Understanding Teen Online Behaviors to Set Safe, Smart Boundaries

With the explosion of Internet-connected and handheld devices in the last decade (the first iPhone debuted in 2007), children today have access to laptops, tablets, smartphones, gaming consoles, and more. With these devices come a new set of parenting challenges and responsibilities to keep kids safe not only from online peers and cyberbullying but also sexual predators and people seeking to do them harm online. At the same time, it’s increasingly difficult for parents and caregivers to monitor everything their kids see and do on their screens. With one in three caregivers admitting concerns about their child’s technology use in the last year, we explore some strategies for smart, safe screen use for teens.[1] 

Kids and Safe Social Media Use

Adolescents were among the earliest social media users and continue to be active on these sites at high levels. According to the Pew Research Center’s study of Teens, Social Media and Technology 2018, social media use has increased dramatically in the last three years. Roughly half of teens (51%) aged 13-17 in the US are on Facebook.[2] 85% of teens use YouTube, 72% are on Instagram, and 69% are active on Snapchat.[3] In addition, 95% of teens now have a smartphone or access to one, and 45% of teens now say they are online almost constantly.[4]

Understanding reputation management early is an important lesson for adolescents. Both Facebook and Instagram prohibit anyone under the age of 13 from having profiles on the platforms mainly for privacy reasons, but maturity also plays a role.

Social platforms aren’t inherently bad. Many teens feel they benefit from being active on the sites. Social media can be a wonderful tool for building connections and keeping in touch. However, when sharing family news, photos, and more, kids can open themselves up to risks they need to understand. Some teens have learned the hard way that things put on social media can live forever as others download shared photos or potential employers stumble across old social accounts. Keeping posts private and only accepting friend requests from people they know in real life can help make it more difficult for someone to access their information or exploit them.

Kids and Safe Gaming

When it comes to safe online gaming for kids, some companies use filters that proactively block cyberbullying, sexual dialogue, hate speech and more – all in real time – on internal chats. This preemptive approach is a great start, but it’s also important to let kids know they should tell their parents or report a player making unwelcome comments if they ever feel uncomfortable while gaming. Some games offer a mute, ignore or blocking option for chats and comments. Teens need to know that parents will be monitoring their play and watching their online sessions – and will pull the plug if things get out of hand. This awareness can be reassuring for both adults and children. Consider gaming with your kids as a way of connecting with them and monitoring how they operate on “always online” games.

Screen Time for Kids

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents and caregivers create a plan for how kids interact with screens and media.[5] Make bedrooms a digital media-free zone or plan for meal times to be screen (including phones) free.[6] The AAP also suggests having regular and ongoing conversations with kids about “online citizenship and safety, including treating others with respect online and offline.”[7]

Maturity also plays an important role in determining appropriate screen time, smart usage, and how to best monitor both. Consider setting a screen curfew where all devices must be stowed to focus on homework, play time, or family time. Many internet service providers now offer the option to turn off Wi-Fi after a certain hour or during meals.

Allowing your child to play a role in the decision-making can make this an easier process. Instead of restricting access or taking their devices away as punishment, set some clear rules for use to empower them to regulate their own screen time. Ensure that your child understands what will happen if rules are not followed and follow through if commitments are not kept.

Online Safety for Kids and Predators

We’ve written before about cyberbullying and online safety. Predators are something we often hear about in the news, but how common are these incidents? According to PureSight, an online safety resource for parents, one in five U.S. teenagers says they received an unwanted sexual solicitation on the web. These communications were defined as requests to “engage in sexual activities or sexual talk, or to give out personal sexual information.”[8] Only 25% of kids involved in these solicitations told a parent. While most targets of these predators are girls (70%) between 11 and 15, most Internet sexual predators tend to fall between the ages of 18 and 55 and may be lying about their age online.[9] PureSight also offers a resource for parents to help begin conversations with their kids about this difficult topic.

Parent Resources: Online Safety for Kids

Several resources can help parents and caregivers determine the best way to protect children as they explore social media, digital media, and the web. The site Connect Safely shares several tips for teens to be safe and have fun online here. The Family Online Safety Institute offers 7 Steps to Good Digital Parenting here. PureSight provides multiple resources for parents here.

The behavior of tweens and teens is complex, and it’s important to help prepare them for the future while keeping them away from serious risk. So, if you believe risky behaviors are impacting your students and learning in your school, what can you do? Ask the tough questions.

