February 2006 — Features
Print this article | Email this articleClick here to receive your FREE subscription to T.H.E. Journal
Student Information Systems >> How Do You Spell Parental Involvement? S-I-S
It Takes a Village
Schools are starting to look toward the community—particularly
businesses—to play a role in supporting parental involvement.
No Child Left Behind’s requirements beg some questions concerning how
far the parental-involvement strategy can be pursued. In fact, the word
community is cropping up more regularly in educator circles. Educators
are beginning to ask, for example, whether reaching out to local businesses
to help with parental involvement makes sense for schools. Perhaps neighboring
schools could join together to ensure that parents have the flexibility
necessary to attend certain school events, to check in on their child
during the lunch hour, and to be involved in other ways that might not
be currently available to them because of work.
Claire Smrekar, a professor of Public Policy and Education at Vanderbilt
University (TN), writes on the Harvard Family Research Project
Web site (www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp):
“Schools tend to structure school-based activities for traditional, stay-at-home
mothers. At the same time, a large number of households include parents
who are employed in full-time occupations that provide little flexibility
and opportunity for parents to leave work during school hours. As schools
begin to rethink the purpose and organization of parent involvement activities,
employers should re-evaluate workplace policies.” Businesses demanding
a better-educated workforce, Smrekar goes on to say, owe that much to
the parents who can significantly help impact student achievement.
For many families, the partnership between the school and the business
community has actually opened up opportunities for improved involvement.
Some mothers interviewed in a Harvard Family Research Study, for example,
described communicating with their child’s teacher from their workplace
by phone or the office fax machine. Several moms brought their children
to family-friendly workplaces for child care and learning purposes—for
example, to access computer programs. Others drew upon supervisors and
coworkers for educational advice and other supports, such as help in choosing
a good school.
So don’t be deterred by an early case of staff jitters over opening up school data for parents and students to see. Once the responsibilities of all parties have been defined, the positive outcomes will outweigh any growing pains associated with change. The use of technology, especially a Web-based system, can make increased parental involvement a more comfortable, favorable development for all involved.
Ken Bird is the superintendent of the Westside School District. He has received the eSchool News (www.eschoolnews.com) Tech Savvy Award and the Apple President’s Award.
Cite this Site
Ken Bird, "Student Information Systems >> How Do You Spell Parental Involvement? S-I-S," T.H.E. Journal, 2/1/2006, http://www.thejournal.com/articles/17866
copy text (above) for proper citation
