has finished all assign- pdf
ments. Weiss, H. B., Kreider, H., Lopez, M. E., & Chatman, C.
99Know what to do or whom to contact if your child M. (Eds.). (2005). Preparing educators to involve
does not understand an assignment . families: From theory to practice. Thousand Oaks,

Synthesis Series: Patrikakou

 9
CA: Sage Publications.
Zins, J. E., Weissberg, R. P., Wang, M. C., & Walberg, H.
J. (Eds.). (2004). Building school success on social
and emotional learning. What does the research
say? New York: Teachers College Press.

Resources
Internet Resources
•Academic Development Institute
http://www.adi.org
•Edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/php/keyword.php?id=225
•Family Involvement Network of Educators (FINE)
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/fine.html
•National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Educa-
tion
http://www.ncpie.org/Resources/
•National Education Association
http://www.nea.org/parents/index.html
•National Network of Partnership Schools
http://www.csos.jhu.edu/p2000/
•National Parent Teacher Association
http://www.pta.org/
•North Central Educational Regional Laboratory
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/pa0cont.htm
•North West Regional Educational Laboratory
http://www.nwrel.org/comm/topics/parent.html
•U.S. Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/parents/landing.jhtml

Synthesis Series: Patrikakou

 Center on

Innovation &
Improvement
Twin Paths to Better Schools

Center on Innovation & Improvement

121 N. Kickapoo Street
Lincoln, IL 62656 USA
Phone: 217-732-6462
Fax: 217-732-3696

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