Redefining Involvement:

Research-Based Strategies for Engaging the Hard-To-Reach

You Will Learn To…

Identify hard-to-reach families Understand the barriers to family involvement

and how to overcome them Use research that supports family involvement Understand the various roles families can play Work with families in poverty, minority

families, majority families, and others who do not speak English

What are the characteristics of hard-to-reach families?

Characteristics of Hard-To-Reach Families

Families love their children. Families and children share an emotional bond. Families want to connect with their children’s lives. Families want to participate. They appreciate

knowing how to partner with the school and receiving a variety of options for serving.

Families have much to give. Families have useful ideas and insights.

What are the barriers to family involvement?

Barriers to Family Involvement

Lack of time Uncertainty about what to do Personal education experience Cultural and language differences Lack of supportive environment

Fortress School

Goal: Protect schoolParents: Stay homeTeachers: TeachCommunication: One-way (newsletter)Parent groups: Hand-pickedDecisions: Principal

Come If We Call School

Goal: Share values

Parents: Reinforce school

Teachers: Conferences/Open houses

Communication: One-way (school handbook)

Parent groups: Meet monthly, principal speaks

Decisions: Principal and lead teachers

Open Door School

Goal: Enrich school

Parents: Share and help

Teachers: Know families/build on strengths

Communication: Mostly one-way; some two-way

Parent groups: Parent committees

Decisions: SBDM Council

Partnership School

All Kids Learn

Families and Teachers: Know each other Serve on committees Make decisions Look at data Share information; mostly two-way

Why is family involvement important?

Students Benefit:

Earn higher grades and test scores Enroll in higher level programs Are promoted and earn credits Adapt well to school and attend regularly Have better social skills and behavior Graduate and go on to higher education Achieve greater success in life

Families Benefit:

More confidence in school Higher expectations of their children Higher teacher opinions of families More self-confidence More likely to continue their own education

Schools Benefit:

Improved teacher morale Higher teacher ratings by parents More support from families Higher student achievement Better reputation in the community

Families are most likely to become involved if they…

Understand they SHOULD be involved Know they are CAPABLE of making a contribution Feel INVITED by the school and their children

What roles do families play?

Family Roles

Families as teachers Families as learners Families as supporters Families as advocates Families as advisors and decisionmakers

Source: KSA-Plus and Center for Parent Leadership

How toincludeeveryone

Including Families in Poverty

Go to their place of safety. Provide incentives. Listen to their stories. Ask them:

What they need for their children to be successful What they want to know

Be clear about expectations.

Including Hispanic Families

Build on cultural values Stress personal contact Foster communication Create a warm environment Facilitate structural accommodations

for family involvement

“Lessons from High Performing Hispanic Schools” Reyes, Scribner and Scribner

More Ideas To Help Everyone Feel Included

Find bilingual speakers to bridge gap between families and the school.

Identify parent liaisons to connect with those who are hard to reach.

Offer an ongoing orientation program for families on topics such as homework, school attendance, standards, and discipline.

Source: Allen, Texas ISD

More Ideas To Help Everyone Feel Included

Develop “take home” family learning (including multilingual) activities.

Form a family advisory group to advise the principal on how to improve services for those in poverty and language minority students.

Offer classes for parents on helping their child with their English homework.

Involve hard-to-reach families on advisory committees, councils, and key communicator groups.

How to turn research into action

Research to Action

Link all efforts to engage families, whether based at school or in the community, to student learning.

Getting Started: Things to think about…

Partners Needs assessment Recruiting and selecting participants Curriculum Funding Strategic Communications Plan

Focus

Beaverton Develop leaders among parents of seven language groups

Canby Training sessions for parents of children not meeting state benchmarks

Hillsboro Developed parent leaders among Hispanic community

Curriculum

Identified what families wanted to know Identified what they needed to know, based on

national (NCLB) and state standards Reviewed research-based best practices Included strong focus on standards and school data Worked with translators

How We Got Them There

Calls, follow-up calls Home visits Convenient meeting times and places Goals for each school Letters/flyers Natural selection Transportation Good food, child care, translators Prizes Media

How to meet families’ needs and overcome obstacles

Meeting Families’ Needs

Parent Concerns Can I provide adequate

clothing for the family? Can I locate housing? Can I provide a healthy

diet?

