Strategies Targeting Parent Engagement
The research on family involvement in education spans 30 years. It links increased student achievement with parent involvement in their child’s learning. This link has also spread to student behavior as students whose parents are involved in their education show improved behavior, and lower rates of suspension, alcohol use, violence, and antisocial behavior (National Education Service, 2002). As part of our efforts to improve behavior in the schools, we can look to parents for support. Many agencies, including the Colorado Department of Education, rely on Joyce Epstein’s Six Types of Parent Involvement Model to structure parent programming. These six types are listed here: Parenting, Communicating, Volunteering, Learning at Home, Decision-Making, Collaborating with Community. Parent & Community Engagement Committee, 2004
WI RtI PBIS Parent Engagement Outline:
1.Have parents take the RtI PBIS Parent Survey (Pre) at the beginning of each year (example: open house, parent teacher conferences, etc.).
2.Review the results
3.Share the results with a stakeholder group that includes staff and parents
4.With the assistance of the stakeholder group, develop a plan to address any areas of concern or weakness. (See items 10 - 13 below)
5.Share the survey results and plan with ALL families and staff.
6.Implement the Plan throughout a specified time period (ie. Semester, school year)
7.Ask parents to take the RtI PBIS Parent Survey (Post) at the end of the time period.
8.Compare this with the Pre-survey.
9.Address the items on the survey that most parents mark “no” or do not understand.
10.Have the RtI PBIS Universal Team use the Family Engagement Checklist, compare this with the Parent Survey and address the mutual concerns of each document. Use the RtI PBIS Family Engagement Questionnaire/Guiding Questions to complete the Action Plan form to guide the team in their Family Engagement implementation.
11.Review the Family Items on Assessments form, review and contrast which items you
have achieved during the school year and which need attention (TIC/SAS/BoQ/SIR/BAT).
12.Use Epstein’s Six Types of PBIS Parent Engagement for different strategies to use with families.
13.Once the team becomes fluent in using this process for RtI PBIS use the documents in other areas to increase Family Engagement.
A few strategies to encourage teachers to start positive interactions with families:
- At the beginning of the school year, have each teacher address 3 positive postcards for each student in their classroom. When the teacher notices the student show a positive behavior or improve their behavior, they can quickly jot down a note and send it home. Ask that teachers have all three postcards for each of their students’ mailed out prior to January 1. Repeat the process for second semester.
- At the beginning of the school year or when inviting parents to a school activity include the school matrix and expectations so parents are aware of the expectations for everyone who enters the building.
- Ask parents to work with their child on what are similar expectations at school and at home. Include a blank matrix for parents to complete with their student.
October 2012