The benefit of working with a survey company is that we can anonymously and effectively ask the difficult questions through multiple student survey tools. Survey results can offer insights into the intersection of risk and academic success including the learning environment and school climate, cyberbullying and more.

Please browse through the different types of scalable student surveys we offer and find out why more than 13.9 million students, parents, and faculty members have responded to Pride Surveys. Questions? Please call us today at 800-279-6361 or fill out our quick online contact form.

[1] “Concerns about children, social media and technology use.” Retrieved 27 November 2018 at http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/07/16/concerns-about-children-social-media-and-technology-use/

[2] “Teens, Social Media & Technology 2018.” Retrieved 27 November 2018 at http://www.pewinternet.org/2018/05/31/teens-social-media-technology-2018/

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] “Media Use in School-Age Children and Adolescents.” Retrieved November 27 2018 at http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/138/5/e20162592

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.

[8] “The Prevalence of Unwanted Sexual Exposure and Solicitation Among Youth: A Meta-Analysis.” Retrieved 27 November 2018 at https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(18)30134-4/fulltext

[9] Ibid.

Strong Families, Strong Schools: Parent Involvement in Education

Why should parents get involved in their child’s education? Because parent engagement can make a dramatic difference for the academic success of children from test grades to attendance to homework completion to continued education.[1] By supervising, supporting and advocating, parents can be engaged in ways that ensure that their children have every opportunity for success.

Parent Engagement at Home

Being involved in your child’s learning not only helps them to achieve more academically, but it also offers you the fulfillment of making a difference in their education. Here are some simple steps that can add up to creating a positive learning environment at home.

– Read with your children and talk with them about the books and stories you’ve read.
– Talk with your child about school every day and what they are learning.
– Ask them to teach you something they learned to help solidify their understanding of the topic.[2]
– Set aside a specific time for homework assignments and sit down to discuss your child’s homework at least once per week while they work.
– Organize and monitor your child’s time to ensure it is used wisely.
– Advise the teacher of any issues at home that may affect the child’s school performance.
– Consider involving grandparents in their grandchildren’s education.[3]

Studies show that school climate is at its best at schools with involved parents.[4] Parents who are involved with their kids’ education also feel better about themselves and about the school itself and parents’ feelings about their child’s school, whether positive or negative, influence how they choose to get involved in activities.[5]

It’s important for family members to remain involved from all the way through the education process – from elementary school through high school.[6] With younger children, it may be easier to keep up with report cards and progress reports when parent signatures are required, not to mention having time to connect while driving the kids to school. But when students reach middle and high school, connecting with kids about their studies can become more challenging as communications, extracurriculars, jobs and even adolescence surface.

Parents’ greatest learning support occurs at home through regular communications and positive expectations.[7] While offering support and guidance at home is the first step in getting involved in a student’s academics, it’s certainly not the last.

Parent Engagement at School

Developing a relationship with your child’s teachers and keeping in touch with them often is the first step to becoming a more engaged parent at school. A 2007 study found that 78% of parents surveyed participated in a parent-teacher conference and 74% showed up to a class or school function.[8]  Becoming active in a school’s parent group is another key way to increase involvement. According to PTO Today, building parent involvement is the single most important thing that parent groups can do.[9] Here are a few ideas parents can use to contribute to a successful learning experience at school:

– Support and attend school activities like program, plays, and performances.
– Volunteer in the classroom or be a chaperone on field trips or for special events.
– Attend parent-teacher conferences.
– Vote in school board elections or run for office yourself.
– Participate in PTA/PTO or other parent organizations, clubs or committees.

When meeting with their teachers, focus on how well your child is learning the subject matter, not just the graded outcomes. Reinforce the classroom teaching of a problematic subject by talking about it in new ways: “What’s your favorite part of the story? How would you change the ending?” or “How much would this sweater be with 25% off the price? What about one quarter of the price?” Let your child know that you are interested in them learning the subject matter, not just getting the grade, and be enthusiastic about gaining knowledge

Keep up with your child’s progress through their grades and report cards (or teacher meetings), but don’t only focus on success or failure. Encourage your children through poor performances, set improvement goals and reward achievement of those goals. Framing things in a positive light is more motivating to a child and can help them do better in the long run.

Think Bigger

Advocating for facility, program and equipment improvements with local school boards as well as with state and federal government can help to ensure your school has the resources they need to provide a first-rate education to every student. School surveys can be part of this advocacy when you ask the right questions. Developed with parents and caretakers in mind, the Pride Surveys Parent Engagement and Perception Survey covers everything from school and family involvement to academic achievement, general school life, student safety, and impressions about drug use. Parents will be able to engage easily with the data and use it in a variety of settings, such as PTA meetings, to help jumpstart discussions and boost engagement.

The Social, Emotional and Bullying Behavior Survey (SEBBS) collects data and delivers reports that assess middle school students’ bullying perceptions and problem behaviors that affect student engagement. With SEBBS, schools can discover underlying causes for unwanted conditions such as increased absenteeism, lower academic achievement, and increased substance abuse.

The benefit of choosing a survey company is that we take the guesswork out of the surveying process to ask the difficult questions. Browse the different types of scalable student surveys we offer and find out why Pride Surveys is the best choice to help you survey your school. Questions? Give us a call at 800-279-6361 or fill out our quick online contact form.

[1] “Involvement Matters: What to Tell Parents.” Retrieved 9 November, 2017 at https://www.ptotoday.com/pto-today-articles/article/399-involvement-matters-what-to-tell-parents.

[2] “Students Learn More If They’ll Need to Teach to Others.” Retrieved 9 November, 2017 at http://www.futurity.org/learning-students-teaching-741342/.

[3] “8 Ways to Get Grandparents Involved in Your Children’s Classroom.” Retrieved November 9, 2017 at https://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-carpenter/8-ways-to-get-grandparents-involved-in-your-childs-classroom_b_5701364.html.

[4] “Benefits of Parent Involvement in Education.” Retrieved November 9 , 2017 at https://www.verywell.com/teachers-benefit-from-parent-involvement-3288061.

[5] “Special Report/School Climate Urban Parents’ Views.” Retrieved November 9, 2017 at http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept08/vol66/num01/School-Climate@-Urban-Parents’-Views.aspx.

[6] “Supporting Parent, Family, and Community Involvement in Your School.” Retrieved November 9, 2017 at http://www.pacer.org/mpc/pdf/titleipip/SupportingInvolvement_article.pdf.

[7] “Supporting Parent, Family, and Community Involvement in Your School.” Retrieved November 9, 2017 at http://www.pacer.org/mpc/pdf/titleipip/SupportingInvolvement_article.pdf.

[8] “Back to School: How Parent Involvement affects student achievement (full report).” Retrieved 8 November, 2017 at http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Public-education/Parent-Involvement/Parent-Involvement.html.

[9] “Involvement Matters: What To Tell Parents.” Retrieved 9 November, 2017 at https://www.ptotoday.com/pto-today-articles/article/399-involvement-matters-what-to-tell-parents.

School Surveys for Parents: Challenges, Importance, Purpose, and Tips

Student surveys are a fairly common method by which schools and education boards gather accurate representations of school climate, student perceptions and beliefs, and issues affecting the learning environment. Faculty, staff, and teacher surveys are utilized for a similar purpose, as they enable administrators to gain perspective from adults interacting with students individually and in groups on a daily basis.
However, a third involved party—namely, parents and guardians—are sometimes overlooked during the process of conducting school surveys. This is problematic for several reasons, including the fact that school-aged children typically spend more time in their home environment than in school and that research suggests that parental attitudes have a significant impact on academic performance.^[1]

What Parent Surveys Measure

Depending on the goals of the survey and the specific factors that it focuses on, school surveys for parents may include questions and measurements covering a variety of different topics, such as:

• School Engagement: “My child goes to school prepared to put forth the required effort to learn.”

• Family Engagement: “I assist my child with his/her homework.”

• Academic Achievement: “My child’s school has plenty of textbooks and other supplies for lessons.”

• General School Life: “At my child’s school, there is an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.”

• Student Safety: “My child’s school sets clear rules about bullying.”

• Impressions about Drug Use: “How wrong do you feel it is for your child to use prescription drugs not prescribed to him/her?”

^[2]

Challenges of Parental Surveys

Whether because of historically low response rates, logistical issues surrounding dissemination and collection, or even a lack of understanding about their importance, parent surveys can be a difficult process and “numerous studies have demonstrated that school-based recruitment [for survey participation] is challenging.”^[3]
Because, generally, parents are not available for survey participation within the traditional school environment like students and teachers, ensuring adequate participation rates is not easy. “It can be difficult to achieve the high participation rates crucial for ensuring the generalizability of research findings.”^[4]
Having a less-than-ideal response rate can lead to a host of other roadblocks, as “suboptimal results can extend recruitment periods, presenting budgetary and logistic challenges.”^[5]

The Purpose and Importance of Parent Surveys:

Regardless of the hurdles and roadblocks inherent to the process, it’s impossible to ignore the proven importance and benefits of parent surveys.
While every school system is different and each educational program has a variety of unique goals, the overall purpose behind parent surveys (and their subsequent importance in the learning environment) is relatively consistent. The primary goal of many parent surveys is to collect and understand parent opinions, perspectives, attitudes, and perceptions towards the school, their students, and education in general in order to improve the learning environment in general or specific ways.
“By assessing both parents’ current thoughts on the climate of the school and staff feelings about parent involvement, schools can get a better idea of how they need to improve.”^[6] This is a critical step because, as many studies have proven, parent involvement in schools has a significant impact on student performance.
In fact, “[o]ngoing research shows that family engagement in schools improves student achievement, reduces absenteeism, and restores parents’ confidence in their children’s education. Students with involved parents or other caregivers earn higher grades and test scores, have better social skills, and show improved behavior.”^[7]
Similarly, “[w]hatever the educational background or social class of their parents, research has shown that students at all grade levels experience increased academic success when their parents participate at school and encourage education and learning at home.”^[8]
“The act of conducting a survey is itself a parent-friendly message to parents that a school cares what they think. It gives both parents and staff a voice in articulating what works and what does not work in the particular school community as related to parent involvement.”^[9]

Tips for Better Administration of School Surveys for Parents

• Disperse Widely: One of the best ways to encourage widespread participation is to ensure that as much of the parent population at your school knows about the survey. Post information on the school website (including a link if it’s an online survey) and on specific teacher/classroom websites and blogs. Send information about the survey home with students. Mention it in any relevant school communications—PTA meetings, newsletters, e-mails, parent/teacher conferences, etc.

• Be clear & concise (and don’t forget to incentivize): Explain the purpose of the survey, how it will benefit the school at large and them (and their student) specifically, and delineate how much of their time the survey will likely take up. Incentives, such as a drawing or giveaway for prizes, can also boost participation rates.

• Establish a parent survey liaison

^[10]

: This person can be a PTA representative, member of the front-office staff, or some other designated individual who will largely act as a go-between for parents and the survey administrators. Depending on the amount of responsibility designated, this role could entail simply the collection of surveys or it could require involvement in all aspects of the surveying process.

• Follow-Up: It’s no secret that parents are strapped for time and their attention is often divided in many different directions. Therefore, sending reminders about survey deadlines can be a helpful way to promote increased participation and response rates.

• Share the Results: Once you’ve collected and analyzed the data from your parent surveys, one critical factor to ensuring continued support for and future participation in the surveys is sharing the results. Whether you disseminate the results via e-mail or publicize notable findings in a press release, sharing the information attained helps parents recognize the importance and results of their responses.

Partnering with an Experienced Survey Company for Your Parent Surveys

Clearly, conducting school surveys for parents can be both a daunting and a rewarding experience for schools. There are a number of intrinsic challenges, but the impact and importance of these surveys cannot be ignored.
If your school isn’t quite ready to approach parent or school surveys on its own, partnering with a reliable, experienced school survey provider can make the process easier and more effective. Read more about Pride Surveys and our various proven, scalable measurements for parents, teachers, and students to find out how we can help your school meet its surveying goals today!

[1]Timkey, Stacey. “The Influence of Parent Attitudes and Involvement on Children’s Literacy Achievement.” May 5, 2015. Education and Human Development Master’s Theses. The College at Brockport: State University of New York. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.brockport.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1581&context=ehd_theses on September 6, 2016.

[2]Parent Perception Survey and Questionnaire on School, Family and Engagement. Sample Survey Preview. Retrieved from http://www.pridesurveys.com/index.php/the-parent-engagement-and-perception-survey/ and http://www.pridesurveys.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/2013-14-PEP-Questionnaire.pdf?24559c on September 7, 2016.

[3]Schilpzand, E. J., Sciberras, E., Efron, D., Anderson, V., & Nicholson, J. M. (2015). Improving Survey Response Rates from Parents in School-Based Research Using a Multi-Level Approach. PLoS ONE, 10(5), e0126950. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0126950

[4]Ibid.

[5]Ibid.

[6]“Engaging Parents in Education: Lessons From Five Parental Information And Resource Centers.” U.S. Department of Education. June 2007. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/parents/parentinvolve/report_pg18.html on September 7, 2016.