Staff Support Provide emergency

information Establish crisis intervention

procedures Provide information about

community resources

Physiological Needs (food, clothing, shelter)

Source: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Source: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, adapted from Lapides & Lapidesadapted from Lapides & Lapides

Meeting Families’ Needs/2

Parent Concerns Can I get a job? Will I get a “fair break”? Will I find something to

hold onto? Will I feel safe and

comfortable?

Staff Support Make referrals Provide counseling Encourage independence Identify community

resources

Safety Needs (job, home, security)

Source: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Source: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, adapted from Lapides & Lapidesadapted from Lapides & Lapides

Meeting Families’ Needs/3

Parent Concerns Will I make friends? Will others accept me? Should I belong to a group? Do others really need me?

Staff Support Develop parent/staff partnerships Arrange social events Support parent/child events Identify recreation facilities Encourage buddy system

Social Needs (family, friends, groups)

Source: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Source: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, adapted from Lapides & Lapidesadapted from Lapides & Lapides

Meeting Families’ Needs/4

Parent Concerns Am I doing something

worthwhile? Will I be looked up to? Will I learn a new skill or

gain new knowledge?

Staff Support Provide successful experiences Give positive feedback Encourage decision making Encourage volunteering

Esteem Needs (“I am lovable and capable”)

Source: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Source: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, adapted from Lapides & Lapidesadapted from Lapides & Lapides

Meeting Families’ Needs/5

Parent Concerns Can I accomplish my goals? What is my potential as a

person, parent, mate, breadwinner, etc.?

Can I acquire new skills or enhance present skills?

Staff Support Highlight parents’ contribution

to program Assess skills and potential Develop interest areas Plan for upward mobility Facilitate goal identification

Self-Fulfillment Needs (ego fulfillment)

Source: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Source: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, adapted from Lapides & Lapidesadapted from Lapides & Lapides

Overcoming Obstacles

Obstacles Inconvenient meeting

time Lack of transportation Lack of babysitters

Ideas for Overcoming Them Ask families to specify a

convenient meeting time Arrange carpools and walk

pools, etc. Provide a nursery or arrange

sitters

Adapted from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Overcoming Obstacles/2

Obstacles Feelings of personal

inadequacy Inexperienced

chairpersons No opportunity to

participate at meetings

Ideas for Overcoming Them Arrange social events for

parents and staff Conduct training, coaching Ask questions and encourage

families to talk; provide translators

Adapted from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Overcoming Obstacles/3

Obstacles Meetings seem to

accomplish nothing Feeling unwelcome Having overwhelming

personal problems

Ideas for Overcoming Them Research topic before

meeting; close on a positive note

Brief staff on ways to put parents at ease

Make personal calls or home visits to help families talk about problems

Adapted from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

What are the lessons learned?

Lessons Learned…

The power of data The power of open, honest communication The desire of families to know and understand The strength of sharing The power of high expectations It is possible to work with seven language groups

in one session

Lessons Learned/2

Challenges exist: No clear focus on families--it’s not a priority Low expectations of families Limited resources devoted to helping families

understand education Assumptions that families already know Protectiveness of schools/educators Recruitment and sustainability is very hard work

Families say they have…

More understanding and knowledge Increased confidence Concern for all children, not just their own Desire to partner with schools Usefulness of these new skills in their jobs Desire to be leaders Ability to hold schools accountable

Planning and Communicating

Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning.

--Winston Churchill

Strategic Communication Plan

What do you want your stakeholders to do (actions)? Who needs to know and be involved (stakeholders)? What do they need to know (messages)? How should they be informed and involved (messengers)? When should they know (timetable)? Who will do the work (responsibilities)?

When you get home and think of a question….

Call or email

Name:E-mail Address:Phone Number: