All groups surveyed indicate the schools do not have enough volunteers to help student and school programs as shown in Exhibit 1-11 . Principals are a key component in making it work. Students suffer from a lack of it. Studies from the U.S. Department of Education and many other sources have proven time and again that it increases student achievement, reinforces community and school bonds and leads to parents' heightened overall awareness of their children's well being. It is parental involvement, and it's crucial to the success of every school community and to the entire world, for that matter.
Parent involvement means more than just being visible at the school or at school functions.
Many parents spend long hours at work and generally do not have time to participate during school hours. La Mesa Elementary School in Plainview, Texas developed a PALS Literacy Bag program to help involve parents with their children at home. PALS is an acronym for Parents As Literary Support. The school prepares a number of PAL bags containing a book, a game or something the parents and child can enjoy together. Every night, several students each take home a literacy bag.