[7]Garcia, Lily Eskelsen & Thornton, Otha. “The Enduring Importance of Parental Involvement. neaToday. November 18, 2014. Retrieved from http://neatoday.org/2014/11/18/the-enduring-importance-of-parental-involvement-2/ on September 8, 2016.

[8]Dauber, S.L., & Epstein, J.L. (1989) Parent attitudes and practices of parent involvement in inner-city elementary and middle schools. Center for Research on Elementary and Middle Schools. 1-29.

[9]“Engaging Parents in Education: Lessons From Five Parental Information And Resource Centers.” U.S. Department of Education. June 2007. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/parents/parentinvolve/report_pg18.html on September 7, 2016.

[10]Ibid.

Tips for Strong Parent-Teacher Cooperation and Communication

As many schools across the country prepare for the start of the back-to-school season, it’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of school supply and classroom shopping, end-of-summer assignments, creating lesson plans, and meet-the-teacher nights. However, one of the most impactful steps you can take (as a parent or as a teacher) is to take some time to focus on establishing a good parent-teacher relationship at the outset of the school year. This will help lay the foundation for healthy parent-teacher cooperation and communication throughout the year.

Why Parent-Teacher Cooperation is Important

Strong parent-teacher cooperation in and outside of the classroom has a number of short- and long-term benefits for students. Research has indicated that there are positive academic outcomes stemming from parent involvement.^[1] In fact, parent involvement remains a strong predictor of academic achievement at all levels, from kindergarten through high school, as these children have fewer grade retentions and are more likely to graduate.^[2]

For Schools: How to Promote Parent-Teacher Cooperation

Some of the most effective ways that schools can foster healthy communication and collaboration between parents and teachers is delineated in a research-based framework developed by Joyce Epstein of Johns Hopkins University:^[3]

•Parenting: Assist families with parenting skills, family support, understanding child and adolescent development, and setting home conditions to support learning at each age and grade level.

•Communicating: Communicate with families about school programs and student progress. Create two-way communication channels between school and home that are effective and reliable.

•Volunteering: Improve recruitment and training to involve families as volunteers and as audiences at the school or in other locations. Enable educators to work with volunteers who support students and the school. Provide meaningful work and flexible scheduling.

•Learning at Home: Involve families with their children in academic learning at home, including homework, goal setting, and other curriculum-related activities.

•Decision Making: Include families as participants in school decisions, governance, and advocacy activities through school councils or improvement teams, committees, and other organizations.

By establishing policies and procedures that address the above initiatives, schools can begin establishing a school-wide community and culture that promotes positive parent-teacher cooperation and communication.

For Teachers: How to Develop Strong Parent-Teacher Partnerships with Your Students’ Parents

As a teacher, you likely understand the impact that a students’ home life can have on the school day. By establishing relationships built on strong parent-teacher cooperation and communication, you can partner with parents to help students succeed inside and outside of the classroom.

•Avoid “dumping”: This is a scenario in which a frustrated or upset teacher gets in touch with parents and “dumps” the problem onto them. Instead, try the “three call method” to establish a positive, working relationship with parents. Early in the year, teachers should try to call each student’s parents to set the framework for a partnership. The second phone call should focus on something positive that the child has done, such as a good grade on a math test, excellent behavior during a class period, or something similar. Then, on the third call, if necessary, the teacher can present the parents with a problem. “In this way, parents and teachers have already established a trusting, workable relationship that significantly diminishes blaming.”

^[4]

•Prioritize Parent/Teacher Conferences: “Parent-teacher conferences give you the opportunity to boost communication about their child’s progress. Similarly, it affords you the opportunity to extend the communication lines beyond the four walls (i.e. between home and school, as well as develop strategies and plans for the students’ future together.”

^[5]

•Make Yourself Available: At the outset of the school year, inform parents that you are available to discuss any questions or concerns that they may have. Whether that means being accessible via phone, text, or email between certain hours or having weekly office hours in which parents can schedule in-person appointments is up to you. The most important part is establishing your availability and your willingness to work with parents to help their child succeed.

^[6]

For Parents: How to Foster Positive Relationships with Your Child’s Teachers

Developing positive parent-teacher cooperation is a two-way street, and there are a number of proactive steps that parents can take to help cultivate this relationship.

•Approach the relationship with respect: “Treat the teacher-parent-child relationship the way you would [treat] any really important one in your life. Create a problem-solving partnership instead of confronting a teacher immediately with what’s wrong.”

