Improving Family Involvement is an online resource centered around family involvement and is intended to assist in improved communication between schools and families.
The resource is based on Joyce Epstein’s framework of the six types of family involvement—parenting, communication, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with communities. Epstein is the founder and director of the National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns Hopkins University.
Parent involvement in schools is seen as an important factor in a child’s success in school. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) requires schools to develop ways to get parents more involved in their child’s education and in improving the school. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) focuses on “meaningful parent involvement” with regard to students with disabilities.
In 2005, the State Performance Plan (SPP) was implemented nationwide by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). The OSEP identified various aspects of special education to monitor in the SPP, called indicators. Indicator 8, Facilitated Parent Involvement, asks the question, “What is the percent of parents with a child receiving special education services who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for students with disabilities?”
To measure the extent to which school districts are facilitating parent involvement, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) partnered with Wayne State University to conduct an annual survey. A set of questions developed by the National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring (NCSEAM) is sent out each spring to families whose children are supported by special education supports and services.
The survey asks parents about the extent to which they agree or disagree with statements on a school’s efforts to facilitate their involvement. Parent responses are then condensed into a score. The higher the score, the more the parents see the school as doing a better job of facilitating parent involvement.
In addition to defining Epstein’s six types of family involvement, the Improving Family Involvement resources document lists example practices and tools. It also contains a list of expected results for students, parents, and teachers as well as related research findings.
In 1990, in Equity Coalition, pub by Programs for Ed. Opportunity, U. of M. I discussed 6 types of parent activities:Parents as Teachers, Parent/Teachers, School Social Activities for Family, School Support, Volunteering in Classroom, Parent Training Workshops, Adult Eduction (GED, ESL, et.), Member of advisory Council, Child Advocate, School and Community Leader. There also was a parent involvement checklist (among other parent involvement articles for schools
As a teacher in Michigan, I enjoy interaction with parents and like having them assist in my
classroom. Parents know their child best and this helps me to understand where to start in the teaching process.