How do your school and PTA measure up with the National Standards for Parent Involvement?

Effective parent involvement programs include activities that are addressed by the following six standards:

I. Communicating—Communication between home and school is regular, two-way, and meaningful.

II. Parenting—Parenting skills are promoted and supported.

III. Student learning—Parents play an integral role in assisting student learning.

IV. Volunteering—Parents are welcome in the school, and their support and assistance are sought.

V. School decision making and advocacy—Parents are full partners in the decisions that affect children and families.

VI. Collaborating with community—Community resources are used to strengthen schools, families, and student learning.

Remember “parent involvement” spans a broad range, from the parent who makes sure their child is dressed and fed to the parent who comes into school to volunteer to the parent who takes it upon himself to learn all of the school system’s iniciatives and programs.

BEST PRACTICES GUIDE

Have you wanted to try a new program or event but were not sure where to start or how much time would be involved?  Would you have liked a guide that would assist you in developing new programs for your parents, students and staff?  Do you have a good program that you want to share with others PTAs?  The MDPTA, to better serve our members, is compiling a book of Best Practices from local units around the state.

We want you to be a part of this informative and useful tool.  Many of you are doing inventive and creative Parent/Family involvement programs, fun after school activities, and interesting educational programs for parents and students, or creative membership drives.  We want to let everone know about it.  We also want to hear about ways that you have increased communication from your PTA to your members as well as any advocacy issues that you have addressed.

Please take a few minutes and send us your "Best Practices".  Print the attached form and send a brief description along with a contact person to the Maryland PTA.    <click here> .pdf format

The Parent Involvement Schools of Excellence Certification program provides schools with tools to assess and enhance their commitment to parent involvement based on PTA’s National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs. After completing the assessment process and submitting an application, schools that meet the parent involvement standards and provide supporting documentation become certified as Parent Involvement Schools of Excellence. Others can use the assessment process to develop a blueprint for improving the parent involvement practices and policies in their schools.

Your PTA can start the process now to see if you are indeed a school with a wide variety of Parent Involvement. Visit the National PTA Website www.pta.org click on the local leaders tab and then programs, scroll down to Parent Involvement Schools of Excellence Certification to learn how to register your school online and access the assessment tools.