Family, School, & Community Partnering: Supporting School Success for Every Student Cindy Dascher Parent and Family

1. Family, School, & Community Partnering: Supporting School Success for Every Student Cindy Dascher Parent and Family Consultant Exceptional Student Services Unit Cathy Lines RtI Consultant Colorado Department of Education Forum on Dropout Prevention & Student Engagement March 2, 2012

2. Learning Objectives • To highlight key family-school partnering laws, research, and resources as applied to a Multi-Tiered System of Supports • To integrate family-school partnering into existing dropout prevention and student engagement initiatives • To network and share ideas

3. Dropout Prevention & Student Engagement http://www.cde.state.co.us/DropoutPrevention/r_StudentsFamiliesCommunities.htm Early Childhood Initiativeshttp://www.cde.state.co.us/early/index.htm Exceptional Student Services Unit http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/Parent.asp Language, Culture, and Equity http://www.cde.state.co.us/cde_english/elau_parentinfo.htm Office of Federal Program Administration http://www.cde.state.co.us/FedPrograms/ Response to Intervention (RtI)/Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) http://www.cde.state.co.us/RtI/FamilyCommunityToolkit.htm Contributing CDE Offices and Units

4. Tarzan Principle: Link It Altogether and Move Away from “Random Acts” of Partnering • School Engagement/Dropout Prevention; Postsecondary Readiness • ICAP • UIP • District and School Accountability Committees; PTO/PTA • RtI, Special Education, PBIS • Educator Effectiveness • Colorado Growth Model and New Content Standards

6. Social Competence, Academic Achievement, and Safety Positive Behavior Interventions And Support OUTCOMES Supporting Decision Making Information Supporting Adult Behavior SYSTEMS FAMILY & COMMUNITY PRACTICES Supporting Student Behavior

7. Research-based framework for dropout prevention Essential Elements Methods & Tactics Early Warning Systems Data Analysis Outreach to out-of-school Youth Transition/Orientation Programs Family Involvement Community Engagement Alternative Pathways Enhanced Counseling and Mentoring Credit Recovery Options Policy and Practices Review Assess and Enhance School Climate Expanded Curriculum – Including CTE Identification Intervention & Support Institutional Change

8. A Quick Quiz: What Did Principals and Teachers Say? (Bridgeland, Dilulio, & Balfanz. 2009) Why do students drop out? What are factors in most or some cases? • Not enough support at home B. Missed too many days and can’t catch up C. Spends time with people who aren’t interested in school

9. A Quick Quiz: What Did Principals and Teachers Say? (Bridgeland, Dilulio, & Balfanz. 2009) Why do students drop out? What are factors in most or some cases? • Not enough support at home 89% • Missed too many days and can’t catch up 85% C. Spends time with people who aren’t interested in school 78%

10. A Quick Quiz: What Did Principals and Teachers Say? (Bridgeland, Dilulio, & Balfanz. 2009) Which group has all or most of the responsibility for dropping out? • School System • Parents C. Students

11. A Quick Quiz: What Did Principals and Teachers Say? (Bridgeland, Dilulio, & Balfanz. 2009) Which group has all or most of the responsibility for dropping out? • School System 24% • Parents 72% C. Students 75%

12. A Quick Quiz: What Did Principals and Teachers Say? (Bridgeland, Dilulio, & Balfanz. 2009) What Would Help to Reduce the Dropout Rate? A. Early Warning Signs to Identify Middle School Students B.Connect Classroom to Real World C. Smaller Classes D. More Parental Outreach/Involvement with Their Children’s Progress

13. A Quick Quiz: What Did Principals and Teachers Say? (Bridgeland, Dilulio, & Balfanz. 2009) What Would Help to Reduce the Dropout Rate? A. Early Warning Signs to Identify Middle School Students 72% B.Connect Classroom to Real World 69% C. Smaller Classes 65% D. More Parental Outreach/Involvement with Their Children’s Progress 57%

14. Rationale: The Law and Research • Partnering pools resources to increase range of solutions, expertise, and efficiency… (Esler et al., 2008)

15. Family-School Partnering Continuum Where are you, school staff members, and families on the partnering continuum? Give each a number! Home and school are separate, very different worlds. It is the school’s responsibility to educate children, and the family’s responsibility to see that the children are dressed, fed, and prepared for school. Schools share the responsibility for education with families. The partnership with families is flexible: on some issues the parents will be the more active partner and on others, the school will be. Adapted from Henderson et al., 2007, by Peak Parent Center 110

