Parental Involvement Professional Development Modules
2008-2009 Modules
Filling In the Achievement Gap
In order to close the achievement gap, Arkansas public schools are providing rigorous and relevant instruction. Educators are striving to engage in quality and ongoing professional development. Act 603 0f 2003 mandates two (2) hours of professional development for teachers and three (3) hours for administrators.
To better assist school districts in meeting the mandated professional development requirement, the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) provides annual parental involvement modules on the ADE Web site for school districts' use. Local school districts are not required to use the modules. The modules are placed on the public Web site as a resource or tool. The information within each module supports the efforts of closing the gap by filling In the achievement gaps.
Evidence is positively clear that families have a major influence on their children's achievement throughout the school years and life. The facts are convincing that when families, communities, and schools work together to support education, children tend to achieve more in school, limit the dropout rate, and like school more. When schools build partnerships with families that respond to their concerns and respect their contributions, they are successful in sustaining connections that are aimed at improving achievement and therefore, close the achievement gap (Henderson & Mapp, 2002).
Effective programs to engage families and communities embrace a philosophy of partnership. The responsibility for children's educational development is a collaborative enterprise among parents, school staff, and community members. The involvement that "is linked to student learning has a greater effect on achievement than more general forms of involvement. To be effective, the form of involvement should be focused on improving achievement and be designed to engage families and students in developing specific knowledge and skills (page 38, Henderson & Mapp, 2002)."
Arkansas, as well as every other state, is focusing on closing the achievement gap. The 2008-2009 Modules information focuses around "filling" in the achievement gap with parental/community involvement. The emphasis is that parental and community involvement is not an "add-on." It should be embedded or infused into the daily curriculum and school communication. Families, communities, students, and schools are, and can be, a part of each and every day of classroom instruction.
The 2008-2009 Modules are a series of professional development focusing on five (5) different areas of embedded parent/community involvement. The modules may be used individually or all five (5) modules may be used as applicable. School administrators are encouraged to select the areas of interest based on the individual school or community needs. If each module is used as ongoing professional development throughout the year and each suggested activity, discussion, and video clip is used, the five (5) modules will provide approximately 15-18 hours of professional development.
The 2008-2009 modules are to be used as a guide in the local school's professional development. The slides may be cut and pasted or the modules may be used as presented. Various suggestions, guided comments, and video clips are provided and may be deleted or additional information may be added as seen applicable.
In developing the parent involvement modules, scientifically based- research was referenced:
- Approaches within the 2008-2009 Modules to support eliminating the gaps:
- Strong Leadership, Intentional Instructional Practices
- Focus on Teacher-Student Relationships
- Data Driven Decision
- Commitment to School-Community and Parent Involvement.
- Arkansas Scholastic Audit Standards and Indicators for School Improvement
- Learning Environment:
- School Culture
Student, Family and Community Support
- Efficiency
- Leadership
- Comprehensive and Effective Planning
- Academic Performance
- Larry Lezotte's Correlates of Effective Schools
- High Expectations
- Safe & Orderly Environment
- Instructional Leadership
- Clear and Focused Mission
- Opportunity to Learn & Time on Task
- Frequent Monitoring of Student Progress
- Home School Relationships
- National Governors Association Center for Best Practices outline the characteristics of successful parent engagement and initiatives:
- Emphasize Parent/Community Involvement to Improve Student Learning
- Place Coordinators in Early Education Environments
- Tailor Programs to Parent Needs
- Promote Parent Involvement in Teacher Education/Training
- Promote Flexibility within Communities by Recognizing Cultural and Socioeconomic differences
- Strategies for Overcoming Barriers to Parent Involvement
- Make Parent Involvement a Measure of School Success
The parent involvement modules reference research and well-recognized authors. All texts and resources have been read and/or referenced by educational institutions. Guiding notes, suggested activities, surveys and video clips are included and may be used as seen appropriate. Various Web sites, resources, and handouts are included and may be utilized as a supplemental instructional tool.
To assist in expanding the various concepts, a list of the main texts is listed in the appendix and should be referenced as needed. Additionally, the latest 2007 Benchmark scores and ADE PowerPoint are included for individual reference.
The following dedicated committee members contributed to the 2008-2009 parent/community involvement modules:
- Dee Austin, Center For Effective Parenting
- Laura Baber, Benton School District
- Mary Ann Brown, Arkansas Department of Education
- Katrina Cavaness, Monticello School District
- Leona Cleveland, Magazine School District
- Tammie Cloyes, Arkansas Department of Education
- Dee Cox, Arkansas Department of Education
- Jeannie Grissom, Vilonia School District
- Woodie Sue Herlein, Arkansas State University
- Susann Hernandez, Center For Effective Parenting
- Betsy Kindall, Arkansas Department of Education
- Lou Kirkpatrick, Arkansas Department of Education
- Vicki Shelby, Paragould Public School
- Kay Simpson, Arkansas Department of Education
- Anne Sneed, Lavaca School District
- Susan Stewart, Dumas School District
It is the intention of these in-depth modules to be an instructional tool in supporting the infrastructure for quality and on-going parent and community involvement.
|
