Opportunities for Parent Involvement

By New York City Department of Education Staff

Children do better in school when their parents are actively involved. Parent involvement is more than just receiving information about what is happening in the schools. Parents have many opportunities to take on leadership roles and influence the school community significantly. Here are just a few of the ways that family members can get involved in schools.

Parent Associations/Parent Teacher Associations

All New York City public schools have a Parent Association/Parent-Teacher Association (PA/PTA). In addition to being a great way to meet and network with other parents, the PA/PTA helps caregivers stay informed about school news and provides an opportunity to share ideas. The specific activities of the PA/PTA depend on the needs of the school and the goals of the parents involved. Many PAs/PTAs organize fundraisers for school activities, coordinate workshops for parents, and plan family events for special occasions. The associations also provide a link among schools in each district. The President of each school’s PA/PTA serves as a member of the District or Regional Presidents’ Council. This link helps parents share ideas from schools across a larger community.

For more information about Parent-Teacher Associations/Parent-Teacher Associations, see Chancellor’s Regulation A-660 at: http://docs.nycenet.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-31/A-660.pdf

School Leadership Teams

Parents have the opportunity to provide direct input on the educational goals and budget of a school by serving on the School Leadership Team (SLT). The Principal, PA/PTA President, and the United Federation of Teachers chapter leader join with parents from the general school community to form the core of the SLT. The work of the SLT includes establishing school priorities as defined in the Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP), making recommendations to align the school’s budget with the CEP, and evaluating the school’s progress towards achieving the CEP’s goals and strategies.

For more information about School Leadership Teams, see Chancellor’s Regulation A-655 at: http://docs.nycenet.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-30/A-655.pdf.

Elections for the 2007-2009 term for Community and Citywide Education Councils will take place in Spring 2007. Serving on one of the councils provides an opportunity for parents to support schools and have a more formal voice in public education. Council members serve as representatives for the parents and the community as a whole.

Ask current members or your school’s Parent Coordinator for information on eligibility and application instructions.

Community and Citywide Education Councils

Each Community School District has a Community Education Council (CEC) consisting of nine parents selected by members of the community and two people appointed by the Borough President. A high school senior also serves on each council. Council members have a voice in establishing educational policy for the district in which they serve.

In addition to reviewing zoning lines submitted by the community superintendent, the CEC provides feedback to the Chancellor on various initiatives, holds quarterly meetings with district PA/PTA officers, provides assistance to SLTs, and completes evaluations of the community superintendent and local instructional superintendents.

The Citywide Council on Special Education (CCSE) serves as a representative voice for parents of children who receive special education services through District 75. The CCSE is responsible for publishing an annual report on the effectiveness of special education services, including recommendations for improvement. At public meetings held by the CCSE, parents have the opportunity to discuss the needs of students in District 75 and provide input on policies affecting the schools.
The Citywide Council on High Schools (CCHS) brings together parents of high school students from across the city to discuss policy involving public high schools. The CCHS produces an annual report on the effectiveness of high school education and makes recommendations for improvement. Public meetings of the CCHS are a forum for community members to discuss educational policy.

All Education Councils hold a public meeting every month. For the calendar of meetings and more information about the councils, visit: http://schools.nyc.gov/Councils.

Visit http://schools.nyc.gov/Parents/Get+Involved for more information about opportunities for parents to be active members of the school community.

Title I Involvement

Title I funding is provided to schools with a certain percentage of families living at or below the federal poverty line. All Title I schools are required to establish a Title I parent committee. Parents of Title I-eligible students in a school choose either to be represented by the school’s PA/PTA or to develop their own Title I Parent Advisory Council (PAC). Once this decision is made, schools are required to involve these parents in decisions on how Title I funds are spent. The New York City Department of Education Office of Parent Engagement publishes Title I Parent Involvement Guidelines at http://schools.nyc.gov/Parents/NewsInformation/TitleIPIG.htm.

Support School Success at Home

Academic success starts at home. Parents and other family members are children’s first and most important teachers. Once children start school, families should work with teachers and other school staff to help all students reach their fullest potential. Family support for educational achievement is necessary from elementary school to high school graduation.
To support learning, you can:

Set high expectations for behavior and academic performance. Your child needs to know that you believe he/she can succeed.
Talk to your child’s teacher(s) regularly. Make sure you know the grading policy and homework rules for each class.
Read with your child every day, particularly in elementary school.
Make sure your child has a quiet place to do homework.
Introduce yourself to the Parent Coordinator and attend parent workshops.
Remember that even asking, “What’s the best thing that happened in school today?” can help your child.

Homework and Regents Prep Help

HomeworkNYC is a resource provided by Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library, and Queens Library. The Ask-a-Librarian feature provides quick answers by phone, instant message, or email. Students in grades 4-12 with a valid library card can access Live Homework Help from home for a one-on-one session with a tutor. Live Homework Help also is provided at many library branches. Other resources are available at http://homeworkNYC.org.

Dial-A-Teacher is a homework help service provided by the United Federation of Teachers. It offers help in 12 different languages, including Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, French, German, Italian, and Haitian Creole. Dial-A-Teacher is open Monday-Thursday from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Teachers offer help in all subject areas at 212-777-3380.

Dr. Math answers math questions from students in grades K-12. The website allows students to submit questions online and receive answers via email. Dr. Math is available at http://mathforum.org/dr.math.

Regents Exam Prep Center provides students with study strategies, a reference library, and access to old exams. To begin preparing, go to http://regentsprep.org.

College Board helps students prepare for College Board tests, apply to college, and learn about different majors and careers. Students can use the website to register for the SAT and SAT subject tests (SATIIs), learn about AP courses, download AP tests, get advice on writing college essays, and get monthly newsletters with useful information. Visit http://www.collegeboard.com.

Excerpt from: Guide for Parents and Families 2006-2007.