16. The Law: No Child Left Behind (2002)(First Statutory Definition in Elementary and Secondary Education Act - ESEA) Defines parent involvement as: • Regular, two-way and meaningful communication • An integral role in assisting with their child’s learning • Full partners in their child’s education

17. In IDEA 2004, Congress stressed: “strengthening the role and responsibility of parents and ensuring that families of such children have meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children at school and at home.” 20 U.S.C. 1401( c)(5)(B) The Law: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004)

18. In the US, students spend 91% of their time from birth - 18 outside of school; once in school, they spend 70% of their waking hours outside of school (Clarke, 1990). The Research: Time

19. For Students: Higher achievement, more homework completion, come to school more and stay in school longer, observing more similarities between home and school For Families: Becoming more supportive of child and teachers, becoming more confident in how to help child learn, learning more about education programs For Teachers and Schools: Improved teacher morale, higher ratings of teachers by parents, parents support schools and bond issues (Christenson & Sheridan, 2001; Epstein et al, 2002; Henderson & Mapp, 2002) The Research: Summary of 40 Years

20. RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH Factors Influencing Achievement 1. Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum 2. Challenging Goals/Effective Feedback 3. Parent and Community Involvement4. Safe and Orderly Environment 5. Collegiality and Professionalism School 6. Instructional Strategies 7. Classroom Management 8. Classroom Curricula Design Teacher 9. Home Environment 10. Learned Intelligence/ Background Knowledge 11. Motivation Student Marzano, 2003

21. 1. Communication About School Frequent and systematic discussions with child about school Parents encouraging their children regarding schoolwork Parents providing resources to help child do schoolwork (including community partnering) 2. Supervision of homework, TV viewing, after-school activities (including community partnering) (Marzano, 2003) The Research: Student AchievementHome Environment Components That WORK AT ALL LEVELS - Supporting School at Home

22. School practices (such as frequent communication and having meaningful roles for parents) are a stronger predictor of parent involvement than parents’ educational level, income status, or ethnic background. (Epstein, 1991) Parents, regardless of educational level, income status, or ethnic background, want their children to be successful in school. Across groups, parents want information about how schools function, children’s development/learning, & parents’ roles in supporting their children. (Christenson, 1995) The Research: Every Family, Every StudentDiverse Cultures, Ethnicities, Languages, SES

23. The Law and Research: A National Shift The Six Types of Parent Involvement (Epstein, 1995) • Parenting • Communicating • Volunteering • Learning at Home • Decision-Making • Collaborating with Community National Standards for Family-School Partnerships(PTA,2009) • Welcoming All Families • Communicating Effectively • Supporting Student Success • Speaking Up for Every Child • Sharing Power • Collaborating with Community

24. Traditional Parent Involvement Parents only Schools have the primary responsibility for educating students School initiated, formal activities and meetings, compliance focus Family-School Partnering Family = student, parents and/or other caregivers in a child’s life Families and schools share responsibility for a child’s education; each has unique knowledge and skills Flexible hours and meeting venues; ongoing, sustainable relationship-building; student outcome focus The Law and Research: A National Shift

25. Traditional Parent Involvement School initiated, one-way information sharing, often about problems Educational plans developed and implemented by school and shared with parents; parents give consent Structured volunteering at school (usually fundraisers, events) with a small group of parents Family-School Partnering Ongoing, two-way communication about successes, concerns, information Educational plans developed, delivered, and evaluated conjointly by schools and families using data; includes RtI, ILP,ALP, FBA/BIP, and IEP Supporting coordinated learning at home and school for all families using data The Law and Research: A National Shift

26. Some Common Beliefs About High School Students and Families? WHAT DO YOU THINK? • High school students don’t want their families involved in school. • Most parents are “helicopters”. • Parents of high school students don’t want to be involved. • High school students should beindependent – it is all their responsibility.

27. There are more challenges in secondary schools: Teachers have more students for lesser time, families live farther away Teachers tend to be “academic specialists” and have not typically been involved with families Students are balancing independence and need for guidance and support Subject matter, instruction and systems are more complex Parents need more guidance in supporting school and postsecondary success Typically, family involvement drops off in secondary schools unless intentional, strategic partner planning is in place. (Epstein et al, 2002) Secondary School Researchon Family-School Partnerships

28. When school staff contact families about postsecondary plans… When school staff contact families about study support at home… When school staff contact families about school-related issues such as academic programs and class content… When teachers assign “interactive homework”… …families talk about college and attend workshops …families work more often with teenagers on homework …families talk with their students more often about school-related issues …students and parents complete it together (Simon, 2002) Secondary Research: Personal Contact and Outreach Works!

