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Research Spotlight on Parental Involvement in Education

NEA Reviews of the Research on Best Practices in Education

“When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more.” That’s the conclusion of A New Wave of Evidence, a report from Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.

The report, a synthesis of research on parent involvement over the past decade, also found that, regardless of family income or background, students with involved parents are more likely to:

◦ Earn higher grades and test scores, and enroll in higher-level programs

◦ Be promoted, pass their classes, and earn credits

◦ Attend school regularly

◦ Have better social skills, show improved behavior, and adapt well to school

◦ Graduate and go on to postsecondary education (see A New Wave of Evidence, Southwest Educational Development Laboratory – in references below).

The school plays an important role in determining the levels of parental involvement in school. Specifically, schools can outline their expectations of parents and regularly communicate with parents about what children are learning. Also, schools can provide opportunities for parents to talk with school personnel about parents’ role in their children’s education through home visits, family nights, and well-planned parent-teacher conferences and open houses. In addition, the National PTA recommends that parent/family involvement programs welcome parents as volunteer partners in schools and that these programs invite parents to act as full partners in making school decisions that affect children and families.

When parents talk to their children about school, expect them to do well, make sure that out-of-school activities are constructive, and help them plan for college, their children perform better in school.

When schools engage families in ways that improve learning and support parent involvement at home and school, students make greater gains. When schools build partnerships with families that respond to parent concerns, honor their contributions, and share decision-making responsibilities, they are able to sustain connections that are aimed at improving student achievement.

Engaging parents in their child’s school life should begin at an early age. Teach Me To Learn at Home™ has been designed by Experts for Parents of 2-5 year-old children to become their child’s first teacher. Our online learning pathway provides parents the expertise to better prepare their child for the rigors of Preschool and kindergarten. The program is designed for Parents to invest 15 minutes a day with their child, and when they do, repeated Lehigh University studies indicate that the academic improvement can prove to be priceless. It’s as affordable as the cost of a package of diapers. Our proven methods are easy to follow step-by-step and our online community will keep you engaged!

Realize the benefits to parents with your own FREE trial. Click here to Get Started: http://learningportal.teachmetolearnathome.com/register/?token=BOOKS

Reference: http://www.nea.org/tools/17360.htm

Five Ways Race to the Top Supports Teachers and Students

In the four years since the Obama Administration announced its first Race to the Top grants, the President’s signature education initiative has helped spark a wave of education opportunities across the country, according to a new report released by the White House and Department of Education.

Since the Obama administration announced the first Race to the Top grants to Tennessee and Delaware four years ago – many state and local leaders, educators, and communities are deep in the hard work of education improvement, and the nation is seeing progress.

Today, the innovations unleashed by Race to the Top are touching nearly half the nation’s students and 1.5 million teachers in schools across the country – for an investment that represents less than 1 percent of education spending.

Amid that climate of positive change, America’s educators, students and families have made major achievements. The high school graduation rate is now at its highest on record (80 percent). Student test scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are the highest since the test was first given 20 years ago. And there have been double- digit gains on state tests at some of the lowest-performing schools – many of which had not seen any improvement for decades.

Today’s report highlights examples of the most innovative and effective reforms that are taking place in states across the country to prepare students for college and careers, support educators, and spur innovative educational strategies. Below are five ways Race to the Top is supporting teachers and students.

1. Race to the Top Has Provided More Students with Access to Challenging Classes

Under Race to the Top, states have spearheaded efforts to create plans tailored to their students’ needs. For example, Massachusetts provided more students with access to AP classes by training more than 1,100 middle and early high school teachers to prepare their students for new, high academic standards. Initial findings from the external evaluation of Massachusetts’ college- and career-readiness initiatives indicate patterns of increased AP course-taking, exam-taking, and exam performance.

2. Race to the Top Has Supported Hard-working Educators in New Ways

Under Race to the Top, schools and districts are making sure we have excellent principals leading our schools and skilled teachers who inspire students. In Rhode Island, the state had more than 400 first-year and 40 second-year teachers engage with the state’s new teacher induction program, which includes weekly coaching and professional development.

Delaware launched the Delaware Talent Cooperative, which provides retention awards – between $2,500 and $10,000 over two years – to highly effective educators and leaders willing to work and stay in schools with the highest needs.

3. Race to the Top Has Provided More STEM Opportunities to Students

Maryland developed and translated five STEM curriculum modules for use in language programs statewide, and in Florida, Race to the Top funds have helped hundreds of students from rural communities get new STEM opportunities through the STEM Scholars initiative.

4. Race to the Top is Helping Educators Transition to New Standards

With the help of Race to the Top, Ohio expanded alternative certification pathways for teachers and principals; developed 800 curriculum resources aligned to higher standards; and trained 24,000 teachers to use those resources. And in an ambitious and comprehensive effort, Tennessee provided 30,000 teachers with intensive summer training as part of its transition to the Common Core State Standards—more rigorous academic standards in English language arts and mathematics.

5. Race to the Top is Supporting States in Turning Around Lowest-Performing Schools

Under Race to the Top, states have designed plans to turn around some of their lowest-performing schools using new ideas that engage students and transform school culture. In Georgia, the state created two non-traditional schools to accommodate high school students at risk of dropping out. And in Tennessee, the state awarded grants or provided Tennessee Academic Specialists to address performance gaps at the 167 schools identified as Focus Schools based on significant achievement gaps in school year 2011-2012. Based on 2012-2013 state assessment results, the state made progress closing achievement gaps in these 167 schools.

