Linking School-Family Collaboration to School

Improvement

Anne T. HendersonAnnenberg Institute for School Reform

AnneTHenderson1@yahoo.com

Today’s Themes

Clear and shared focus – Including families as partners in improving student outcomes

High levels of collaboration – Linking family engagement to improving student learning

Frequent monitoring of teaching and learning – Closing the circle of accountability

Supportive learning environment – Supporting learning at home and in the community

High levels of family/community involvement –Building close and trusting relationships

Goals for our Session

Understanding why Parent Engagement is Essential to Student Achievement

Discussing Quality Indicators and Examples of Good Practice

Applying Lessons Learned to Your Settings

What is the Point?

A Renewed Vision of Family

Engagement in Learning

NAEP 2009/US Achievement

% Proficient

Math Reading

Grade 4 39% 33%

Grade 8 34% 33%

NAEP/ID 2009 Achievement

% Proficient

Math Reading

Grade 4 46% 38%

Grade 8 46% 35%

Children in Poverty/2010

Of the 73 million children in the United States:

▶ 42% live in low-income families.

▶ 21% live in poor families

Of the 412,000 Children in Idaho:

▶ 48% live in low-income families

National Center for Children in Poverty, www.nccp.org

Poverty and Education are Related

84% ID children in low-income families whose parents do not have a high school degree

69% ID children in low-income families whose parents do have a high school degree

37% ID children in low-income families whose parents have at least some college

National Center for Children in Poverty, www.nccp.org

Is there a Link between Family-School Partnerships and Student

Achievement?

A New Wave of Evidence:

Family Engagement Can Have a Powerful Impact on Student Achievement

By Anne T. Henderson and Karen L. Mapp

www.sedl.org/connections

If Parents are Involved, Students from All Backgrounds Tend To:

Earn higher grades and test scores

Enroll in higher-level programs

Be promoted and earn credits

Adapt well to school and attend regularly

Have better social skills and behavior

Graduate and go on to higher education

When families are involved at home and at school --Children do betterin school, and the schools get better.

Overall Finding:

Parent and community involvement that is designed to improve student learning hasa greater impact on achievement.

Big Story: Link to Learning

How Will the Activity/Program:

Help parents understand what their children are learning and doing in class?

Promote high standards for student work? Help parents assist children at home? Promote discussion about improving student

progress? Help families understand good teaching?

Big Story: Advocacy is Protective

The more families can be advocates for children and support their progress, the better their children do, and the longer they stay, in school.

Big Story: All Families Contribute

Families of all back-grounds are involved at home:

Talk about school Help plan for higher

education Keep focused on learning

and homework.Encourage their children

Beyond the Bake Sale

The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships

Anne T. Henderson, Karen L. Mapp, Vivian R. Johnson and Don Davies

The New Press, 2007

Big Story: High-Performing Schools Have a Joining Process

Welcoming

Honoring

Connecting

Mapp, K.L. 2003. Having their say: Parents describe why and how they are engaged in their children's learning. School Community Journal, Volume 13, Number 1

The Joining Process Welcoming Honoring Connecting

Mapp, K.L. 2003. Having their say: Parents describe why and how they are engaged in their children's learning. School Community Journal, Volume 13, Number 1

Three Key Questions

What should I do? How parents develop their job description as a parent

Can I do it? How confident parents feel about their ability to help their children

Will I be welcome? Whether parents feel invited-both by their children and school staff

Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler, 2005

Organizing Schools for Improvement

Long-term study of Chicago schools found five essential supports for school improvement

Without all five, schools were substantially less likely to make gains.

Strong family and community ties made it 40% more likely that students would make significant math and reading gains.

Anthony S. Bryk et al, (2010) Organizing Schools for Improvement: Lessons from Chicago (Chicago: University of Chicago Press)

Organizing Schools for Improvement

Family Engagement: Reframing the Work

Individual Responsibility

Shared Responsibility

Deficit-Based/Adversarial

Strength-Based/Collaborative

Random Acts Systemic Program

Add-On Integrated

Compliance Ownership

One-Time Project Continuous Improvement

Impact of Systematic Parent Outreach

Students’ reading and math scores improved 40-50% faster when teachers: met with families face-to-face sent materials on ways to help their child

at home telephoned routinely about progress

Westat and Policy Studies Associates, 2001

Keys to Powerful Partnerships

Building Relationships: A steady focus on developing trust and respect among all members of the school community is linked to higher performance

Linking to Learning: When parent and community involvement is focused on student learning, effect on achievement is maximized

Critique your Current Programs

What’s linked directly to what students are learning and doing in class right now? L

What builds relationships between families and teachers? R

What is general information or something we’ve always done? G

Design or Tweak a Program

Design a family event that: links to learning and to data on student outcomes welcomes and honors families asks parents what they’d like to know more about.

Place your key ideas onto a poster sheet. You may use pictures/words/symbols. What will get your ideas across to others?

Remember…

If you want to go fast, go it alone.

If you want to go far, go with others.