29. Tie family partnership activities to your specific academic improvement goals; Focus on transition years - elementary to middle, middle to high, high to postsecondary – in encouraging partnerships; Actively involve students; Expand teacher’s roles gradually and with support, knowing this is new for many; encourage sharing of ideas; offer trainings and incentives; collect data on effectiveness; Practice interactive homework (TIPS) - intentionally and frequently. (Epstein et al., 2002) What Else Works in Secondary Schools…

30. (Hint: High school students can add important ideas in how schools and families can partner: they can be on committees, call families and they are “main actors in their education”. ) “Parent involvement is important because if you don’t have a parent to encourage you and support you - ask about your grades and how you are doing - then you’d think they didn’t care. Then you wouldn’t have that motivation to go out there and try to get a 100% or 90% (on a test), you’ll take whatever you get because no one else is interested. (Sanders, 1998, p.41, as quoted in Epstein et al., 2002). This was the explanation given by a high school sophomore student in a high school working on its parent partnership program. (Epstein et al., 2002) A High School Student’s Voice

31. Colorado RtI VideoSecondary Implementationhttp://www.cde.state.co.us/media/rti/training01/rtivideo03.html

32. Partnering Definition and Principles • Tell me I forget. Show me I remember. Involve me I understand. • (Chinese Proverb)

33. What is your definition of partnering? Partnering is _____________________. Please share with your team. (CDE, 2009) Partnering Is…

34. The focus is always on student success – every student, measurable goals, progress data and doing what works. (Lines et al., 2011) The key is to coordinate learning between home and school, sharing responsibility and data.(Weiss et al.,2009) Students are “main actors in their own education” (Epstein et al, 2002). They link home and school. Partnering Principles

35. Money is not needed (or not much) - just a shift in time, conversations, resources and everyday practices; teachers, students, families, and community resources are all available. Partnering is a transparent process for families, students, educators and community resources. Mutual accountability for student success is created between home and school. Partnering Principles

36. A struggling student experiences collaborative support and encouragement immediately from home and school, thus staying engaged in learning. It is all about ongoing, sustainable, intentional relationships. Partnering Principles

37. Cultural and linguistic differences are directly addressed because: partnering creates common ground; students see their worlds working together; there is a forum to understand the culture of the family and the culture of the school. (Coll & Chatman,2005) Partnering Principles

38. Words: “WE”, “OUR”, “US” Goals: What do we want to ACHIEVE TOGETHER? Roles: How can WE PARTNER around that? Data: How will WE KNOW it is working? Input: What does the family or school or community resource THINK, FEEL, KNOW? Decisions: WE ALL are “at the table” and “on the team”. Responsibilities: What are WE EACH doing? Students: What is BEST for OUR student(s)? Partnering Vocabulary

39. “Hurdlers know there will be several obstacles…they plan ahead as to how to overcome. With a little foresight…there can be successful navigation”. (adapted from Ellis and Hughes, 2002) Challenges and Solutions/Resources

40. What Are YourChallenges?

41. What Are YourSolutions/Resources?

42. Multi-Tiered PartneringThe goal is that educators, family members, and community resources are on the team and at the table in supporting every student’s success.(CDE, 2009) Universal, Targeted, Intensive

43. Align Your Actions…Tiered Family & Community Partnering (CDE, 2008c; Epstein et al, 2002)

44. Tiered RtI Family & Community Partnering Checklist

45. Developing a Multi-Tiered Dropout Prevention Checklist - EXAMPLE

46. Parent Forums for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families Cherry Creek School District

47. Outline of Activities • Importance of Regular Attendance • Handouts- • Attendance means Everything • www.attendanceworks.org

48. Talking Points • Accessing Computers- School Library & Public Library & Smart Phones • School Website • Power School (Infinite Campus)

50. End-of-Year Evaluation Parent Forums • 99% of parents reported agreeing or strongly agreeing that the forum was useful, that they would check Power School more and that they would discuss school and try some of the attendance tips with their child