Teach Me To Learn at Home™ has been designed by Experts for Parents of 2-5 year-old children to become their child’s first teacher. Our online learning pathway provides parents the expertise to better prepare their child for the rigors of Preschool and kindergarten. The program is designed for Parents to invest 15 minutes a day with their child, and when they do, the academic improvement can prove to be priceless. Teach Me To Learn at Home™ can easily be funded with use of Title I Parent engagement funds. It’s as affordable as the cost of a package of diapers.

Realize the benefits to parents with your own FREE trial. Click here to Get Started: http://learningportal.teachmetolearnathome.com/register/?token=BOOKS

Reference: https://www.ed.gov/blog/2014/03/five-ways-race-to-the-top-supports-teachers-and-students/

We Have to Quit Playing Catch-Up

Only one in three four-year-olds attend a high-quality preschool program — and the number for three-year-olds is much lower. Across the country, children remain on long preschool waiting lists, and families who could benefit from support as they raise their children remain unserved.

Six states learned that they will have vital new support to build systems that help to solve that problem. Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) funding was awarded to Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Vermont. These states join 14 others that have received RTT-ELC grants and are building their capacity to serve preschool children with quality, accountability, and efficiency.

These new awards bring the Obama Administration’s education funding commitment in early learning systems building to more than $1 billion. With that investment and their own state funds, a bipartisan group of forward-looking governors have worked to increase support for high-quality early learning in their states.

President Obama has put forward a plan, called Preschool for All, that would make high-quality preschool available and affordable for all families, without adding a dime to the deficit. Last month, a bipartisan group in Congress introduced bills to support high-quality preschool services for low- and moderate-income families.

And, many states, and cities, are building new organizational structures, aligning systems, eliminating redundant programs, and raising the bar for teacher preparation. A recent report from the Education Commission of the States documents 38 bills from 25 states that establish state preschool programs; implement quality rating and improvement systems; pilot a school readiness assessment, and more.

Ultimately, RTT-ELC is only a down payment on early learning – strong systems are not enough. High-quality early learning programs fail to reach the majority of America’s youngest learners – due to a state’s limited capacity, lack of resources, or both. Much more needs to be done.

We have to quit “playing catch-up, and level the playing field for our children before they start kindergarten,” as Secretary Duncan recently said at a global education summit. As business and military leaders, law enforcement officials and educators have repeatedly said, high-quality preschool is the right move to make sure our youngest children are ready for the world ahead of them.

Teach Me To Learn at Home™ has been designed by Experts for Parents of 2-5 year-old children to become their child’s first teacher. Our online learning pathway provides parents the expertise to better prepare their child for the rigors of Preschool and kindergarten. The program is designed for Parents to invest 15 minutes a day with their child, and when they do, repeated Lehigh University studies indicate that the academic improvement can prove to be priceless. It’s as affordable as the cost of a package of diapers. Our proven methods are easy to follow step-by-step and our online community will keep you engaged!

Realize the benefits to parents with your own FREE trial. Click here to Get Started: http://learningportal.teachmetolearnathome.com/membership/activate/BOOKS/

Reference: https://www.ed.gov/blog/2013/12/we-have-to-quit-playing-catch-up/

Parent Engagement in Schools

Parent engagement in schools is defined as parents and school staff working together to support and improve the learning, development, and health of children and adolescents. Parent engagement in schools is a shared responsibility in which schools and other community agencies and organizations are committed to reaching out to engage parents in meaningful ways, and parents are committed to actively supporting their children’s and adolescents’ learning and development. This relationship between schools and parents cuts across and reinforces children’s health and learning in multiple settings—at home, in school, in out-of-school programs, and in the community.

Engaging parents in their children’s school life should begin at an early age. Teach Me To Learn at Home™ learning pathway is designed to help parents and guardians of children age 2-5 learn how to teach the best literacy practices to their own children right from home. In other words, we create a child’s first teacher at home.

Realize the benefits to parents with your own FREE trial. Click here to Get Started:https://teachmetolearnathome.org/get-started/

What is ‘Race to The Top – Early Learning Challenge’?

The Race to The Top – Early Learning Challenge is a grant that will focus on improving early learning and development programs for young children by supporting States’ efforts.

The grant can support the State’s efforts by:

(1) Increase the number and percentage of low-income and disadvantaged children in each age group of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who are enrolled in high-quality early learning programs

(2) Design and implement an integrated system of high-quality early learning programs and services.

(3) Ensure that any use of assessments conforms with the recommendations of the National Research Council’s reports on early childhood.

Awards in Race to the Top will go to States that are leading the way with ambitious yet achievable plans for implementing coherent, compelling, and comprehensive early learning education reform.

Teach Me To Learn at Home™ is the web portal for parents of children aged 2-5 years old. Research has proven that parents who used the activities in this program benefited by having their children better academically prepared for school. The benefits of investing in preschoolers’ literacy cannot possibly be overstated, especially when considered over an entire academic career and beyond. This is true both for students who benefit immeasurably, and districts, which can realize serious cost savings as a result of children entering school better prepared academically.

Realize the benefits to parents with your own FREE trial. Click here to Get Started:https://teachmetolearnathome.org/get-started/

Reference: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge/index.html

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