A Curricular and Training Program to Increase Hispanic Parental Involvement

Navigating the American Educational System

(NAES)©

An idea whose time has come…

• Dr. Darlene Ruscitti, Regional Superintendent of Schools

In spite of the huge differences in levels of acculturation, English proficiency,

Spanish proficiency, current academic success, family academic background,

family support, etc., the following commonality emerged: Great

entrenchment and appreciation for being in the United States and a strong

determination to “ser alguien en la vida”, that is, to be somebody in life.

Dr. Lourdes Ferrer

• The number of foreign-born residents has tripled in the past 30 years and Hispanic is the fastest growing immigration group.

• During the past 10 years the rate of growth for ELL students has increased by 65% compared to 9% of total K-12 enrollment

Did you know that…

• Most Hispanics are recruited by industries seeking low-skilled/low-wage labor.

• Two-thirds of Hispanics live in poverty despite earning more money than in their native countries.

• The Hispanic youth is the most under-educated major segment of the U.S. population.

Continued…

• By 2030, Hispanic students will comprise one-fourth of the total K-12 population.

• Hispanics have the highest drop-out rate in the United States.

• The involvement of minority parents is decreasing.

• The lack of Hispanic parental involvement added to a reserved and non-confrontational manner is being perceived as lack of care about their children’s education.

Continued…

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3rd 5th 8th 11th

White Black Hispanic Asian

Percent of Students in the State of Illinois Who in 2006Demonstrated Proficiency in Math on the ISAT or PSAE

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62 62

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87 8691

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3rd 5th 8th 11th

White Black Hispanic Asian

Percent of Students in the State of Illinois Who in 2006Demonstrated Proficiency in Reading on the ISAT or PSAE

We need to build bridges to cross

generational, academic, linguistic, educational and cultural gaps that

exists between the Hispanic community

and the American Educational System and

within many Hispanic families across the

nation.Dr. Lourdes Ferrer

• Improved student achievement

• Better school attendance

• Better school/classroom discipline

• Reduced dropout rates

• Greater self-esteem and self-confidence

• Greater conduciveness to learning school culture

What are the benefits of parental involvement?

According to research, these improvements occur regardless of the economic, racial, or cultural

background of the family.

How is the DuPage Regional Office of Education (ROE) responding?

Navigating the American Educational SystemA curricular and training program

What is the purpose of the Navigating the American Educational System (NAES)© program?

The purpose is to increase the parental involvement of Spanish speaking immigrants in the academic careers of their children by increasing parental proficiency in navigating the American educational system.

What does NAES© do?It provides Spanish-speaking parents with the knowledge, skills and confidence to:

• Interact with the school system

• Manage the academic experiences of their children

NAES© State Test Scores

Improved Parental Proficiency

Improved Academic Proficiency

The end result of NAES© should be improved academic proficiency of Hispanic students.

Because Hispanics are the largest and fastest growing minority in the U.S., helping Hispanic students reach academic proficiency is a BIG step in achieving the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act.

• Motivational videos to deliver content in an engaging manner,

• Professional Power Point presentations to visually guide facilitators and parents in each seminar, and

• Support materials such as facilitator's guide, the scripts in English and Spanish, sample of letters of invitation, sample of certificates of completion, and parent handouts

The NAES© curriculum provides all the tools needed to conduct successful parental involvement seminars including:

The NAES© two-day facilitator’s training provides:• A deep understanding of

the rationale, purpose, content and format of the parent curricular program;

• Strategies for the implementation of the program at the school site and delivery of the curriculum; and,

• Specialized training in the following SIX topics:

Next slide…

1. Understanding Hispanic Culture

2. Adult Education and Hispanic Learners

3. Public Speaking and Hispanic Audience

4. School Reform in America

5. Hispanic Trends and Issues in U.S.

6. Parental Involvement

Continued…

What is included in the facilitator’s curriculum?

• Eight Video Scripts - 4 in English and 4 in Spanish

• Four Top-Quality Spanish Videos – One for every Parent Seminar

• Four Power Point Presentations – One for every Parent Seminar

• Sample of Certificate of Participation for Parents

Continued…

• Sample of Letter of Invitation for Parents

• Six Power Point Presentations- 1 for every topic covered during the facilitator’s training

• Literature Review for Every Topic Covered in the Facilitator’s Training

• Seminar One will provide Hispanic parents with an understanding of the role of education in the American society and enable these parents to identify and discuss appropriate parental involvement that may improve the academic performance of their children.

What does the parent curricular program covers?

• Seminar Two will enable Spanish-speaking parents to identify and explain how to communicate with school personnel so that these parents can initiate and maintain successful school experiences.

Continued…

• Seminar Three will empower Spanish-speaking parents to identify and utilize strategies to maximize their children’s academic potential. This includes topics like managing homework, developing reading skills and planning for post-secondary training or education.

Continued…

• Seminar Four provides Spanish-speaking parents with the ability to recognize problems and develop strategies for dealing with specific issues which Hispanic students may face as hindrances to their academic success.

Continued…

 “The most important and difficult

assignment is aligning parents’ frame of reference with that of their students’ teachers. It will assert strategies not

commonly used in today’s school reform initiatives. Changing parents’ frame of reference or life paradigm will require changing their beliefs, attitudes and

perceptions about themselves and the world around them. This endeavor will

require planned persuasive communication, transformational

experiences, mentoring and exposure to role models. Parents with a non-

conducive to academic success frame of reference will need not only the desire but also the drive to overcome challenges to reach the level of parent proficiency that will allow them to monitor their children’s

education. If that happens, everybody wins.”

  Dr. Lourdes Ferrer

Helping parents help their kids…

 

Thank you for all that YOU do on behalf of

children!

Helping parents help their kids…

 Dr. Darlene Ruscitti

Regional Superintendent of Schools