Parent Involvement--Why?
Reprinted with permission of
The Utah Special Educator, September 2009
By Gina Pola-Money, Family Voices of Utah Coordinator, Utah Parent Center and Utah Regional Leadership in Neuraldevelopmental Disabilities family faculty member
Today more parents seek to become active, full participants in all aspects of school decision making from being a part of a committee that decides how funds will be used to exercising their right to being included in the development of their own child’s IEP. Research shows that when parents are engaged in their children’s education, educational achievement improves.
The role of parents is strengthened when they meaningfully participate in the discussions related to all aspects of their children’s education at school and at home. With new emphasis on participation in the general curriculum, IEPs become tools for helping parents make certain that their children are receiving a free appropriate public education. The IEP must include, among other elements, measurable annual goals, benchmarks or short-term objectives, specially designed instruction, and related services to enable the child to be involved and progress in the general curriculum.
Given the explicit relationship between the IEP and the general curriculum, how schools treat or accept the role of parents in the overall general operation of the school may be a predictor of how parents will be viewed by the school in the IEP process. If a school works effectively with parents overall, it may increase the likelihood that it will work effectively with the parents in the IEP process. Thus, it is important to look at how schools can meaningfully involve all parents.
In Beyond the Bake Sale, Henderson, Marburger and Ooms (1986) describe five categories of parent involvement in schools. The following list is adapted from that source and the various types of parental involvement found in public schools across the country.
1. Home-Centered Partners – Parents perform basic functions related to their child’s education and social development.
2. School Reinforcers – Parents support the school’s efforts with their child and help to solve child-specific problems.
3. Audience – Parents attend and appreciate the school’s (and their child’s) performance and productions.
4. Supporters – Parents volunteer to assist teachers, the parent organization (such as the PTA), and other parents.
5. Full Partners – Parents provide input on school policy and programs through membership/participation in permanent governance bodies. It is important for parents of children with disabilities to have a meaningful role in all of the above categories to the best of their ability.
Research has also identified the characteristics of practices that are more likely to result in meaningful school wide parent involvement. A 1984 study (Becher, Rhoda McShane, ED 247032) found that these perspectives guide the most effective programs:
• All parents have strengths and should know they are valued.
• All parents can make contributions to their child’s education and school program.
• All parents have the capacity to learn developmental and educational techniques to help their children.
• Parent-child relationships are different from teacher-child relationships. Henderson, Marburger and Oom (1996) describe principles they found to be essential to an effective parents-school partnership. A representative sample of
these principles includes:
• Every aspect of the school climate is open, helpful, and friendly.
• Communications with parents are frequent, clear, and two-way.
• Parents are encouraged, both formally and informally, to comment on school policies and to share in the decision-making.
• The school recognizes its responsibility to forge a partnership with all families in the school, not simply those most easily available. This includes parents who work outside the home, and families of diverse racial, linguistic and ethnic backgrounds.
• The principal and other school administrators actively express and promote the philosophy of partnerships with all families.
• The school encourages volunteer participation from parents and the community.
IDEA requires that parents be afforded an opportunity to participate fully in all meetings concerning their children’s special education, identification, evaluation,
services and placement. The Parent Training and Information centers (PTI) such as the Utah Parent Center can play a critical role in helping educate parents of
children and youth with disabilities about their children’s right to participate with their non-disabled peers and have access to the general curriculum. PTI’s can also help parents learn how to participate as effective partners in the IEP process and ask the kind of questions that are helpful when asking school professional’s about their child’s educational plan so the child meets the standards that have been established for all children. It is important that parents know how to communicate with teachers and other school professionals and work collaboratively to help their children succeed.
Children are more likely to achieve when parents are engaged in their learning. Therefore, parent involvement becomes even more valuable and meaningful. Cross dialogue among parents, students, teachers and administrators is critical, as without it, we limit the promise of the future for all students.
