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# Raise the Bar: Resources for Parents and Families 

# Raise the Bar: Resources for Parents and Families 

                                    -        Welcome back to school, parents,  families, and caregivers!****
You  have done so much to get your child ready for a successful school year, and  your child’s school is gearing up for an exciting year of learning. Now, it’s  time to welcome *you*back to school! 

Parent partnership with schools  is key to supporting students’ academic success and overall wellbeing. The  questions below can help guide your back-to-school conversations with teachers  and other school staff, support building your partnerships, and help lay the  foundation for your child’s success. These questions focus on building strong  relationships with your school, sustaining two-way communication, and  structuring support for your child between home and school. 
Sample  Questions for Parents and Families to Help Build Strong Partnerships with  SchoolsPartnering for our child’s  success is important to us.  *Parent  Questions for Educators: How will we build our relationship to partner well?*- What’s the best way  to share our family’s culture and our hopes and dreams for our child? 
- What’s your approach  to getting to know our child—their interests, strengths, and needs?  
- What’s the best way  for us to learn more about you? 
Ongoing communication between  home and school will sustain our partnership.**** *Parent  Questions for Educators: How will we build and maintain open communication  throughout the school year?*  - How will you share  information with us? If we need language support, how can we ask for  translation and interpretation services, or other ways to receive information? 
- What’s the best way  to reach you if we have questions or concerns? And when? 
- What ongoing  opportunities will we have to engage with you and other school staff? 
Academic success can be impacted  by the opportunity for families to support learning.  *Parent  Questions for Educators: How will we partner so that we can support what our  child is learning at school?* - How can our family  find out what our child will learn this school year?  
- How will we receive  information about our child’s academic progress in school? 
- How will we work  together to set academic goals for our child? 
- What are your  recommendations for how we can support our child’s learning at home? 
- We know that most  students’ learning was impacted by the pandemic. How are you working to  understand and support where our child may need extra help?  (For example,  through tutoring, small group instruction, or other supports?)  
- Are there resources  outside of the regular school day to support our child’s learning? (For  example, afterschool programs, summer learning opportunities, or mentoring  programs?) 
Working together, educators and  families also can support students’ success beyond academics.  *Parent  Questions for Educators: What resources are available to help our child’s  overall well-being?*- How can our family  connect to resources to support our child’s overall well-being, including their  mental health?  
- How will we know if  our child misses too much school?  
- What supports are  available if our child falls behind on classroom time because of school  absences? How can we work together to help our child catch up? 
- How is the school  ensuring a safe and supportive learning environment? And who should we talk to  if we have school climate or safety concerns? 
Parents and families often want  to support schools, but we need more information. *Parent  Questions for Educators: How can parents be helpful in building our classroom  and our school communities?* - What are some of the  ways that parents and families can support our child’s classroom?  
- How will we learn  about ongoing volunteer or collaboration opportunities with our child’s school?  
- How might parents  make suggestions for keeping our child’s school connected to community events  and partnership opportunities?  
- How can parents be  involved in supporting school climate and safety efforts?  
Department of Education Resources for Parents and Families- Family Engagement Learning      Series  webinars 
- Statewide      Family Engagement Centers
- Letter  to State Directors of      Special Education on Ensuring a High-Quality Education for Highly Mobile      Children 
- Secretary Cardona's  letter  regarding military-connected      students and families 
- A Parent's  Guide  to ESSA
- A  summary  of ESSA Flexibilities
- Protection of Pupil      Rights Amendment  Guidance
- A Parent's  Guide  to FERPA:   A Parent's      Guide to FERPA | Protecting Student Privacy (ed.gov) 
- Fact Sheet  on Information for      Limited English Proficient Parents and for Schools and School Districts      that Communicate with Them (also available in other  languages ).
- Parent and Educator  Resource Guide  to Section 504 in      Public Elementary and Secondary Schools 
- Ejemplos de preguntas que los padres y las familias pueden hacer para colaborar con los maestros y la escuela de sus hijos
- Office of Special      Education Programs  Memorandum  13-08, Questions and      Answers on IDEA Part B Dispute Resolution Procedures
- Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Parent Resource Centers  are Department-funded centers that provide resources for parents of children with disabilities
- Early Learning Resources
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