Parent and Family Engagement and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)�Staff Training for Parent and Family Engagement

Excerpts taken from Title I Statewide School

Support/Parental Involvement Initiative and the

Texas PTA under contract with

the Texas Education Agency

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What is the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)?

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• The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) serves as the latest reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) which was last reauthorized in 2002 as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).
• Since its inception, the intent of the law has been to raise achievement for low-income and otherwise disadvantaged children.
• Parent and family engagement and consultation have always been a key piece of the law, focused on the low-income parents of “Title I-participating” children.
• Your campus is a Title I campus and has received funding therefore, the following components MUST be addressed.

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ESSA School Wide Program Requirements

Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) (Section 1114(b)(6)) Items purchased with Title I funds must have the need specified in the CNA.

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Campus Improvement Plan (CIP) (Section 1114(b)) Items purchased with Title I funds must have the strategy specified in the CIP.

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Parent and Family Engagement (Section 116 (b-c))

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�Parent/Family engagement is the participation of parents/families in every facet of the education and development of children from birth to adulthood, recognizing that parents/families are the primary influence in their children's lives. Effective parent/family engagement takes many forms, including:�

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• Communicating

• Parenting

• Student learning

• Volunteering

• School decision making and advocacy

• Collaborating with the community

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PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

(National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs, National PTA, 2004)

HOW STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

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RESEARCH FINDINGS ON PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT:��HIGHER STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

• Students achieve more, regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnic/racial background, or the parents’ education level.
• Students have higher test grades and test scores, better attendance, and complete homework more consistently.
• Students have higher graduation rates and greater enrollment rates in postsecondary education.
• Student achievement for disadvantaged students improves dramatically.

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(National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs, National PTA, 2004)

RESEARCH FINDINGS ON�PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT:��STUDENT BEHAVIOR

• Students exhibit more positive attitude and behavior.
• Students have more self-confidence and feel school is more important.
• Student behaviors such as alcohol use, violence, and other undesirable behaviors decrease.

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(National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs, National PTA, 2004)

RESEARCH FINDINGS ON�PARENT/FAMILY ENGAGEMENT:��CULTURE

• Children from diverse cultural backgrounds tend to do better when parents and professionals work together to bridge the cultural gap between home and school.
• The school’s practices to inform and involve parents are stronger factors in whether parents will be involved in their children’s education than are parent education, family size, and marital status.

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(National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs, National PTA, 2004)

RESEARCH FINDINGS ON�PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT:��

• Successful schools engage families from diverse backgrounds, build trust and collaboration, recognize and respect and address family needs, and develop a partnership where power and responsibility is shared.

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• For low-income families, programs offered in the community or at church or through home visits are more successful than programs requiring parents to come to the school.

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(National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs, National PTA, 2004)

Cont…

RESEARCH FINDINGS ON�PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT:��AGE

• Parent/Family Engagement clearly benefits student in the early years, but continued parent/family engagement shows significant gains at all ages and all grade levels.
• Middle school and high school students make better transitions, maintain the quality of their work, and develop realistic plans for the future.

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(National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs, National PTA, 2004)

RESEARCH FINDINGS ON�PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT:��SCHOOL QUALITY

• Schools with parent-teacher organizations have higher student achievement.
• Improved teacher morale and higher ratings of teachers by parents.
• When schools are held accountable, school districts make positive changes in policy and practice, improve school leadership and staffing, secure resources and funding to improve the curriculum and provide after school and family support programs.

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(National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs, National PTA, 2004)

RESEARCH FINDINGS ON�PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT:��SCHOOL QUALITY

• Schools have more support from families and more respect in the community.
• Schools make greater gains on state tests.

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(National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs, National PTA, 2004)

Cont…

KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN SUCCESSFUL�PARENT ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS

Parent and Family Engagement is truly a team effort. To be effective, all of

the following players must believe in the potential of parent and family engagement efforts and participate to the fullest extent possible in parent and family engagement activities:

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• School administrators – who understand, encourage and fully support parent

involvement.

• Teachers – who are committed to working closely with parents in a variety of

capacities.

• Parents and family members – who understand their potential influence and are

ready to contribute actively to their children's education.

• Community members (including businesses and community organizations) – who

are willing to support the role of parents and families in education.

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TEN THINGS PARENTS WISH TEACHERS WOULD DO

1. Build students' self-esteem by using praise generously, and avoiding ridicule and

negative public criticism.

2. Get to know each child's needs, interests and special talents, as well as the way

each child learns best.

3. Communicate often and openly with parents, contacting them early about

academic or behavioral problems, being candid rather than defensive when

discussing these problems.

4. Regularly assign homework that helps children learn, and advise parents how they

can work with their children on their homework.

5. Set high academic standards, expecting all students to learn and helping them to do so.

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TEN THINGS PARENTS WISH�TEACHERS WOULD DO

6. Care about children, since children learn best when taught by warm, friendly, caring

and enthusiastic teachers.

7. Treat all children fairly and do not play favorites.

8. Enforce a positive discipline code based on clear and fair rules that are established

and fully explained at the beginning of the school year -- reinforce positive behavior

as well as punish negative behavior.

9. Be aware of students' different learning styles and vary teaching methods to help

each child achieve success.

10. Encourage parent participation by reaching out to involve parents in their

children's education. Show parents how they can help their children at home.

Understand that parents want to work with teachers to help their children be

successful.

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Cont…

TEN THINGS TEACHERS WISH�PARENTS WOULD DO

1. Be involved in their children's education. Parent involvement helps students learn,

improves schools and makes teachers' jobs easier.

2. Provide resources at home for reading and learning. Parents should have books

and magazines for their children and read with their children each day.

3. Set a good example. Parents should show their children that they believe reading is

enjoyable and useful.

4. Encourage children to do their best in school. Parents should encourage children to

do their best, and children should be helped to set obtainable goals.

5. Academics should be a primary concern, followed by their children's preparation

for the world of work and involvement in athletics and activities.

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TEN THINGS TEACHERS WISH�PARENTS WOULD DO

6. Support school rules and goals. Parents should take care not to undermine school

rules, discipline or goals.

7. Use pressure positively. Parents should gently urge their children to attempt new

activities but they should not apply too much pressure by involving them in too

many activities.

8. Call teachers as soon as a problem becomes apparent so that prompt action can be

taken.

9. Exercise parental responsibility and do not expect the school and teachers to take

over this job. For example, teaching basic discipline is a parental rather than a

school responsibility.

10. Understand that alcohol, tobacco, bullying, and violence are problems as serious

as drug abuse. All these can impact a student's health and classroom performance.

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Cont…

Parents Engagement is a Critical Ingredient for Student Success

For any questions or additional information, please reach out to the Federal Programs and Student Support Services Director.

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