This material is provided by GA PTA

National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement

The National Standards for Parent /Family Involvement were established in 1995. The Guidelines for successful, meaningful parent involvement, were developed by the National PTA in cooperation with education and parent involvement professionals.  Research clearly shows that if parents are involved in their child's education, the child can do better academically, socially and emotionally. This is true regardless of racial, economic or cultural background.  Does your community really understand this critically important point?  Remember that parent involvement has three distinct phases.  Parents are their child's first teacher.  Then, they become a partner with the school.  As parents see the bigger picture, many become an advocate for all children.  Your membership goal should be to make this vision clear to your prospective members and help them to become advocates for all children.

Parent involvement also can take many forms and is not limited to volunteering, as so many parents often assume.  Do your potential PTA members understand that parent involvement can take myriad forms?  Use the National Standards as your guide to define, measure and encourage parent involvement.

• Communicating - Is there two way, regular and meaningful communication between the home and school?
• Parenting - Are the skills needed by parents to effectively fulfill their role as parents supported and strengthened at your school?
• Student Learning - Are parents actively involved in their child's learning?  Are parents provided the necessary resources and instruction to serve as active participants?
• Volunteering - It is critical that parents feel welcome and that their support and assistance is strongly sought after by the school?  Is the school climate open, helpful and friendly to everyone?
• Advocacy and Decision Making - Are parents full partners with the school in decisions that affect children and families?  Are they encouraged to comment on school policy and share decision making opportunities?
• Collaborating with Community - Are community resources used to strengthen schools, families and student learning?  Are partnerships mutually beneficial and connecting individuals, not just institutions?

The National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs booklet has been revised, updated, and has a new title: The National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs, An Implementation Guide for School Communities. Since the original publication in 1997, the standards have been endorsed by nearly 100 education, health, and parent involvement organizations; adopted in school districts across the country; supported by state departments of education; and incorporated into education legislation in numerous states.

Among the special features in the revised edition, you'll find:

• Voices from the field. Parent Involvement Schools of Excellence from across the country provide information on how they implemented the six standards.
• Assessment questions. The questions serve as a guide for school communities to identify strengths and weaknesses in their parent involvement programs.
• Steps toward developing parent/family involvement programs.  How-tos on developing a parent/family involvement policy and a parent involvement plan, and reproducible templates that give school teams the tools they need.
  
  To order your copy of the National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs, An Implementation Guide for School Communities, contact the publisher, National Educational Service (NES), by phoning (800) 733-6786, e-mailing www.nesonline.com .