Parent and Family Involvement - Dpi

1 Parent and Family Involvement : Parent and Family Involvement : A Guide to Effective Parent , Family , A Guide to Effective Parent , Family , and Community Involvement in and Community Involvement in North Carolina Schools North Carolina Schools New! Toolkit Inside Public Schools of North Carolina State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction New! Toolkit Inside Public Schools of North Carolina State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction 2nd Edition 2nd Edition Public Schools of North Carolina Public Schools of North Carolina State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. The guiding mission of the North Carolina State Board of Education is that every public school student will graduate from high school, globally competitive for work and postsecondary education and prepared for life in the 21st Century.

2 WILLIAM C. HARRISON REGINALD KENAN JOHN A. TATE III. Chairman :: Fayetteville Rose Hill Charlotte WAYNE MCDEVITT KEVIN D. HOWELL ROBERT TOM SPEED. Vice Chair :: Asheville Raleigh Boone WALTER DALTON SHIRLEY E. HARRIS MELISSA E. BARTLETT. Lieutenant Governor :: Rutherfordton Troy Roxboro JANET COWELL CHRISTINE J. GREENE PATRICIA N. WILLOUGHBY. State Treasurer :: Raleigh High Point Raleigh JEAN W. WOOLARD. Plymouth NC DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. June St. Clair Atkinson, , State Superintendent 301 N. Wilmington Street :: Raleigh, North Carolina 27601-2825. In compliance with federal law, NC Public Schools administers all state-operated educational programs, employment activities and admissions without discrimination because of race, religion, national or ethnic origin, color, age, military service, disability, or gender, except where exemption is appropriate and allowed by law.

3 Inquiries or complaints regarding discrimination issues should be directed to: Dr. Rebecca Garland, Chief Academic Officer :: Academic Services and Instructional Support 6368 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-6368 :: Telephone: (919) 807-3200 :: Fax: (919) 807-4065. Visit us on the Web:: M0910. Table of Contents Introduction State Superintendent's Letter to School Leaders and Classroom 3. The Importance of Family and Community Involvement ..5. Eight Essential Elements That Enhance Family and Community Involvement ..7. Toolkit (includes Alternate Assessment and Action Plan). Instructions .. 15. Family and Community Engagement in Schools 16. Family and Community Engagement in Schools Assessment Action 18. The School- Family -Community Resource Guide .. 20. Sample Action Plan for Enhanced Family and Community Involvement Appendices Appendix A: North Carolina State Board of Education Future-Ready Students for the 21st Century.

4 27. Appendix B: North Carolina State Board of Education Policy on Family Involvement .. 29. Appendix C: School Self-Assessment of Parent and Family Involvement Practices .. 31. Appendix C-2: Self-Evaluation Summary .. 39. Appendix D: Resource Overview: North Carolina Parent Information and Resource Center .. 40. Appendix D-2: Resource Overview: Communities in Schools of North 42. Appendix D-3: Resource Overview: North Carolina Association of Educators Center for Teaching and Learning Creating Strong Family -School-Community Partnerships .. 44. Appendix E: How Schools Can Overcome Obstacles to Family Involvement .. 46. Appendix F: Facts About Family Involvement .. 48. 49. Acknowledgements Dr. June St. Clair Atkinson, State Superintendent State Superintendent's Parent Advisory Council Members: Dr. Margaret Arbuckle, Jamestown Ms.

5 Pat Lillie, Chapel Hill Ms. Jennifer Barksdale, Winston-Salem Ms. Charlotte Linder, Clayton Ms. Viola Barnes-Gray, Rocky Mount Ms. Charmaine Murrell, Fayetteville Ms. Minnie Brown, Durham Ms. Elaine Palmer, Charlotte Mr. Tim Buff, Morganton Ms. Virginia Parker, Raleigh Ms. Margaret Carnes, Charlotte Ms. Melissa Pruitt, Horse Shoe Ms. Osiris Collazos, Charlotte Ms. Azell Reeves, Greensboro Ms. Anne Cortes, Jamestown Ms. Lynn Sanderson, Pembroke Ms. Angella Dunston, Raleigh Mr. Kenneth Shelton, Hope Mills Ms. Lavastian Glenn, Winston-Salem Mr. Reggie Smith, Durham Ms. Connie Hawkins, Davidson Ms. Kristen Stephens, Durham Ms. Debra Horton, Wake Forest Mr. Phillip Tyler, Pembroke Ms. Laurie Jaegers, Raleigh Ms. Henrietta Zalkind, Rocky Mount Ms. Rita Jerman, Fuquay-Varina State Superintendent's Parent Advisory Council Ad Hoc Committee Members: Ms.