^[7]

•Let your child develop their own relationship with the teacher.

^[8]

It’s important for parents to give their child space and time to develop a relationship with their teacher that is independent of their own. Try to reserve your own opinions and judgments, especially if they are not positive, so that your child is not influenced by them.

•Communicate in the most effective way possible for both you and the teacher. This may mean sending a quick e-mail or a handwritten note in your child’s school folder. Or it may mean scheduling before- or after-school, in-person meetings for a quick chat. By maintaining open lines of communication in a respectful and efficient way, you can help develop a healthy and productive parent-teacher relationship.

^[9]

Improving Parent-Teacher Cooperation and Communication in Your School

One of the best ways to evaluate the current state of parent-teacher cooperation in your school is through anonymous surveys. These assessments, available for both teachers and parents, offer a big-picture perspective on a number of key data points, such as teacher perceptions of parental involvement with student behaviors and parent perceptions of school and family engagement.
Regardless of how you approach the parent-teacher relationship at the outset of a new school year, one fact remains clear: “the key to successful parent-teacher collaboration is to become a team. This collaboration is the most powerful tool in helping a child be successful at school…As parents and teachers learn the value of this collaboration, they can create an environment that supports the ability for all students to succeed.”^[10]

[1]Patrikakou, Evanthia N. “The Power of Parent Involvement: Evidence, Ideas, and Tools for Student Success.” Center on Innovation & Improvement. Retrieved from http://education.praguesummerschools.org/images/education/readings/2014/Patrikakou_Power_of_parent_involvement.pdf on August 11, 2016.

[2]Ibid.

[3]Epstein, J. L. and K. Salinas. 1992. School and Family Partnerships Encyclopedia of Education Research, 6th edition, New York: Macmillan.

[4]“Curwin, Richard. “Parents and Teachers: The Possibility of a Dream Team.” Edutopia.org. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/parent-teacher-collaboration-richard-curwin on August 12, 2016.

[5]“Cox, Janelle. “Parent-Teacher Collaboration Strategies That Work.” TeachHub.com. Retrieved from http://www.teachhub.com/parent-teacher-collaboration-strategies-work on August 15, 2016.

[6]Ibid.

[7]“The Parent-Teacher Partnership.” PBS.org. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/going-to-school/parent-involvement/parent-teacher-partnership/ on August 12, 2016.

[8]Ibid.

[9]“Talking with Teachers.” PBS.org. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/going-to-school/parent-involvement/talking-with-teachers/ on August 12, 2016.

[10]“Cox, Janelle. “Parent-Teacher Collaboration Strategies That Work.” TeachHub.com. Retrieved from http://www.teachhub.com/parent-teacher-collaboration-strategies-work on August 15, 2016.

The Importance of Parent Involvement

In order for students to grow at school, they must also receive the help they need at home. But how do we ensure that our students are getting the guidance necessary to achieve success both in academics and extracurricular activities? Highlighting the importance of parent involvement at your school is the first step to making certain that students (no matter their age) can receive the comprehensive guidance they need.

So why is parental involvement so important? A research synthesis from 2002^[1] found that the benefits of parent involvement include the following:

• • Students with involved and engaged parents are more likely to earn higher grades
• • These students are also more likely to be pass courses and earn credits for their classes
• • Their attendance is stronger and more regular than other students
• • They also tend to have more social skills and are more likely to have good behavior

But there’s more to ensuring that parents are involved in their children’s learning than just a parents group for your school. The National Education Association offers a number of suggestions^[2] for other ways to get parents engaged in the school, including:

• • Helping them to set goals with their children and reward the meeting of those goals
• • Providing access to academic sources to keep track of their work and their progress
• • Setting up a parent portal that they can use for reference to their child’s grades, comments from teachers, etc.
• • Ensuring that teachers develop appropriate relationships with parents

These benefits and strategies show both the importance of parent involvement and also some of the easy ways you can ensure that your students have engaged parents (and legal guardians). To find out if the parent involvement at your school is benefiting students, check out our parent survey.

[1] Henderson, Anne T. and Karen L. Mapp. “A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement.” SEDL. Retrieved from http://www.sedl.org/connections/resources/evidence.pdf on March 16, 2016.

[2] García, Lily Eskelsen and Otha Thornton. “The Enduring Importance of Parental Involvement.” National Education Assocation. Retrieved from http://neatoday.org/2014/11/18/the-enduring-importance-of-parental-involvement-2/ on March 16, 2016.