The Math Ain’t Mathing

Would you go to Wells Fargo and request a withdrawal slip knowing full well that you have not made any deposits? What about the stock market? Would you contact a stock broker and ask for the status of your profit margins if you had not made any investments? Neither would I, and neither would any rational-minded person.

Well, this same principle applies to family engagement. You see, parent/family engagement works just like a bank account—schools can’t withdraw what they haven’t deposited. If schools expect a big turnout for events like Literacy and Numeracy Night,  check their 'Family Engagement Bank Statement'  and ask: Have we built trust? Have we consistently engaged parents and made them feel valuable? 

It’s simple. Little meaningful engagement means little to no family turnout. Substantial meaningful engagement means substantial family turnout. Parent engagement is not a buzzword. It must be embedded in the school’s framework to support positive student outcomes.

Is my child’s school investing in our parent program to ensure positive student outcomes?

Psssst… PTO and ParentSquare are great tools! But they should NOT be considered a substitute for an actual Parent and Family Engagement Program.  

Okay. So now that that’s out of the way; below are 9 ways our schools should be INVESTING in students’ families if they genuinely are expecting large withdrawals that lead to student success. 

1. Build Respectful Relationships with Parents Early

• Open the comments section on posts to allow for 2 way communication with parents. This ensures that schools talk WITH parents and not at parents.
• Host a welcoming parent orientation at the beginning of the school year to introduce staff and provide an overview of opportunities for involvement. Key word? Welcoming.

2. Offer Consistent Opportunities for Parent Involvement

•  Create parent advisory councils to involve them in decision-making and school initiatives. This avoids investing time in ideas that don’t align with families' needs or expectations.

3. Empower Parent Voices

•   Host surveys and focus groups to gather feedback on what parents need and how they want to engage.
•  Include parent representatives in meetings about school policies, events, or curriculum.

4. Make Events Family-Friendly

•   Schedule events at convenient times, such as evenings or weekends. 
•  Avoid planning literacy nights on the same nights as other events such as a school basketball game.

5. Celebrate and Highlight Parent Contributions

•  Recognize and celebrate parent volunteers during school assemblies or newsletters.
• Host a “Parent Appreciation Day” to thank parents for their involvement.

6. Provide Learning and Growth Opportunities for Parents

•  Offer workshops or classes on topics like literacy strategies, navigating educational systems, or supporting student success.
•  Create a parent resource room with materials they can use at home to support their children.

7. Foster a Welcoming School Culture

• Train staff to create a warm, respectful environment that values parent input.

• Host informal gatherings like coffee chats with the principal to build connections.

8. Collaborate with Community Partners

•  Work with local businesses and organizations to sponsor events or provide resources that benefit families.
•  Offer community resource fairs that provide valuable services to parents.

9. Evaluate and Adjust Engagement Efforts

•  Track participation data and gather feedback from parents after events to identify ways to improve.
•  Use insights to adapt future outreach and event planning.

Shoutout to the local schools that are making those deposits! We see you. We appreciate you. However, I challenge every parent whose child’s school is not investing in parent and family engagement, to share this article with your school leaders and collaborate to begin positively changing student outcomes in your school today.