6 Connie Hawkins, Davidson County Rev. Danny Ellis, Halifax County Ms. Debora Horton, Wake County Dr. Donna Hunter, Halifax County Ms. Kyle Robertson, Forsyth County Ms. Jerri Haigler, Mecklenburg County Ms. Ashley Perkinson, Wake County Ms. Pattie Allen, Edgecombe County Ms. Beverly Roberts, Mecklenburg County Ms. Angella Dunston, Warren County Mr. Johnny Allen, Union County Ms. Azelle Reeves, Guilford County Ms. Viola Barnes-Gray, Edgecombe County NC Department of Public Instruction Contributors: Phyllis West, Sr. Policy Advisor, Superintendent's Office Charlotte N. Hughes, Director, Federal Program Monitoring and Support Division Joyce Myers, Office Manager, Communications and Information Services Donna R. Brown, Section Chief, Federal Program Monitoring Section Yvonne Perry, State Parent Involvement Coordinator Sheila Bazemore, State Family Involvement (Pre-K) Consultant, Office of Early Learning Johanna Chase, 21st Century Programs Consultant, Federal Program Monitoring Section The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction expresses gratitude to the Kentucky Department of Education and the New Mexico Department of Education for providing access to resources produced by their respective divisions of Family and community Involvement in public schools.

7 2. INTRODUCTION. Public Schools of North Carolina State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction Public Schools of North Carolina State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction To School Leaders and Classroom Teachers on the Necessity of Family and Community Involvement Research clearly connects Family and community Involvement to student success and shows that active, meaningful engagement from parents and others helps schools boost student achievement and produce graduates who are prepared to be productive, globally-competitive citizens. If we are to achieve our goal of graduating every North Carolina student from high school prepared for college and a career, we must stop viewing schools as the only responsible source of student success. Young people have so many influences in their lives . at home, in school, and in their communities.

8 Failure to establish a home-school-community collaboration aimed at increasing student success puts our children's futures at stake. The good news is that many school leaders across the state have realized the value of connecting parents and community members to what is happening in the classroom. Still, there are too many families and community members who do not feel equipped to partner with schools to create the best teaching and learning environments for children. It is not surprising that these people tend to avoid substantive Involvement in critical issues such as daily attendance, teacher quality, student retention, and other areas that impact student success. With the assistance of the Superintendent's Parent Advisory Council, the Department of Public Instruction has developed a tool to help schools engage families and the community as full partners in the education decision-making process.

9 Grounded in research on Family and community Involvement , Parent and Family Involvement : A Guide to Effective Parent , Family , and Community Involvement in North Carolina Schools, was written to inform schools and school districts on best practices in utilizing the skills and time of families and communities as they assist schools in preparing youth for post-secondary life. This guide also highlights the eight essential elements that leverage Family and community Involvement as a tool for improving student achievement and learning outcomes. In addition to featuring the essential elements, the guide offers a variety of easy-to-implement strategies that will not tax school budgets. Use this resource as your guide to strengthen Family and community engagement efforts in your district to boost student achievement in every school.

10 Please be assured that my office remains committed to supporting your awesome journey of helping young people wisely shape their future to graduate career- and college- ready while they are under the caring, guiding hand of three major influences in their lives their Family , community, and you. Thank you for all you do to help all North Carolina students! June St. Clair Atkinson State Superintendent 3. 4. The Importance of Family and Community Involvement Introduction Thirty years of research and a long history of federal and state legislation demonstrates the importance of Parent Involvement in their children's learning and development. In the No Child Left Behind legislation (NCLB) of 2002, the federal government for the first time offered a definition of Parent Involvement as a regular, two-way and meaningful communication about student learning and other school activities, including: assisting in their child's learning.